“The Tress of Rahway” Rahway’s Urban Forest in Crisis
Welcome to “Save the Trees of Rahway” Initiative
During the past 20 years, over 2000 of our city’s street trees have died or were removed and never replaced. This three-episode video provides our viewers with a sobering look into this serious crisis affecting Rahway’s trees.
The video also provides us with a toolbox to fix our tree problems and to rebuild our urban forest: stronger and healthier than it’s ever been. We have a great plan and to accomplish it, we’ll need your help and support. We can’t do it without you.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? This crisis didn’t happen overnight, nor is it the fault of any individual, city department or elected official. Over the years mistakes and oversights have been made. However, the greater problem is that for many generations we have taken our city’s street trees for granted, and by doing so we have allowed our urban forest to suffer and decline.
FIRST THINGS FIRST The Arbor Day Foundation certified Rahway as a Tree City USA Community in 1997. Neighboring smart green cities Ridgefield Park, Bound Brook and Old Bridge also obtained this certification. However, unlike Rahway, these cities fulfilled Tree City USA’s two primary requirements: Form a Tree Board and Enact a Tree Ordinance.
Rahway Mayor Ray Giacobbe and our City Council members need to correct this problem by acting now to: form a Rahway Tree Board, create a Rahway Tree Ordinance and implement Tree City USA’s recommendation to retain a Certified Tree Expert to oversee all tree care decisions.
THE GOOD NEWS In an effort to lessen climate change, many organizations throughout the world are creating initiatives that support massive tree plantings in order to help clean our air. The Garden Club of New Jersey, The Nature Conservancy, The National Garden Clubs’ “Plant America “initiative, Rutgers University and our very own New Jersey Tree Foundation are part of this effort. These organizations can supply their expertise, support and help provide to us access to multiple funding sources.
We have an excellent plan that offers the solutions needed to make Rahway’s urban forest healthy again. By starting now, we can fix our tree problems and pass on to our future generations the many, many benefits that a healthy tree population provides. Please join us in our effort to Rebuild, Restock and Restore Rahway’s Urban Forest. Let’s make Rahway’s streets lush and green again.
SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDdvJwgF-mgaEICmtGXUpWg
FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SavetheTreesofRahway/
EMAIL at: Help@SaveTheTreesofRahway.org
Our town’s healthier Urban Forest starts … now!
