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Fruit Trees Grow in Camden
The NJ Tree Foundation works with urban youth each year to inspire the next generation of environmentalists by planting trees! We started planting fruit trees in the City of Camden in 2012. Fruit trees bring fresh, local food to families across Camden and now produce over 100 pounds of fruit annually! The youth of Camden love them.
At the Ferry Avenue orchard, teenage farmers eat pears and plums directly from the trees
as they ripen. “[Our teens] were able to taste different kinds of fruit. Pears were a first time for many of our students,” explains Dean of the Center for Environmental Transformation, who owns and maintains the Ferry Avenue Orchard.
At the Cooper Sprouts Garden, grandparents and grandchildren are coming together to harvest peaches and pears. “I never knew I had such a green thumb!” explains Marian Roberts, 14-years old.
The Lakeshore Drive Community Garden’s plums are yielding the highest fruit counts for our program. “If it weren’t for the NJ Tree Foundation, I wouldn’t know how to take care of these trees and grow my own fruit,” explains Joseph Travis, lead gardener.
A contribution to the NJ Tree Foundation can help provide more peaches, plums, pears, and other fruit trees to community gardeners. Thank you to those who have already donated! You can help us reach our goal of raising $10,000 this December by donating today. It will make all the difference.
Do trees need umbrellas?
Last May, our Renaissance Trees Program planted fifteen new shade trees at the Quitman Street Community School, New Salem Baptist Church, and along their connecting streets.
When the truck pulled up with the large trees, Reverend White of the New Salem Baptist Church was intimidated. The trees stood taller than him! He was so pleased with the outcome as students, teachers, residents, and the church’s youth group dug holes to transform the area with a variety of beautiful trees.
That day, the students learned the importance of being urban forestry stewards. This meant protecting their trees from harm and feeding their trees 20 gallons of water each week. The students enthusiastically agreed to this new responsibility! Over the weekend it rained heavily. A teacher received a text message from a concerned fifth grader, “Do we need to go put umbrellas over the trees so they don’t drown?” The student was assured that rain was good for the trees, and the trees would be happy when the students returned to school on Monday.
The NJ Tree Foundation is seeking to raise $10,000 by December 31st so we can continue important urban forestry work, including cultivating the next generation of tree stewards! Will you please donate today to help us reach our goal?
Post your #UNselfie before #GivingTuesday
November 18, 2015 – New Jersey –Thanksgiving is one week away. The giving season is right around the corner! This is an important time for nonprofits to raise money to support meaningful work throughout the year. We know there are a lot of great causes out there and we know we can count on you to support the New Jersey Tree Foundation!
Do you love our fruit tree plantings, or reforestation of city streets and parks? Have you seen the amazing work our Green Streets Crew has accomplished all over New Jersey? If so, please tell others why you will support the New Jersey Tree Foundation on the international day of giving back, #GivingTuesday, December 1st, 2015.
Take a picture with this photo or post it to your social media. Use the hashtag #UNselfie and tell all your followers why you are donating to the New Jersey Tree Foundation this giving season!
Pictured above: Reforesting Camden City. Photo by A Darling Light Photography.
NJ Tree Foundation on Comcast Newsmakers
Our Renaissance Trees Program Director Elena López was interviewed by Jill Horner of Comcast Newsmakers on October 21st, 2015. Enjoy this interview where Elena talks about the benefits of trees and the great work accomplished by our community-based tree plantings!
NJ Tree Foundation partners for TD Tree Days Events
October, 2015 – New Jersey– NJ Tree Foundation staff and volunteers will be joined by employees 
from TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, throughout October to participate in TD Tree Days, a cooperative effort to plant new trees in local communities in need. Newark, Camden, Gloucester City, and Passaic City will all receive new trees – 304 total! At the first event, held in Newark on Friday October 2nd, the rain did not stop 35 TD Bank employee volunteers from planting 60 trees along South 20th and Ferdinand Streets. Wearing ponchos and smiles, the TD Bank volunteers worked alongside NJ Tree Foundation staff to improve Newark with trees.
