Coopersburg Borough has initiated revitalization projects for various locations around town, most recently in Meadow Park, a small recreation area on South 4th Street. In conjunction with Lehigh Valley’s public radio station WDIY 88.1, and the nonprofit TreePennsylvania, officials planted 15 red maples, white oaks, and other native bare-root trees throughout the park.
The tree planting honors WDIY Board Vice President Mr. Donald Miles, who passed away in February 2024. Certain WDIY donors have also been invited to dedicate a tree to their loved ones, and these memorial signs will be publicly unveiled at an event in the coming months. In addition to commemoration efforts, the tree planting intends to drive community improvement, providing a civic center for residents to spend time in nature.
Senior Robert Morgan, vice-president of Southern Lehigh High School’s Ecology Club, believes that this time outdoors is very important to society.
“I believe local parks are such a vital part of life in communities like our own, bringing together people of all different backgrounds as a shared place of enjoyment and leisure,” Morgan said.
I believe local parks are such a vital part of life in communities like our own, bringing together people of all different backgrounds as a shared place of enjoyment and leisure.”[/pullquote]
Meadow Park—equipped with a playground for preschool-aged children and a small stream—is situated just beside Coopersburg’s post office, Pott’s Dog House, and Link Beverages. The borough first began work on the location in 2004, when it received a grant for stream restoration to reinforce the waterway’s banks with wildflowers in response to consistent flooding. Later, in 2012, there were plans to introduce macadam walking paths throughout the park, though these elicited some concern from locals and were never acted upon.
Now, funded by the TreePennsylvania organization’s Bare Root Tree Grant and proceeds from WDIY’s Fall Membership Drive, the borough initiated the tree planting project. TreePennsylvania has provided such grants to local municipalities since 2020, with help from the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
“[C]ommunity organizations like TreePennsylvania are very beneficial,” Morgan said. “When people hear more about efforts to make cleaner environments and have things like more trees planted, they feel more encouraged to take the next steps to be a part of the solution, which is a beautiful thing in and of itself.”
Southern Lehigh AP Environmental Science and biology teacher Mr. Richard Dreves agrees that community organizations can play an important role in the local environment.
“Budgets are always shrinking,” he said, “so time, money, and resources—in this case trees—from outside sources and volunteer organizations is always a benefit.”
WDIY has long used proceeds from its membership drives to give back to the community. They last supported tree-planting efforts in 2011, benefiting Allentown and Easton, and wrote in a November 11th release that they pursued such a project this year for the benefit of the station’s Coopersburg listeners. The station’s Membership and Development Director, Mr. Shamus McGroggan, expressed excitement at reaching a community they hadn’t worked in previously.
“This is an effort that can be enjoyed by those individuals and their families long into the future,” he said.
Mr. Dreves agrees that the tree-planting, and environmental projects in general, benefit locals on both a mental and physical level.
“Studies have shown spending time in nature allows people to relax, reset, and lower blood pressure,” Mr. Dreves said. “As the world increases development, nature is important to keep.”
