Morris Township Offers Free Tree Seedlings To Residents

Press release from the Morris Township Dept. of Parks & Recreation:

April 29, 2021

Free tree seedlings will be available to Morris Township residents on May 1, 2021 as part of the New Jersey Forest Service’s New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign. The tree distribution is a cooperative project of the Morris Township Environmental Commission and the Morris Township Department of Parks and Recreation.

From 9:00 am to 12:00 Noon on Saturday, May 1, 2021 residents will be able to pick up tree seedlings at the Front Entrance to Frelinghuysen Middle School at 10 Jane Way. Seedlings are available on a first come, first served basis, with a maximum of 5 trees per family until supplies are exhausted. The seedlings come with instructions on how to store, care for, and plant the trees. The guide helps 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.

Note the event is working hard to keep you safe and follow the State’s COVID19 recommendations. All residents picking up tree seedlings shall have a face covering in place and shall maintain the appropriate 6 ft. social distancing from other families and individuals picking up trees. Seedling distribution shall be completed by a walk up – there will be no drive-up distribution in 2021. Residents should park their cars in the Frelinghuysen Middle School Parking lot and proceed to the front entrance of the school. Please follow COVID19 recommendations when picking up the tree seedlings.

The goal of the Tree Recovery Campaign is to distribute over 600,000 tree seedlings to New Jersey residents over the course of seven years was met in 2019. 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 7th year. The program is a joint effort between Morris Township, the New Jersey Forest Service, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Arbor Day Foundation, iCIMS, FedEx, State Farm 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 the Morris Township Dept. of Parks & Recreation weekdays at 973-326-7371.

This press release was produced by the Morris Township Dept. of Parks & Recreation. The views expressed here are the author's own.