PRINCETON: Tree panel had a busy year

By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
   The Princeton Borough Shade Tree Commission had a busy year last year and is looking to expand to continue its work in one last busy year before consolidation, said Polly Burlingham, outgoing chair of the commission as she gave the group’s annual report at last week’s Borough Council meeting.
   Twenty-two trees were planted in Princeton Borough last year, with eight the spring of last year on Mercer Street and 14 in the fall, with most being planted along Nassau Street. Five of the trees were a gift of the Garden Club of Princeton.
   ”The Garden Club of Princeton is participating in a National Garden Club of America three-year project studying trees and as part of that project, it was a gift of the Garden Club to present trees that got planted on Nassau Street. We gave $1,500, as a one time gift, we gave $1,500 to the township as well,” said Councilwoman Barbara Trelstad. “The trees that were planted were American Elm Princeton variety, which were identified here in 1922.”
   Forty-four trees were removed from the borough last year, with an additional 15 park trees being removed. “2011 was an unusual year, we had multiple storms and we lost a lot of trees,” said Ms. Burlingham. “Princeton’s urban forest was severely affected.”
   For the past two years, 2011 and 2010, the borough lost 78 trees, with only 32 trees being planted to replace them.
   Five commission members performed 437 hours of volunteer work with a value to the borough of $12,463.
   There were 616 Christmas trees and 2,618 tons of yard waste recycled at the Joseph Maher Ecological Facility.