Free Trees for Southwest Philadelphia

• Application Period: Fall 2025
• In-Person Interviews: October–November 2025
• Term Dates: January–December 2026, with the option to renew. Tree Coalition Leaders will meet monthly for 2 hours in the evening at Bartram’s Garden.

Tree Coalition Leaders will each receive a $1,000 stipend for each year of service.

In order to be eligible to apply, you must:

• Be an adult (18+);
• Be a resident of Southwest Philadelphia, especially in the neighborhoods of Kingsessing, Eastwick, Elmwood Park, or Cobbs Creek. Priority will be given to applicants who live between 49th Street and 65th Street, between Chester Avenue and the river;
• Be able to lift up to 25 pounds;
• Be able to commit to the activities and responsibilities, including one monthly, two-hour evening meeting in-person at Bartram’s Garden; and
• Have a love of trees and green spaces.

No previous experience is needed–only enthusiasm for a healthier, greener Southwest Philadelphia!

Activities and responsibilities include:

• Leadership

  • Make an annual commitment to being a Tree Leader by attending one (1) monthly, 2-hour in-person meeting at Bartram’s Garden
  • Participate in the decision-making process for the newly created Community Tree Fund

• Tree Care

  • Become a certified Tree Tender and take the free PHS Tree Tender Training course
  • Attend at least two (2) tree plantings or tree giveaways during the calendar year

• Outreach

  • Participate in at least two (2) of the following volunteer events throughout the calendar year:
    • Neighborhood canvassing
    • Tabling at an event at Bartram’s Garden or with a community partner
    • Block clean-up or community greening event
    • Community workday with the ROOTS Tree Crew

This program has a two-part, competitive application process.

Step 1. Online Application: Apply Now!

First, submit an online application. You can complete the application on a phone, tablet, or computer with internet access. You may want to draft your written responses ahead of time so that you can copy and paste them into the online application form.

All application information will be kept confidential.

The application will ask for the following information:

• Your name and date of birth
• Your contact information (address, email, and phone)
• How you heard about the program

There will also be several short-answer written questions:

• Please share 2–3 reasons for your interest in becoming a Tree Coalition Leader.
• Based on your skills and previous/current experiences, how will you, as a Tree Coalition Leader, contribute to the Bartram’s Garden Southwest Philadelphia Tree Program?
• Please write 2–4 sentences describing your past or current connection to Bartram’s Garden and/or to Southwest Philadelphia.
• Provide an example of a time when you worked as a member of a group to solve a problem.

Step 2. In-Person Interview

After submitting your online application, you may be invited to interview in-person at Bartram’s Garden with staff members. You do not need to bring or wear anything special on the scheduled interview day.

Getting Selected

If you are selected after the interview, you will be contacted by phone or email in Fall 2025. Before your term begins in January 2026, you will be asked to provide additional documentation, including but not limited to the following:

• A completed W-9 form
• A signed agreement committing to fulfill the Tree Coalition Leader responsibilities for one year (January–December 2026)
• Emergency contact information
• Health/allergy information

These details are kept confidential.