Volunteers

National NeighborWoods® Month

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, Volunteers

National NeighborWoods® Month is the annual celebration of trees in our communities. Every October, tens of thousands of volunteers take action to make their communities greener and healthier by planting trees—turning their neighborhoods into vibrant, livable NeighborWoods®! The NJ Tree Foundation is excited to announce our NeighborWoods® events!

Saturday, October 12th: Camden, NJ – Habitat for Humanity
Saturday, October 12th: Newark, NJ – Weequahic and Chancellor Ave Schools
Tuesday, October 15th: Camden, NJ – TD Tree Day at Liney Ditch Park
Wednesday, October 16th: Bay Head, NJ – Bay Head Elementary School
Friday, October 18th: Newark, NJ – Greater Newark Charter School
Saturday, October 19th: Point Pleasant, NJ – TD Tree Day
Saturday, October 19th: Camden, NJ – 600 block of Berkley St.
Saturday, October 19th: Newark, NJ – High Parks Garden Co-Op

Join the movement! You can sign up to volunteer with the NJ Tree Foundation or make a tax deductible donation to support our reforestation efforts across New Jersey. Any contribution is appreciated!

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Touchdowns and Trees!

Beth Kwart Benefits of Trees, Fundraising, Good Landscaping, Just for Fun, Volunteers

We’re part of the world’s biggest huddle, are you? You can be! We are partnering with the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee to plant 2,014 trees. As part of this effort, 1,800 4-5′ trees will be given away in New Jersey counties that were most negatively impacted by Hurricane Sandy – Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union. We will also be planting 214 large trees, 12-15′ tall, throughout New Jersey.

So how can you get in our huddle? There are several ways to get involved:
1) We are still looking for partners to help give away trees in Cape May, Hudson, Middlesex, Ocean, and Union Counties. Fill out this survey if you would like to host a tree giveaway.
2) Adopt a tree in your county! 200 trees will be given through a first come, first serve application in the nine counties listed above. Monmouth County residents! Get your tree here.
3) We will need tree planting volunteers to plant 214 large trees! Our planting schedule will be posted on our website and advertised on our Twitter and Facebook Page in the coming weeks.
4) Support us with a donation ! Just $35 will allow us to give away a tree to reforest after Hurricane Sandy.

Stay tuned for progress on this great project! We are thrilled to have your help in this exciting partnership with the Super Bowl Host Committee.

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Congratulations, Newark TreeKeepers!

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, Success Stories, Tree Care, Volunteers

This June, the NJ Tree Foundation successfully conducted our second round of annual Newark TreeKeepers workshops. This series of four sessions taught residents the proper tree-care and maintenance techniques needed to become effective tree stewards in their communities. Residents from all five wards of Newark were represented at these workshops, offered free of charge to nearly 70 participants. The Tree Foundation would like to extend our thanks to the Ironbound Community Corporation for hosting this summer’s sessions.

We’d like to congratulate those who attended all four workshops to become Certified Newark TreeKeepers!

IMG_2355Zubaida Carter
Leo Gonzalez
Murad Majied
Cynthia Mellon
Lito Miranda
Tatyana Polite
Tom Shenk
Nashid Siddeeq
Joni Wellness

The NJ Tree Foundation is proudly a member of the Alliance for Community Trees. These educational workshops were made possible through a partnership with TD Bank.

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Exceptional Spring 2013 Volunteers in Newark

Elena Lopez Uncategorized, Volunteers

Every season we meet new dedicated volunteers that make our plantings possible.  We cannot express our gratitude enough to these hard-working groups and individuals who spend their time planting trees with us. This spring, the Newark Renaissance Trees Program worked together with over 200 volunteers to plant 112 trees. While all of our volunteers were spectacular, there were 2 groups that stuck out for their hard work and enthusiasm: La Casa de Don Pedro, and Whole Foods Milburn-Union.

IMG_2132La Casa de Don Pedro   is an organization dedicated to community development in Newark. Their profound passion for making Newark a better place was immediately evident when they arrived at our plantings. Elsa Cipriani, La Casa’s Health Services Manager, described volunteering as an “opportunity to give back to our Newark community, beautifying public spaces, and also learning about community plantings.”  La Casa brought a group of lively volunteers to three of our plantings this spring.

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Liz Dugan, a member of the Whole Foods Market Green Mission Team, described the experience with the Tree Foundation as a “perfect fit.” The Whole Foods team came out to volunteer and enhance the community; they enjoyed the experience so much they came back to another planting. Their entire group, reaching upwards of 10 volunteers, arrived with energy, eager to learn and work. Another Green mission member, Le’Nisha Rogers stated, “We really felt involved and that we weren’t just planting trees, but we were showing those around us that by planting just one tree, we can make a difference.”

Thank you again to all of our spectacular Spring 2013 volunteers, we hope to see you again in the fall!

 

Celebrating A Successful Spring Season

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, Success Stories, Volunteers

The NJ Tree Foundation (NJTF) is proud to report another successful spring planting season across our great state! Throughout NJ, our organization has partnered with dedicated tree-loving folks to reforest barren communities and improve quality of life. Check out the number of trees planted by our programs below:

983651_10151721617988273_1427009641_nTrees Planted in Spring 2013
Green Streets Program – 457
Newark Renaissance Trees Program – 112
Camden Urban Airshed Reforestation Program – 167
Celebrate Arbor Day (baby trees) – 19,500

Trees Planted Since Inception – 197,468

How do trees impact communities?
Betty, an East Camden resident, shared her thoughts with the NJ Tree Foundation after her tree planting. “Our neighborhood looks so beautiful. I come home and feel so proud that me and my neighbors organized the planting of these trees together. Thank you for replacing the trees we lost long ago – the trees we needed so much.”

