Procedure modification

My daughter, almost a second grader, takes care of our paper recycling at home. This time I was very pleased to double check before curbside pick up. Among old homework and junk mail I found June 25th Verona Observer newspaper with the article "Tree removal complains initiate procedure modification" in the front page.

After a petition with 124 signatures was given to the Township Council at the June 15 meeting, Township Manager Joseph Martin speculated that perhaps the process for tree removal in the township should be modified...
Councilwoman Teena Schwartz says she thinks adding the review and comment of the shade tree commission will help and should be done before bids for any street project are released. If healthy trees can be saved by using smaller equipment on the job or some by other modifications that may effect the total job cost, the net effect should be a wash. “If we spend a little more to save trees, we will obviously spend less to replace them,” Schwartz said in an interview Tuesday.

Based on Shade Tree Commission information available at the time, petitioners stated that Verona spends $10,000 annually to plant new street trees. There are additional expenditures such as tree pruning and tree removal associated with tree replacements. During the last council meeting Councilmember Teena Schwartz, liaison with the Shade Tree Commission and Environmental Commission, gave a detailed report about resident's concerns regarding tree removals. Mr. Joe Martin, Town Manager, explain in detail that there are extra trees added all the time that are not part of the roadway projects. He mentioned that money from the capital budget is allocated to undertake the purchase of trees, and also tree replacements are paid from project dollars out of public works. Mayor Ken McKenna explained that most of the towns in New Jersey do not have a Shade Tree Commission.

During public participation Morningside resident Mrs. Laura Morowitz presented the petition. Mr. Dionigi Maladorno added that perhaps more involvement from the Shade Tree Commission should be allowed in the whole process. The Mayor and the Town Manager explained that Caputo Brothers Tree Service is the company responsible for our general tree maintenance program in town but the contractor hires another firm for tree removals on specific road projects. Mr. Joe Martin added that we will learn from the Morningside experience and that he is confident, as well as Mr. Jim Helb, Town Engineer, that we can do better. Deputy Mayor Jay Sniatkowski encouraged residents to call Public Works and request trees to be planted in front of their homes assuring that Verona is more than prepared to plant public trees. He also mentioned that living in the Forest Avenue School quadrant he knows the impact of trees taken down in the community. Referring to the petition he pointed out:

We certainly need to improve the process. You certainly have valid points and we are going to work to improve them.

I also called for major involvement of the Shade Tree Commission before any tree removals and added that I do not want Verona to become another gray sad town like many others. Councilmember Santi Condoerelli explained that "no net tree loss" had been Verona's policy for years but its current enforcement is not clear. He suggested that knowing the annual amount spent on tree planting versus tree removals could help the residents. Mr. Ben Blinder, councilmember candidate in the last elections, asked:

Serving on the Landmark Preservation Commission we have to issue an annual report on our activities for the previews year. Does the Shade Tree Commission complete an annual report? Are they required to? And if so, is that report available for the public to review.

The answer from Councilmembers and Town Manager was yes and the report can be requested at Town Hall. Cinzia Cortese, member of Verona Environmental Commission, spoke as a Verona resident and long-term tree advocate:

I am happy that you are going to look into this because Morningside in my opinion is really a disaster.

She called for tree diversity instead of monocolture and explained that 3 trees were sick on Morningside Rd., 2 were butchered by PSE&G and the other 7 where the "oops!". Mr. Joe Martin answered that the tree list for removal was prepared before the trees came down and that when public service comes to town we should do a better job coordinating with them. Mrs. Laura Morowitz made the point that she and other neighbors received a letter saying "a few trees may be taken down in the course of the construction", and that's not really what happened. Finally, Mr. Jim Helb, Town Engineer noted that he can not give an exact list of trees that will be taken down until the sidewalk is exposed. And that one of the biggest limiting opportunities for replacing trees is the utilities. Trees can not be planted where the water and gas services are or sanitary sewer. Deputy Mayor Jay Sniatkowski added:

And if you put one of those service walks then you do not have any opportunity so it makes sense to take those out.

