I live in New Providence, NJ and have been working in the tree business for 40+ years. Over the years, I have witnessed hundreds… maybe even thousands… of beautiful trees undergo unnecessary damage and ultimate demise, mostly as the result of careless construction efforts.

I have dedicated countless hours and money towards trying to stop the destruction and save these trees. I have met with town officials, newspapers, contractors and even homeowners – spreading awareness and education about the protection of trees during construction, as well as emphasizing the projects IN VIOLATION of town laws. Sadly, many trees have died despite my warnings and efforts.

The "massacre" of trees at the Lantern Hill construction project in New Providence, NJ is one example. It has always been against the law to willfully destroy a tree. In the town of New Providence, ordinance 2011-1 prohibits any grading of soil around trees or destruction of their roots. Dozens of old and well established trees have been killed at this project since construction began ~2016. I witnessed as healthy soil was removed from their roots and replaced with clay-like soil that was piled high and compacted to the point of "choking" these trees of their lifeline to air and nutrients. Some of these trees were not initially slated for removal, but later died due to harm suffered… All of them were in violation of this ordinance.

See my website and instagram @defendourtreesNJ for pictures and more information on this project.

As a town resident, I am saddened by the sight of this. I went sledding at the Mountain Ave site as a kid, and as a father, I brought my own children to that hill to go sledding every winter.

As an advocate for the trees and a business owner who is required to follow town ordinances and the permit process, I am in disbelief. 

Trees not only create lush greenery and character in our neighborhoods, but they shelter us from harsh weather and flooding. They serve as a natural filtration system for our water. They provide shade that saves us money on conventional air conditioning during the summer. They provide solace that has often been cited for helping with depression, shade that has been linked to decreased crime rates and privacy that decreases traffic noise. Furthermore, they accumulate carbon dioxide and pollution - which has been increasing in our world despite the coronavirus lockdown.

The dozens of beautiful trees at Lantern Hill could have provided a healthier, GREEN, peaceful environment for our elderly tenants now living there. What better place to have such magnificent trees for them to enjoy?

Sure, planting young trees is great. But, if we are to preserve the character of our small town and make an impact locally, if not globally, the old mature and magnificent trees are the ones that we need to save. Google it. It is well known. The old ones are the ones REALLY responsible for cleaning our air and water. They maintain the natural drainage and ecosystem around them. They have been doing this for hundreds of years and will continue to do this for generations to come if we let them. Let's not have our children's children look back and wonder what we were thinking, being so irresponsible and "ungreen."

• Sign my petition. There are still trees left at Lantern Hill that can be saved, but need our urgent help. Ask our town officials to finally step up and #DefendOurTrees. Ask them why do we have ordinances in place to protect the trees if we are not going to follow them? Ask them why, in a world that seems to be working toward reducing our carbon footprint, why is our small town dramatically increasing it?!
  • I ask specifically that 1) polluted soil be removed from the hillside at Lantern Hill, allowing the trees to breathe again and restoring natural drainage.
  • 2) effort be put forth towards saving the trees at Lantern Hill, which includes proper maintenance and fertilization by a licensed expert.
  • 3) further damage of trees at the NEW Lantern Hill construction site AND other construction sites in New Providence, NJ be stopped.
  • 4) education be mandated for all town inspectors and municipal workers in charge of maintaining the trees in our town and enforcing the ordinances already in place. This could be as simple as reading "Rooting Out Problems" as cited on my website.
• See my website and instagram @defendourtreesNJ for more information on the "massacre" of trees at Lantern Hill, as well as other dead and dying trees in the area.
• Learn how you can recognize and report trees at risk. Sadly, Lantern Hill is not the only project in the area destroying our trees. I encourage everyone to help. I do believe that with a combined effort we can save some of the beautiful old trees in our neighborhoods.