Reconnecting Northeast Philadelphia to the Delaware River

Riverfront North Partnership’s mission is to work with the City of Philadelphia to create, activate, and steward the Riverfront North Greenway, an 11-mile network of parks and trails located along current and former industrial sites on the Delaware River in Northeast Philadelphia. Northeast Philadelphia has also long been a magnet for new Americans due to its affordable housing and abundance of manufacturing jobs. However, changing demographics, the I-95 interstate corridor, an active shipping port, and chemical, coke, and garbage plants have turned the riverfront into a place of utility, not recreation. Together we are shifting the narrative, reconnecting our diverse neighbors to these essential and abundant outdoor spaces, and reminding people that the riverfront is also a place for community and recreation.

The Riverfront North Greenway is made up of eight public parks that offer a broad diversity of use and open space. One of those parks, Pennypack on the Delaware Park (POD), was created on a municipal dump. Opened in 1994, this park was established to provide long missing access to the Delaware River in the Holmesburg neighborhood through the construction of a multi-use park that contains both passive and active park elements. It is a popular destination for outdoor recreation, and contains significant ecological habitats including intertidal marshes, a warm season grass meadow, and a coastal plain riverbank forest. There are a variety of native trees, shrubs, forbs (flowering, non-grassy herbaceous plants), and grasses in the 120-acre park, that is also considered a significant birding location with over 240 bird species recorded in the past decade. In addition, a significant number of butterflies visit the northern riparian forest due to its large warm season grass meadow.

This project, which focuses on the Southern Forest at POD, is part of a larger reforestation effort that has been underway since 2018 and was award the 2021 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. The project focuses on the ecological restoration of the riparian forest through the introduction of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species. The result, an increased habitat for many birds, butterflies, other insects and mammals, as well as a strengthened tree canopy and lush outdoor haven for visitors. Bird Philly has described our work to date, saying it’s “bringing back some bird species that are rare and have not been seen in the region in 20 years.”  In addition to caring for the land, we partner with community volunteers and various nonprofit groups to offer 200+ free outdoor programs including nature walks, birding, yoga and many other outdoor recreational programs at POD and throughout our parks that line the Riverfront North Greenway.

Pennypack on the Delaware is a hidden gem in the Northeast. It is a popular space for people to go walking, biking, fishing or simply spend time in nature. The neighborhoods surrounding POD are densely populated, urban communities that have been separated from the Delaware River by heavy industry and the I-95 corridor

A 2018 study by TreePhilly helped RNP to narrow its focus to the Holmesburg neighborhood in Philadelphia, where we are primarily working to increase tree canopy – and stormwater management – at POD. Over the last few years, we have planted over 1,500 trees to restore a riparian buffer, coastal plain forest, and wildlife habitat in this park. Completed a streambank stabilization project, to combat erosion that threatened the trail and riparian forest, and more.

The park creates a place for the diverse Holmesburg community to gather and increase their knowledge of the natural world. One of the most diverse areas of Philadelphia, with 20% of its residents born outside the US, the diverse population makes placemaking an essential function of this park. The Greenway serves a greater purpose than just providing beautiful natural spaces for people to gather and enjoy the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of being outdoors and near the water

Our network of parks and trails also helps to protect and sustain the Delaware River watershed. The Delaware is an essential resource for the city, with 60% of the city’s drinking water comes from the Delaware River. The continued care of the river, and its’ surrounding parks, trails, and recreational spaces is increasingly important for the present and future health of Philadelphians.

Despite this fact, we have seen a 6% decrease in the Northeast Philadelphia tree canopy over the last decade. The equivalent of 1,000 football fields. POD, which also happens to be built on a former landfill, has been part of a reforestation effort over the past few years. This program would allow for the continuation of these efforts to protect our riverfront and ensure our city’s drinking water, and the Atlantic Ocean are safe from pollutants. The reforestation of POD helps to ensure the area does not erode into river. The increase in tree cover also helps in mitigating air pollution, preventing further runoff, improves biodiversity, and increases the quality of the green spaces accessible to the neighborhood. 

This project will engage the community through volunteer workdays and support from our workforce development, Same Day Work & Pay Cohort in partnership with the City of Philadelphia’s Center for Empowerment and Opportunity. We will engage participants in hands-on learning around proper tree planting protocols, native plants, and watershed ecosystems. Volunteers will work in groups to dig holes and remove debris from the planting areas, free roots and expose flares, before planting at the proper grade with correct backfill technique. Participants will add bark protectors and then flag and water each new tree to establish it.