READING, Pa. – The City of Reading recently received more than $250,000 to put toward environmental stewardship, renewable energy and urban forestry.<\/p>\n
Keep Reading Beautiful wins funding through Shark Tank competition<\/p>\n
Keep Reading Beautiful, a local initiative focused on environmental issues, won a Shark Tank competition at the 2026 Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Conference in October, according to a City of Reading news release.<\/p>\n
For its prize, the local group won a $2,500 award to advance its Black Walnut Legacy Initiative.<\/p>\n
Participants in the initiative collect and propagate seeds from a historic black walnut tree reportedly gifted to Reading from President George Washinton\u2019s Mount Vernon estate, a news release said. The seeds were planted during Washington\u2019s 1932 bicentennial celebrations.<\/p>\n
The project plans to establish new generations of the trees throughout the city while educating residents about tree stewardship and the environment, the release said.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Keep Reading Beautiful’s Seeds of Change initiative will return for its second year in 2027, the news release said.<\/p>\n
The initiative brings participants of all ages together to grow vegetables and flowers for gardens and public spaces. The program kicks off 10 a.m. Jan. 16 and runs through May.<\/p>\n
Student Conservation Association, Inc. receives state grant for forestry efforts<\/p>\n
The Student Conservation Association received a $250,000 state grant last month to support tree planting, local tree stewardship and workforce development opportunities for young adults, the City of Reading news release said.<\/p>\n
The grant came from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation Partnerships Program.<\/p>\n
The Student Conservation Association manages the Reading Conservation Corps, a partnership with the City of Reading’s Public Works Department and Berks Nature<\/a>, nonprofit conservation organization.<\/p>\n The Reading Conservation Corps provides young adults from Berks County with training in land and natural resource stewardship, the news release said. The program aims to prepare participants for careers in public works, land conservation and environmental stewardship.<\/p>\n During the 2026 season, the Reading Conservation Corps worked on several projects including:<\/p>\n building two new community gardens,<\/p>\n installing a watering system at the Oakbrook Community Garden,<\/p>\n establishing a native tree nursery to grow 200 saplings for future park plantings,<\/p>\n removing invasive plants at City Park Pond, Mt. Penn Preserve and Neversink Mountain,<\/p>\n preserving Pendora Park, Confluence Point and other locations,<\/p>\n planting more than 150 trees at various City parks and Lake Ontelaunee,<\/p>\n and supporting trail improvements, repairs and community garden projects.<\/p>\n