From City of Reading<\/p>\n
Pictured above: Shannon Reiter, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Executive Director, and Judy Schwank, Pennsylvania State Senator, present the KPB Community Pride Award to Bethany Ayers-Fisher, Keep Reading Beautiful Lead and Sustainability Manager for the City of Reading Public Works. Photo courtesy of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful<\/p>\n
The City of Reading is highlighting a series of sustainability accomplishments and initiatives from October 2026, showcasing continued investments in urban forestry, environmental stewardship, community engagement, and renewable energy.<\/p>\n
Through partnerships with organizations including the Student Conservation Association (SCA), Berks Nature, and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, the City continues to advance projects that improve public spaces, expand environmental education, create workforce development opportunities, and make long-term investments in municipal infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Reading Conservation Corps receives a $250,000 state grant<\/p>\n
SCA was awarded a $250,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources\u2019 Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) to coordinate urban and community forestry efforts in Reading.<\/p>\n
The funding will support community tree planting, local tree stewardship, and workforce development opportunities for young adults. SCA manages the Reading Conservation Corps, a partnership with the City of Reading\u2019s Public Works Department and Berks Nature that provides young adults from Reading and Berks County with hands-on training in land and natural resource stewardship.<\/p>\n
The program helps prepare participants for careers in public works, land conservation, and environmental stewardship while expanding the City\u2019s capacity to maintain and improve public spaces.<\/p>\n
During the 2026 season, the Reading Conservation Corps completed a number of projects throughout the community, including:<\/p>\n
Building two new community gardens.Installing a watering system at the Oakbrook Community Garden.Establishing a native tree nursery to grow 200 saplings for future park plantings.Removing invasive plants at City Park Pond, Mount Penn Preserve, and Neversink Mountain.Preserving Pendora Park, Confluence Point, and other locations.Planting more than 150 trees at various City parks and Lake Ontelaunee.Supporting trail improvements, repairs, and community garden projects.<\/p>\n
These projects have provided meaningful improvements to public spaces and expanded the City\u2019s ability to care for its natural resources.<\/p>\n