The purpose of this letter is to advise Garwood residents of two upcoming activities regarding the Borough’s shade trees – the trees between the sidewalk and curb of our streets.
The first is that PSE&G manages an ongoing tree pruning program in this area to maintain 8’ of ‘line clearance’ around electrical lines. Their 2024 program is starting now. There is very little a municipality can do to prevent this pruning as it is permitted/ mandated by law to minimize storm damage to these wires from trees. I have inspected these trees with PSEG personnel to minimize ‘V’ pruning (the practice of removing central leaders), obtain line clearing to allow DPW personnel to remove ‘wrong tree/wrong location’ situations, and to prevent pruning where it is not necessary. In a convoluted way, Garwood’s very noticeable lack of shade trees is preventing too much damage to our trees this year. But clearing will occur, and I ask residents to contact the Board if they are not happy with the pruning that occurs.
On a more positive note, over 100 residents at streets that were paved in late fall 2023 will be having trees planted in the Borough easement area in front of their properties. It was readily apparent during our pre-construction inspection that our streets are no longer ‘shade tree lined’ and too many streets have single digit trees along entire blocks. I urge residents to recognize that trees provide oxygen, lower temperatures, and improve our Borough character, and property values. The newly formed Shade Tree Board is not allowing planting of oaks, maples, London Plane, ashes, lindens, or other trees of large growth that have wreaked havoc on Borough sidewalks, curbs, and PSEG electric wires. Contractors will be planting Hornbeams, Hawthorns, Redbuds, cherry (non-fruiting), and Japanese Tree Lilacs, all of which have maximum growth of 25’- well below PSEG main service wires. And with far less intrusive root systems. Hopefully within 10 years or so, Garwood will once again have tree lined streets.
Residents may contact the Board with any questions through the electronic submittal of the ‘Resident Shade Tree Request Form’that can be obtained on the Borough website, or at Borough Hall.
Bill Nierstedt Garwood Shade Tree Officer
