Sourland Conservancy volunteers plant native trees at Curlis Woods to bolster forest health

Sourland Conservancy volunteers recently planted dozens of native trees and shrubs at Curlis Woods as part of an ongoing effort to restore forests threatened by disease and invasive species.

The planting featured a mix of species, including silver maple, river birch, shagbark hickory, dogwoods, winterberry holly, sycamore, pin oak, black willow, spicebush, arrowwood viburnum, and several oak tubelings. Each tree was protected with tubing or deer fencing to improve survival rates.

Curlis Woods — a beech-dominated forest within Mercer County Parks — is facing widespread decline due to beech leaf disease, which may kill as much as 70% to 80% of the grove, according to the Sourland Conservancy.

“We’re planting diverse native trees and shrubs,” said Robert Aluck, the Sourland Conservancy’s stewardship director. “The reason we are selecting these species is to combat future canopy loss due to beech leaf disease.”

The organization is diversifying both the understory and canopy to build long-term resilience.

Volunteers said the project underscored the stakes.

“Seeing the effects of beech leaf disease made the time spent there feel incredibly necessary,” volunteer Sam Guman said. “Every tree we planted is a step toward giving this forest a new future.”

Curlis Woods is one of several public preserves where the Sourland Conservancy works with municipalities, landowners, and volunteers to restore habitat. Since 2020, the group has planted more than 65,000 trees across the region.

More information is available at sourland.org.