Mayor Ken McKenna invited the Town Manager and Town Engineer to come back to the council the next meeting on July 20th with their findings and proposals on the matter. Mr. Sniatkowski concluded:

We have a couple of groups working in different directions, we need to bring it all together, and a little bit of finger pointing, and this is certainly the first time it really came out and I've been doing this for 8 years and we never had this reaction. You are not been a pain in the neck, we thank you because where there is a fault in the system we need to find out...we owe to everybody to come up with a better system.

I think that we should all thank our township authorities for taking environmental concerns seriously and for their professionalism and expertise. It is clear that they are already working on improvements to replenish our urban forest.

Red Oak, New Jersey State Tree

After looking for the ideal tree for our front lawn for a while, we found it close to home last week, in Cedar Grove Garden Center.

It is a 20 feet tall Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), a good street tree. The Red Oak is New Jersey State Tree and a native of North America.

One of its many special features is that it is easier than most trees to transplant, fast growing and it can tolerate the conditions of cities and towns -such as pollution and compacted soil- amazingly well.

The price was very reasonable, they do free delivery or plant it for a fee -about 30% of the tree price- which includes one year warranty. Two days after buying it the tree nursery owner came with 5 people to deliver and plant it. They did an excellent job and informed us that needs to be watered only once a week.

Often simply called "Red Oak", northern red oak is formally so named to distinguish it from southern red oak (Q. falcata or Spanish oak). Under optimal conditions, northern red oak may live up to 500 years. Grows to 60' to 75', 45' spread (zones 3-8) and as much as two feet a year for 10 years. It is easy to recognize by its bark with ridges that appear to have shiny stripes down the center and all the way down the trunk.

Arboy Day Foundation has plenty of information about it:

Attributes:
The Red Oak is an American treasure, and one easy to own...In parks, along streets and in home landscapes, the tree provides cool shade from its dense crown, brilliant fall colors and a high degree of safety thanks to the superior strength of its wood.

Wildlife Value:
Red oak acorns are at the top of the food preference list for blue jays, wild turkeys, squirrels, small rodents, whitetail deer, raccoons, and black bears. Deer also browse the buds and twigs in wintertime.

History/Lore/Use:
The Red Oak has been a favorite of both lumbermen and landscapers since colonial times. The tree has also found favor when transplanted in Europe. It is believed that Bishop Compton's garden, near Fulham in England, received the first Red Oak transplant abroad in the late 17th century. In 1924, there were over 450 acres of Red Oak plantations in Baden, Germany.

Moisture:
Normal moisture with some drought tolerance.

Leaves:
The leaves alternate, simple, 4 to 8 inches long with pointed, spine-tipped lobes. Dark green color turning russet-red to bright red in autumn.

Flower Color:
Pale, yellow-green catkins appear at about the same time new foliage is expanding.

Bloom Time:
April-May.

Fruit Description:
The Acorn is round, 3/4 to 1 inch long, flat, thick, saucer like cap, brown.

Thank you Baristanet!

Last Monday Baristanet posted "Verona Residents Fight for Trees". Read the article here. Many people made interesting comments -one was nonsense crazy- And the following one in particular puzzled me:

"The owners of any property where trees were removed were all contacted ahead of time and given a choice of either having the tree removed by the town or taking on responsibility for the maintenance of it in the future."

Mr. Jim Helb, Town Engineer, explained during the last council meeting, that he can not give anybody an exact number of trees that need to be cut down until the sidewalk is exposed. According to Rutgers:

"Although trunk injury can kill trees, it is root injury during construction that is most likely to kill trees." Tree Problems Caused by People in Suburban Lanscape

Therefore the way digging operations are conducted is crucial for the survival of any given tree. And in Morningside a backhoe was used.

"Vibratory plows, chain trenchers, and hand tools do a better job at this than bulldozers and backhoes...If possible, avoid widening streets or sidewalks when they are replaced. If curbs are slated to be replaced, hand-form the curbs adjacent to tree roots, rather than excavating with machinery for mechanical forms. Excavation with machinery destroys major branch roots, even if the new curb remains in the same position as the old curb." Protecting Trees from Construction Damage, University of Minnesota .

