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90 Philly parks need volunteers for cleanup and planting weekend

Organizers of Love Your Park Fall Weekend, Nov. 10 to 12, say volunteers are needed to clean up, plant trees and flower bulbs, and collect leaves for compost before winter arrives.

File: Volunteers Carnell Thomas, left, and Ahsan Moghaddas plant native shrubs at an entrance to Harrowgate Park in Philadelphia as part of the Philadelphia Resilience Project's cleanup day on Saturday, May 4, 2019. City workers and volunteers worked to clean up trash, seal vacant properties, and beautify parks in the area.
File: Volunteers Carnell Thomas, left, and Ahsan Moghaddas plant native shrubs at an entrance to Harrowgate Park in Philadelphia as part of the Philadelphia Resilience Project's cleanup day on Saturday, May 4, 2019. City workers and volunteers worked to clean up trash, seal vacant properties, and beautify parks in the area.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer

Philly’s parks could use some TLC after a summer of heavy use.

Organizers of Love Your Park Fall Weekend, Nov. 10 to 12, say volunteers are needed to clean up, plant trees and flower bulbs, and collect leaves for compost at any of 90 city parks before winter arrives.

How do I participate in a cleanup?

To register for a cleanup, use this online tool to find your desired park. The tool provides a list and interactive map.

Who is behind the cleanups?

The spruce up is organized by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and park friends groups across the city, from Bardascino Park to Wister Woods.

The group organizes two citywide park events each year — on the second Saturdays of May and November — to bring resources and attention to Philly’s green spaces.

The fall event spans the entire weekend and helps prepares parks not only for winter but the following spring. Volunteers plant and care for trees, rake leaves, clean garden beds, and other tasks.

“Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation believe that Love Your Park is an essential way to connect Philadelphians to their neighborhood parks, teaching the fundamentals of care and stewardship while building connections to green space and each other,” said Maura McCarthy, CEO of Fairmount Park Conservancy.

Who are the park friends?

Park Friends Network is the main organizer of the local events, while Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation organize the overall Love Your Park program and provide resources. The Love Your Park program is meant to support neighborhood parks without staffs, community gardens, and watershed parks in the city’s park system.

Park Friends groups are registered with the city with the goal of keeping parks vibrant and inviting. They organize cleanups and volunteering, plan events, help raise funds, and advocate for the parks.

You can get involved in the network by contacting a local park friends group through information provided online. You can start a local park friends group by going to that link or by contacting the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Stewardship office at PPRstewardship@phila.gov or calling (215) 683-3640.

“Volunteering during Love Your Park Weekend is the easiest way to give back to your local park,” said Orlando Rendon, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation commissioner. “We encourage all Philadelphians to get connected to your community’s Park Friends group, advocating for and supporting these important public spaces.”