A Tree Grows in Maplewood

This morning brought two tree planting ceremonies to Maplewood in disparate parts of town.

At 9 a.m., Sheila Baker Gujral and Bob McCoy of the Maplewood Environmental Advisory Committee gathered with Vice Mayor Kathy Leventhal, DPW Director Eric Burbank and Supervisor of the Shade Trees Todd Lamm, to plant an American Red Maple that had been donated to the town by Pleasantdale Nurseries in West Orange.

Lamm said the American Red Maple is native to the area and should thrive in its new spot behind the main branch of the Maplewood Memorial Library (just over that lovely foot bridge). Lamm said that the tree will get a bio-stimulant—which is basically cold water sea kelp—to help make its roots more porous and increase its chances of survival in its early years of transplantation.

By 10:30 a.m., Leventhal and Burbank had relocated to Irvington Avenue to meet with Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and Lisa Simms and James Cunningham of the New Jersey Tree Foundation for a tree planting ceremony in this oft-overlooked business district that borders both Irvington and Newark.

Dennis Beury, Tree Superintendent with Essex County Public Works, said that 49 trees were being planted along the commercial avenue. The Town, the County and the Foundation had teamed to bring at least six different varieties of trees: cherry plums, cherries, hawthornes, crab apples, hornbeams and red buds. "We don't do monoculture anymore," said Beury, noting that the variety of trees protected the district from blights. Beury said the trees were all small—topping out at no more that 25'—in deference to the overhead wires.

While Maplewood's Public Works employees drilled and dug the 49 holes in less than a week's time, the trees were being planted today by residents of the Essex County Correctional Facility to whom DiVincenzo extended a heartfelt thanks (see video).

The trees were all funded by private dollars through the NJ Tree Foundation which operates mostly in Essex, Union, Hudson, Passaic and Bergen counties. Why Maplewood? Said DiVincenzo, "We've been doing this around the county and it was time to do it here. We communicated with the local elected officals." Beury said it was Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca who requested the Irvington Avenue location. DeLuca could not attend the ceremony today because he is in Pittsburgh on business.

But will the trees survive?

Simms said that the trees are all at least 2-1/2" caliper, ranging in age from 8 to 10 years depending on the variety. The trees have been selected for their hardiness and all can withstand drough, pollution, soil compaction and even a little salt. Simms said that the NJ Tree Foundation will check the trees in the summer, fall and winter to straighten them and remove and replace any that do not survive. Therefore, the trees should flourish, noted Simms: "We have a 95% survival rate."

The names of the crew members who planted the trees are: Hilbert Gresham, Ahmed Jackson, Orlando Rodriguez, Jose Collazo, Steve White, John Jeter, Felton Ham, Ralph Roberts, Joseph Williams, Jermaine McLendon, John Murray, Moses Connor, George Ruiz, Fermin Romero and Jeff Bradford.