Exchange Place Alliance, working together with Jersey City Forrester and other agencies, has begun planting new trees in the district. With plans of setting 59 new trees in the dirt, this is the largest single location tree planting in the city this year – and the largest private planting by a community group in the city.
The latest round of planting follows the complete renovation of the plaza which included a variety of new landscaping grasses and 38 trees – bringing the total number of trees in the plaza to 97.
“Trees add immeasurable value, especially in urban communities, and these 97 tree plantings in Exchange Place are an important addition to our overall sustainability strategies for improved public health and resiliency citywide,” Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said.
The $175,000 project cost was fully funded by the Alliance.
“This is an initiative with sustainability at its core, helping to increase the resilience of our local ecosystem. It also has the added benefits of beautification and the improvement of this community’s quality of life,” Elizabeth Cain, executive director of the Exchange Place Aliance said. “What’s more, we kept it local, as all our vendors are based in New Jersey.”
The varied tree species were specifically selected because of their hardiness to a wide temperature range, the ability to withstand brackish waterfront spillover in storms and are meant to provide shade in a heavily paved area. Among the species being planted are swamp white oak, eastern redbud, linden, honey locust, sweetgum and ginko. In addition, tree pits have been expanded to give the tree roots more space to grow which has meant removing a significant amount of concrete and increasing permeability.
All the trees were grown in Robbinsville at JK Matthews Nursery.
