Planting for the Future

The beautiful trees of Spring Lake play an important role in the health and character of the community. Through a long-term initiative known as “Canopy 2050,” the borough is working to preserve and expand Spring Lake’s trees so that future generations can enjoy the same wonderful landscape that is valued today. The program is supported by the Spring Lake Shade Tree Committee, led by Chairman Scott McMurray.

“It’s barely been a year since the Spring Lake Shade Tree Committee launched our Canopy 2050 Plant it Forward campaign to raise public awareness of the challenges facing our beloved shade tree canopy and to ask for public support,” McMurray explains.

The initiative encourages residents to plant shade trees between curbs and sidewalks and invites those who wish to support the effort to contribute through tax-exempt financial donations.

McMurray, along with Vice Chair Deirdre King and Spring Lake councilwoman and liaison to the shade tree committee Syd Whalley, help lead the planning and maintenance of the borough’s shade trees. Working with volunteers, borough officials, and the Department of Public Works, they are dedicated to planting and maintaining shade trees throughout the borough’s parks, streets, and public spaces. They all work hard to ensure that Spring Lake’s trees continue to provide environmental, economic, and aesthetic benefits for the community.

“The beauty of a small town like Spring Lake is that we all know each other and have worked closely together for the past two decades to care for the town’s shade trees. Canopy 2050 ensures we stay focused on the big picture and our goals for the next 25 years,” says Whalley.

Trees Matter

While trees contribute to the town’s aesthetic charm, their value goes far beyond appearance. Healthy shade trees help cool neighborhoods during hot summer months, improve air quality, and reduce noise levels in residential areas. Their roots stabilize soil and help manage stormwater runoff, an especially important function in coastal communities. Trees also provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, helping maintain ecological balance.

Studies across the country have also shown that well-maintained street trees can increase property values and enhance walkability, encouraging residents and visitors alike to spend more time outdoors. In a place like Spring Lake, where strolling along shady streets, biking to the beach, or walking around the lake are enjoyed daily, trees are a defining feature of the town’s quality of life. Recognizing these benefits, the borough has taken a proactive approach to protecting its canopy.

The Vision

Canopy 2050 is a long-range vision focused on ensuring Spring Lake’s tree canopy remains strong and diverse well into the future. Like many communities across the United States, Spring Lake faces challenges related to aging trees, storms, and invasive pests that can weaken or destroy entire species. Without careful planning, these factors can gradually reduce the number of trees lining local streets.

The goal of Canopy 2050 is simple but ambitious. “Canopy 2050 is really about investing in the future of Spring Lake’s tree canopy,” King says. By gradually introducing new trees while managing older ones, the borough hopes to ensure that Spring Lake’s streets remain shaded and beautiful for decades to come.

An important part of this effort involves planting the right trees in the right places. Different species thrive in different conditions, and selecting a diverse range of trees helps reduce the risk of disease or pest outbreaks that could affect large portions of the canopy at once. A diverse urban forest is also more resilient to changing climate conditions.

Preserving Spring Lake’s Character

Spring Lake’s identity has always been closely tied to its natural surroundings. From the shady paths that circle the lake to the quiet residential streets framed by mature trees, the borough’s landscape reflects more than a century of careful preservation.

Canopy 2050 recognizes that maintaining this environment requires ongoing attention and planning. Trees, like any living part of the landscape, age and eventually need to be replaced. Without a long-term strategy, communities may lose the canopies that are so vital to them. Instead, Spring Lake is taking a proactive approach by planting new trees today that will grow into the towering shade trees of tomorrow.

As the name suggests, Canopy 2050 is about thinking far into the future. Many of the trees planted today will not reach their full size for decades. The decisions made now will shape the look and feel of Spring Lake well into the middle of the century. For residents walking along tree-lined streets today, it may be easy to take that canopy for granted. Yet every tree represents years of growth, care, and planning.

A Community Effort

One of the unique aspects of Spring Lake’s tree program is the strong role played by volunteers and residents. The Shade Tree Committee is made up of local volunteers who are passionate about maintaining the borough’s natural beauty. Their work includes planning tree plantings, monitoring tree health, and advising maintenance and removal when necessary.

Residents can also play a role in the program. Through the borough’s street tree initiative, homeowners may request a tree to be planted in the right-of-way area near their property. In many cases, the borough provides and plants the tree at no cost, using funds generated through permits, grants, and other municipal resources. In addition, the program also offers commemorative trees that families may purchase and have planted in honor of a loved one. These special plantings create lasting tributes while contributing to the borough’s long-term canopy.

Once planted, residents share responsibility for caring for the tree, particularly during its early years when watering and proper maintenance are critical to its survival. This partnership between the borough and residents helps ensure that newly planted trees grow strong and healthy.

In the end, the initiative is about more than planting trees. The project strives to be all-inclusive, involving all community members, and even the local elementary school.

“Teachers have embraced it in the classroom, and students are learning firsthand how caring for trees helps preserve the beauty of our town. It’s been wonderful to see that excitement grow,” King says.

For McMurray and the committee, the work is only beginning. “One year is a good start, but it’s just a start,” he says. “This is a multi-year, multi-generational effort.” He often points to an old saying that captures the spirit of the project: “A society grows great when elders plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”

To learn more about Canopy 2050, visit springlakeboro.org/boards/tree.

Photographs provided by Canopy 2050 and Michael Scotto