From the South Orange Environmental Commission, April 29:
Members of the South Orange Department of Public Works, South Orange Environmental Commission, and Meadowland Park Conservancy gathered to plant the park’s newest resident, an Eastern White Pine, in celebration of Arbor Day. These days South Orange celebrates Arbor Day by proclamation of the Village President but the practice itself dates to 1872 when the Nebraska Board of Agriculture established a special day to be set aside specifically for the planting of trees.
South Orange’s newest tree was placed in the South end of Meadowland Park adjacent to the river where the Meadowland Park Conservancy is building upon an existing stand of older Pines to establish a unique evergreen area within the park. The eastern white pine is an especially hardy species native to North America which can grow as tall as 80 feet with a spread of 20-40 feet when fully mature. This little guy has a long way to go but will hopefully grow to the same height as its larger cousins nearby and be enjoyed by visitors to Meadowland Park for generations to come.
The DPW, Environmental Commission, and its Shade Tree Committee will be busy this spring as the Village plans to plant another 100 trees as part of the Village’s multi-year shade tree canopy restoration initiative to counter climate change and improve stormwater retention by increasing the number, frequency, and variety of tree species planted. In the meantime, you can visit our newest pine tree and welcome it to the neighborhood on your next stroll through Meadowland Park.
South Orange’s new Eastern White Pine poses with members of the DPW, Meadowland Park Conservancy, and Environmental Commission: Alex Sansiviero, Mike Yates, Linda Beck, Eastern White Pine, Walter Clarke, Don Franklin, Joe Foligno, and Dylan Costa.
For more information on trees and many other local topics follow the South Orange Environmental Commission and Green Team on Facebook or Instagram @sogreenteam or https://sogreenteam.wordpress.com/