I asked one of my neighbors at Morningside Rd. and she confirmed that she was given two specific options: accepting the removal or assuming liability over the public tree (potentially damaged by backhoe excavation during sidewalk removal). Is that common practice? The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) offers a logical solution:

"It is possible to preserve trees on building sites if the right measures are taken. The most important step is to hire a professional arborist during the planning stage... Your arborist and builder should work together in planning the construction. The builder may need to be educated regarding the value of the trees ... and the importance of saving them ... Get it in writing. All of the measures intended to protect your trees must be written into the construction specifications. The written specifications should detail exactly what can and cannot be done to and around the trees ... Fines and penalties for violations should be built into the specifications. Not too surprisingly, subcontractors are much more likely to adhere to the tree preservation clauses if their profit is at stake. The severity of the fines should be proportional to the potential damage to the trees and should increase for multiple infractions."

Forest Avenue School have 4 new trees!

Four beautiful maple trees were planted in front of the school this week. As a Forest Avenue School mom I appreciate and welcome these young trees. The 4 inches in diameter maples are replacing mature trees removed about a year ago.

On behalf of our kids' lungs I would like to say THANK YOU!

Here are some interesting tree facts and benefits:

*Trees are the longest living organisms on earth.

*Oak trees can live to be over 500 years.

*Trees renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.

*A single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year. That means two mature trees can supply enough oxygen annually to support a family of four!

*One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles. Over the course of its life, a single tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide. A tree does not reach its most productive stage of carbon storage for about 10 years.

*Shade trees can make buildings up to 20 degrees cooler in the summer. Trees lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves.

*Trees cut down noise pollution by acting as sound barriers. Trees located along streets act as a glare and reflection control.

*The death of one 70-year old tree would return over three tons of carbon to the atmosphere.

*One of the world's oldest trees are 4,600 year old Bristlecone pines in the USA.

*The world's tallest tree is a Coast Redwood growing in northern California's Redwood National Park. It is 369 feet tall and over 2000 years old!

Greenleaf : plant, preserve, protect

Montclair is inviting residents to plant native shade trees and save the tree canopy!

Imke Oster, the Environmental Commissioner leading the Greenleaf campaign says time is running out for the town's mature trees and it's time to "plant, preserve, protect."

Two generations ago, Montclair residents planted trees on private property to enhance aesthetic value and to get protection from summer heat. Many of these trees have reached peak maturity, and their lives and Montclair’s reputation as a leafy town are in danger.

Oster says public planting is not enough to replenish the treescape, so your help planting a tree today is needed. And trees continue adding 10-20% to the overall valuation of your home.

The campaign posters displayed around town announces:

Protect indigenous trees. Native trees are an important habitat for local insect and bird species, and help foster sustainable living by providing cleaner air, reducing cooling costs and preventing water run off.

For native shade tree information and who can plant if for you go to www.mtcenv.org/greenleaf. The price of trees range from $80 to $300 and most nurseries will deliver and plant the tree for a fee -about 50-80% of the tree price, and they guarantee the life of the tree for the first year. Mention MEC's save the shade tree campaign, you might get a discount from some nurseries.

Verona-Cedar Grove Times article about tree loss

I just read the Verona-Cedar Grove Times article "Residents sign petition preventing tree loss" (by Mollie Gray - June 15, 2009)

The article mentioned that residents presented council members with a petition addressed to the mayor and each council member as well as Township Manager Joe Martin, Town Engineer Jim Helb and Code Enforcement Officer Tom Jacobsen last Monday night.

The petition was described as signed by more than 120 residents urging township authorities to maintain a "no net tree loss" policy and to enforce the town's Shade Tree Code.

The article quotes the begining of the petition:

"One third of all public trees were recently cut down and many others damaged on Morningside Road between Lakeside Avenue and Forest Avenue due to sidewalk renovations...This action shows little environmental awareness and should be prevented in the future..."

