Friends Southwestern Burial Ground

The Friends Southwestern Burial Ground is a 14-acre active cemetery and arboretum in Upper Darby, PA, less than half a mile from the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia.

The Quaker Meetings affiliated with the Friends Southwestern Burial Ground – Central Philadelphia Friends Meeting and Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia – have a deep appreciation for the intrinsic value of trees and nature. As part of their commitment to protecting the environment, they are certified as a Hybrid Green Burial Ground. Visitors to Friends Southwestern Burial Ground are invited to explore and learn about the remarkable trees that grace their property. They host occasional educational events, including guided tree walks, where individuals of all ages can deepen their understanding and appreciation for trees.

The region supports an abundance and diversity of native trees, and their focus is on showcasing as many of these species as they can in the landscape. They also strive to plant trees that will be able to grow well in their rapidly changing climate and adapt to the new stressors that “new normal” brings. This includes tree species that historically grew much further south, but that are now likely to grow quite well in the Philadelphia  region.