Town dedicates arboretum
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Municipal officials have marked the opening of the Durand Park Memorial Arboretum, at Randolph Road and Overbrook Drive, with a dedication and tree planting ceremony.
Freehold Township Committeeman David Salkin, the governing body’s liaison to the Shade Tree Commission, helps plant a tree during dedication ceremonies for the the new Durand Park Memorial Arboretum.
"What do you do with over 6,000 acres of open space?" Mayor David Segal asked. "A few years back, (Committee-man) David Salkin had a suggestion that the township ought to develop some of the open space with beautiful trees and a nice ambiance."
Segal said a memorial arboretum was suggested and today the plans for that arboretum have come to fruition.
"The arboretum will be a man-made forest where each tree will be dedicated to someone by his or her family or friends," said Salkin, the Township Committee’s liaison to the shade tree commission.
"It’s a natural passive recreation area where the public can enjoy a quiet walk with nature, jogging, biking, bird watching or fishing. It’s really the people’s park. The property is part fields, part woods and it has a large pond out there that people fish in. It’s the kind of place where people can get away from the noise and hustle and bustle of every day," Salkin said.
The Durand Park parcel is 200 acres, 10 acres of which will be devoted to the arboretum.
Salkin said, "Freehold Township residents will buy plaques to honor a loved one. The price of the plaque will cover the cost of the tree, the labor to plant the tree and the plaque itself. We’re estimating between $200 and $250 each."
The plaques will carry the name of the person to whom the tree is dedicated. Eventually there will be a number or key system in place at the park so that people will be able to find their tree easily.
Public interest in the project seems to be high, according to Salkin, and it is hoped the park will be completed within three to five years, with walking trails, a wildflower or butterfly meadow and a small picnic area.
The plan was put together by the Shade Tree Commission and presented to the Township Committee, which gave its approval and support.
According to Salkin, part of the plans for the wildflower meadow or butterfly meadow will come from a grant from the state Department of Agriculture. Specific types of plantings will invite certain species of birds that seek this particular type of disappearing environment.
"We’re going to be re-creating a particular environment that the birds, particularly migratory birds, need to give them places to live on the ground," he explained. "This will give them the type of plant material they need. It will also invite other animals like rabbits. It will be a mini game preserve particularly suitable for birds."
According to Joseph Aufiero, supervisor of the Shade Tree Commission, a total of 82 trees have already planted at the new arboretum. The shade tree department will take care of each tree and keep the park in a well maintained condition, he said.
Thomas Ritchie, vice chairman of the Shade Tree Commission, added, "We want to develop a type of model for other communities to follow in the use of open space. "There’s a lot of acreage here and we want to have it used for education, for research or for the memorial arboretum."
"I’m happy to see that it is finally being done," Salkin said. "I’ve been working on it for about two or three years and it’s nice to actually see it happen. I think it’s something wonderful for the residents and I think what’s really nice is that it’s a way to honor people that you love and do it in such a way that you’re not only doing something nice for your family, you’re doing something nice for the environment."
For further information regarding the purchase of a memorial tree and plaque call the shade tree department at (732) 294 2073.
— Dave Benjamin

