Long Branch environmental commission urges tree-planting push, seeks city help for rain-garden install

An Environmental Commission presentation to the Long Branch City Council on Oct. 12 outlined plans to rebuild the city's urban tree canopy, pilot a neighborhood tree giveaway and seedling nursery, and advance a rain-garden project funded by two small grants.

The commission's presenters said Long Branch's tree canopy has fallen about 10% over the past decade and described several near-term initiatives to reverse that loss. "We gave away 150 trees this year. We had to buy them," an Environmental Commission member said, adding, "We're gonna build our own nursery, and we're gonna raise them ourselves." The presenters said the nursery will be housed in a community garden and will supply seedlings for future giveaways.

Commissioners said they plan a direct-to-resident neighborhood program that would provide mostly 6-to-8-foot saplings, with volunteers doing planting and homeowners responsible for ongoing maintenance. The commission described a pilot target of about 20 trees for the first round and said the Elks Lodge is considering planting four shade trees along a roadway adjacent to a school. "We're thinking maybe…