A local grassroots effort is pushing to establish a tree ordinance and volunteer community tree board to help the city fulfill its requirements of being a Tree City USA.
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Save the Trees of Rahway is a nonprofit founded by Rahway native Bob Markey, a local Realtor and certified master tree steward and master gardener.
The mission of Save the Trees of Rahway is to “educate and motivate our elected officials and community to restock, rebuild and restore Rahway’s urban forest making it lush and green once again.” A petition on Change.org asks the mayor and City Council to create a tree ordinance and form a tree board led by a certified tree expert – the two primary requirements of being a Tree City USA.
Rahway is among 3,676 communities that are a Tree City USA and has been for 24 years.
The group released a video last year (Episode 1: The Crisis) and this month released a second episode (The Fix) along with the petition. Both episodes are available on YouTube and on the group’s Facebook page.
Since 2002, Rahway has cut down approximately 2,000 more street trees than it has replanted — a 33% decline in street tree population in less than 20 years, according to the petition. “Many of our remaining street trees are in serious need of expert maintenance and care.”
Restoring Rahway’s street tree population will help “reduce flooding and improve our community’s health, safety and property values,” according to the organization. To accomplish this goal, the city needs to better implement the goals set forth in its 2017-2021 Rahway Community Forestry Management Plan. By adhering to the objectives of that plan, the city will “cost-effectively maintain, develop and promote Rahway’s safe shade tree decisions that will help achieve unfulfilled goals” of the forestry management plan, including:
- Update 2002 street tree inventory
- Increase tree canopy to 30%
- Improve tree diversity
- Prevent needless tree removal
- Follow “Plant The Right Tree In The Right Place & In The Right Way”
- Follow systematic street tree preventative maintenance
- Follow a post-planting care program, such as, trunk protection, removing stakes, ties, grates and stumps)
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