Press Releases
Ten Morris Towns Participating in State Forest Service Tree Seedlings Program
Posted Monday, April 1st, 2019
Free Seedling Events Begin on April 13 in Mountain Lakes — Check for Your Town
The state Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Parks and Forestry, in connection with Arbor Day, is making 60,000 free tree seedlings available to residents throughout New Jersey, including 11 Morris County locations — 10 towns and the Park Commission’s Frelinghuysen Arboretum — throughout the month of April.
Municipal residents are eligible to receive bundles of five free seedlings at any of their local distribution sites across Morris County, and at 118 locations in 19 counties across New Jersey through the Tree Recovery Campaign, which is an effort of the New Jersey Forest Service, the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation and other partners.
The free tree seedlings program launched after Superstorm Sandy destroyed and damaged trees across the state in 2012. Since then, the program has made more than 500,000 trees available to state residents. Although some of the seedlings are non-native, they actually may be hardier than native species and able to thrive in harsh weather conditions.
| Town | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham Township | April 27 | 8 a.m. | Tanglewood Lane Compost Area |
| Chester Borough | April 27 | 9 a.m. – Noon | Gazebo Field, across from Wichert Realtors |
| Denville Township | April 26 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Gardner Field Pavilion, 2 Savage Rd. |
| Frelinghuysen Arboretum | April 28 | 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. | Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 East Hanover Ave, Morris Twp. |
| Harding Township | April 20 | 9 a.m. – Noon | Municipal Building, 21 Blue Mill Rd. |
| Madison Borough | April 26 | Noon – 6 p.m. | Drew University Pool/Parking Lot |
| Mountain Lakes Borough | April 13 | 9 a.m. | Birchwood Lake Parking Lot, West Shore Rd, Annual Trout Derby |
| Parsippany Troy Hills | April 26 | 11 a.m. | Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Blvd. |
| Pequannock Township | April 27 | 9 a.m. | Town Hall Main Parking Lot, 530 Newark-PomptonTurnpike |
| Roxbury Township | April 25 | 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Roxbury Recreation Department, 72 Eyland Ave., Succasunna |
| Washington Township | April 27 | 9 a.m. – Noon | Township Public Works Center, 54 Rock Rd., Long Valley |
Check the interactive map for distribution locations in Morris County and in neighboring counties. including Hopatcong in Sussex County and New Providence in Union County.
“While the tree seedlings stand just one or two feet tall now, with proper care they soon will grow to be powerhouses at cleaning the water we drink and the air that we breathe,” said New Jersey Forest Service Chief Todd Wyckoff. Planting trees also can help reduce global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the air, says the state DEP.
Some tips:
- Plant seedlings promptly to ensure they take root and thrive.
- Be mindful of the planting site’s surroundings by avoiding overhead utility lines and proximity to structures in case of storms and consider the size of the tree when fully grown.
- Moisten roots before planting.
- Dig a hole two to three times larger than the roots when spread apart. Do not plant roots too deep or shallow.
- Add loose soil gently, then add more soil and pack down firmly. Add water to firm the soil if necessary.
- Place wood-chip mulch around the base of the seedling.
- Water the seedling regularly but do not over-water, as this can cause roots to rot.
All New Jersey residents may buy additional tree seedlings in packets of 50 that start at $18. For more information on these programs, visit www.forestnursery.org or call (732) 928-0029.
State nursery in Jackson