Commission: Hardworking trees deserve protection from the ax

Stanhope Environmental Commission recounts how trees make life better Stanhope - “Trees are among the hardest working natural resources in our community” according to Owen Newson, chairman of the Stanhope Environmental Commission. ”They enhance our quality of life with their beauty and provide habitat for birds and other creatures. They also contribute a significant amount of the oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere and play a major role in keeping the environment clean.” The roots of trees help keep streams and rivers clean by preventing soil erosion. Soil washed away by storm water and deposited in waterways causes a buildup of sediment that can harm aquatic organisms and make rivers, lakes and streams more susceptible to flooding, Newson explained. According to the Association of Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) construction sites may produce as much as 250 times the normal amount of soil erosion when builders clear-cut and bulldoze the entire lot instead of leaving trees standing and reducing soil disturbance. Drinking water supplies also benefit from trees. Their leaves break the impact of rain so more water can evaporate or drip gradually into the soil, replenishing groundwater supplies, instead of racing to the nearest storm sewer. “Trees also scrub ozone, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants from the air we breathe and in some areas where landfills or manufacturing activities have polluted the ground or surrounding wetland, cleanup projects may call for planting types of trees that help absorb the toxins through a process called phytoremediation,” Newson said. With growing concerns about climate change, Stanhope residents can fight global warming in their own back yards by planting and protecting trees. Large trees on the south east and west sides of a house can reduce air conditioning energy use, cutting summer electricity usage by 5 to 100 percent. In the winter, deciduous trees drop their leaves so the sun’s rays help warm the house, reducing fuel consumption. Trees help reduce a household’s carbon footprint all year long. Stanhope’s nine member environmental commission has been working on projects to help inform residents and advise municipal government on ways to conserve natural resources and protect the environment in Stanhope. The group meets monthly and recently received a Riparian Buffer Reparation Grant from the North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Agency for the riparian buffer site at Lake Musconetcong Park. The commission also worked with the Shade Tree Commission to develop a Community Forestry Plan and was awarded a Community Incentive Program Grant from the New Jersey Forest Service. For information concerning the Stanhope Environmental Commission call Owen Newson at 973-691-6523.