Shade Tree Commission
Free Shade Tree Planting for Eligible Locations
Middlesex Borough Shade Tree Commission is responsible to maintain and protect all shade trees on Borough streets or roadway.
The Commission is looking to plant FREE shade trees on the borough right of way, and would like any residents that are interested in receiving a FREE shade tree planted to contact the Shade Tree Secretary at 732-356-7400, Ext. 238.
Get to Know the Middlesex Borough Shade Tree Commission
1. What are the Shade Tree Commission’s priorities when looking at trees for the Borough?
Our first priority in regards to looking at our town's trees is the safety of our residents. Then we consider any property or utilities around the area and under the tree. We realize that our tax payers are ultimately footing the bill so we are quite pragmatic with the tree's assessment.
Sometimes upon arrival at the site it is extremely obvious that it is a Borough tree. If there is any question of who owns the tree, we will ask a town official for a measurement to find out who it belongs to. Then we proceed with the inspection.
Oftentimes, residents feel it is their responsibility to decide the fate of the tree in front of their property. If it is a Borough tree, it is the Borough’s responsibility. Residents have been fined for taking action into their own hands. See Shade Tree Ordinance Chapter 395. Trees
When we look at a tree we’re looking for anything that may be broken, dead or otherwise hazardous. We then assess whether it’s a good tree or a bad tree.
2. What can we expect from this tree in the near future?
If it’s a good tree we ask, what, if anything, needs to be done to it to mitigate any potential hazards.
If it’s a bad tree, then we ask how swiftly this should be addressed. If the answer is that it doesn’t need to be addressed immediately then more than likely it’s in a location far enough away from causing harm to residents or property.
As a commission a strong focus is towards tree retention. If we remove one tree we replace it with one which means we have no net loss. If we can replace it with two trees then even better.
Trees have been proven to cool homes and businesses, improve air quality and reduce noise pollution. There is even a study suggesting that communities with fewer trees have higher crime rates.
So when we come out to look at the tree in front of your house, we have many considerations in mind before we make a decision on the tree's future.