Ten vacant lots in Chester are trading weeds and debris for landscaping and regular upkeep.
Vacant land across Delaware County could soon become cleaner, greener community space through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s expanded LandCare program, writes Madeleine Wright for CBS News Philadelphia.
PHS joined Chester and Delaware County officials earlier this week to celebrate the program’s first expansion beyond Philadelphia, where it already maintains more than 12,000 vacant lots.
Founded in 1827, PHS works to use horticulture as a tool for positive social and environmental change, drawing on a network of more than 300,000 volunteers, gardeners, and supporters.
In Chester, that mission has turned 10 vacant lots into maintained green spaces built to give residents safer, more welcoming places to gather, relax, and spend time outdoors.
“As we beautify the city and make it feel more welcoming, we know that this symbolizes a comeback to just normalcy and decency,” said Chester Mayor Stefan Roots.
The $250,000 project was funded in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of the Budget and the Green Family Foundation.
PHS officials said the lots will be maintained twice a month during the growing season, with crews clearing debris, adding landscaping, and providing ongoing care.
The payoff goes beyond appearances.
PHS officials said greened lots have been linked to improved neighborhood health and safety, including lower reported feelings of depression among nearby residents and decreases in gun violence in lower-income neighborhoods.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity to show the community we care,” said Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse. “It’s about more than law enforcement. It’s about keeping communities safe. It’s about building hope.”
To keep the work going year-round, PHS has hired Chester-based Warren Family Landscaping to maintain the lots.
Read the full story on CBS News Philadelphia to see how PHS plans to transform more Delaware County lots in the months ahead.
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