Annual Report July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015

The New Jersey Tree Foundation is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees in NJ's most underserved neighborhoods, where the need is greatest. Through tree planting, volunteerism and partnerships, we assist numerous communities in improving their environment and quality of life.

Camden Urban Airshed Reforestation Program With support from the William Penn Foundation, the NJ Tree Foundation began the Trees for Trails project, bringing the beauty and vibrancy of trees, shrubs, and perennials to Camden’s portion of The Circuit. The Tree Foundation planted 75 trees and 300 shrubs & perennials along the Circuit, with help from over 200 volunteers. Trees for Trails also included a public outreach campaign, raising awareness about The Circuit among thousands of Greater Philadelphia residents. In addition, the NJ Tree Foundation assessed forestry opportunities in the soon-to-be-opened Gateway Park, creating an Opportunity Analysis to be implemented in partnership with local stakeholders. “The NJ Tree Foundation is changing lives everyday because they bring beauty and hope right to your front door. They give residents a piece of nature that they can see and enjoy everyday – something that is truly theirs – and that can make all the difference.” – Beningo Rodriguez, Camden Resident & Tree Recipient

Rain to Roots enhanced tree pits.

Rain to Roots: Camden’s First Enhanced Tree Pits

Trees for Trails projects add beauty to The Circuit in Camden.

Trees for Trails: Beautification Along The Circuit

Camden, South Jersey, and the Greater Philadelphia area!

Urban Airshed Reforestation Program FY 14-15: Planted 387 trees with 886 volunteers who contributed 2,361 hours of service, $53,241 in volunteer labor and $13,232 of in-kind support.

Renaissance Trees Program Newark and beyond! Our Renaissance Trees Program planted 253 trees with the help of 484 volunteers in Newark and Jersey City. Trees were planted along streets, in parks and community gardens. This past year, we planted trees in all five of Newark’s wards and did a special planting in Jersey City. Since 2006, the Renaissance Trees Program has planted 2,260 trees with the help of 5,160 volunteers.

A Tree for Every Yard In the spring, the Renaissance Trees Program conducted a tree giveaway where fifty-nine 3-gallon trees were distributed to Newark residents for planting in their front or back yards. On a beautiful, balmy day, residents from all five Newark wards picked up their trees in Weequahic Park. The Tree Foundation provided residents with planting and tree care instructions for their new redbud or black gum tree.

Newark TreeKeepers In June we hosted our educational TreeKeepers workshops in Newark. These free intensive trainings teach residents how to maintain and enhance the health of their community’s trees. A diverse group of 79 attendees learned basic tree biology, maintenance, tree hazards, and environmental issues. We provided educational materials and free tools at each session. Workshops included an outdoor component where attendees used their new skills to prune and maintain their trees. Sixteen individuals attended all four workshops, making them Certified Newark TreeKeepers. All participants are encouraged to share what they have learned with their neighbors and families.

Free Trees for Residents Yards!

Jersey City Tree Planting

Future Urban Forester learns to prune at a TreeKeepers training.

Overgrown Lot to Local Oasis

Renaissance Trees Program FY 14-15:

Green Streets Our Green Streets program turns mean streets into green streets! In addition to reforesting NJ's cities and towns, the Green Streets program provides transitional jobs for NJ parolees. Each season, the Tree Foundation employs men under parole supervision to serve as a tree planting crew. Tree crewmen learn skills specific to the industry – tree planting, identification, and maintenance – as well as work skills sought by employers in all fields. The Green Streets crew planted 806 large caliper trees along city streets, in parks and schoolyards. The crew also constructed numerous rain gardens in Flemington and Whippany, and Firewise gardens in Ocean and Cape May counties. American Forests ReLeaf in Asbury Park In fall 2014, our Green Streets crew planted 143 street trees in Asbury Park for an American Forests Community ReLeaf project. In addition to street trees, we also had a Tree for Every Yard free tree giveaway for city residents. With the giveaway, a total of 275 trees were planted in Asbury Park.

