Volunteers remove a tree to plant along Point Street during the Cooper Grant neighborhood replanting project on April 30th. Photo credit: NJ Tree Foundation
The summer of 2022 will be an eventful one for the Circuit Trails! We at the NJ Tree Foundation are busy this summer planning activities along the Circuit Trail network. This past spring, we planted 50 trees with 122 volunteers throughout Camden. We worked in the Cramer Hill, Cooper Plaza, and Cooper Grant neighborhoods to plant trees. For Cooper Plaza and the Cooper Grant locations, these were replacement tree projects that were much needed in the community.
On April 16th in the Cooper Plaza neighborhood, we replaced 16 trees along the 500 block of Benson St and the 400 block of Broadway. We worked with volunteers to replant Eastern redbud, dogwoods, and trident maples to reforest the location. This neighborhood is home to the Cooper Hospital, which is a massive entity in the neighborhood and Camden City overall. The NJ Tree Foundation gave the hospital 3 new trees around their parking area as part of this project.
On April 30th, we replanted 24 trees along Linden and Point Streets in the Cooper Grant neighborhood. This was a multi-step replacement project in partnership with Camden Special Services District and the Cooper Grant Neighborhood Association. The trees, which were older ash and hazardous trees, were removed and the stumps ground down to about 18 inches. Volunteers replanted new cherry, redbud, and crabapple trees as part of the tree planting project. The new trees are appropriate species to have along city streets, and will not be at risk for being destroyed due to Emerald Ash borer or utility conflict. Residents will now have new trees lining trail segments and in front of their homes as they make their way traveling along portions of the Circuit. We plan to finish this project by replanting the remaining trees this fall.
This summer, we have some activities planned in and along the Circuit Trails. On June 22nd, we’ll host a community paddle to explore the Cooper River. We’ll be partnering with Delaware RiverKeepers Network and Urban Promise Ministries to bring Camden residents out onto their local watershed. We are eager to get out on the water and explore the waterways that border Camden city. If you live in Camden and are interested in participating in the paddling event or to learn more information, please contact Meredith at 856-287-4488 or email mbrown@njtreefoundation.org.
We will also be working with the Neighborhood Center, bringing multiple educational lessons to students as part of the Neighborhood Center’s summer camp. The campers range in ages from 5-13, and we’ll be providing lessons over the course of eight weeks. The NJ Tree Foundation is currently in the process of selecting lessons and figuring out ways to gauge awareness and increase student’s knowledge of the Circuit Trail, trees, environmental justice issues, urban farming, and the Delaware River watershed. We look forward to developing this curriculum and educating students about issues affecting their community.
This summer will certainly be a busy one along the Circuit Trail network in Camden! For updates and more information about programming with the NJ Tree Foundation, contact Meredith at 845-287-4488/mbrown@njtreefoundation.org, or visit our website at www.njtrees.org. For a detailed map of the Circuit Trial network in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, please visit the official Circuit Trails website: www.circuittrails.org. Have a fun and safe summer getting outside and exploring all that the Circuit Trails network has to offer!