Street Trees in Swarthmore

Treelined streets and neighborhood gardens alongside unique and varied architecture create Swarthmore’s characteristic setting.  Street trees are a major component of this inviting landscape. They create a canopy that arch over the streets and sidewalks, providing shade, beauty, and many other environmental and aesthetic qualities.  They help to clean the air and reduce pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide as well as maintain a habitat for birds, animals, and insects. A tree canopy helps reduce the heat of summer and trees planted near homes help to reduce energy costs by providing summer shade and winter wind blocks.

Trees are considered “street trees” for Borough purposes when they fall within the right-of-way lines of Borough streets.  A standard Borough street consists of a paved roadway, twenty-five feet wide, with a sidewalk strip twelve and one-half feet wide on either side. To determine where the ROW falls at your address, measure 25’ from the street’s centerline

These trees are within the oversight of the Borough’s Tree Committee and certain homeowner responsibilities and benefits apply.  Visit the FAQs page for more information