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Community Tree Plantings

New Jersey Tree Foundation was founded on a simple premise: to plant trees in the places that need them most at the invitation of the people who live there.
Each winter and summer, the NJ Tree Foundation accepts applications for free street trees to be planted in the spring and fall. We work with the tree recipients to organize the events and plant the trees. All tree recipients must sign a Resident Tree Agreement committing to maintain the trees for a minimum of two years in order to receive a free tree. For more information check out the FAQ’s below and be sure to fill out the application for the program in your region.

Beginning with our Urban Airshed Reforestation Program (based in Camden, serving Southern New Jersey) in 2002 and the Renaissance Trees Program (based in Newark, serving Northern New Jersey) in 2006, we have worked alongside over 26,000 residents and local volunteers to plant 12,686 trees and remove 113,781 square feet of concrete in a grassroots movement to rewrite environmental injustice and forge sustainable resilience.

South Jersey:
Urban Airshed Reforestation Program (UARP)

  • A total of 8,696 trees have been planted through the program.
  • About 17,714 volunteers have participated in beautifying South Jersey cities.
  • Approximately 92,060 square feet of concrete have been removed to improve stormwater management.
  • In Fall 2025, 150 trees were planted with the help of 314 volunteers.

Contact:

Crystal Wessel,
UARP Program Director
856-287-4488
cwessel@njtreefoundation.org
Street Tree Application

North Jersey:
Renaissance Trees Program (RTP)

  • A total of 4,785 trees have been planted through the program.
  • Over 10,264 volunteers have participated in beautifying North Jersey cities.
  • Approximately 22,815 square feet of concrete have been removed to improve stormwater management.
  • In Fall 2025, 112 trees were planted with the help of 243 volunteers.

Contact:

Elena Messina,
RTP Program Director
609-439-1755
emessina@njtreefoundation.org
Street Tree Application

Frequently Asked Questions

There is a 10 tree minimum and no pre-determined maximum, but trees are “first come, first served” and available based on our current resources.

10 trees. If 9 people on your street want to adopt trees and one person can accept 2 trees then you have reached the tree minimum.

You can print out the Community Based Tree Planting Flyer to hand out to your neighbors. You can either put your information as the contact or your corresponding Program Director. Our Program Directors are also available to help you reach out to your neighbors.

Residents must water, mulch, weed and protect their trees. To learn how, visit the resources page or attend a TreeKeepers session.

A renter needs permission from the homeowner to receive a tree in front of the property. A renter can only sign the Resident Tree Agreement with permission from the homeowner.

Yes, we will plant more than one tree if there is space. Example: corner properties in the city can often adopt 4-5 trees around the perimeter of their property.

We do not plant trees in backyards. We typically plant trees along sidewalks, in the front of properties, or at community spaces/schools. If you are interested in planting your own trees in your yard, please keep an eye out for our annual Tree Giveaways.

The NJ Tree Foundation covers all costs associated with our community-based tree planting programs and are provided to residents free of charge.

Please visit our Volunteer page for tree planting schedules and sign up for the events that interest you most. To sign up, email the primary contact listed on the website.

We are dedicated to the “right tree for the right place, planted in the right way” and have planted over 100 varieties of trees that thrive well in urban communities. Our program directors will work with you to determine the best trees for your location.
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Scholarships

Through our ‘Planting Environmental Justice One Tree at a Time’ program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, we are offering scholarships to the New Jersey Shade Tree Federation Conference in October, and the Garden State Tree Conference in February. These conferences offer an opportunity for attendees to expand their tree knowledge and meet other industry professionals. No prior experience working in urban and community forestry is required.

Interested applicants should meet the following requirements:

  • Be over the age of 21
  • Live in a Census Tract identified by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening tool.
  • Demonstrate an interest in tree stewardship and a desire to share knowledge gained
    through the conference with their community

Scholarships will cover the cost of conference registration (including light breakfast/lunch), travel, and hotel accommodations. Application information will be made available approximately two months prior to each conference, so please check back regularly!

For more information, please contact Elena Messina
(emessina@njtreefoundation.org ) in Northern NJ or Crystal Wessel
(cwessel@njtreefoundation) in Central and Southern NJ.
Apply Now

Community Tree Stewards

The NJ Tree Foundation is seeking 2-3 Tree Stewards for its Community Tree Planting programs.

The Tree Stewards will assist the NJ Tree Foundation’s Program Directors with tasks related to our Community Tree Planting programs in each of our core cities: Camden, Trenton, and Newark. Applicants must reside in one of these cities, and will work in the city in which they live. We are seeking 2-3 Tree Stewards for each city for the Fall Winter 2024-25 season. At the end of the season, there will be the possibility for extension into the Spring 2025 season.

Job Duties and Responsibilities
The Tree Stewards will be responsible for helping the NJ Tree Foundation to implement new tree planting projects, as well as helping ensure the success of prior projects. Tasks will vary depending on the needs of each program, but may include the following:

  • Collecting data on prior tree planting projects (monitoring health of trees and checking for issues, measuring DBH, taking photos, etc.)
  • Canvassing for tree planting projects
  • Staking recently planted trees
  • Pruning and mulching young trees
  • Removing watering bags/stakes/deer guards from older trees
  • Assisting with tree plantings

As the tasks will take place at various locations throughout each city, applicants must be able to arrange transportation to each site.

Required Skills and Experience
The NJ Tree Foundation is seeking hard working and reliable individuals that enjoy working outside and would like to learn more about urban forestry. The applicant must work well with diverse populations, and have an interest in tree planting

For more information, or to apply, please contact Elena Messina
(emessina@njtreefoundation.org ) in Northern NJ or Crystal Wessel
(cwessel@njtreefoundation) in Central and Southern NJ.