State Grant To Help Princeton Combat Emerald Ash Borer

PRINCETON, NJ — Princeton is one of 13 municipalities that have been awarded reforestation/tree planting grants totaling $341,741, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced this week. In all, nearly $400 in grants were awarded to 18 municipalities in 10 counties across the state to promote robust stewardship of community trees and forests.

Other municipalities that received reforestation/tree planting grants included Bogota, Ramsey, River Edge, South Hackensack, Avalon, West Orange, East Brunswick, Shrewsbury, Spring Lake, Mountain Lakes, Pompton Lakes and Montgomery Township.

Resiliency planning grants of $10,000 have been awarded to the following municipalities: Woodbury, Hamilton Township (Mercer County), Long Branch, Millstone and Clifton.

“I’m pleased to have these grants going to the communities and locations that cherish our trees and do the hard work necessary to ensure the Garden State will always have these important resources available for this and future generations,” NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin said.

The grants were issued by the New Jersey Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program (NJUCF) through Community Stewardship Incentive Program (CSIP) grants. The grant program focuses on the communities’ implementation of NJUCF approved Community Forestry Management Plans. The 2017 CSIP grants are funded by the “Treasure Our Trees” state license plate fund and the No Net Loss Reforestation program.

“Right now, the Emerald Ash Borer – an invasive species which kills ash trees - is the most significant threat to the health, safety, and sustainability of our urban and community forests,” State Forester John Sacco said. “It is critically important that every community and property owner act now to address this looming threat.”

With the grant, Princeton will be able to actively manage its Emerald Ash Borer population by conducting inventories to identify ash trees in their communities. They can develop Emerald Ash Borer mitigation plans, and reforest the community to compensate for ash trees which are removed, according to Sacco.

The adult Emerald Ash Borer is tiny, about one-half inch long, and hard to see even though it dons metallic green wing covers. Like other beetles, it goes through complete metamorphosis, and its entire life cycle is tied to ash trees. Eggs are laid on the bark of the tree and larvae consume the layer of wood under the bark.

They pupate in burrows made in the wood and adult beetles eat the tree’s leaves. When the larvae feed, they create tight “S” shaped tunnels throughout the tree’s cambium layer. After several years of being infested, enough of this tissue is consumed that the flow of nutrients and water throughout the tree is cut off, and the tree dies.

The greatest number of ash trees are found in central and northern New Jersey. A total of 54 communities in 12 counties have had Emerald Ash Borer detections since the first detection of the invasive pest in Somerset County in 2014, according to NJDEP.

“A comprehensive urban and community forestry program provides environmental, social, and economic benefits,” said Carrie Sargeant, Coordinator of the state’s Urban and Community Forestry program. “Communities that are accredited with the NJUCF, have a Community Forestry Management Plan in place, participate in required training and education programs, and report back to the program on their accomplishments every year.”

There are currently 167 municipalities and five counties accredited with the NJUCF. These communities are providing their residents with benefits now and creating communities that are providing these benefits for generations to come, according to NJDEP.

For more information, visit the NJ Urban and Community Forestry Program at www.communityforestry.nj.gov and like NJDEP Urban & Community Forestry on Facebook.

For more information on Community Stewardship Incentive Program grants, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/grantandloanprograms/nhr_csip.htm.

Patch file photo