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Environment and Shade Tree Commission

The Asbury Park Environment and Shade Tree Commission assist residents with planting, trimming and removal of public trees. Anyone needing assistance with city trees (removal, pruning, replacement) can appear before the commission with a written request for same or they can send letters of request to Tom Pivinski c/o Environment and Shade Tree Commission at 9 Main Street, Asbury Park, N.J. 07712

The members of the ESTC are:

The public is invited to attend the ESTC meetings which are held the 3rd Monday of each month at 7:00PM in the Council Chambers or if that is in use, at the General Meeting Room of the DPW on 9 Main Street.

TREE CITY – The ESTC has continued to achieve "Tree City" status from the State of New Jersey. Signs designating this accomplishment can be seen at the following entryways to the City: Sunset Ave at the Wannamassa Border, Main Street on its southern and northern most ends Grand Ave Bridge coming from Interlaken.  This award is given to those cities whose work to develop and maintain the urban tree canopy has been consistent and effective. The Asbury Park ESTC, in association with the N.J. tree Foundation and the N. J. Forestry Department, has proudly planted over 2000 new trees in residential neighborhoods and along public areas of recreation. The ESTC is currently applying for its 6th Tree City designation. 

4TH OF JULY PARADE – The ESTC continues to be a leader at the City’s annual 4th of July Parade. Thanks to the generosity and assistance of Sunset Garden and Nursery in Wannamasa and the creative imaginations of the ESTC commissioners, the ESTC has captured the FIRST PRIZE TROPHY 4 out of the past 5 years.

Each year the float has been an attempt to entertain and teach the parade onlookers the value and beauty of living in a “green” city. In 2009, the FIRST PRIZE theme was “Greenings from Asbury Park” and alongside the float many of the achievements of the ESTC were listed:

Canada Geese Egg Oiling;
Sunset Lake Clean Ups; (April – October)
Trolley Triangle;
Locust Park and Veteran’s Park Beautification;
President Obama’s Pre-Inauguration Beach and Lake Clean-Up;
Tree City Year 6;
Urban Forestry Management Plan;
Green Community Achievement Award;
Joyce Kilmer Arbor Day City Award;
Bradley School Tree Project with COOLS SCHOOLS;
Rain Garden,
Arbor Day 

BRADLEY SCHOOL TREE PROJECT – The commission has recently partnered with the New Jersey Tree Foundation to plant trees free of charge in front of the Bradley Elementary School on 3rd Avenue. This "COOL SCHOOLS INITIATIVE" will encourage young people under adult supervision to plant and care for trees in front of their school. 35 tree will be planted with the help of NJTF, the Shade Tree Commission, the Department of Public Works and approximately 105 volunteers from local residents. This planting will take place on Saturday, October 8, 2005 and will add several new varieties of shade trees to the city's tree canopy.

MEMORIAL TREE PROGRAM – The ESTC’s Memorial Tree Program invites residents, corporations, businesses and groups to donate a Memorial Tree to commemorate important occasions in their lives such as the birth of a child, a special birthday or anniversary, or in memory of a departed loved one. These trees stand in tribute to our families and friends while helping to develop the city's natural beauty for years to come. The cost of a tree is $300 and it will be professionally planted under the supervision of the Shade Tree Commission.

The trees of the Memorial Tree Program will be planted trees along Deal Lake Drive, on St. John's Island in Sunset Lake, along the Grand Avenue Bridge, and on the 5th Avenue and Sunset Avenue shores of Sunset Lake. Several varieties of trees will be planted and all will be compatible with the seashore environment.

Memorial Plaques will also be available for anyone wishing to publicly acknowledge their donation at a particular tree. These plaques will cost $50 and will be installed by the Shade Tree Commission Members and the Department of Public Works.

I-TREE PROGRAM – The Asbury Park ESTC has entered into the green digital age by becoming partners with its sister city, Bradley Beach, and entering into a new program called I-TREE. This program enables the ESTC to assess, develop, maintain and manage the entire tree canopy of the City. Every tree in Asbury Park will be counted, identified, analyzed and recorded. ESTC commissioners and volunteers will use digital PDA’s to enter the information which will become part of a city wide green database.

