Spring Lake Shade Tree Committee

05/20/2026

Checking in on this American Linden this morning. This homeowner is doing a great job keeping their new tree watered. 👏👏👏 If you are a lucky recipient of a Right of Way tree, please share a photo and tag us.
Remember 💦💦💦 & keep those Gator bags filled, especially during this heat wave.

05/18/2026

The Manalapan Environmental Commission has their demo gardens ready for this season… Ready for people and insects alike to enjoy! 👨‍🌾🦋

We hope you’ll join us for our Nature Fest and Native Plant Sale on May 31 9am-2pm🌿

Fun for all ages and great way to get all your landscape questions answered!

05/12/2026

We’ve got trees! 🌳🌳🌳

In the last few days, on behalf of the Spring Lake Shade Tree Committee and the Boro has planted nearly 70 native trees throughout town along the public right-of-way — the area between residents’ curbs and sidewalks.

These new trees will help strengthen and preserve Spring Lake’s canopy for generations to come by:
🌿 Providing shade
🌿 Improving stormwater management
🌿 Supporting birds and wildlife
🌿 Beautifying our neighborhoods
🌿 Increasing environmental resilience

Before the mulch, stakes, and gator bags are installed, Benny is making sure these young trees get the water they need to establish healthy roots and get off to a strong start.

If you are one of the lucky residents receiving a new tree this season, we’ll be reminding you throughout the summer to keep it well watered. The first 3 years are critical to a tree’s long-term success.

Thank you to everyone helping grow Spring Lake’s tree canopy — one tree at a time. 🌳💚

05/12/2026

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it so it doesn't contribute to climate change. Through forests, wetlands, and preserved open spaces, plants absorb CO2 during photosynthesis and lock it away, acting as natural carbon sinks that benefit us all! 🌱

But that's not all, these natural solutions don't just fight climate change, they also filter harmful air pollutants like particulate matter and ozone, improving the air we breathe every single day. Healthier ecosystems mean healthier communities across the entire state! 💚

Learn more about Carbon Sequestration by visiting NJDEP's Air Quality Awareness Week page at: dep.nj.gov/aqaweek/

05/09/2026

The shrubs along the fence aren't just landscaping. They're where most songbirds actually nest.

Cardinals, catbirds, and song sparrows raise young in the shrub layer, not the treetops. The caterpillars those parents feed to nestlings need to be within feet of the nest. Native shrubs host them. Most common ornamental shrubs host very few.

🌿 Six native shrubs ranked by caterpillar support:

- Blueberry — one of the most productive shrub genera for caterpillar species. The berries feed dozens of bird species in late summer on top of it.

- Dogwood — flowering and pagoda dogwoods support caterpillars in high numbers. The berries are among the most sought-after fall foods for migrating thrushes.

- Native rose — wild roses like Virginia rose host far more caterpillars than imported tea roses. The hips persist into winter as bird food.

- Viburnum — arrowwood, nannyberry, and blackhaw are the ones worth planting. Native viburnums support a food web that ornamental replacements don't.

- Hazelnut — American hazelnut is overlooked. Polyphemus and io moths use it as a host plant. Catkins feed birds in winter, nuts feed mammals in fall.

- Sumac — staghorn, smooth, and winged sumac. Often confused with poison sumac, which grows only in wetlands. Native sumacs feed birds through winter when the berry clusters hold.

The plant you choose between two that look the same is rarely a tie 🌿

05/06/2026

Horse Chestnut at Divine Park

05/05/2026

We're so grateful, inspired, and proud that HW Mountz students, parents and the dedicated faculty at Mountz have embraced CANOPY 2050 and support protecting Spring Lake's trees to grow a stronger canopy for them and future generations!
Let's show them our appreciation by supporting this fundraiser.
Get your orders in by 5/8!

04/30/2026

Thank you Spring Lake Magazine!
The April issue featured our Chairperson, Scott McMurray and local children on the cover highlighting CANOPY 2050.
Why Trees Matter, our vision and the community we are building with residents, town officials, students and our DPW portrays our community wide effort. 🌳🌳🌳
We are truly inspired by the impact of our initiative since its introduction last year and excited to continue CANOPY 2050 for future generations. Follow us along for more! 🍃
# canopy2050

04/29/2026

Thanks for your support Green Team!
Show your support of Spring Lake's trees and the HW Mountz Green Team by ordering a CANOPY 2050 T-Shirt.
Great quality, fabulous fit and a wonderful cause! 🌳

01/20/2026

Great news! 🌱
New legislation to stop the sale of invasive plants is a positive step forward for protecting our trees and natural spaces.

We’re especially glad to see this because several plants on Spring Lake’s “Do Not Plant” list are among the biggest troublemakers:

🌿 English Ivy – It may look pretty, but when it climbs trees it slowly smothers them and can cause long-term damage.
🌳 Bradford Pear – A popular choice years ago, now known for weak branches and trunks that split and fail.
🌿 Tree of Heaven – Highly invasive and a favorite of the spotted lanternfly.

Healthy trees start with choosing the right plant for the right place — and knowing which plants to avoid helps protect the canopy we all love. 🌳💚

New Jersey passes the Invasive Species Management Act!!! Congratulations to all who shared their voice in making this happen. This is a BIG win for our environment!

The Invasive Species Management Act will go on to create a New Jersey Invasive Species Council and work to restrict the propagating, selling, and importing of the decided invasive species.

Please be aware that this will be done in a series of phases over the next three years, whereas:

1) *13 months* after the creation of this bill, no person can no longer **propagate or import** the listed invasive species.

2) *49th months* after the creation of this bill, no person can **sell or export** the listed invasive species.

The Following plants are now **legally** listed as invasive species here in New Jersey:

Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin)
Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata)
Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata
Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
Japanese clematis (Clematis terniflora)
Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula)
Winged burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
English ivy (Hedera helix)
Japanese hop (Humulus japonicus)
European privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
Japanese crabapple (Malus toringo)
Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis)
Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
Oriental photinia (Photinia villosa)
Callery or Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens)
Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
European water chestnut (Trapa natans)
Siebold's arrowwood (Viburnum sieboldii)
Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)
Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata);
Running bamboo (Phyllostachys)

any additional species adopted by the Invasive Species Council after the passing of this bill!

Please remember the hard work and many hours of work that into the creation of this bill. I am personally and especially grateful to the nursery growers who shared their voices and are essentially making a big sacrifice in the loss of these plants to sell.

Way to go, New Jersey!! This bill will definitely help in the slowing of the spread of these plants in our natural areas. Let Native Plants Ring, the Wicked Old Witch at last, is dead.

01/18/2026