By Patricia Hyatt
TREE TREASURES IN THE BOROUGH — A guided public tour to identify trees in Princeton’s historic Marquand Park steps off on Saturday, June 11 at 10a.m. Two experienced guides, Roland and Pamela Machold, will lead walkers through the 17-acre park, a borough property which includes more than 170 tree and shrub species, some nearly 200 years old. Eight of the largest trees of their species recorded in New Jersey can be found in the park. Since 1842 when the park was farmland, until 1953, when it was given to the Borough by Marquand heirs, the property was owned by only three families, all of whom cherished the trees on the land and added more. A Park Foundation was formed in 1955 to oversee care and planting programs. Both guides for the Saturday walk have served many years as Park board members.
The tree tour group will gather near the parking lot on Lover’s Lane between Stockton (Route 206) and Mercer Streets. Overflow street parking will be available only on the park side of Stockton and on Mercer. Carpooling is suggested. The tour will last about 1 1/2 hours. Rain date: 10 a.m. Sunday, June 12. The outing, sponsored by the Princeton Borough Shade Tree Commission, is one of the educational components of the Borough’s Forestry Management Plan 2009-2013, and it will fulfill one of the requirements for a "Tree City Growth Award" for 2011. The Borough has qualified for Tree City USA status for the past 18 years. This walk is cosponsored by the Princeton Parks Alliance and the Princeton Township Shade Commission, of which Mrs. Machold is a current member.
