Annual Accomplishment Report AWS
.,1
I ,;:' r'' Y' New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act
Annual Accomplishment Report
ANNUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT REPCRT FCR,I/I Municipality County Address
Borouoh of Hawthorne Passaic 445 Lafavette Ave
Hawthome. NJ 07506 ContactName and
Title Phone # Fax # and E-mail
Organization Name
Pieter Slump, Chairperson 973-427-5555 Ext 318
973-427-1882 Hawthorne Shade Tree Commission
l\4ayor/Coutty Freeholderts Signature Date of lvlanagement Plan Approval
Time Period Covered inN4anagement Plan Date of Armual Accomplishment Report Submission Accomplishment Report for Calendar Year
December 13,2412
January 2012 - December 201 6
February 6, 2013
2012
*PLEASE INCLUDE TIItr6 F'ORM AS THE COVER PAGA TO YOT.]R AIINUAil" ACCOMPLISHMANT RAPORT To Submrt Report:
Community Forestry Program Attn: Todd Wyckoff Mail Code:501-04 P.O. Box 420 Trenton, NJ 08625
2012 Community Forestry Management Plan Annual Accomplishment Report
1.
Community Forestry Program Administration
.
The Commission was fully appointed during 20l?until October, when health concerns caused one alternate commissioner to step down. Borough resident Pieter Slump was elected the Commission Chairperson and resident David Sailer was elected Vice-chairperson this year. Councilman Joseph Wojtecki continued as the Council liaison. The borough arborist was a contracted position in2012, with Steve Schuckman of First Mountain Arboriculture LLC frlling this role. Responsibility for the borough's Shade Tree Program was again shared between these three entities: the Hawthorne Shade Tree Commission (HSTC), the borough DPW, and borough vendors performing contracted and emergency services. Aside from taking several resistograph readings and monitoring high-risk trees in the borough, HSTC commissioners focused mainly on public outreach and administrative functions. The Commission is extremely pleased that after two years of discussions and groundwork, a part-time secretary has started to work exclusively for the Shade Tree Program. It is expected that the secretary will lighten the paperwork load previously carried by the Chairperson and Vice-chairperson so that the commissioners will able to work on our two main activities, planting and public outreach and education. The Department of Public Works remained active in2Ol2 in investigating residents' tree requests and carrying out prunings, removals, and stump grinding when necessary. Public employees did a significant amount of tree work after Superstorm Sandy, helping to clear roads and remove hazardous trees where possible. The HSTC has also been able to collaborate better with the DPW now that the DPW director or his representative comes to the monthly meetings. Contracted vendors carried out the majority of tree investigations, tree pruning, removal, and stump grinding in20l2. Tree planting was solely done by outside contractors. The contracted borough arborist and the Department of Public Works handled the day-to-day administration with the contracted tree service company, while the HSTC ran the fall planting program. The Commission plans and .coordinates all its own outreach events (Earth Day, ArbotDay, forest clean up days) with some operational support from the DPW.
2.
Training and Professional I)evelopment
In20l2, HSTC Chairperson Fieter Slump and Commissioner Paul Giardino attended the NJ Shade Tree Federation Meeting in order to stay abreast of developments that affect our Shade Tree Program. Additionally, Commissioner Giardino received his CORE training. Several borough employees and borough representatives have previously completed CORE training as well. The Borough of Hawthorne is fortunate in that we are building a strong group of concerned, educated
residents who can speak with knowledge about the importance of trees for our community.
Additionally, Borough Arborist Stephen Schuckman held a two-hour class for four DPW employees, focusing on pruning andlnzard identification. The HSTC and DPW believe that this type of training is very cost-effective and is a great way to increase the employees' skill sets.
3.
Public Education / Awareness / Outreach
Public outreach was performed in several different ways this year. Our flagship event is of course Arbor Day, which was held for the second consecutive yeff at the Borough's 8-acre Woods near the Flawthorne Boys and Girls Club. Along with about 20 children and their parents, we planted a single-stem Serviceberry. Three other larger trees had been previously planted by the contractor. After the planting ceremony, we all worked together to clean up the trash in the 8-acre Woods, which is a borough-managed park next to the Passaic County Goffle Brook Park.
A second clean-up and outreach event was held on December 8,2012 at the 8acre Woods in conjunction with several local Girl Scout troops. Again we removed large amount of trash from the woods. The HSTC Chairperson held multiple impromptu educational "tree talks" with the children and parents as they moved through the woods, as was the case during the Arbor Day event.
a
Our other spring outreach event is Cel-earth-bration, an Earth Day celebration program run by the Board of Education and the Hawthorne Environmental Commission. The HSTC participated for the seventh consecutive year. We distributed one and two-year pine seedlings which had better survival rates than previous years' tublings. We also coordinated a free tree raffle, raffling offa kwanzaan cherry donated by a local nursery and planted at no cost by a local contractor. ISA tree care literature was distributed to visitors, and commissioners were on hand to address shade tree concerns. A bean-bag tossing game was also set up, which proved a great attraction for the kids.
