The Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership is a multi-year effort designed to spark governmental action, public attention, and funding to rally efforts around Pennsylvania’s Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. The ambitious goal of this collaborative effort is to add 10 million new trees by 2025 in Pennsylvania’s agricultural riparian buffers, urban and suburban landscapes, and abandoned mine lands.

A coalition of diverse organizations are committed to making the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership goal a reality. This growing list of partners includes a range of local, regional, and national conservation groups, commonwealth and federal government organizations, nursery and tree supply businesses, and other businesses throughout Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic.

As part of its Making History Campaign (MHC), the Chesapeake Bay Foundation launched this strategic effort in 2018 to expedite the reduction of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution from Pennsylvania’s rivers and streams that feed into the Chesapeake Bay. Through this effort, CBF is driving partnership efforts to boost production of native trees while also aligning with partners to identify strategic planting locations. With a broad and targeted range of partners, we will accelerate native tree planting efforts in identified locations, raise public awareness, and help establish sustainable, science-based management of tree planting and ongoing tree care and maintenance. Ultimately, adding 10 million native trees to the Pennsylvania landscape will improve the Bay’s water quality by stabilizing stream and river banks, filtering water flow from agricultural, urban, and abandoned mine land environments, and boost the economy through trees’ ability to reduce public health costs, crime, and engaging local industry such as nurseries, garden centers and like-minded industries.

The Partnership contracts annually with growers in the mid-Atlantic to purchase trees and supplies in advance of production, generally 16-24 months prior to delivery.  Contracts include a specified price, quantity, species list, quantity,  delivery date, and include preferences for local contractors, job creation, and socially and ecologically beneficial production practices.   Forward contracting addresses a shortage and diversity of trees available for purchase in the region by increasing the predictability of the market for suppliers.  Forward contracts have an extensive track record in stabilizing supply, price, and quality in the agricultural and energy markets.  The partnership’s forward contract request for proposals give preference to growers in Pennsylvania in order to support economic and workforce development in the region.

The partnership is working with the PA Department of Corrections on an expansion to the existing Conservation Correctional Collaborative with the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. This model aims to continue the collaborative’s work to integrate re-entry workforce trained in nursery, conservation, and tree maintenance to be hired into partner companies, organizations, and/or equip trainees with the skills needed to start their own businesses

The Partnership regularly gathers partners across the commonwealth to share and evaluate best practices for tree survivability and protection including research analysis, and consults with vendors on biodegradable and recyclable tree protection, increasing the availability of tree maintenance contractors, and best management practices for landowners.