April 30, 2021
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–In honor of this Arbor Day, Hamilton Township announces that it has been named a 2020 Tree City USA for the fifteenth consecutive year.
Hamilton achieved this prominent environmental designation by the Arbor Day Foundation, a million-member nonprofit conservation and education organization, by meeting the program’s four requirements: have a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
“Tree City USA communities see the impact an urban forest has in a community first hand,” said Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Hamilton are ensuring that generation to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”
Thanks to the efforts of the Hamilton Township Shade Tree Commission, the Township was able to launch a residential tree planting initiative this past September. The Township will spend over $1 million to remove dead and dying trees and plant new trees around town. The program is funded by private developers that pay into an escrow fund when trees are removed from properties under construction and, under the law, can only be used for this purpose. While the Township takes requests for new trees year round, we are ramping up our efforts to reach all Hamilton Township residents on a neighborhood by neighborhood level.
The Township plans to have the trees planted so that they will not interfere with sidewalks or utility lines. While there is no cost to residents for the trees, the Township asks that residents jointly care for the tree in the first three years of growth.
Residents may contact the Division of Planning at (609) 890-3645 or via email at [email protected] for more information on the residential tree planting program.
“Planting new trees throughout Hamilton, at no cost to our residents, is a win-win,” said Mayor Jeff Martin. “If ever there was a time for trees, now is that time. Healthy trees provide environmental benefits such as cleaner air and cooler temperatures for homes they help shade – helping to lower energy consumption. Having been recognized as Tree City USA for fifteen years now, Hamilton has demonstrated a commitment to the mission that the Arbor Day Foundation sets forth– to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.”
More information on the Tree City USA program is available at arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
