(14/P33) TRENTON –The Department of Environmental Protection’s State Forestry Service, West Windsor Township, and the New Jersey Community Forestry Council is celebrating Arbor Day today at a special ceremony that included planting trees in Ronald R. Rogers Arboretum in West Windsor, Mercer County.

“On this Arbor Day, we celebrate our state’s vast tree resources, which provide residents with clean air and water, as well as year-round beauty,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “The hard work of DEP’s forestry team and all of our great partners around the state, such as West Windsor, help greatly improve the quality of life for all New Jersey residents.’’ 

“When we marvel at the towering old oak, it can be hard to imagine it as an unassuming acorn planted hundreds of years before we were born,’’ said State Forester Lynn Fleming, who is participating in today’s event. “But this Arbor Day, we plant these trees with the hope that they incite the same sense of wonder in future residents."

The West Windsor arboretum was named in remembrance of the town’s late forester, Ronald R. Rogers, who dedicated countless hours to maintain and improve the trees in his town.

During the Arbor Day ceremony, the DEP will present the prestigious Joyce Kilmer Award for outstanding contributions to community forests to Dan Dobromilsky, the landscape architect of West Windsor Township.

“As we celebrate New Jersey’s 65th Arbor Day, I take great pride in announcing that the Arbor Day Foundation has named West Windsor Township, for the 35th year, as a Tree City USA,’’ said West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh. “West Windsor also was the first Green Town USA in New Jersey and is one of only 22 municipalities in New Jersey to have been certified at the highest level – silver – by Sustainable Jersey.  We commit ourselves to continuing our effort on conservation and preservation to enhance our quality of life.”

Other Arbor Day awards include: The New Jersey International Society of Arboriculture Gold Leaf Award, which is being presented to Lisa Simms, Director of the New Jersey Tree Foundation. The 2014 Tree Line USA, which is being awarded to Atlantic City Electric, First Energy Corporation, and Orange & Rockland Utilities.

2014 Tree City USA Awards are being presented to first-time recipient Lawrence Township; Dunellen and Hopewell Borough, getting 10-year awards; Bordentown, Caldwell, Collingswood, Demarest, Howell Township, Wallington, and Glen Ridge, getting 15-year awards; Branchville, Leonia, Ridgefield Park, Stafford Township, Wood-Ridge Borough, getting 25-year awards; and Medford Township, Millburn, and West Windsor, getting award 35-year awards.

With 181 Green City USA communities in New Jersey, more than any state in the northeast and ranked fourth overall, New Jersey shows a strong commitment to maintain and enhance our community forests.

The state has been celebrating Arbor Day since 1949, when the Legislature designated the last Friday in April as the official day to honor trees and the people who take care of them.

For more information, please visit us www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/forest and like State Forest Forestry Service’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/newjerseyforests.

For more information on Arbor Day visit www.arborday.org and for tree care tips visit www.treesaregood.com.