I-TREE will provide current information and will help plan for future work on the tree canopy. The condition of trees will be labeled from Poor to Fair to Good and will assist the City in determining which trees need to be pruned or removed, and how many and where trees need to be planted to maximize the full environmental benefit of trees as a natural cleanser of the environment and air we breathe.

RAIN GARDEN – The ESTC and the Monmouth County Master Gardeners have collaborated to create the City’s 1st Rain Garden which will be located on the southwest portion of the swale (dip) to the left of the Transportation Center. The Rain Garden will divert ½ million gallons of storm water from the streets and transportation center each year and will prevent that polluted water from entering Wesley Lake. By planting native vegetation, the polluted water will be purified through the soil and root systems of the plants and eventually sink into the aquifers as pure water.

Through the generosity of Watermark on the boardwalk, the ESTC had a Rain Garden fundraiser which raised thousands of dollars for engineering work, soil amendments, plants, and a boardwalk throughout the garden which will also be ADA accessible. The Rain Garden has also been designated as a Monarch Butterfly Way Station because of the types of plants that will be planted and which are especially attractive to butterflies. Mr. Henry Vicar, a resident and entrepreneur in Asbury Park, has donated jetty rocks which will be used as landscape materials in the Rain Garden.

SHADE TREE FEDERATION – Each year the ESTC attends the Annual New Jersey Shade Tree Federation meeting in order to accrue Continuing Education Units which are mandated by the N.J. Tree Foundation. Several commissioners attend seminars at a day long session which provide the most current information concerning the life and health of trees in New Jersey.

PARTNERSHIPS – The ESTC continues to reach out to local groups to partner with them in developing a green and environmentally conscious venue in which to live, learn and recreate.

ASBURY PARK HIGH SCHOOL – The ESTC assisted the APHS Sophomore Honors English Class, under the supervision of their teacher, Jessica Daniels, in reclaiming and personalizing the entry garden space of the high school. Each student chose a shrub to represent him/herself which he/she would then nurture and protect for the coming three years as a way of symbolizing each of their desire to grow in wisdom and grace and to prepare for the future. Monies were raised through the generosity of residents and friends who believe in the students of Asbury Park and professional assistance was provided by Sunset Garden and Nursery of Wannamasa.

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY’S COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES – The ESTC and the Sustainability Committee recently met with representatives from Ohio State University’s College of Environmental Sciences to discuss the environmental impact that the City’s redevelopment is having and what can be done to protect and promote the greening of Asbury Park. Four representatives from Ohio State, led by Dr. Parwinder Grewal and Mr. David Gobey, met with the Asbury Park green team and environmentally toured the entire City. 

The purpose of the collaboration was to determine the most cost effective and achievable goals the City could consider with the team from Ohio State offering their profession al expertise to help accomplish them. Some of the ideas proposed were:

• Using vacant land for community gardens or art parks;
  
• Modernizing the Asbury Avenue entryway;
  
• New filtration system for Sunset Lake;
  
• Cleaning up Right of Ways throughout the City;
  
• Using unused buildings and rooftops for food production;
  
• Rain Gardens around local lakes.

THE COASTER – The City’s local newspaper, The Coaster, continues to be a strong advocate and supporter of the ESTC by providing weekly space for the ESTC’s column, “A NEW SHADE OF GREEN.”  The editorial and photographic components of The Coaster have been a free and frequent provider of green information to city residents and to local towns. The Coaster’s commitment to the environment by providing this outlet for green information to the ESTC has been responsible for the promulgating of the message to all its readers that the responsibility to protect and preserve our planet is up to us.

VOLUNTEERS - Much of the work accomplished by the ESTC has been assisted by the ongoing volunteers who come out to support its projects. The volunteers range from pre-teens to seniors and they do everything from picking out trash from Sunset Lake to planting flowers and shrubs. Their spirit of generous self giving is always inspiring and welcomed by the ESTC.

Anyone who would like to participate in any of the ESTC’s projects or attend its meetings is always welcomed to do so. You will note that aside from those commissioners appointed by the City Council, there are also Associate Members who are actively involved in the ongoing projects of the ESTC. Again, the ESTC meets once a month on the 3rd Monday at 7PM in the City Council chambers or if necessary in the Conference Room of the DPW on 9 Main Street.