Environmental Commission Announces Native Tree Grove Restoration at Shunpike Park

Thanks to the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), The Chatham Township Environmental Commission (CTEC) has received a $1,500 grant to get started on a restoration project in the native tree grove adjacent to Castle Playground, located at Shunpike Park in Chatham Township.  The trees in this grove are healthy, mature trees, but due to water run-off and some unintended foot traffic, the superficial roots are being exposed and the understory has been compromised.  This bare understory is not only unattractive but is bad for the trees and creates conditions ripe for soil run off and erosion.  CTEC will use the grant funds to establish plots within the grove to start regeneration of native plant undergrowth using plants such as American holly, flowering dogwood, American hornbeam, shagbark hickory and / or gray birch.  The plots will be fenced in to prevent deer browsing and human footsteps, giving the new plants time to get established.

Thanks to an additional grant from the Chatham Jaycees, CTEC can create and display educational signage explaining the project as well as identity the newly installed plants.  The educational signage will include information about the value of understory plants, the importance of native trees, and using fallen leaves as mulch to help control water runoff and create habitats for local insects, birds and other small animals.

Local Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, the Town and Country Garden Club, local Environmental Stewards from Rutgers and the Chatham Department of Public Works will continue to partner with CTEC on this project.  CTEC is happy to invite members of the community as well as local community groups such as sports teams to help the Commission with this fun and meaningful project – currently in the design stage.  The project will involve laying out the plots, planting native understory trees, fencing against and deer browsing, and watering until the saplings and seedlings are established.  Tree planting is planned for November of this year. Please reach out to CTEC Chair, Jessica Romeo at jessica.romeo@gmail.com if you’d like to get involved.