In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of America this year, the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail will get 250 native trees and shrubs planted along a section of the trail in Scranton.

In spring, the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority (LHVA) and Lackawanna County Conservation District will kick off a native tree and habitat restoration project along a heavily used section of the trail between the trailheads of South Seventh Avenue and Broadway Street.

As part of America250PA activities, the project will reflect the forested landscape that would have existed in Northeast Pennsylvania at the time of the July 4, 1776, signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 250 plantings will include mountain laurel, which is the Pennsylvania state flower, rhododendron, Eastern white pine and American chestnut, a historically significant tree nearly wiped out in the early 20th century by chestnut blight, according to an LHVA announcement of the planting project.

“America 250 gives us a chance to think about what kind of legacy we want to leave behind,” LHVA Director of Operations Owen Worozbyt said. “By restoring a native landscape along this trail, we’re honoring the land as it existed at the nation’s founding and creating something that will continue to grow and tell that story long after this anniversary year.”

Volunteers from the public and private sectors, along with participants from local educational institutions, are expected to play a key role in the project.

“This is what stewardship looks like,” LHVA Volunteer Coordinator John Morrow said. “People showing up, putting their hands in the soil, and leaving something behind that will outlast the day.”

For more information or to volunteer, visit LHVA online at https://lhva.org/ or call 570-963-6730.

Trees and shrubs planted along the river corridor will help filter stormwater runoff, reduce erosion, create essential habitat for wildlife and protect the health of the waterway. Strengthening its natural buffers also will support long-term water quality and reinforce the trail’s role as a recreational and environmental asset.

While some of the plantings might not survive, many should grow for generations, thus creating a living legacy of America250PA celebrations and a visible connection to the landscapes that shaped early American life, the announcement said.

The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, also known as America 250, was established by Congress in 2016 to plan and orchestrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In 2018, the Keystone State established the Pennsylvania Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, also called America250PA, to plan, encourage, develop and coordinate commemorations in the state of the nation’s 250th anniversary, and Pennsylvania’s integral role in the nation’s founding, and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present and future, according to the America250PA website.

The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority coordinates the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area. In 2026, LHVA marks 35 years as Pennsylvania’s first Heritage Area, reflecting its longstanding role in advancing conservation, recreation, education and heritage tourism initiatives. LHVA works in partnership with the National Park Service, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, local governments, nonprofits, and community volunteers, and manages and promotes the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail.