Free tree seedlings will be available while supplies last on Saturday, April 23rd, from 10 am to 1 pm at the Franklin Township Municipal Building, 202 Sidney Road, Pittstown. Seedlings come with instructions on how to store, care for, and plant the trees. The instructions also help identify the right place to plant each seedling given the specific needs and expected size of the species. The seedlings should be planted within two days after pick-up to prevent the roots from drying out.
When properly planted and maintained, trees can be important assets to a community. They help mitigate flood potential, reduce home cooling costs, improve visual appeal of neighborhoods and business districts, increase property values, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat.
The seedling giveaway is part of the New Jersey Forest Service’s New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign, which began in 2012 and is now entering its tenth year. The Campaign met its goal to distribute over 700,000 tree seedlings in its first eight years. With natural disasters like Hurricanes Sandy and Ida and the damage caused by several invasive insects, New Jersey needs more new tree seedlings than ever before. The program is a joint effort between the Franklin Township Environmental Commission, NJ Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program, and NJ Forest Service Nursery, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Arbor Day Foundation and Texpo Energy. For a list of all distribution locations across the state, visit www.forestry.nj.gov or www.facebook.com/newjerseyforests.