Delaware Valley University Receives Healing the Planet Grant from The GIANT Company and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Funding was used to plant 18 Pennsylvania-native trees on campus
Doylestown, PA (01/05/2026) — To encourage the planting of more trees in local communities, Delaware Valley University announced that it was the recipient of a $4,000 2025 Healing the Planet grant from The GIANT Company and Keep America Beautiful .
The grant supported an environmentally positive, student-led tree-planting initiative on campus, led by faculty member Joe Theesfeld and his Basic Plant Management Course, which consists primarily of first-year students. As part of DelVal's commitement to hands-on learning, students planted 18 native fruit-bearing trees near the retention basin beside the Admission Cottage and Entrance.
The project introduced 10 pawpaw trees and eight serviceberry trees, both native to Pennsylvania. The trees were purchased from alumnus Chris Uhland '02, president of operations and business development at Harmony Hill Nursery.
"This project was a meaningful opportunity for our students to put their learning into practice in a way that truly matters," said Joe Theesfeld. "It gave first-year students an opportunity to get their hands dirty and learn the science and the practice all in one project."
The GIANT Company and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful awarded nearly $120,000 in support of 37 projects focused on tree planting projects across Pennsylvania. Native trees play a critical role in protecting local ecosystems. They support wildlife, reduce erosion and require less maintenance to thrive. Tree planting efforts also help improve the appearance and safety of our communities, which can support long-term economic development.
About Delaware Valley University
Delaware Valley University is a private, comprehensive, nonprofit university educating students with a curriculum that emphasizes and requires experiential learning. Located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, the University offers 27 undergraduate majors in business, arts and sciences, and agricultural and environmental sciences; 12 master's degrees; and a doctorate in education. Founded in 1896, DelVal has been cited by the National Society for Experiential Education as having the country's top experiential learning program, by Princeton Review as one of the best colleges in the Northeast, and by College Factual as having one of the top 20 animal science programs in the country.
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DelVal students planting PA native fruit trees on campus during their Basic Plant Management course as part of the 2025 Healing the Planet grant.
Delaware Valley University
kayla.leary@delval.edu, (215-489-2232)Share this Story
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