NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — A nonprofit is working to deliver more greenery to urban areas in New Jersey.
“Our mission is really to bring trees to the communities that need them most,” said Crystal Wessel, program director for the New Jersey Tree Foundation.
She says they are planting trees along residential blocks in Camden, Gloucester City and Trenton to give residents a voice in how their street looks.
“Traditionally, a lot of urban forestry was very top-down,” she said. “So cities or planners would decide ‘We’re gonna plant here,’ for whatever reason, and not really consult with the residents. So we try to do the complete opposite of that.”
She says they purchase semi-mature trees — about 8 to 10 feet tall — for planting, but they make sure the tree is wanted at that specific spot first. She says they pretty much just knock on doors and ask neighbors if they would like a tree in front of their house. Wessel says not everyone wants one, which is just fine.
So far, the program has been very popular. Their planting schedule is mostly booked until the spring but if anyone has a request, Wessel says they’d be happy to add that resident to a waiting list.
For more information, visit njtrees.org.