Radnor opens free street tree registration for fall planting

Radnor Township residents can sign up for a free shade tree, professionally planted in front of their home in mid-November 2026.

The township announced Sunday, Oct. 11 that registration is open for its 2026 Fall Street Tree Planting program. Each household can claim one tree measuring 7 to 14 feet tall with a 1.5-inch caliper trunk. The package includes professional planting, staking, mulching and deer protection at no cost.

Spots are first-come, first-served. The township said supplies are limited.

Residents choose from two size categories: small-to-medium or large shade tree species. Options include Red Maple, Serviceberry and American Linden. Trees must be planted near the street in the public right-of-way in front of the resident's property. Only Radnor Township addresses qualify.

The program, run by the township's Shade Tree Commission, dates to 2020. The commission consists of six members plus one Planning Commission representative, all serving five-year terms. James Gibbons chairs the group.

In late November 2025, the effort put 80 trees in the ground: 42 at residents' rights-of-way, four at West Wayne Cemetery and 34 at Willows Park, located at 490 Darby-Paoli Rd. in Villanova, as part of a Miyawaki Forestation Project. Volunteers and a tree contractor who donated professional services handled the planting.

The commission also won a $10,000 PECO Green Region Open Space Program grant, administered by Natural Lands, in May 2025 to support the planting initiative. A 2024 assessment of township parks had found nearly 300 trees needing removal and replacement, which launched the bare-root planting effort. Radnor holds a Tree City USA designation, partly due to the commission's work.

The Oct. 11 announcement did not list a registration deadline or an exact planting date beyond mid-November. Residents can find registration details on the township's website or through the Shade Tree Commission page. Additional information is available at RadnorTrees.com.

Coming up: The Shade Tree Commission meets the fourth Wednesday of each month through October at 6:30 p.m. in the Radnorshire Room of the Township Building, 301 Iven Ave., Wayne. The November and December meetings combine into one session on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.