Free seedlings will be distributed from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 8th at the Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church Street, during the Easter Eggstravaganza. Two thousand seedlings will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The saplings will be 1-3 feet and are expected to include Kousa Dogwood, Red Maple, Norway Spruce, Improved Pitch Pine, Sycamore, White Oak, Swamp Oak, and Chestnut Oak. They will come with instructions on how to store, care for, and plant them, including information on how to choose the right place on your property to plant a tree. Residents should plant the seedlings within two days after pick-up to prevent the roots from drying out.
The trees are provided by the New Jersey Tree Recovery Program to help replace trees damaged or destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The goal of the Tree Recovery Campaign is to distribute over 500,000 tree seedlings to New Jersey residents over the course of the next five years.
The program is a joint effort between Middletown Township, the New JerseyState Forest Service, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Sustainable Jersey, Arbor Day Foundation, Brothers International, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, and FedEx. 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 homecooling costs, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits. For a full list of distribution locations across the state,visit www.forestry.nj.gov or www.facebook.com/newjerseyforests.