Planting Trees In Name Of Phillies Players Who Brought The Lumber In 2016
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Phillies and the Philadelphia Horticultural Society have teamed up again to plant nearly a thousand trees throughout the region as part of the ongoing Plant One Million project.
This is the second such event of the year.
In an old warehouse down by the Delaware River at the Navy Yard complex, volunteers led by the Phillie Phanatic are removing and sorting a wide variety of trees, before heading out to hundreds of neighborhoods.
PHS President Matt Rader says many of the trees are adorned with green tags baring the names of Phillies players who hit home runs this past season.
"We're planting 960 trees this week across the city and region. 161 of them will be tagged with the people who actually got the home run."
From team home run leader Maikel Franco, who gets 25 tags, to the eminently forgettable Cedric Hunter with one.
Rader says the point is to continue rebuilding the green canopy cover to 30 percent, which would be the most coverage since early in the 20th century.
"We create cooler urban environments so it addresses the urban heat island effect. Trees help clean the air, trees help beautify neighborhoods, which has positive impacts on property values and life and crime."
And just saying, the Phils and PHS could have gotten more bang for the buck by going in another direction.
"Had you done the number of home runs the Phillies pitchers gave up, you would have had 213."
"I can't comment on that," Rader said laughing.
