New Trail crew, Fight for Zero Fare, Dreadging threatens fish, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:

City to launch first-ever trail maintenance crew. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation will be hiring its first dedicated trail maintenance crew this summer due to a grant from the William Penn Foundation. The crew will focus on ten watershed parks – such as the Wissahickon and Tacony Creek – in addition to helping care for the Schuylkill River Trail. Parks and Rec spokespeople say that the hope is for the crew to lessen the burden on volunteers who currently maintain the trails. The Philadelphia Inquirer 

Community garden gains more land. Viola Street Community Garden in East Parkside acquired eight more parcels of land with the Neighborhood Gardens Trust. The garden sits on several vacant lots with an array of owners. The acquisition brings them one step closer to fully preserving the garden in its entirety.  

Advocates hold ‘Week of Action’ for transit access in Philadelphia. Transit for All PA and Transit Forward Philadelphia are hosting a Week of Action to advocate for two programs to be included in the city budget: Zero Fare and SEPTA Key Advantage. Zero Fare is a two-year pilot program from 2023-2025 that offers low-income riders a free SEPTA pass, while SEPTA Key Advantage gives a free SEPTA pass to City employees. A rally and press conference at City Hall is scheduled for Friday morning. 

Delaware Riverkeeper defends critically endangered fish under threat from NOAA and Army Corps. The genetically unique Atlantic Sturgeon is a critically endangered species of fish within the Delaware River, whose habitat is highly protected during the key spawning season of April through September. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Army Corps intend to dredge parts of the river during this crucial timeframe without protections or consultation, disregarding legal obligations under the Endangered Species Act. In a letter, Delaware Riverkeeper Maya K. van Rossum warned the agencies that the network “will be pursuing all legal, political and public means available to oppose this disregard of science, law, agency duty and good conscience.”

Photo by R. Kennedy for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®