Susan Jeans Receives LHT Lifetime Volunteer Award
Submitted by Ann Cade
On December 7, 2021, Long Hill Township Mayor, Guy Piserchia, gave a Lifetime Volunteer award to Susan Jeans, Chair of the Long Hill Township Shade Tree Commission. This is the highest honor bestowed on a volunteer by LHT, as MayorPiserchia noted in his speech.
Susan has been a member of the Shade Tree Commission for 30+ years. She has worked tirelessly to protect, maintain, and enhance our precious urban forest. She combines her knowledge of Long Hill with her love and knowledge of trees as well as adds a dash of enthusiastic energy.
Some of her accomplishments have been:
- Cooperation with the Township Committee and Department of Public;
- Work to identify challenges and opportunities relating to the trees in LHT;
- LHT accreditation from the New Jersey Shade Tree Federation, starting in 2017 and continuing to the present
- Arbor Day Celebrations;
- Achieving Tree City status for LHT as of March 15, 2021;
- Administering Challenge Grants, sponsored by the LH Shade Tree Commission, which offer trees to LH residents for a modest fee. The trees are planted on the resident’s property by the Department of Public works. For example, 141 trees have been planted since 2016.
- Updating the LHT Shade Tree Ordinance so the STC can monitor loss of private and public trees;
- Educating the public about serious insect pests, such as the Spotted Lantern Fly and Emerald Ash Borer
When ordinary people walk down the street, they see trees. When Susan walks down the street (as many people have noted), she sees maples, oaks, lindens, dogwoods…
We congratulate Susan on this well-deserved award!
