90 new trees planted on Princeton Public Schools campuses

Grant-funded project adds shade trees and native species at all six Princeton public schools

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l-r – Princeton Public Schools Director of Facilities Anthony Diaforli, Business Administrator and School Board Secretary Andrew Harris, BOE Vice President Susan Kanter; Princeton High School Principal Cecilia Birge; Assistant Principal Erica Marotta; Sustainable Princeton program manager Jenny Ludmer.

Ninety new trees have been planted at the six school campuses of the Princeton Public Schools, thanks to a $92,125 Trees for Schools grant.

The grant funded the planting project, oversight by a certified arborist, watering for the trees this summer, and maintenance during the first two years.

Workers planted 21 trees at Princeton High School, 14 at Princeton Middle School, 17 at Community Park Elementary School, 18 at Riverside Elementary School, 11 at Littlebrook Elementary School, and nine at Johnson Park Elementary School.

The district began developing the planting plan last summer. Robert Wells of Wells Tree & Landscape developed the plan, oversaw tree selection and planting, and will monitor the health of the trees over the next two years.

Eighteen species were selected, including maple, cedar, magnolia, cherry, and oak trees.

The Trees for Schools program launched in 2023 and provides grants to New Jersey public school districts, county colleges, state colleges, and universities for planting trees on school grounds and campuses. The program is a partnership between the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Sustainable Jersey, and The College of New Jersey.

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