What’s Next?
The NJ Tree Foundation will be planting trees again in the fall. You can hire us to work in your community, apply for street trees in your neighborhood of Camden or Newark, volunteer, or donate to make our reforestation efforts possible. Your support is so very appreciated!

Congrats to Elena!
Elena is our newest program staff, coordinating tree plantings in Newark. Elena, you did an exceptional job this season! The NJ Tree Foundation is thrilled to have you as an addition to our team.

A Successful Spring Season in Camden

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, Pictures, Success Stories, Volunteers

946587_10151708965313273_1064609750_nThis April and May, the NJ Tree Foundation planted 167 trees in the City of Camden with help from over 360 residents and volunteers! Thank you to everyone who supported the Camden Urban Airshed Reforestation Program this season. Whether you donated, volunteered, or helped organize an event in your own community, your hard work is what made our tree planting season a success.

Season Highlights:
** First fully sponsored Plant One Million event
** Second fruit tree planting!
** Earth Day/Arbor Day with Mayor Redd
** featured in Camden SMART’s Earth Week

East Camden resident, Ms. Louie, expressed her excitement for her trees, “I am just ecstatic. I could not be happier to have these trees in our neighborhood. They make such a difference.”

What’s next? Stay tuned for our Camden TreeKeepers workshops, offered to South Jersey residents, which are coming in July. Tree plantings will start again in the fall, and that schedule will be posted here in August. Please consider making a donation to support our community-based tree plantings in Camden.

Fruit Trees Planted in Camden

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, Success Stories, Volunteers

27125_10151681627538273_1128986882_nOn Thursday, May 2nd, the NJ Tree Foundation, the Center for Environmental Transformation, Lakeshore Drive Community Gardeners, and the Pennsauken Work Group planted 15 new fruit trees in Camden. These peaches, pears, plums, and apples were planted with six families that garden at Reverend Evers Park in Morgan Village. Pictured left: Camden resident Joe Travis admires the baby peaches he can already see! See more photos here.

Thousands in NJ Celebrate Arbor Day

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, NJTF in the News, Success Stories, Volunteers

arborday-309x400To recognize 15 years of success through our Celebrate Arbor Day program, the NJ Tree Foundation pledged to give away 15,000 tree whips to community groups across NJ this month. After a flood of applications and outstanding attendance at our volunteer trainings, the numbers are in! Tomorrow, 107 community groups across the state, representing thousands of volunteers, will plant 19,500 tree whips to celebrate Arbor Day! Check out what Montville and Maplewood have planned in these newspaper articles.

Camden Kicks off Earth Week

Beth Kwart Just for Fun, Success Stories, Volunteers

On Saturday, April 20th, the NJ Tree Foundation and the Neighborhood Center kicked off Camden’s Earth Week by planting 27 large trees with over 50 volunteers. “Planting these trees is very important to us. We are beautifying our streets, playgrounds, and sitting areas, making the Center even more welcoming to the Camden community, who we have been serving for 100 years,” explained Michael Landis, the Center’s Executive Director. “I had so much fun planting trees!” said Kelli Ann Baker, a Rutgers student. “Being involved with these projects is so inspiring,” continued Kris Dahl, NJTF Intern from Stockton College.

13872_10151661074293273_1136497226_nOn Monday, April 22nd, the NJ Tree Foundation, the Shade Tree Advisory Board, Camden’s Department of Public Works, and Mayor Dana Redd planted a 500 pound Prunus Okame at City Hall, in memory of Freeholder Aletha Wright. This event was recognized as the City’s Annual Arbor Day Celebration, promoting the importance of trees in Camden communities. Congratulations to Jonathon Latko, Chair of the Shade Tree Advisory Board, for receiving Mayor Redd’s Environmental Hero Award on this date.

Events planned throughout the week also include a documentary screening, a rain garden planting, a Green Drinks social event, several clean ups, and a Spring Fling. For a full schedule of events, please visit camdensmart.com.

Tree Plantings Have Begun Across NJ

Beth Kwart Benefits of Trees, Just for Fun, Pictures, Success Stories, Volunteers

Spring has sprung for the NJ Tree Foundation (NJTF)! Throughout the state, we’ve been planting trees and greening spaces to improve NJ’s environment and quality of life. Check out some of the work we’ve done so far:

558499_10151649189168273_75005758_nApril 5th: Gloucester City Rain Garden
NJTF’s Green Streets Crew installed a 45′ x 19′ rain garden in Gloucester City.

April 6th: Camden Tree Planting along N. 35th Street
NJTF’s Urban Airshed Reforestation Program planted 12 large street trees with help from 37 volunteers!

April 8th: 150 Trees to Shade Weequahic Park (Newark) after Hurricane Sandy
This park lost 200 trees in Superstorm Sandy. The NJTF’s Green Streets Crew was proud to  plant 150 new trees to reforest this space!

April 11th: Newark’s Arbor Day Celebration with Rutgers and NJTF
NJTF’s Newark Renaissance Trees Program planted 28 large trees along the streets of Rutgers Newark with over 40 volunteers!

April 13th: Camden’s Plant One Million Celebration
NJTF’s Urban Airshed Reforestation Program planted 41 trees along seven blocks of North Camden with help from 93 volunteers!

Big thanks to our donors, sponsors, partners, and volunteers throughout New Jersey for making this work possible!

*Pictured above: Chaney and Gina plant an Okame Cherry Blossom in Camden.