During the pandemic, you might not be able to hug your friends and family, but you can still hug a tree!

• Trees provide shade that can save you money on your electric bill… three well placed trees can cut air conditioning costs by 15%

• Trees help reduce stress and speed recovery of hospital patients

• A single mature tree can absorb 26 pounds of carbon dioxide each year and will replace it with life-giving oxygen

• Well placed trees can add value to your property

• Trees provide shelter for wildlife, slow rainfall runoff, prevent soil erosion, muffle noise, and provide privacy

• Trees add beauty and grace to our community

Take care of your trees and they will take care of you!   Here are some things to do in the Spring for your trees…

• Don’t over mulch. Don’t pile mulch up the bark of the tree and don’t let your lawn care company do this either. Too much mulch can rot the bark, weaken your tree and eventually kill it. See our flyer on Donuts not Volcanoes for advice on proper mulch placement. The flyer and other helpful advice on the care of trees in the Township can be found on our Advice and General Information webpage. 

• Do look for and destroy harmful insects. This past fall we told you about the Spotted Lanternfly. This is the time of year to watch out for them in their early life stages and to destroy them when you find them. Read up on this new invasive insect on our Spotted Lanternfly webpage. Another harmful insect, attacking ash trees across the Township, is the Emerald Ash Borer. Learn more about this destructive insect on our Emerald Ash Borer webpage.

• Do hire a certified arborist to remove dead or dying branches. A certified arborist will know the best way to care for your tree and will do it in a safe way that can protect you and your property. To learn more, The Arbor Day Foundation has a short video on How to Hire an Arborist, and you can search for a certified arborist using the Trees Are Good – Find an Arborist tool.

For more information about trees in Franklin Township, visit the Shade Tree Commission’s website at www.franklintwpnj.org/shadetree.