1. Growing Economic Value for our Cities:
Parks and Trees
A Congressional Briefing
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Amanda Benner, PHS

2. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
motivates people to improve the
quality of life and create a sense
of community through horticulture.

3. The Nation’s Flower Show
250,000+ attendees visit the Flower Show over 9 days

4. Impact of Flower Show
$61 million impact on
Greater Philadelphia region
Provides work equivalent of
637 full-time jobs
$8 million in tax revenue
25,000 hotel room nights
regionally

5. Philadelphia Green
Over 100,000
people
connected to
PHS programs
Convene | Connect | Motivate

6. Green Infrastructure
Valued urban green spaces

7. 92% of Philadelphians
…believe that environmental and green
infrastructure improvements are
necessary to improve the area’s
economic competitiveness and growth.
- pennfuture.org/nextgreatcity

8. The Impact of Greening
Economic
Aesthetic
Environmental
Social

9. Civic Landscapes
26th Street Gateway

10. Civic Landscapes
26th Street Gateway

11. Civic Landscapes
Logan Square

12. Civic Landscapes
Logan Square

13. Improve Downtown Business
• Shoppers will spend 9% to 12% more for goods and
services in business districts with high quality trees and
landscaping
• Shoppers will travel greater distances to retail areas
with high quality trees, and spend more time once
they arrive
• 7% higher rental rates for commercial offices with
high quality landscapes

14. Value of Parks
10,300 acres = $5.9M in stormwater management cost savings

15. Stormwater Management
Cliveden Park, Stormwater Project

16. Stormwater Management
Liberty Lands

17. Stormwater Management
Liberty Lands

18. Green Jobs
Green2015: An Action Plan for the First 500 Acres

19. Value of Trees
Up to
50%
Reduction in amount of cooling energy used due to
strategically planted trees around a building.
- Urban Forestry and the Ecocity, Michigan State University

20. Plant One Million
Goal: to plant
one million trees
across 13 counties
and 3 states
PA
NJ
DE

21. Plant One Million
Plant
Trees in watershed
areas, public parks,
schoolyards, and private
property
Count
Online tool to register
new trees
PlantOneMillion.org
Tend
Tree Tenders training to
learn care and
maintenance
Plant | Count | Tend

22. Social Capital
volunteer hours $8.6 million value - Green2015

23. Growing Economic Value
Trees, Parks, Green Infrastructure

24. PHSonline.org