Master tree steward volunteers Jerry Petz, Joan Burns, Dean Talcott and Gail Sweeney visited Rahway River Park to create a ‘tree trail,’ featuring signs that enable smart phone users to learn more information about trees in Union County parks.
UNION COUNTY, NJ — Distinctive trees in Union County’s Rahway River Park now have an opportunity to introduce themselves to visitors, thanks to the volunteer master tree stewards of Union County.
Earlier this week, the master tree stewards created a “tree trail” in the park by adding new green-and-white name tags to dozens of trees along a walking path. These tags are equipped with QR codes that, when scanned, link visitors to important details about each tree.
“On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, I would like to thank our master tree stewards volunteers. Each tree trail provides an enriching and educational experience for visitors and encourages conservation efforts in Union County parks,” said Board of County Commissioners Chairperson Alexander Mirabella.
Trees received tags based on their size, age, species, historical significance and other distinctive factors. The master tree stewards have previously created tree trails in these other Union County parks: Oak Ridge Park in Clark, trail starts near the east end of the parking lot; Briant Park in Summit; Cedar Brook in Plainfield; Echo Lake Park in Mountainside; Echo Lake Extension, trail starts behind the Mountainside municipal building; Lenape Park, trail is located to the east along the Kenilworth dike; Meisel Park in Springfield; Nomahegan Park in Cranford; Phil Rizzuto Park in Elizabeth; Rahway River Park in Rahway; Sensory Friendly Trail at the Watchung Reservation in Mountainside; and Warinanco Park in Elizabeth.
Some of the trees that have been given tags in Rahway River Park are also a part of the Rahway Memorial Grove. In 2018, the Union County Office of Veteran Services restored the World War II memorial by replacing missing trees, moving the stone memorial for better visibility and adding a new paved area to make the memorial more accessible.
The master tree stewards is a volunteer group that is trained in tree conservation. Volunteers primarily teach Union County youths about the importance of trees in the community and participate in other educational programs related to trees.
For more information about joining the master tree stewards program, contact Union County 4-H Agent James Nichnadowicz at 908-654-9854, ext. 3, or at [email protected].
The master tree stewards program is run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County. Supported in part by the Board of County Commissioners with offices in Westfield, the Union County Extension is part of a nationwide public outreach initiative coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For more information about all Rutgers Cooperative Extension programs in Union County, visit ucnj.org/rce.
More information about all Union County parks, including paths, trails and greenways that illuminate features of local history and geology, is available at ucnj.org/parks-recreation.
For quick links to all Union County environmental programs and volunteer activities, visit the Green Connection at ucnj.org/green-connection.