Shade tree committee enjoys rebirth in town BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer ERIC SUCAR staff With help from youthful hands, Marlboro Mayor Jonathan Hornik pours some ceremonial dirt onto a newly planted weeping cherry tree at the municipal complex. The reinstated Marlboro Shade Tree Committee held an Arbor Day celebration April 25. MARLBORO - A weeping cherry tree has taken root at the municipal complex during a specialArbor Day planting. The donation of the tree was made by C. Casola Farms of Marlboro to the Marlboro Shade Tree Committee. In addition, a total of 300 saplings obtained through a grant are being planted around town in an effort led by the committee. Arbor Day was celebrated onApril 25. Shade Tree Committee Chairman Jeff Weiss said the panel has accomplished quite a bit in the few months since it was reinstated by Mayor Jonathan Hornik. The township clerk's office explained that the committee has existed in previous years, but no appointments were made to the board. The 300 saplings that are being planted were provided through a grant from the New Jersey Shade Tree Federation. Members of Marlboro's Teen Advisory Committee will help to plant the trees, Weiss said. With the help of Shari Spero, a certified tree expert with the township's engineering firm, CME Associates, the Shade Tree Committee secured a grant from the state in the amount of $3,000 to help pay the cost of hiring a certified tree expert to draft a five-year forestry plan for the township. Marlboro will contribute $1,500, giving the committee a total of $4,500 for the forestry plan. The New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act was passed in 1996 and allows New Jersey communities to reduce or eliminate the exposure to litigation due to the drastic decline and poor condition of the community tree resource, according to information provided by Spero. The basis for the act's protection is a properly planned local community forestry program, Spero said. "By developing and implementing a management plan for your town's shade trees, the tree program can become more proactive and efficient. A management plan can also lead to decreased tree maintenance and removal costs, shorter response time to citizen requests for work and a decrease in hazardous tree situations," Spero said. Weiss said the committee members are hoping to add Marlboro to the ranks of Tree City USA. According to its Internet Web site, Tree City USAis a program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation providing direction, technical assistance, public attention and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs. The Web site notes that the surrounding municipalities of Colts Neck, Freehold Township, Freehold Borough, Howell and Manalapan participate in the program. Weiss said the Shade Tree Committee members will be pitching in duringMarlboro's beautification day on May 17. In addition to Weiss, the members of the Shade Tree Committee are Suzi Leifer, Debbie Richards, Paula Broglia, Sherri Cilea, Jen Goldstein, Navdeep Sandhu, Nanci Susino and Venny Zamarra. Councilwoman Randi Marder is the liaison to the committee from the Township Council. Bob DeMarco is the administrative liaison.