Plant A Tree In Toms River Thanks To Seedlings Giveaway

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- If you have thought about adding a tree to your yard, Toms River will have an opportunity for you to do so at no cost.

Free tree seedlings will be available to Toms River residents this Saturday, April 16, as part of the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign. This program helps communities replace trees damaged or destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The township will receive 2,000 tree seedlings, according to a news release.

The seedlings will be available for pickup from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Recreation Center, 1810 Warren Point Road, or the Third Avenue parking lot in Ortley Beach. The Toms River Green Team and the Toms River Environmental Commission are assisting in the seedling distribution.

The seedlings are available on a first come, first served basis, and come with instructions on how to store, care for, and plant them. 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.

“Superstorm Sandy’s winds left Toms River with many damaged and dead trees," Mayor Thomas Kelaher said. "Through the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign, our residents can replant those lost trees for free.”

The goal of the Tree Recovery Campaign is to distribute more than 500,000 tree seedlings to New Jersey residents over the next five years.