by Ben Alter

On April 28, 2023, over 100 volunteers, wielding spades and shovels, celebrated Arbor Day by planting 32 trees in Mulberry Street Park, located in Trenton, New Jersey. The project, which was organized by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJ Conservation) in partnership with the City of Trenton and New Jersey Tree Foundation, was partially funded by a grant from the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association Foundation (LSRPAF). “The initial seed grant from the LSRPAF was instrumental in sparking other donations which allowed us to implement this phase of the project,” said NJ Conservation Co-Executive Director Jay Watson.

The volunteers came from various community-based organizations, as well as organizations such as the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Black Rock and PSE&G.  “We are grateful for those who came out today to help plant the trees in Mulberry Street Park,” said Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora to the volunteers. “Trees play a vital role in our communities,” said Mr. Watson. “Today’s event is instrumental in greening the city and creating a healthier community for future generations to enjoy.”  

The planting of serviceberry, winter king, October glory maple, and river birch trees on this flood-prone property is an initial step in what will be a forest buffer consisting of 1,000 trees along Assunpink Creek (which flows through the heart of Trenton), and other areas of Trenton.  “Community members will not only experience aesthetic benefits but environmental ones like cooling our city streets in the summer heat and absorbing stormwater runoff into the Assunpink Creek,” said New Jersey Tree Foundation Program Director Crystal Wessel.

After attending the event, Ken Goldstein, a Foundation Board member, exclaimed, “this event was one of the highlights of my 40+ year professional career in environmental protection, to see LSRPAF grant money used for such a beneficial purpose at a park proximate to a former contaminated site.”  

The LSRPAF is a 501(c)3 corporation whose mission is to protect human health and the environment in the State of New Jersey.  To learn more about the Foundation and its efforts to improve New Jersey’s environment and offer scholarships to the next generation of environmental consultants, go to LSRPA.org/LSRPA-Foundation.

Photo Caption: Volunteers planting a tree at Mulberry Street Park in Trenton on Arbor Day 2023.