Lacey Township Lauded for 20 Years as a Tree City

Gille Park in Lacey Township is home to a wide variety of trees, including oak, hemlock, holly, cherry, pear and a spectacular Weeping Willow tree, all thanks to annual Arbor Day celebrations. Those plantings, among other things, have helped gain the township the Tree City USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation for 20 years.

Lacey Township was honored April 29 at the New Jersey Arbor Day Celebration in Durand Park in Freehold Township for its achievement.

“We recognize the importance of trees in our environment,” said Casey Parker Jr., director of the township’s Public Works Department. “We take a great deal of pride in being a Tree City for 20 years. We have had to work towards it; it wasn’t just handed to us.”

The Tree City USA program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, creates a framework for action, education, a positive public image and citizen pride in more than 3,400 communities in the U.S.

In New Jersey, 167 of the 566 New Jersey municipalities are in the program. But, only 48 towns have attained the Tree City status for 20 or more years. Lacey Township is now in that elite group.

To qualify, a town must meet four standards: have a community tree ordinance; establish an Environmental Commission; have a Community Forestry Program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita; and have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“We’ve met or exceeded their standards,” said Parker. “We’ve planted hundreds of trees in the program.”

Lacey Township’s tree ordinance ensures, when possible that trees are conserved. Parker said, for example, that every new subdivision is subject to a landscaping plan, requiring trees to be planted to replace trees cleared.

He said the Community Forestry Program pays for tree care, tree trimming, cutting back dangerous trees, maintaining the tree canopy on roads and leaf composting. Last year, the time expended on the program and cost of materials was determined to be valued at $68,500.

Parker said Lacey places a lot of importance on planting and maintaining its trees.

“The weeping willow tree in Gille Park was planted during the annual Arbor Day ceremony 10 to 12 years ago by elementary school students,” said Parker. “It was 10 feet tall then and now it’s 40 feet tall. Forked River School planted Bradford Pear trees several years ago -- they’ve all quadrupled in size.”

There was no Arbor Day celebration in the township this year and no planting due to budget constraints, but Parker hopes that the practice would resume in 2012.