4.
Statement of Tree Budget
The 2012 budget spent an estimated $77 ,025 on salaries, $ I 563 on professional development, and $63,163 on contracted services (not including contracted tree work for Storm Sandy). Tree planting cost 920,370. See attached budget.
5.
Plan Implementation
The Hawthorne Shade Tree Commission is now working under its third consecutive Community Forestry Management Plan. We have worked well towards the plan's overall goals, in these areas:
a) Program Administration
we made several changes that have improved the functioning of the HSTC and the coordination with the DPW. A part-time secretary was hired who will take responsibility for internal and external communication on behalf of the commission. The director of the Department of Public Works or his representative now attends the monthly Shade Tree meeting, which allows both groups to be aware of the others' plans and activities.
-ln2012
b) Training and Professional Development -The borough continued its training programs, both for its volunteers and its employees. Volunteers accrued 18 CEU's. The contracted arborist held a private training session for four DPW employees, potentially giving the town another 8 CEU's. We anticipate continuing this type of training for our DPW employees due to its affordability and its effectiveness in teaching our crews about specific topics. c) Public Education, Awareness and Outreaeh - As mentioned above, we continued with the main outreach events, Arbor Day and Earth Day / Celearth-bration, and expanded our outreach with two clean-up events in the community park.
d) Tree Inventory and Assessment - Our borough-wide tree assessment was completed and deliveredin2012. With this treasure trove of information, the HSTC will develop a high-priority removal and pruning plan for immediate action, followed by stump removals and less urgent prunings and removals. Additionally, the inventory will help us make wise species selections for future plantings, as we strive to broaden the species that we plant. e)
Tree Hazard Management -The borough Contracted Arborist, and to a lesser extent the commissioners, regularly assessed town trees in response to service requests and followed through with the appropriate measures to ensure the maintenance work was done. DPW employees are notably proactive in addressing tree hazards and contact either the DPW director or the contracted tree care company when hazards are encountered.
The HSTC planted as many trees as possible in2Ol2 considering the budgetary restrictions. In an effort to get more trees in the ground at a lower cost, we hired a contractor to supply and install container-grown saplings for part of the fall planting at a lower price per tree than B & B saplings. We will observe the trees over the coming years to judge whether to increase the amount of containerized trees or not. Tree Planting
-
s) Tree Maintenance * The borough continued to implement its previously existing tree maintenance programs, policies and procedures. Borough
forces still actively perform a wide range of tree worh which has been very important for storm clean-up.
h) Tree Waste Recycling - Ongoing tree material recycling was performed. This included tree chipping with removal and trim activities, as well as post-Christmas tree processing. Leaf collection and composting were performed as well.
Borough of Hawthorne. Passaic County Expenditures for Communitv Forestrv Prooram lor 2012.
LABOR of trees Trees removed Trees planted Tree stumps removed lnspections Enforcement Cases Other Plans, Utility l$ues, Clqlstmas tree pick-up &
NUMBER 174
164 59 94 194 0 0
etc.)
Professional Services (Removars, cTE consurtins, €tc. Borough Labor Volunteer Time * Borough Administrative Time at 15o/o Leaf Pickup** Yard Waste Processing Lqqf begs/sched ule/mai ling/calenda r/labor-d ist
2.500
Yearlv Salarv 1-FTE Men 500 Hours
Contracted Services
cosT
TOTAL
ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind
$63,163.50 $60,225.00 $10,425,00 $16,800.00 $189,021.00 $57,750.00 $19,696.52 $417,081.02
$417,081 .02
EQUIPMENT Esuioment Purchase (Hardware & saw reoairs. Comouter)
$1,535.39 $1.742 20
Chipper. Stumo Grinder reoairs Tree truck repairs & lift inspection
$3.725.44 $7,003.03
$7.003,03
EDUCATION Public outreach & office suoolies Tree Conferences (NJ Shade Tree Federation) Membership in Tree Orqanizations Other trainins / Seminars
$28.26 $1.374.74
$160.00 $0.00
$1,563.00
$1,563.00
$20,370.00
$20,370.00
MATERIALS Trees Purchased
GRAND TOTAL **Leaf Season Pick-up Cost to the Borouqh: Leaf Pick-up Contract Additional Temoorary Labor Contract Salaries Administration Fuel Total
*Shade Tree Commission Commissioners (7) Time
$21,450.00 $13,440.00 $126,021.00 $16,800.00 s11 310 00 $189,021.00
500 Hours @ $20.85/hr. = $ 0,425.00)
$446.017.05
I ,;:' r'' Y' New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act
Annual Accomplishment Report
ANNUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT REPCRT FCR,I/I Municipality County Address
Borouoh of Hawthorne Passaic 445 Lafavette Ave
Hawthome. NJ 07506 ContactName and
Title Phone # Fax # and E-mail
Organization Name
Pieter Slump, Chairperson 973-427-5555 Ext 318
973-427-1882 Hawthorne Shade Tree Commission
l\4ayor/Coutty Freeholderts Signature Date of lvlanagement Plan Approval
Time Period Covered inN4anagement Plan Date of Armual Accomplishment Report Submission Accomplishment Report for Calendar Year
December 13,2412
January 2012 - December 201 6
February 6, 2013
2012
*PLEASE INCLUDE TIItr6 F'ORM AS THE COVER PAGA TO YOT.]R AIINUAil" ACCOMPLISHMANT RAPORT To Submrt Report:
Community Forestry Program Attn: Todd Wyckoff Mail Code:501-04 P.O. Box 420 Trenton, NJ 08625
2012 Community Forestry Management Plan Annual Accomplishment Report
1.
