Greening New Jersey, one tree at a time.
ATTENTION Newark residents! On June 10, the NJ Tree Foundation will conduct our TreeKeeper Workshop in Newark, teaching about young tree care. This workshop will include an indoor classroom session and an outdoor hands on component. Read more
April 7, 2017 – Newark, NJ – The NJ Tree Foundation kicks off its volunteer-led tree planting season today, Friday April 7th, with an event in Newark that will plant 39 trees at the Oliver Street School. Volunteers from the school and community will come together to plant seedless sweetgum, tree lilac, and hedge maple trees to beautify the school. Read more
Hey volunteers! Are you ready to get outside, dig in the dirt, and help beautify urban communities with trees? We are, and we hope you’ll join us! This spring, the NJ Tree Foundation has a full schedule of exciting community tree planting events in Camden, Newark, and Gloucester City. We’re looking for dedicated volunteers like you to help make these events possible.
In Camden, we’re co-hosting the State Arbor Day Tree Planting on Friday, April 28th. We’re also hosting a large 90-tree event on Saturday, May 6th at the old waterfront prison site, soon to be known as Cooper’s Poynt Waterfront Park. These two events need volunteers.
In Newark, we have 10 tree planting events scheduled all over Brick City! Don’t miss out on the fun as we work with the City of Newark, residents, and community organizations to make a difference through tree planting.
In Gloucester City, we’re hosting our first-ever community tree planting event on Earth Day – Saturday, April 22nd! Join us as we plant trees along the 900 block of Monmouth Street with residents, the local Green Team, and the Tree Committee.
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” – Today’s Snapple Cap
The New Jersey Tree Foundation and Public Service Electric & Gas are offering a FREE seminar on planting the Right Tree in the Right Place, the Right Way on Friday, March 31st at the Hopewell Municipal Complex, 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ. Please RSVP by Friday, March 24, 2017 to Lisa Simms LSimms@NJTreeFoundation.org
Topics include:
Who should attend? Mayors, Freeholders, DPW Supervisors, Environmental & Shade Tree Commissioners, County Officials and any other interested parties. Space is limited. First-come, first-served.
Date: Friday, March 31, 2017
Time: Registration begins at 8:00 am. Program starts promptly at 8:30 am and runs until 12:30 pm.
Place: Hopewell Municipal Complex Auditorium, 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, NJ
A continental breakfast will be served.
This seminar is worth three (3) Continuing Education Units for towns with a 5-year Community Forestry Management Plan. “Right-Tree, Right-Place” is approved by the ISA for 3 (three) Arborist certification renewal credits and for 3 Public Works CEUs.
Please RSVP by Friday, March 24th to LSimms@njtreefoundation.org If you would like send a representative(s), please include their names and contact information (email address).
On Saturday, April 8, 2017 the NJ Forest Service Community Forestry Program, Rutgers Urban Forestry Propgram & the NJ Tree Foundation will offer Core Training! CORE training will familiarize individuals with the background of community forestry and shade tree commissions, the legal aspects of managing trees and the recognition of hazardous tree situations; to enable individuals to help municipalities and counties gain approved municipal status; and a discussion of tree inventory, planting and maintenance issues. Core training is for:
*Persons participating in Shade Tree Commissions, local tree boards, or groups designated by the Mayor as the responsible party for community trees
*Any municipal or county representative or employee charged with the mission of providing maintenance or stewardship to community trees
Download the CORE Flier for more information & to register. For more information or questions, please contact Pam Zipse, pam.zipse@rutgers.edu
Questions? Email Lisa Simms, lsimms@njtreefoundation.org
The NJ Tree Foundation is proud to congratulate Camden resident Sheila Roberts and her tree of hope for winning this year’s regional Plant One Million photo contest! Competing with entries from 13 counties and 3 states (NJ, PA, and DE), Sheila submitted a photo and essay describing a tree that she and the NJ Tree Foundation planted five years ago as part of the Urban Airshed Reforestation Program.
