The Watershed Institute and its partners began planting trees today in Trenton to improve climate resiliency and promote a better environment as part of a plan to increase the tree canopy, provide habitat, and add shade in the city.
“The Watershed Institute is excited to be working with New Jersey Conservation Foundation and other partners to plant trees in Trenton,” said Jim Waltman, the Watershed’s executive director. “Trees address numerous environmental problems by soaking up floodwaters, capturing carbon dioxide from the air to protect our climate, and cooling our cities in the summer heat.”
“Cadwalader Park is one of Trenton’s most important public open spaces and is loved by many. We are very fortunate to have so many nonprofit partners working with the City to restore the landscape in this incredible historic park” said Mayor Reed Gusciora. “This planting of 100 trees is just the beginning of a 3-year project that will see a thousand shade trees planted across the City for our residents and visitors” he said.
“When putting this grant request together, we assembled the very best organizations working in this space to join this project. These organizations are all dedicated to a green and healthy Trenton, and I am so happy that we begin with this initial planting of 100 trees in Trenton’s crown jewel, Cadwalader Park” said Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
Thanks to NJDEP’s Natural Climate Solutions Grant Program, planting will continue for three years and will add 1,000 trees to the cityscape paid for by a $1.3 million state grant to partners including the City of Trenton, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Isles, the New Jersey Tree Foundation, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS), the Outdoor Equity Alliance and The Watershed Institute. New trees will be planted in areas of the city with few to no street trees. This first planting will focus on reforesting parts of Cadwalader park. By 2050, the trees are expected to sequester nearly 3 million pounds of carbon dioxide, reduce 2 million gallons of stormwater runoff and intercept more than 14 million gallons of rainwater.
“We’re proud to partner with this team to bring 100 trees to Cadwalader Park, the long-term benefits of air filtration, stormwater interception and contributions to the local ecosystem will extend far into the surrounding neighborhoods for decades to come,” said NJ Tree Foundation Executive Director Pam Zipse.
“We know the lack of trees makes Trenton hotter and more polluted. Isles’ Trenton Climate Corps team is proud to join with our partners to plant these 1,000 trees bringing healthy change for our families and climate relief to all of Trenton,” said Sean Jackson, Isles CEO.
The NJDEP’s Natural Climate Solutions Grant Program is funded by auction monies received through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Those proceeds are slated for natural resource restoration and enhancement projects that increase carbon stored in natural lands.
