By: Follow South Jersey Staff
ESTELL MANOR, N.J. — This year marks the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day and the 50th anniversary of the Arbor Day Foundation.
Atlantic County will join in celebrating the celebration by offering free tree seedling bundles to the first 200 residents on Friday, April 29, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., while supplies last, at the Warren E. Fox Nature Center in the Atlantic County Park, Route 50, Estell Manor.
The seedlings are provided as part of the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign to help communities replace trees damaged or destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The goal is to plant trees today that will create future forests.
“We’re pleased to offer this program again that was temporarily halted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” County Executive Dennis Levinson said in a press release from the county. “Trees benefit us in many ways – adding natural beauty, reducing home cooling costs, and providing wildlife habitats.”
One thousand seedlings will be distributed in bundles of five per household with instructions on storage, care and planting. Recipients are advised to plant the seedlings soon after receiving them to prevent the roots from drying out. Information will also include how to choose a proper planting site with the tree’s mature growth size in mind. All seedlings will be native to the coastal habitat of our area.
If you would like to participate, the county suggests that you call ahead to confirm seedling availability, especially if you are driving from a distance.
The distribution is a collaborative effort of Atlantic County government, the New Jersey State Forestry Services, the State Forest Nursery, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Sustainable Jersey, and the Arbor Day Foundation.
For more information, contact the Division of Parks and Recreation at (609) 625-1897.
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