Community Forestry Program Administration
.
The Commission was fully appointed during 20l?until October, when health concerns caused one alternate commissioner to step down. Borough resident Pieter Slump was elected the Commission Chairperson and resident David Sailer was elected Vice-chairperson this year. Councilman Joseph Wojtecki continued as the Council liaison. The borough arborist was a contracted position in2012, with Steve Schuckman of First Mountain Arboriculture LLC frlling this role. Responsibility for the borough's Shade Tree Program was again shared between these three entities: the Hawthorne Shade Tree Commission (HSTC), the borough DPW, and borough vendors performing contracted and emergency services. Aside from taking several resistograph readings and monitoring high-risk trees in the borough, HSTC commissioners focused mainly on public outreach and administrative functions. The Commission is extremely pleased that after two years of discussions and groundwork, a part-time secretary has started to work exclusively for the Shade Tree Program. It is expected that the secretary will lighten the paperwork load previously carried by the Chairperson and Vice-chairperson so that the commissioners will able to work on our two main activities, planting and public outreach and education. The Department of Public Works remained active in2Ol2 in investigating residents' tree requests and carrying out prunings, removals, and stump grinding when necessary. Public employees did a significant amount of tree work after Superstorm Sandy, helping to clear roads and remove hazardous trees where possible. The HSTC has also been able to collaborate better with the DPW now that the DPW director or his representative comes to the monthly meetings. Contracted vendors carried out the majority of tree investigations, tree pruning, removal, and stump grinding in20l2. Tree planting was solely done by outside contractors. The contracted borough arborist and the Department of Public Works handled the day-to-day administration with the contracted tree service company, while the HSTC ran the fall planting program. The Commission plans and .coordinates all its own outreach events (Earth Day, ArbotDay, forest clean up days) with some operational support from the DPW.
2.
Training and Professional I)evelopment
In20l2, HSTC Chairperson Fieter Slump and Commissioner Paul Giardino attended the NJ Shade Tree Federation Meeting in order to stay abreast of developments that affect our Shade Tree Program. Additionally, Commissioner Giardino received his CORE training. Several borough employees and borough representatives have previously completed CORE training as well. The Borough of Hawthorne is fortunate in that we are building a strong group of concerned, educated
residents who can speak with knowledge about the importance of trees for our community.
Additionally, Borough Arborist Stephen Schuckman held a two-hour class for four DPW employees, focusing on pruning andlnzard identification. The HSTC and DPW believe that this type of training is very cost-effective and is a great way to increase the employees' skill sets.
3.
Public Education / Awareness / Outreach
Public outreach was performed in several different ways this year. Our flagship event is of course Arbor Day, which was held for the second consecutive yeff at the Borough's 8-acre Woods near the Flawthorne Boys and Girls Club. Along with about 20 children and their parents, we planted a single-stem Serviceberry. Three other larger trees had been previously planted by the contractor. After the planting ceremony, we all worked together to clean up the trash in the 8-acre Woods, which is a borough-managed park next to the Passaic County Goffle Brook Park.
A second clean-up and outreach event was held on December 8,2012 at the 8acre Woods in conjunction with several local Girl Scout troops. Again we removed large amount of trash from the woods. The HSTC Chairperson held multiple impromptu educational "tree talks" with the children and parents as they moved through the woods, as was the case during the Arbor Day event.
a
Our other spring outreach event is Cel-earth-bration, an Earth Day celebration program run by the Board of Education and the Hawthorne Environmental Commission. The HSTC participated for the seventh consecutive year. We distributed one and two-year pine seedlings which had better survival rates than previous years' tublings. We also coordinated a free tree raffle, raffling offa kwanzaan cherry donated by a local nursery and planted at no cost by a local contractor. ISA tree care literature was distributed to visitors, and commissioners were on hand to address shade tree concerns. A bean-bag tossing game was also set up, which proved a great attraction for the kids.
