![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DTD-L-LOTS-0828-02.jpg\")
This lot at Ninth and Green streets in Chester is also among those on the LandCare team\u2019s list to be cleaned and greened.\n(COURTESY OF MORGAN HORELL, PHS)<\/p>\n
Chester\u2019s vacant lots are getting a makeover, thanks to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.<\/p>\n
This spring, the society cleaned up and greened 10 lots in the city and members are planning on doing more this fall through the society\u2019s LandCare program.<\/p>\n
The society, the nonprofit that hosts the Philadelphia Flower Show, maintains 12,000 vacant lots in Philadelphia through its LandCare program. Their expansion into Chester was the first time the program extended outside Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis expansion into Chester reflects PHS\u2019s belief that every neighborhood deserves safe, healthy, and welcoming green spaces,\u201d Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, said.<\/p>\n
He noted the effect the program has as he looked to its future in Chester.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor years, the PHS LandCare program has demonstrated how sustained investment in vacant land can positively impact communities,\u201d Rader said. \u201cWe are proud to partner with leaders in Chester to bring this work to more residents and help support healthier, more connected neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n
LandCare focuses on stabilizing and maintaining vacant land through regular cleaning, greening, mowing, and community care by PHS-affiliated individuals.<\/p>\n
The goal has been to transform abandoned lots into\u00a0healthy green spaces that improve neighborhood safety, support public health, reduce illegal dumping, and foster a stronger sense of community for residents and families.<\/p>\n
The program in Chester is being facilitated through partnerships with the Delaware County District Attorney\u2019s Office and its Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods, the city of Chester and local community stakeholders.<\/p>\n
This lot at Ninth and Green streets in Chester is also among those on the LandCare team\u2019s list to be cleaned and greened.
\n(COURTESY OF MORGAN HORELL, PHS)<\/p>\n
\u201cChester is a city rich in resilience, pride and community spirit, and while, like many cities, we do face challenges, initiatives like PHS LandCare help strengthen the foundation for lasting change and progress,\u201d Chester Mayor Stefan Roots said.<\/p>\n
He also spoke about how revamping these lots will benefit the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy transforming vacant lots into clean, green spaces, we are not only improving the appearance of our neighborhoods, but also investing in public safety, public health, and the quality of life for our residents,\u201d Roots said. \u201cWe are proud to partner with PHS and the Delaware County District Attorney\u2019s Office on an initiative that demonstrates how meaningful community investment can create lasting positive change throughout our city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said this program and attention to changing these lots brings value.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis partnership\u202frepresents\u202fa meaningful investment in the future of Chester neighborhoods.\u202fEvery cleaned and\u202fmaintained\u202flot sends a message that\u202fthese\u202fneighborhoods matter,\u201d he said.\u202f\u201cThis will help create environments where families feel safer, children have healthier surroundings, and communities can thrive. This is how we change long-term outcomes and perceptions for the City of Chester and the wonderful people that live here.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/DTD-L-LOTS-0828-01.jpg\")
This lot at Ninth and Crosby streets is among those to be cleaned by the LandCare team this summer.
\n(COURTESY OF MORGAN HORELL, PHS)<\/p>\n
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has linked its LandCare program to tangible community results, including decreases in depression and stress, decreases in gun violence and increases in nearby property values.<\/p>\n
In fact, a 2018 Journal of the American Medical Association report found a 40% decrease in feelings of depression for those who live near the lots, and a 2019 PHS report entitled \u201cThe Healing Power of Nature\u201d reported a 29% reduction in gun violence for neighborhoods below the poverty line that had access to greenery.<\/p>\n
In addition, PHS said that homes within 1,000 feet of the LandCare greened lots experienced a 13% increase in value over six years.<\/p>\n
While lots in Chester were addressed in the spring, more are on the schedule for upcoming months.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are planning on planting more trees on lots this fall and stabilizing additional sites in spring 2027, but we don\u2019t have exact numbers on the planting or number of sites planned for the spring yet,\u201d Lauren Scully, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society spokesperson, said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chester\u2019s vacant lots are getting a makeover, thanks to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. This spring, the society cleaned…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":273893,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[212,182,139,28,30,29,210],"class_list":["post-273892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-delaware-county","tag-local-news","tag-news","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news","tag-top-stories-dtd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=273892"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/273892\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/273893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=273892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=273892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=273892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}