A large rain garden grows in Flemington, NJ

Our Green Streets crew also assisted volunteers at our community-based tree plantings in Newark and Camden. Each crew member led a team of volunteers, and was responsible for training and supervising his team, ensuring each tree was properly planted and mulched. By assisting volunteers, crewmen learn supervisory skills and interact with volunteers from other cities and towns. In Their Own Words “My experience with the New Jersey Tree Foundation brought me back to my life in Liberia, Africa where I worked on a farm for 4 years. James taught me how to plant, prune & mulch different types of trees. I learned a lot, even about rain gardens! I loved working with different people across the state. I wish I could work with the Tree Foundation forever!” ~ Danny P., Green Streets Crewman Contracts The NJ Tree Foundation offers affordable landscaping, tree planting and maintenance services in most New Jersey towns. All funds secured through our contract services go directly back into our tree planting and educational programs. The NJ Tree Foundation’s tree planting crew plants the right tree in the right place, the right way.

143 new street trees for Asbury Park.

135 trees for residents yards.

In spring 2015, Green Streets crewmen planted 334 large shade trees in various NJ towns, wrapped up the American Forests tree planting with 32 more trees in Asbury Park and planted numerous rain gardens. A highlight of the season included the construction of four large rain gardens in the courtyard of the Memorial Junior School in Whippany, and four rain gardens in the yards of Flemington homeowners.

In FY 14-15, the Green Streets Program planted 806 trees in several NJ towns and counties, generating $134,006 in income from planting and maintenance contracts.

TD Tree Days As TD Bank’s flagship urban greening program, TD Tree Days provides company employees and their families, customers and partners the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship in their local communities. The NJ Tree Foundation partnered with TD Bank to plant 240 trees for TD Tree Days in October 2014! Camden parks received a great deal of love this year thanks to TD Tree Days. TD Bank and the NJ Tree Foundation partnered with the City of Camden to implement two TD Tree Days in the fall of 2014.

Neptune firefighters watering the newly planted trees.

Beautiful new trees for a Camden park.

In Neptune City, 53 trees were planted by 32 volunteers along two streets as part of TD Tree Days in October 2014. The city’s West Lake Avenue, recently developed with new businesses and a children’s play garden, needed trees badly. This planting shaded the avenue while also providing local residents and the children’s park with beautiful trees.

TD Tree Days plants 47 beautiful trees in Liberty State Park. TD Tree Days in Camden.

NJ’s Living Memorial - A Grove of Remembrance On September 11, 2014 thirty-two dedicated volunteers mulched almost 5-acres of the Grove of Remembrance, while Asplundh Tree Expert Company removed 11 trees that did not survive Superstorm Sandy. Our Memorial Tree Program has already replaced most of the removed trees.

Top left: Asplundh prunes a willow tree. Above: Dedicated volunteers mulching Grove garden beds. Left: Volunteers relax at the Memorial Circle.

Right Tree Right Place Seminars

Top: Shade Tree Commissioners, DPW staff and other interested folks attend a Right Tree Right Place Seminar. Right: 13 different small-growing trees planted under utility wires in Jersey City.

Firewise Gardens

Two examples of a Firewise garden. Fire resistant shrubs & perennials are planted within a stone landscape to reduce the risk of wildfires near park buildings.

Planting with the NJ Devils The NJ Tree Foundation partnered with the NJ Devils and Prudential Center staff to plant 70,000 dune grass plants in Lavalette, NJ. STEM students from Keansburg and Lavalette Elementary School students also helped plant the dunes.

Just for Fun

White pine tree saplings planted in 2005 are now 15’ tall.

Our Green Streets crew took a break after pruning & mulching several hundred trees in N. Camden.

This city tree provides shade & stunning fall color!

Donors Alliance for Community Trees Amazon Smile American Forests Andy Hillman Ansong Liu Anya Saretzky Art Laster, Plant Detectives Barbara J. Coleman Benevity Causes Beth Kwart Betty Ann Kelly Bill Comery Bonnie Russo Bonnie Simms Boris Kofman Bryan Morton Camden Lutheran Housing Inc. Camden Special Services District Campbell Soup Foundation Carmen Lopez Caroline & Mark Ullman Cathrine Winkelmann Chui Sim Chan Cindy Barbera-Brelle CREW NJ Dan Monteleone David Johnson Deborah Hadley Deborah MacEvoy Deborah Mans Donald & Katherine Haloburdo Donna Connor Doug Fogel Edith Neimark Edward Cohen Elena López Elise Schadler Ellen Muller Elyse Harrop Environmental Leadership Program Erin Daly Farr Forestry Services Fozan Ehmedi Fran & Ellen Zinni Frank Gallagher Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Glenmede Trust Co. Greater NJ AAZK Chapter Gunilla Samuelson Harmon Swart Ikea James & Diana Salerno James & Eileen Carr James & Judith Rosenthal James Nichnadowicz Janice Molloy Jason Goode Jeff & Barbara Morgan Jeff Burd Jeff Yoon Jessica Franzini Jessica Levitt Jill E. Borow-Popko Joana Clark Johanette Wallerstein Institute

