UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When people see Marcus Ferreira tending to urban street trees or planting pollinator gardens in Philadelphia, they often ask how he gained his expertise. He credits the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward volunteer program, which he joined in 2021. Since then, he has recruited about a dozen other volunteers through word-of-mouth recommendations.

“He’s somebody I rely on,” said Beth Yount, who coordinates the program in Philadelphia County. “I bounce ideas off him and seek his input on changes or adaptations to the program. He’s a helpful and knowledgeable person to support decision-making and future planning.”

Based in Center City, Ferreira works with native plantings and pollinator gardens at local schools, public plazas and small parks. He supports the community by answering tree and native-plant-related questions, presenting during webinars, leading workdays and maintaining plantings in the South of South neighborhood.

Ferreira is no stranger to sustainability. Currently a planner with the Philadelphia Department of Streets, he advocates for a better urban environment through various leadership roles, including founding the 6,400-member Philadelphia Urban Planning Policy and Design Facebook group and volunteering with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society as a tree tender.

A former litigator, he co-founded Habitat Tree LLC, an ecological restoration and arboriculture business, last year. He also teaches an undergraduate urban planning course at Drexel University as an adjunct professor.

During COVID-19, Ferreira earned his arborist certification, and he stays informed about tree diseases, entomology and ecosystem benefits. He educates others about native species, tree canopy, and proper care of trees and green spaces.

“He’s been crucial for ensuring we have healthy trees in Philadelphia,” Yount said. “Our city relies on water from sources such as the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. Trees and vegetation protect these watersheds.”

Ferreira focuses much of his work at Marian Anderson Recreation Center, planting pollinator gardens. The mix of shade and sunspots allows for a variety of plantings.

“I want to prove that many native plants not traditionally planted in urban settings can thrive,” he said. “For example, moosewood, also known as striped maple, is reputed to not take well to urban environments, but I planted it in an elevated bed to protect it from road salt and other urban stressors.”

Native trees and plants play a critical role in urban ecosystems, Ferreria said.

“Trees provide the most ecological benefits of any plant,” Ferreria said. They offer nesting habitats for birds and essential leaf litter for insect life cycles. Native trees support lepidoptera larvae — butterflies and moths ­— which are vital for the food chain. These larvae need to return to the soil in a noncompacted area to complete their life cycle. Integrating native trees with appropriate ground covers and shrub layers is crucial for these life cycles but often overlooked in urban landscaping. ... In urban settings, kids shouldn’t feel that pollinators and insects, such as wasps, moths or fireflies, are scary or alien. Unfortunately, with so much concrete and non-native greenery, this happens. We need to create pollinator pathways to support birds, small mammals and overall biodiversity, even in the heart of Philadelphia.”

Ferreira advocates for the Master Watershed Steward program as an excellent way to gain knowledge and take community action to restore ecosystems. The program’s flexibility allows volunteers to pursue their interests, whether working with groups or independently on projects such as storm drain markers. He sees the program as a tool to connect with Penn State resources and network with like-minded people.

“Every time you volunteer, you learn something new,” he said. “You become a better environmental steward.”

The Penn State Master Watershed Steward program provides extensive training in watershed management to volunteers who, in return, educate the community about watershed stewardship based on university research and recommendations. The program was established to strengthen local capacity for management and protection of watersheds, streams and rivers by educating and empowering volunteers across the commonwealth.

Anyone interested in becoming a Master Watershed Steward can learn more about the program on the Penn State Extension website.