If Verona Park looked a lot better to you during your holiday break walks, thank the Verona Park Conservancy.
This past fall, the VPC kicked off a multi-year tree and shrub restoration program for the park, which is almost 100 years old. The VPC, a volunteer-run non-profit that works with the Essex County Parks Department to maintain and improve the park, bought 15 trees from Cedar Grove Garden Center and hired it to help VPC President Jim McGregor and Vice President Charles Heyer with the planting process. On October 27, ten different tree species were planted at various locations throughout the park where trees have been lost. The new trees will produce colorful spring flowers and beautiful fall foliage.
VPC developed its tree and shrub planting program to help restore and maintain the beauty of Verona Park. As frequent visitors have noticed, the Park lost many trees in recent years to major storms. Trees have also died from diseases, insect infestation and bark damage from deer and landscaper activities. (Essex County cut down the park’s signature “Climbing Tree” in February 2010.)
In addition, during 2014, the VPC sent two reports to the Essex County Parks director that identified 55 trees needing removal or pruning. These trees posed safety hazards over pathways, picnic areas and exercise areas. To date, Essex County has removed 10 large trees and VPC has removed 12 smaller ones.
The VPC believes that a multi-year program is needed to restore the Park’s lost shrubbery and trees. During the winter, VPC’s Tree Committee will be reviewing the original Olmsted Brothers tree and shrub planting information, assessing the effectiveness of recent planting efforts and selecting new trees and shrubs for spring planting. (The landscape plans for the park were prepared by Olmsted Brothers, the firm founded by the sons of Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted.)
McGregor says the VPC “greatly appreciates” the assistance provided by the town, park visitors and VPC members. “Planting new trees and shrubs is costly and caring for the plantings afterwards requires many man-hours to water, mulch, prune, monitor for insect damage and provide deer protection,” he says.”We hope that our tree and shrub planting program attracts new volunteers and future contributions to keep Verona Park beautiful.”
The VPC has a tree fund that receives general donations from the public and honors specific requests for those wishing to plant trees in honor of a special event, as a gift or a memorial. Tax deductible donations can be sent to VPC–Tree Fund, P.O. Box 143, Verona, NJ 07044.
