By Diane Christin Zenchenko-Esser, Board Secretary, Executive Committee, Lake Erie Group
In these challenging times, marked by reduced federal support for environmental initiatives, the vision of Sierra Club and the strength of grassroots action have never been more essential. Through powerful partnerships with environmental organizations, community-driven initiatives, and the dedication of everyday citizens, we are witnessing a groundswell of leadership committed to building a better tomorrow. We see exemplary leadership in college groups like Penn State University Greener Behrend, whose mission is to encourage the development and implementation of strategies that further ecological sustainability within the Behrend and Erie community.
Across our region, a vibrant network of environmental organizations, educators and advocates is rising to the challenge—not only to protect our planet, but to actively cultivate a more sustainable, climate-resilient future for generations to come.
The Lake Erie Group Executive Committee (ExCom) continues to reach out with projects and efforts that will cultivate and capture the environmental vision of our youth. One example is the Plant it Forward Urban Forest Initiative. The vision of the Plant it Forward Urban Forest Initiative is a community tree planting and reforestation movement. Our goal is to promote healthier urban forests and best practices to take action for climate change to highlight green ordinance awareness throughout townships in Pennsylvania.
Efforts from the Plant it Forward initiative led to the adoption of Green Model Ordinances. Read more about the movement to protect rural areas and promote safe, walkable towns here.
As the Sierra Club marks the 10th Anniversary of Plant it Forward, we celebrate a decade of cultivating green spaces, empowering youth, and transforming neighborhoods—tree by tree, lesson by lesson. This milestone reflects not only the hard work of our local Sierra Club Lake Erie Group ExCom, but the collective action of our partners across the environmental education spectrum.
Our trees for community planting are supplied through partnership with LEAF – RELEAF Frontier Park Urban Forest Effort and support from the Keystone 10 Million Trees grant program. Through RELEAF, our communities receive not only the gift of trees, but the tools to sustain and nurture them. These efforts are about more than planting—they’re about promise. At our upcoming Outstanding Environmental Steward Awards, each recipient will receive trees from RELEAF, symbolizing both honor and ongoing responsibility. This is an effort that can spread to all Pennsylvania Groups.
We are sharing the announcement of this year’s winners with the Pennsylvania Groups to inspire similar impact projects to grow the Plant it Forward Urban Forest Initiative effort. Together we can teach climate literacy and fight climate change. Our children deserve no less than our focus and passion to make change happen for their future.
This blog was included as part of the June 2025 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!