Get five free tree seedlings March 30 at Estell Manor Park.
ESTELL MANOR - Free tree seedlings will be offered to Atlantic County residents while supplies last 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 30 at the Warren E. Fox Nature Center in Atlantic County Park on Route 50.
The seedlings are provided as part of the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign to help communities replace trees damaged or destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The goal is to plant trees today that will create future forests.
We encourage residents to take advantage of this program in advance of Arbor Day and Earth Day, Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson said. Trees benefit us in many ways - adding natural beauty, reducing home cooling costs, and providing wildlife habitats.
Five hundred seedlings will be distributed in bundles of five per household with instructions on storage, care and planting. Recipients are advised to plant the seedlings soon after receiving them to prevent the roots from drying out. Information will also include how to choose a proper planting site with the tree's mature growth size in mind. All seedlings will be native to the coastal habitat.
If you would like to participate, it is suggested that you call ahead to confirm seedling availability, especially if you are driving from a distance.
This distribution is a collaborative effort of Atlantic County government, the New Jersey State Forestry Services, the State Forest Nursery, New Jersey Soil Conservation Districts, Sustainable Jersey and the Arbor Day Foundation.
Also at the park at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, historian Bob RaVell will present a program about the Bethlehem Loading Company titled, "Miracle in the Pines: A Story of American Ingenuity and Patriotism." Learn about the 1914 plan to construct a long-range proving ground that was scrapped in favor of a massive munitions plant during World War I. The program will be presented in the Warren E. Fox Nature Center.
For more information, contact the Division of Parks and Recreation at 609-625-1897.