The NJ Tree Foundation was founded in 1998 and has planted more than 202,900 trees throughout the state, by hand. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers have aided in planting events. The NJ Tree Foundation promotes planting the right tree, in the right place, in the right way, to ensure the long-term survival of trees. Part of “right tree, right place” is carefully selecting urban tolerant trees for cities and low-growth trees for planting under utility lines, while “right way” is making sure the root flare of the tree is above ground, mulch is spread evenly and away from the base of the street, and all non-biodegradable material is removed from the tree and root ball. All trees planted through the TD Tree Days will be planted using the “right tree, right place, right way” methodology.
TD Tree Days events will take place in October from Maine to Florida, with various community organizations joining TD Bank. Healthy forests and urban canopies play important roles in maintaining a healthy planet. By participating in TD Tree Days volunteers actively support forest stewardship, while making a tangible contribution to the well-being of their community and environment.
“We work in many cities across the state and we are happy to partner with four of them to bring new trees through the TD Tree Days events,” explains Lisa Simms, Executive Director of the NJ Tree Foundation. “Trees are an important component of a community, especially in cities where they help to improve air and water quality, reduce noise pollution, and mitigate nuisance flooding.”
The NJ Tree Foundation’s TD Tree Days events will take place at the corner of South 20th and Ferdinand Streets in Newark (10/2), Von Neida Park in Camden (10/9), Veteran’s Memorial Park in Passaic (10/13), and Martin Lake Park and the Klemm Avenue jogging path in Gloucester City (10/15). The event in Camden, which will plant 130 trees, is the largest volunteer tree planting event in the city to date.
“TD Bank is proud to partner with the New Jersey Tree Foundation to enhance the green space in New Jersey cities,” said Joe Doolan, Head of Environmental Affairs at TD Bank. “We know people care about the environment and about their communities, and it’s great to see so many people rolling up their sleeves to support local parks and green spaces.”
TD Tree Days events will take place in October 2015 in: Albany, N.Y.; Auburn, Maine; Bronx, N.Y.; Camden, N.J.; Columbia, S.C.; Detroit, Mich.; Gloucester City, N.J.; Greenville, S.C.; Homestead, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Lewiston, Maine; Long Beach, N.Y.; Newark, N.J.; Manhattan, N.Y.; Passaic, N.J.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Portland, Maine; Providence, R.I.; Queens, N.Y.; Revere, Mass.; Roanoke, Texas; Springfield, Mass.; Tampa, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, Del.
NJ Tree Foundation on Comcast Newsmakers
Jessica Franzini, Senior Program Director for the NJ Tree Foundation, spoke with Jill Horner of Comcast Newsmakers on September 23rd, 2015. Jessica talked to Jill about why we plant trees, work we completed over the summer with our Green Streets Crew in Camden, and exciting upcoming planting events, including an event in Gloucester City.
Enjoy the interview!
NJ Tree Foundation to plant trees across NJ
September 18, 2015 – New Jersey – The New Jersey Tree Foundation’s Renaissance Trees Program began its tree planting season on Thursday September 10th with a 20 tree event in Jersey City. The New Jersey Tree Foundation’s Urban Airshed Reforestation Program’s season will begin on Saturday, September 19th by planting 20 trees in North Camden. This fall, the New Jersey Tree Foundation will plant over 400 trees in urban communities with help from city 
residents and volunteers.
“The goal of our Programs are two-fold,” explains NJ Tree Foundation Senior Program Director Jessica Franzini. “We seek to improve the local environment while empowering and uniting the community through tree planting. The work of our Programs revitalizes neighborhoods and city environments.”
The programs she speaks of are the NJ Tree Foundation’s Urban Airshed Reforestation Program and Renaissance Trees Program. The former plants trees in urban communities in southern New Jersey, mainly in Camden, while the later does the same in northern New Jersey, mainly in the City of Newark.
“The Renaissance Trees Program has worked in Newark since 2006 to plant more than 2,200 trees and the Urban Airshed Reforestation Program has planted 5,565 in Camden since 2002,” said NJ Tree Foundation Program Director Elena López. “Recently, we have begun to expand our work beyond Newark and Camden. Most cities in New Jersey lack a healthy tree canopy, so there is a lot of opportunity for us to help.”
