Princeton Schools Plant 90 Trees Across 6 Campuses With $92K State Grant

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton Public School District has planted 90 new trees across its six school campuses with help from a $92,125 Trees for Schools grant, just ahead of Arbor Day in April.

The grant funded the tree planting, a certified arborist to oversee the project, watering for the trees this summer, and maintenance during the first two years.

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The Trees for Schools program launched in 2023 and provides grant funding to New Jersey public school districts, county colleges, state colleges and universities for planting trees on school grounds and campuses.

According to the district, the program is a joint effort of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Sustainable Jersey and The College of New Jersey.

It is funded through New Jersey’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which the district described as a multi-state, market-based program that sets a regional cap on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power plants and uses proceeds from cap auctions to support environmental programs.

Each Princeton campus received new plantings.

Princeton High School planted 21 trees. Princeton Middle School planted 14, including flowering trees along Guyot Avenue. Community Park Elementary School planted 17, including trees that will begin to shade the back path near the tennis courts.

Riverside Elementary School planted 18, with some helping complete the forested area along Prospect Avenue. Littlebrook Elementary School planted 11, including replacements for two trees that had died.

Johnson Park Elementary School planted 9, including a paperbark maple that had once been a central feature of an outdoor classroom.

The district began developing the planting plan required for the grant last summer.

Robert Wells of Wells Tree & Landscape, Inc. developed the plan, oversaw the selection of species and their planting, and will monitor the trees’ health over the next two years.

Eighteen species were selected, including maple, cedar, magnolia, cherry and oak.

"An important aspect of this grant," noted Jenny Ludmer, Program Manager, Sustainable Princeton, "is ensuring the health of the newly planted trees during the first crucial years of their lives. Another aspect is ensuring that the importance of trees is worked into the curriculum at all campuses."

"Trees are vital to our lives," Ludmer continued. "They create the air we breathe, filter air pollution, and soak up stormwater. Trees also trap and hold carbon and provide cool shade, shelter, and food."

"We are thrilled with the new trees," added Cecilia Birge, Principal at Princeton High School. "They are a beautiful addition to our campus and offer a new opportunity to engage students in environmental stewardship and climate resilience."

Sustainable Princeton partnered with the school district on the grant.

"This is a natural extension of our mission to inspire sustainable actions throughout the community," said Christine Symington, Executive Director of Sustainable Princeton, "and seeking grants like this is an important part of our work with the school district."