To read the complete article please click here
We need more tree advocates voices to be heard, thank you!

Verona Observer 6-18-2009, page 4

The following is a letter co-written by me that was recently publish in The Verona Observer:

EDITOR:
Since the reconstruction of sidewalks and curbs on Morningside Road began, in early May, many of us, as well as other residents, contacted our town leaders and representatives to urge that the code protecting our trees be strictly enforced.

In addition, on June 9, seven residents attended the Shade Tree Commission meeting to complain about the violation of code in the removal of 12 mature trees on Morningside Road due to such renovations. A few days later your editorial “Laws that Make Sense” appeared, urging the dismantling of this very code.

We do not believe that getting rid of good codes is the proper response to their violation. Your editorial claims it is “a sense of antiquity that is the driving force behind allowing these old rules to exist”. In fact, it is the exact opposite: enforcing and preserving these codes will show that Verona is in step with the current national and global climate, which promotes “green” practices and a respect for the natural environment.

What exactly will be gained by getting rid of a code that prevents contractors, utility companies and private individuals from doing irreversible and irresponsible damage to our trees? What harm exactly is done by requiring that all changes to our public trees be reviewed by the Shade Tree Commission, which exists for that very purpose? How can the Shade Tree Commission do their job protecting public property without any authority?

We demand that the current codes are not senselessly cut down in the same way that our trees were.

Laura Morowitz
Gloria Machnowski
Verona

Messages from you

I would like to share with you all some of the many wonderful e-mails that I received during the petition sign up. And I would like to remind you that I am just keeping track of your own efforts to protect our environment. My special thanks go to Valerie, Stephen, Toby, Dionigi, Laura, Ellen and Edward. Thank you!

*I'd be pleased to be added to the list of your supporters. Thanks for your hard work protecting what's left of our beautiful, old trees.

*Please add my name as a supporter of the proposed ordinance to require no net tree removal in Verona, I am sad to think of the huge number of trees that are lost due to homes and apartment building in the hilltop, however I’d like to think that this may help force replacement with even more than are already planned for.

*Please add me as a supporter of your petition.
Good luck! This place is gonna look like hell if we don't do something soon!

*Many thanks for your leadership on this issue...one of my concerns/questions has always been: Do homeowners have the right to say "no, I don't want township trees in front of my house?" I hope the answer is that they don't have that right since it's public property and it's about what's best for the community, not the individual homeowner. However, I'm fairly certain that they do. I think that's one of the reasons why so many spots look so bare.

*Your efforts are appreciated by all who live in, work in or just travel through Verona. I was on the Environmental Commission for many years and am troubled that we are fighting the same battles year in and year out.
Keep up the great work. You have my support.

*That is sooo lame to take down all those trees on the beautiful street. We live on the other side of town and when Verona had to redo all the bridges over the stream they tore down about 6 huge trees on our property. We had to fight them for about a year but finally they did give in and we planted some 10 - 12 foot trees on the edge of our property. I'll sign the petition if you need support.

*Very nice job last night. Let's make sure that the council and the town manager follow up as they promised, and give us all more information at the council meeting on July 20th.

*You did a great job last night with taking care of the petition, and also your heartfelt comments. I'm sure it will have a major impact.

*I absolutely agree that we need a town ordinance before cutting down healthy trees in town. Please accept this email as my signature to the attached petition.

*Yes, I want to save trees.

*Trees Please!

*Gladly will add our names to the "Tree Petition"!

*They are doing construction on my street next, Beechwood Rd. (and Oakridge). Wonder if same issues will arise. They invited residents on our street to the meeting tonight to discuss the construction plan and I think my husband is going.

Less Concrete

Here are some good news. If you are a homeowner in Morningside Road between Lakeside Ave. and Forest Ave., you can contact the Town Engineer's office at 973 857 4803 and ask for the REMOVAL of your "service road" (if you have one).

