It’s All About Trees
Ewing Township will mark Arbor Day 2026 with our annual tree planting and celebration of joining the ranks of Tree City USA communities across the nation. To earn Tree City USA recognition, a city must uphold four core standards including maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and participating in an Arbor Day celebration. Ewing is proud to celebrate this community effort in maintaining and expanding our community tree canopy.
“Earning Tree City USA recognition is something we take pride in because it reflects real work happening on the ground here in Ewing. We understand that trees are not just about aesthetics — they are critical to how we manage stormwater, reduce flooding, improve air quality, and keep our neighborhoods cooler and healthier. Our investment in maintaining and expanding our tree canopy is part of a broader commitment to building a stronger, more resilient community for our residents.” Mayor Bert Steinmann.
Mayor Steinmann continued: “This recognition would not be possible without the ongoing efforts of the Ewing Green Team and the Ewing Environmental Commission, who continue to lead the charge on environmental stewardship in our community. Their work, along with initiatives like our ‘250 Trees for 250’ campaign, is helping us grow our canopy in a thoughtful, strategic way while also engaging residents in the process. It’s a true community effort, and one we’re committed to continuing.”
Ewing’s Green Team and Environmental Commission have been celebrating Arbor Day with ceremonial tree planting since 2018. Members of both Boards combine funds to donate a tree every Arbor Day, and have it planted in one of Ewing’s parks to serve as living reminders of the work that they do.
This Arbor Day the two boards will once again join Mayor Bert Steinmann, members of Township Council, and other dignitaries in marking the day with the annual tree planting on Saturday morning, April 25th. A number of red maple trees will be planted near the front of John S. Watson Park off of Lower Ferry Road. This park’s tree canopy has been particularly hard hit by the loss of numerous Ash trees, due to the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect that has plagued Ash tree canopies across much of the country.
To date, the boards have been successful in completing a tree allée of Princeton Elms at the Bejamin Temple House at Drake Farm Park added a couple of Black gum trees to Watson Park, and contributed a tree to the front of the small parking lot along Upper Ferry Road in front of the ½ -mile paved path loop at Veterans Memorial Park.
Arbor Day History
Arbor Day is celebrated internationally on the last Friday in April. It’s a day to plant new trees, care for existing ones, celebrate their benefits as we educate the community as to their role in benefiting our environment.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. Its network of more than a million supporters and partners has helped the organization plant more than 500 million trees in forests and communities across more than 60 countries. The Foundation’s Tree City USA program is now celebrating its 50th recognition season. The anniversary underscores the program’s rich history of growing healthier, greener, and more resilient communities through urban forestry.
“For five decades, Tree City USA has rallied passionate local leaders to enhance the livability and sustainability of their communities. Tree champions like Ewing are leading the way in a growing movement to shape a better future with trees and action,” said Michelle Saulnier, Vice President of Programs at the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees are critical infrastructure, building resiliency and fostering good health in our nation’s cities. We’re proud Ewing is among the Arbor Day Foundation’s growing network of communities dedicated to creating positive impact through trees.”
In cities and neighborhoods, trees are proven to help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and boost mental and physical health. When the right trees are planted in the right places, they can also reduce traffic noise, increase property values, and lower energy costs for homeowners.
Join Our 250 Tree Campaign!
This Arbor Day we put forward an additional “ask” to Ewing community members. In celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday, the Ewing Green Team and Environmental Commission are working with our Mayor and Council, local businesses, and residents to reach an audacious and worthy goal – planting 250 new trees in Ewing!
Our ask: Give America the best birthday gift ever. Plant a tree!
We can’t do it alone. We need your help! To help us achieve our shared dream of a more beautiful, healthy, and environmentally friendly Ewing, we ask that you take a simple but important step: Plant one tree!
To learn more, go to https://ewinggreenteam.org/250-tree-campaign/. Take our pledge to plant and plant your tree today!
Additional Materials
Arbor Day Proclamation by the Mayor and Council #26R-84
It’s All About Trees! Tree planting tips from the Ewing Green Team.
During winter ice and snow events applying road salt helps to lower the melting point of ice, allowing sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, and roadways to stay free of ice buildup. But there is a downside. Salts are also soluble. As we put it down, it dissolves into snow melt and stormwater runoff. This works its way into our storm drains that empty into our streams and rivers. As a result, the US Geological Society reports that waterway chloride levels have doubled over the past 50 years.
Sustainable Ewing Green Team 
