Though it has existed as a concept for several years, the Haddonfield Shade Tree Commission recently formalized a pilot program called the Shade Tree Approved Resident Tree – or S.T.A.R.T.
Unlike the tree planting program – which involves only municipal property – the START program gives residents who meet all criteria the opportunity to have a tree from a municipal nursery planted on the front of a property, or side, if the house is on a corner.
Scott McElhone, chair of the commission, explained that S.T.A.R.T. is one of the ways the group works to improve the urban tree canopy.
“As Haddonfield naturally evolves and homes come down and are rebuilt, and the current canopy ages out and new trees are planted, what we’re finding is that the canopy is pushing its way ever so slightly to the park strip, and we all know the park strip really is not an ideal place for a tree to survive and thrive,” McElhone said.
He noted that the park strips are narrow and trees that thrive in the open sometimes compete for space with sidewalks, underground utilities, vehicles, overhead wires, truck salt and plowed snow.
“The borough can’t replace those trees lost on private property due to aging out, storms, construction or preventative maintenance of removing hazardous trees by private residents. That’s private property,” McElhone noted. “What we can do is encourage replacement by gifting trees to residents.”
There are a number of initiatives during the year to increase the health of Haddonfield’s tree population. Earlier in the year, the Department of Public Works (DPW) took down more than 200 dead or at-risk trees. This fall, the Shade Tree Commission will plant 69 trees on municipal property park strips. While the trees are picked to be suited to the particular park strip area they will occupy, the strips are not ideal for planting, McElhone explained.
“ … Why we think this is sort of a game changer for Haddonfield’s urban forest is that on a limited basis, we can gift five or so trees to plant in large frontages in front of their house, take some of the burden off the park strip and put it onto a larger area that’s better for the tree to thrive.”
S.T.A.R.T. will gift five trees to five eligible residents in the spring of 2023 and will include gator bags for watering the trees and brochures that teach proper mulching technique. Residents must commit to three years of watering to maximize a tree’s chances of surviving and establishing roots. They are also required to take a $10, 90-minute tree pruning course offered from January through April with the Haddonfield Branch Managers, who prune trees around the borough.
“Trees play a vital role by capturing and storing rainwater in their canopies and absorbing standing water through their root system,” said Commissioner Frank Troy. “Shade trees are also critical to reducing heat in the summer.
“ … Residents should think about investing in programs like this or participating in programs like this, because it really does satisfy the greater need of the borough in Haddonfield,” Troy pointed out, alluding to how trees capture and store rainwater in canopies and absorb standing water in their roots, minimizing the impact of stormwater.
To learn more about S.T.A.R.T., visit https://bit.ly/3Ep1kHK. Contact the public works department to submit a residence for consideration at (856) 429-0183 or email snelson@haddonfield-nj.gov.