Trees are an important part of a city’s infrastructure. They assist with stormwater management and improve air and water quality. They also offer a number of social benefits. Trees provide shade for residents to relax outside in front of their homes, add beauty and nature to cities, increase property values, and some tree species provide fresh fruit. The NJ Tree Foundation has seen trees unite neighbors as its community-based tree planting events are initiated by local residents.
“Any resident of Camden or Newark can apply to us to receive a free street tree,” Franzini explains, “And anyone that doesn’t mind getting dirty can help us by volunteering to plant trees. We plant rain or shine so sometimes it can get messy but it is always a lot of fun.”
During the fall of 2015, the New Jersey Tree Foundation will host nine planting events in Camden, five in Newark, two in Jersey City, and one in Gloucester City. Volunteers and media are invited to attend the planting events. Please RSVP in advance to Jessica Franzini for Camden/Gloucester City events, jfranzini.njtf@gmail.com or (856) 287-4488 and to Elena López, elopez@njtreefoundation.org or (609) 439-1755 for Newark/Jersey City events.
Events are held rain or shine. Come dressed for the weather in clothes suitable for getting dirty and wear closed-toe shoes. The NJ Tree Foundation will provide all tools needed for planting. A meeting location and directions will be provided upon RSVP.
Camden TreeKeepers Workshops (2015)
Learn how to care for your newly planted trees!
Attend the NJ Tree Foundation’s Camden TreeKeepers Workshop series to receive the training, skills, and tools needed to care for your neighborhood trees. Free tools, educational materials, and dinner are provided at each session. Attend all three sessions to become a Certified TreeKeeper.
All sessions are held at the CCMUA at 1645 Ferry Avenue, Camden, NJ.
** Please sign up in advance – limit 25 people per session. **
WORKSHOP DATES
Session 1: “Tree Maintenance – the Works!”
Thursday, July 16th from 5:30-7:30pm
Free hand pruners & watering bag
Session 2: “My Tree & My Watershed”
Thursday, July 23rd from 5:30-7:30pm
Free water conservation kit & moisture meter
Session 3: “What Do You See When You Look at a Tree?”
Thursday, July 30th from 5:30-7:30pm
Free pruning saw & Trees of NJ book
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WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Sessions are free to Camden residents, employees, or volunteers that care for Camden trees. Workshops are beneficial to those who have adopted or will be adopting trees through the Camden Urban Airshed Reforestation Program.
HOW TO REGISTER
You must sign up in advance. Register for one or more workshops by contacting Jessica Franzini of the NJ Tree Foundation at (856) 287-4488 or jfranzini.njtf@gmail.com.
ABOUT OUR SPONSOR
2015 Camden TreeKeepers workshops are brought to you by the Watershed Institute and will feature a new and exciting watershed focus.
Download our TreeKeepers Workshop Flier
Newark TreeKeepers Workshops 2015
Join the NJ Tree Foundation in June for our Newark TreeKeepers Workshops! These classroom sessions are a series of 4 workshops and hands-on trainings that will teach you how to maintain and enhance the health of your community’s trees.
SPACE IS LIMITED: while FREE to Newark residents, you must RSV
P to participate. Please register for each session you wish to attend. Attend all three sessions to become a Certified Newark Treekeeper!
To RSVP or for more information, please contact our Newark Director, Elena López:(609) 439 -1755 or elopez@njtreefoundation.org.
All workshops will be held at the 92 Carmichael Newark, NJ 07103
Tuesday June 9 6:30-8PM
Session 1: Basic Tree Biology and Tree Identification
Tuesday June 16 6:30-8PM
Session 2: Tree Planting, Pruning, and Maintenance Techniques
Tuesday June 23 6:30-8PM
Session 3: Recognizing Tree Hazards and Tree Disease
Tuesday June 30 6:30-8PM
Session 4: Trees and Environmental Impacts
Newark residents attend at no charge. Non-Newark residents pay $20/session. All attendees receive free tools, educational materials, and dinner at each workshop. 1.5 CEU are earned per session, which can be applied toward your state approved Community Forestry Management Plan requirements.