John & Caren Franzini John Gibson Johnson & Johnson Matching Gifts Program Jonathan Haye Joseph Schanberger Julie Winokur Just Give Karen Twisler Kathy Huffman Kenneth Berger & Jeffrey Jones Kira Traore Kristen Sensenig Laura Wronski Lenny Ward Leslie Kameny Lester Greene Linelle Smith Lisa Simms Lori Rosenblit Braunstein Louis DiMento Lyle Jensen Madeline Ruiz Marcy Margaret Waldock Marguerite Quinton Mari L. Adams Mark Covey Mark Holmes Mary Denver Mary F. Wheeler Mary Ferraro Mary Jo, Miramar Condo Association Megan Adamson-Jackes Meghan Jambor Melanie Holzberg Melanie McDermott Michael & Jean Ser Michael Medea, Medea Landscape Mickey Appleman Mickman Brothers Inc. Mike Imbesi Mindi Arcoleo Miramar Condo Association MKM Foundation Moira Mach Mollie Smith Molly de Aguiar

Rick & Nancy Henkel Robert Jonas Robin Dougherty Ron Ladell Roni Olizi Russell Greenspan Rutgers Water Resources Program Ruth Raphel Sallie & Tom Hadley Samantha Rothman Sierra Club West Jersey Chapter Srinivas Rallapalli Stacey Hadley Stephanie Greenwood Steve Kass Susan Jankolovits Susanne Walsh TD Bank Foundation The Watershed Institute Treecycler Unitarian Universalist Church of Cherry Hill USDA Forest Service Wayne Dubin Wendy Liscow William Penn Foundation

Nancy Greenhouse Nancy Jakubczyk Nancy Lapid New Jersey American Water New Jersey Devils Norathco Foundation Norcross Wildlife Foundation Pat Cohen Patricia & Samuel Cohen Peggy Brennan-Spagnuolo Philip & Cindy Arrigo Prudential Insurance Company of America PSE&G PwC Rachel B. Rando Rebeca Loaisiga Rejina Sharma Remon Lapid Richard Honigsbaum

Melissa Blohm, Al Shamsis, Armijos, Arya, Bunker. Jon, Meli, Mikey, Modak & Nabil in memory of Maria Espada

In Memoriam Rene Aranzamendez & Melissa Potter in memory of Ali – Best Dog in the World! Antonella Lacatena & Jennifer Lavorante in memory of Freddy Cannizzaro John & Caren Franzini in memory of Betsy A. Waligorski, Richard “Ricky” W. Marriott, Jr., and Frank Trimarco John & Caren Franzini in memory of John & Evelyn Franzini Dolores J. Little in memory of Dorothy Blank Glenn & Rosie Vogel, the Motta Family, the Hynes/Boyanovski Family & the Tartaglia Family in memory of Robert Stewart News 12 New Jersey Family in memory of Charlotte Madison Muzyka

In-kind Donors ACTrees Al Tawheed Islamic Center Asbury Park Env. & Shade Tree Commission Asplundh Tree Expert Company Big Cat Construction, LLC Camden City Public School District Camden County Metro Police Department Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority Camden Tool City of Newark Sanitation Department Cooper’s Ferry Partnership Deborah Hadley Forest Hill Community Association Greater Newark Conservancy

Ironbound Community Corporation Jersey City Department of Parks and Forestry Jersey City Public Works Liberty State Park Lisa Simms MAFCO Worldwide Corporation Newark Office of Sustainability Newborn Wesleyan Church Prodigal Sons and Daughters Prudential Quitman Street School Robert Jonas Respond, Inc. Rutgers Newark Smith’s Yardville Supply St. Joseph’s Carpenter Society Stump Removal Pros Tree Tech Inc. United Water Camden Urban League of Essex County Walgreens of Newark