4.
Statement of Tree Budget
The 2012 budget spent an estimated $77 ,025 on salaries, $ I 563 on professional development, and $63,163 on contracted services (not including contracted tree work for Storm Sandy). Tree planting cost 920,370. See attached budget.
5.
Plan Implementation
The Hawthorne Shade Tree Commission is now working under its third consecutive Community Forestry Management Plan. We have worked well towards the plan's overall goals, in these areas:
a) Program Administration
we made several changes that have improved the functioning of the HSTC and the coordination with the DPW. A part-time secretary was hired who will take responsibility for internal and external communication on behalf of the commission. The director of the Department of Public Works or his representative now attends the monthly Shade Tree meeting, which allows both groups to be aware of the others' plans and activities.
-ln2012
b) Training and Professional Development -The borough continued its training programs, both for its volunteers and its employees. Volunteers accrued 18 CEU's. The contracted arborist held a private training session for four DPW employees, potentially giving the town another 8 CEU's. We anticipate continuing this type of training for our DPW employees due to its affordability and its effectiveness in teaching our crews about specific topics. c) Public Education, Awareness and Outreaeh - As mentioned above, we continued with the main outreach events, Arbor Day and Earth Day / Celearth-bration, and expanded our outreach with two clean-up events in the community park.
d) Tree Inventory and Assessment - Our borough-wide tree assessment was completed and deliveredin2012. With this treasure trove of information, the HSTC will develop a high-priority removal and pruning plan for immediate action, followed by stump removals and less urgent prunings and removals. Additionally, the inventory will help us make wise species selections for future plantings, as we strive to broaden the species that we plant. e)
Tree Hazard Management -The borough Contracted Arborist, and to a lesser extent the commissioners, regularly assessed town trees in response to service requests and followed through with the appropriate measures to ensure the maintenance work was done. DPW employees are notably proactive in addressing tree hazards and contact either the DPW director or the contracted tree care company when hazards are encountered.
The HSTC planted as many trees as possible in2Ol2 considering the budgetary restrictions. In an effort to get more trees in the ground at a lower cost, we hired a contractor to supply and install container-grown saplings for part of the fall planting at a lower price per tree than B & B saplings. We will observe the trees over the coming years to judge whether to increase the amount of containerized trees or not. Tree Planting
-
s) Tree Maintenance * The borough continued to implement its previously existing tree maintenance programs, policies and procedures. Borough
forces still actively perform a wide range of tree worh which has been very important for storm clean-up.
h) Tree Waste Recycling - Ongoing tree material recycling was performed. This included tree chipping with removal and trim activities, as well as post-Christmas tree processing. Leaf collection and composting were performed as well.
Borough of Hawthorne. Passaic County Expenditures for Communitv Forestrv Prooram lor 2012.
LABOR of trees Trees removed Trees planted Tree stumps removed lnspections Enforcement Cases Other Plans, Utility l$ues, Clqlstmas tree pick-up &
NUMBER 174
164 59 94 194 0 0
etc.)
Professional Services (Removars, cTE consurtins, €tc. Borough Labor Volunteer Time * Borough Administrative Time at 15o/o Leaf Pickup** Yard Waste Processing Lqqf begs/sched ule/mai ling/calenda r/labor-d ist
2.500
Yearlv Salarv 1-FTE Men 500 Hours
Contracted Services
cosT
TOTAL
ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind ln-kind
$63,163.50 $60,225.00 $10,425,00 $16,800.00 $189,021.00 $57,750.00 $19,696.52 $417,081.02
$417,081 .02
EQUIPMENT Esuioment Purchase (Hardware & saw reoairs. Comouter)
$1,535.39 $1.742 20
Chipper. Stumo Grinder reoairs Tree truck repairs & lift inspection
$3.725.44 $7,003.03
$7.003,03
EDUCATION Public outreach & office suoolies Tree Conferences (NJ Shade Tree Federation) Membership in Tree Orqanizations Other trainins / Seminars
$28.26 $1.374.74
$160.00 $0.00
$1,563.00
$1,563.00
$20,370.00
$20,370.00
MATERIALS Trees Purchased
GRAND TOTAL **Leaf Season Pick-up Cost to the Borouqh: Leaf Pick-up Contract Additional Temoorary Labor Contract Salaries Administration Fuel Total
*Shade Tree Commission Commissioners (7) Time
$21,450.00 $13,440.00 $126,021.00 $16,800.00 s11 310 00 $189,021.00
500 Hours @ $20.85/hr. = $ 0,425.00)
$446.017.05
