How To Get Free Tree Seedlings In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Looking to add some greenery to your property? Ocean City residents can get free tree seedlings on Wednesday. Here's how.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 19, residents will be able to pick up tree seedlings at City Hall (861 Asbury Avenue) or the Ocean City Community Center (1735 Simpson Avenue) as part of the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign.

These seedlings are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, so get there early.

And no need to worry if a green thumb doesn't come naturally to you. The seedlings come with instructions on how to store, care for and plant the trees. The guides will help residents find the perfect place on their property to plant a tree, while keeping its full-grown size in mind.

Trees should be planted within two days of pick-up to prevent roots from drying out.

The goal of the Tree Recovery Campaign to distribute over 700,000 tree seedlings to New Jersey residents over the course of eight years was met in 2020. But trees are needed more than ever now thanks to natural disasters and invasive species harming and destroying them.

The program is a joint effort between Ocean City, NJ Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program, NJ Forest Service Nursery, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Arbor Day Foundation, FedEx, Texpo Energy and Tomorrow Energy.

Aside from looking nice, trees increase property values, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits.

For a list of all distribution locations across the state, visit www.forestry.nj.gov or www.facebook.com/newjerseyforests.

If you have any questions, please call 609-399-6111, ext. 4334.