Partners & Volunteers AC Moore Adventure Aquarium’s Fins for the Future Al Tawheed Islamic Center Alpha Kappa Alpha American Forests Airmatic Americorps Watershed Ambassadors Asbury Methodist Community Church Asbury Park Env. & Shade Tree Commission Big Brothers, Big Sisters Block Supporter Initiative Boylan Street Recreation Center Building Blocks NJ Camden City Council Camden City Garden Club Camden Collaborative Initiative Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority Camden Green Team Camden SMART Camden County Master Gardeners Campbell Soup Company Center for Environmental Transformation Cherry Street Community Garden Christian Calvario Church CIRCLE Project Cooper Grant Neighborhood Association Cooper’s Ferry Partnership Cooper Medical School Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School City of Camden Department of Public Works City of Camden Office of the Mayor Cooper’s Ferry Partnership Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy Delaware RiverKeeper Network Hispanic Family Center Delta Sigma of Rutgers Duke University Alumni Association

Forest Hill Community Association Girl Scout Troop 30549 Girl Scouts of America Gloucester City Shade Tree Committee Greater Newark Conservancy Home Depot Housing Authority of Camden City IKEA Industrial Hydraulics International Youth Organization Ironbound Community Corporation Jersey Cares Lambda Sigma Upsilon Xarangua Lanning Square West Residents in Action Last Stop Liberty State Park Logan Hall Morgan Village Circle CDC Neptune Shade Tree Commission New Salem Baptist Church Newborn Wesleyan Church NJ Conservation Foundation NJ Department of Environmental Protection NJIT MSA North Camden Little League NJDEP AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassadors Pennsauken Shade Tree Committee Prodigal Sons and Daughters Prudential Quitman Street School Respond Lawn Repair Crew Romero Center

New Jersey Tree Foundation 576 Leesville Road Jackson, NJ 08527 www.njtreefoundation.org www.facebook.com/NJTreeFoundation https://twitter.com/NJTrees Instagram.com/njtrees

Board of Trustees Roni Olizi - President Lori Braunstein William Comery David Johnson Bryon Morton Neil Phillips Lenny Ward

Staff Lisa Simms, Executive Director Jessica Franzini, Director of Urban Forestry Initiatives

James Cunningham, Urban Forestry Technician Beth Kwart, Development Coordinator

Rutgers Camden Civic Scholars Rutgers Camden Honor Society Rutgers Camden Rutgers Coop.Ext. Water Resources Program Rutgers Newark Save Our Waterfront N. Camden Greening Committee Shade Tree Advisory Board of Camden City Sierra Club West Jersey Chapter Sistagirls St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Sustainable Cherry Hill TD Bank Temple Emanu-El The 600 Community Garden The Circuit Coalition The City of Newark The Victor Lofts Tri-State Transportation Alliance Urban League of Essex County Urban Promise Academy Unitarian Universalist Church of Cherry Hill Viridian Energy Victoria Emerging Leaders Program Weequahic Park Sports Authority Youth Build Youth Court

Thank You Volunteers!

Our Executive Director, Lisa Simms, receives the NJ ISA Gold Leaf Award at the State Arbor Day event.

NEW JERSEY TREE FOUNDATION STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2015

SUPPORT AND REVENUE: Government Grants Government Grants - Pass-Through Portion Corporation and Foundation Grants Corporate Grants - Pass-Through Portion General Support and Contributions Consulting and Service Revenue Interest Income Contributions - Gifts In-Kind, Landscaping Contributions - Rent

Unrestricted

Temporarily Restricted

Total

$

$ 182,160 (85,000) 385,091

$ 182,160 (85,000) 385,091

-

-

17,674 173,299 1,058 26,754 1,200

-

-

TOTAL SUPPORT AND REVENUE

$ 219,985

$

EXPENSES: Trees and Plant Materials Shipping and Freight Educational Materials & Programming Landscaping and Concrete Planting Tools & Field Supplies Uniforms Cell Phones Salaries and Wages Payroll Taxes Payroll Processing Website Training Insurance Printing Professional Fees Computer Expenses Trucks & Trailer Expenses Staff Travel to Worksites Office Supplies and Expenses Subscriptions Food - for Workshops & Programs Nonmonetary Contribution - Storage Facility

Program Services $ 218,634 10,394 2,888 49,465 12,787 883 3,039 262,696 20,234 2,478 875 763 11,452 2,478 8,862 679 18,755 7,717 1,425 625 5,620 1,200

General & Administrative $ 43,546 3,354 411 1,898 291 8,863 75 580 158 -

TOTAL EXPENSES

$ 643,949

$

17,674 173,299 1,058 26,754 1,200

482,251

59,176

$ 702,236 Total $ 218,634 10,394 2,888 49,465 12,787 883 3,039 306,242 23,588 2,889 875 763 13,350 2,769 17,725 754 18,755 8,297 1,583 625 5,620 1,200 $

703,125