MICKLETON — Free tree seedlings will be available to East Greenwich Township residents in the month of March as part of the New Jersey Forest Service’s New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign.
From 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on March 28, residents will be able to pick up tree seedlings at the Municipal Building, 159 Democrat Road, Mickleton. Seedlings, available on a first come, first served basis, come with instructions on how to store, care for, and plant the trees.
The guides help residents choose the right place on a property to plant a tree while keeping in mind the tree’s full-grown size in the future. Residents should plant the seedlings within two days after pick-up in order to prevent the roots from drying out.
The goal of the Tree Recovery Campaign is to distribute over 600,000 tree seedlings to New Jersey residents over the course of six years was met last year. With natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy, and the damage caused by several new invasive insects to New Jersey, our state needs more new tree seedlings than ever before.
Therefore, the campaign is moving into its seventh year. The program is a joint effort between East Greenwich Township, New Jersey Forest Service, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Sustainable Jersey, Arbor Day Foundation, FedEx, and International Paper.
When properly planted and maintained, trees can be assets to a community. They improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood or business district, increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.
For a list of all distribution locations across the state, visit www.forestry.nj.gov or www.facebook.com/newjerseyforests.
If you have any questions please contact Fred Hills at fred.hills@comcast.net.
