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Shade Tree Advisory Committee Annual Report 2001

The year 2001 was remarkable for its many tree-related projects and grants. A Community Forestry Management Plan received state approval and, together with a refurbished computerized Street Tree Inventory, will guide Highland Park's future tree programs. A major tree planting grant and other grants will provide more than 100 new street trees, while Highland Park will at the same time use a new form of state grant to prune selected mature trees, some nearly a century old and still viable if given proper care.

Awards and Grants:
• The Community Forestry Management Plan was completed by STAC and a grant-funded consultant and approved by the state. The state acceptance makes Highland Park eligible for Community Stewardship Incentive Program (CSIP) grants.
• A New Jersey Forest Service Tree Planting Grant of $18,750 will provide a Spring 2002 planting of street trees. This is the largest grant ever awarded to STAC.
• A Middlesex County Urban Forestry Grant provided nine additional native trees at the Native Plant Reserve.
• Community Development Block Grants continue to support street tree plantings at sites agreed between STAC and homeowners in the community development census tracts.
• Tree City USA was awarded to Highland Park for the 8th consecutive year.
• A CSIP grant for pruning mature trees will provide an extra round of tree pruning, beginning in Spring 2002.
• STAC continues to aggressively pursue funding outside of the borough for tree planting, maintenance, and programming.

Education and Community Outreach:
• Together with the Environmental Commission, STAC has contributed to the creation of this web site, http://www.leoraw.com/hpenv/. This site helps visitors explore the natural resources in Highland Park.
• STAC now publicizes its workdays at the Native Plant Reserve using the cable channel. This has yielded several new volunteers. STAC will also move to use the new environmental website to publicize its activities and gather comments and suggestions from citizens.
• STAC provided information for the new Resident's Handbook that included tree-care instructions and the opportunity for citizens to e-mail a member of STAC with specific questions and concerns.
• STAC maintains ties with other community groups concerned with trees and open space in Highland Park. These groups include: Highland Park Environmental Commission, Baykeeper, Save Open Space, and WaterWatch.
• STAC continued its presence at Highland Park's annual Streetfair. Activities included 1) gathering volunteer names for Native Plant Reserve; 2) handing out educational literature on trees for homeowners; 3) giving out tree seedlings and detailed planting instructions; 4) handing out posters for children; 5) distributing information on Asian long-horned beetle and other dangerous pests; and 6) answering residents' questions about street trees, STAC programs, and environmental issues in the borough.

Activities:
• STAC delivered to DPW a reformatted database for Highland Park's computerized Street Tree Inventory. The inventory is now more accessible for tracking new tree plantings, maintenance, species variety, and tree need.
• STAC representatives served on Highland Park's Working Group for Environmental Education Centers. The design that emerged this year after a long planning process will use a Middlesex County grant to restore portions of our natural riverfront and to develop a series of shelters, stone council rings, paths, and information stations as small-scale environmental education centers. Work begins in 2002.
• STAC members monitor and tend to newly planted trees, tracking their growth and health and pruning newly planted trees to avoid having branches later interfere with passing vehicles or pedestrians.

Native Plant Reserve:
• Through successful grant applications and volunteer labor, STAC maintains the Native Plant Reserve at River Road as a native plant display garden, refuge for animals, and educational resource for the borough.
• STAC volunteers continue to provide support for the Native Plant Reserve through work-days (two per month, weather permitting). Work-days include planting, weeding, mulching, and removing nonnative invasives.