Sheila wrote, “The willow tree is a symbol of hope for tomorrow. The garden represents a space full of spirituality and dreaming. Peace and relaxation; a silent place to sit while contemplating and relaxing and a place where neighbors come to pray and meditate; to get away from the dangerous streets in the urban ghetto of Camden. The willow tree represents new life for the community, throughout development and change. This tree marks the awakening of Camden in the midst of an urban tree canopy we long awaited in a neighborhood with the potential to be greater than anyone ever expected. Our community members fight poverty every day, yet the willow tree remains a peaceful place in our community, helping our residents to see the importance of our urban canopy.”
Tree of Hope at Cooper Sprouts Garden, Camden
Sheila Roberts joined by her family and neighbors
NJ Tree Foundation Senior Program Director Jessica Franzini spoke with Jill Horner of Comcast Newsmakers on June 22, 2016. They talked about why we plant trees in urban communities, our milestone of planting 6,000 trees in Camden, our green infrastructure work, and more. Enjoy the video.
The New Jersey Tree Foundation and Public Service Electric & Gas are offering a FREE seminar on Planting the Right Tree in the Right Place, the Right Way on Thursday, July 21st at the Passaic County Public Safety Academy, 300 Oldham Road, Wayne, NJ. Please RSVP by Friday, July 15, 2016 to Lisa Simms LSimms@NJTreeFoundation.org
Topics include:
Who should attend? Mayors, Freeholders, DPW Supervisors, Environmental & Shade Tree Commissioners, County Officials and any other interested parties. Space is limited. First come first served.
Date: Thursday, July 21, 2016
Time: Registration begins at 8:15 am. Program starts promptly at 9:00 am and runs until 12:30 pm.
Place: Passaic County Public Safety Academy, 300 Oldham Road, Room 122-A&B, Wayne, NJ
A continental breakfast will be served.
This seminar is worth 3 Continuing Education Units for towns with a 5-year Community Forestry Management Plan.
Please RSVP by Friday, July 15th to LSimms@njtreefoundation.org
If you would like send a representative(s), please include their names and contact information (email address).
May 23, 2016 – Newark, New Jersey – This spring, the NJ Tree Foundation’s Renaissance Trees Program is hitting a milestone: ten years of planting trees in Newark. The Program began in 2006 to reforest New Jersey’s brick city. The NJ Tree Foundation celebrated the ten year anniversary of the Newark Renaissance Trees Program, and Newark’s 350th anniversary, by planting 16 trees and 350 edible plants at the Garden of Hope on Saturday May 21st.
“We have great partners that helped us celebrate our 10 year anniversary,” explains Elena López, Program Director for the NJ Tree Foundation. “Prudential brought about 20 employee volunteers and donated 350 edible plants. Newark SAS and other partners will take care of the trees long term.”
The NJ Tree Foundation’s Renaissance Trees Program has planted more than 2,400 trees in Newark to date and removed more than 20,300 square feet of concrete to plant those trees. Saturday’s planting included removing 176 square feet of concrete. Removing concrete and planting trees improves watershed health and reduces the stormwater burden on Newark’s combined sewer system. It is estimated that the new tree pits alone will allow 8,250 gallons of stormwater to filter naturally on an annual basis rather than become polluted runoff.
“Trees are a great solution to many urban environmental problems,” López notes, “They reduce stormwater runoff, clean the air, shade homes to reduce cooling bills, and bring beauty to neighborhoods. Two of the trees planted at the Garden of Hope are fruit trees, which have the added benefit of creating new, local sources for fresh and affordable produce.”
Newark residents and visitors are now able to enjoy the 16 new trees planted to celebrate the Renaissance Trees Program’s 10 year anniversary, and very soon the community gardeners at the Garden of Hope will harvest the bounty of the 350 edible plants that went in the ground. The shade and fruit trees are expected to live for decades, benefiting people today and future generations as part of the Newark 350 Gives legacy.