That slab is a piece of concrete recently built over the grass area between the curb and the sidewalk. Two residents got the removal done already, it is free of charge and takes 10 minutes since construction is ongoing in the area.

At the last Council Meeting the authorities agreed on the fact that we do not need more concrete where a tree should be planted instead. Removing that unnecessary piece of concrete will facilitate planting new trees. Even if you have a public tree in front of your home already, that concrete surface is taking away root space and blocking rain water.

This was one of the points requested in the "No net tree loss petition". My question is, why the homeowners must request the removal of something that is not needed in the first place?

Ellen Kramer article

The following is an article that appeared in the Verona Observer on May 28, 2009. Ellen sent it to me and her words inspired me to work in the No Net Tree Loss petition with so many caring neighbors. Thank you Ellen for witting those words. The final total number of trees removed was 12, I hope we plant many more in Morningside Road, there is plenty of space available---

To the Editor:

I find it astounding that Verona continues to be named a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation since it is currently in the process of removing nine old trees on Morningside Road between Lakeside Drive and Forest Avenue.

Watching this is absolutely heartbreaking to me. I lived most of my life in urban Hudson County and moved to this town sixteen years ago. It was a charming area with quaint homes and beautiful mature trees. Since I moved here, many of the old trees have been lost, for a variety of reasons, good and bad. Of course everything has a life span, but the most upsetting part is that many of these trees have not been replaced.

The trees being removed now were not unhealthy. Morningside is currently undergoing a street renovation. As the concrete curbs are replaced with Belgian block, the roots of these trees were cut and their stability has been compromised. It was known this would happen before the work began.

I can’t rationalize the thinking behind this. Does defacing a tree lined street for the sake of better looking curbs make sense? And at what cost to the taxpayers?

It seems to me a “Tree City” would have made saving these trees more of a priority.

Ellen Kramer, Verona

Petition: No net tree loss policy

We, the undersigned residents, respectfully petition the Verona Township authorities to keep our town committed to a “NO NET TREE LOSS” policy.

One third of all public trees were recently cut down and many others damaged on Morningside Road between Lakeside Avenue and Forest Avenue due to sidewalk renovations.

This action shows little environmental awareness and should be prevented in the future. We request a tree to be planted for each one removed, that the trees to be planted have diversity and recommend the removal of the concrete slabs to maximize root space.

We cannot depend on the contractors to comply with our Chapter 171 code. Verona must enforce the Shade Tree Code. Violations should and must not be tolerated by any Verona resident or officials that represent Verona.

The October 2005 Verona Community Forestry Management Plan asked for an annual budget of $15,000 for tree planting, to close the gap on under stocked neighborhoods. Today, in 2009, we allocate a budget of only $ 10,000 to tree planting and we spend three times that amount on tree removals, many avoidable.

Verona has a long history in shade-tree management. The Shade Tree Commission was created in 1955. Today more than ever we request their members to be as proactive, effective and involved as possible in the care of our public trees. Proper communication with the residents is crucial. The STC should keep the public informed through the town’s website and provide a contact e-mail address.

We invite our public officials to protect our environment, preserve the established primarily residential character of the town and promote the conservation of its natural appearance. We welcome the idea of hiring an arborist to help achieve these goals.

Balancing species diversity, celebrating Arbor Day, adopting a tree ordinance, exploring alternative funding options and producing an annual summary of shade tree accomplishments are more points of the VCF Management plan that we should put into practice.

We urge you to take action and deliver the leadership and determination needed on preventing further damage to our urban forest.

Best Regards,

Verona residents listed below

We the Undersigned...

Verona residents signing the Petition
“NO NET LOSS OF TREES POLICY”
(People signing must be a resident of Verona, NJ – 18 years old or older)

More than 120 Verona residents signed this petition. The signatures were collected between June 12 and June 15, 2009. We appreciate all the efforts and help provided by supporters.

Due to privacy reasons we are not posting their names and addresses here.
The complete list of signatures is available upon request by e-mail.

If you would like to support this petition write to:
veronatrees@gmail.com