Community Forestry
Public Landscapes
Urban Agriculture
Professional Services
CDBG 2023 BID PACKAGE
Community Forestry
A local authority on all things tree, DCH is a key partner for governments, nonprofits, corporations, neighborhoods, and individuals looking to engage in tree planting and stewardship projects. We work with cities and towns to assist with planning and maintaining Delaware’s urban forests, which naturally counteract devastating pests and pathogens, increased urbanization, poor air quality, and increased stormwater runoff. We connect companies with their communities through volunteer tree plantings. We identify neighborhoods in need of increased tree canopy and find ways to bring our ideas to life with the help of local and national partners. We teach hundreds of students each year about the gifts trees give us through our Arbor Day education programs. We inspire and train individuals and communities to care for their neighborhood trees. We conduct research on the state of local forests, and we work with the City of Wilmington’s Urban Forestry Program and the Delaware Forest Service to make a difference. We provide trees to city residents who want to be a part of our movement. And we plant trees… a lot of trees… more than 17,000 to be exact. DCH makes tree planting easy and accessible for everyone.
DCH’s Neighborhood Tree Steward Program (TSP) is a scalable resilience solution that benefits affordable housing and low- to moderate-income families. Projects, such as street tree plantings, vacant lot stabilization, and streetscape beautification programs, in low- to moderate-income census tracts improve the neighborhood and built environment, a key social determinant of health. DCH’s TSP is a neighborhood-based, resident training program to ensure resident buy-in, contributing to successful outcomes. The shade from street trees has been proven to improve property values and civic engagement, decrease criminal activity, improve air quality, reduce street-level urban heat, and decrease summer temperatures of buildings, thereby reducing cooling costs.
As one of the region’s leading advocates for Delaware’s trees, DCH is your trusted resource for tree consultation, planting, management, and care.
Get us involved in your project!
For tree-related questions or to get us involved in your project, please contact
Heather Titanich, Community Forester at 302-658-6262 ext. 112 or htitanich@thedch.org
Public Landscapes
DCH’s Public Landscapes program gives everyone an opportunity to participate in the beneficial work of public horticulture. We work with individuals, neighborhoods, governments, and businesses looking to invest in our local communities using a medium with countless, positive benefits –plants! No matter the size of the project, our trained team of horticulturists work with you to bring the power of plants to the most unlikely and most challenging of urban and suburban environments, including the ACME Bioswale in Trolley Square, Columbus Monument on Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovering Avenue, and Happy Valley. And the benefits are truly endless.
Sponsors of our public landscapes are not only recognized as invested members of the community but also as advocates for public greening of beautiful and functional landscapes. By sponsoring a public landscape, you are giving pedestrians an opportunity to breathe cleaner air and learn about the plants that will thrive in their micro climate. You are providing a hands-on training ground for our Branches to Chances: A Return to Work Program participants. You are beautifying your neighborhood, which has a calming effect on its residents and instills a sense of local pride. You are providing a habitat for our native pollinators and wildlife, which benefits our local ecosystem. With your sponsorship, you bring the power of plants to life.
From traffic islands and sidewalks to urban meadows and container plantings, DCH can find a perfect match for your needs. We also offer consultation services to those who want to lead their own community initiatives but may require extra support.
Support Our Public Landscapes Program
For questions or to get us involved in your project, please contact
Joseph Poppiti, Landscapes Manager, at 302-658-6262 ext. 114 or jpoppiti@thedch.org.
Urban Agriculture
Since 1977, DCH has utilized urban agriculture as a tool to engage and beautify neighborhoods, improve public health, teach the basics of plant science, and provide access to fresh, locally-grown produce. Starting at the grassroots level, we helped establish Wilmington’s first urban farm, founded the Delaware Urban Farm and Food Coalition (DEUFFC), and provided foundational support to more than 40 community gardens throughout New Castle County. DCH is a vital neighborhood resource supporting community gardeners through education, leadership training, and technical expertise to create a thriving network of advocates who aim to strengthen the broader food system.
The E. D. Robinson Urban Farm at 12th & Brandywine was founded in 2009 through the coordinated efforts of the late Wilmington City Councilman and neighborhood activist Eric D. Robinson, the 11th Street Bridge community, DCH, and the City of Wilmington. Once a vacant lot in an area dominated by corner stores, the farm provides residents with fresh fruits and vegetables and a place to grow independently as well. Consisting of 600 sq. ft. of community garden space and 1,400 sq. ft. of commercial growing space, the E. D. Robinson Urban Farm has been recognized as a national and regional model of success in urban agriculture, receiving the Garden Club of America’s Founders Fund Award in 2010 and the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s Community Greening Award in 2012. DCH staff has also been nationally honored for their dedication and leadership in this growing movement. For information on the Urban Farm, contact Adrienne Spencer, Urban Farm Coordinator.
Deeply committed to the ground up approach, DCH has been a fundamental resource in Delaware’s community garden movement. Credited with helping establish, support, and maintain more than 40 community gardens throughout New Castle County, these spaces are as diverse as the neighborhoods in which they are found. From the Ministry of Caring’s Secret Garden Children’s Garden and Shearman Street’s Inter-generational Community Garden to the gardening program at Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution, DCH-supported gardens are each unique expressions of urban growing.
Get involved in our community!
We’re looking for gardening resources like you. Please contact us today.
