FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi s4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony Puglisi

April 24, 2008 973-621-2542

Lauren Shears

973-621-1590

ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO JOINS WITH

THE CITY OF EAST ORANGE & THE NEW JERSEY TREE FOUNDATION

TO PLANT TREES ALONG PARK AVENUE

Collaborative Tree Planting Effort Enhances the Community and

Provides Transitional Employment for Individuals Under Parole Supervision

Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. joined with the City of East Orange and the New Jersey Tree Foundation to plant 75 new trees along Park Avenue on Monday, April 21st. The tree planting was part of the ‘Green Streets Cool Schools’ initiative, a Tree Planting and Transitional Jobs Program funded by DuPont.

“The Green Streets Cool Schools program is an excellent way to raise awareness about what is going on in the neighborhood, and teach our children and families to appreciate and protect our environment,” DiVincenzo said. “This program also provides jobs to individuals who are re-entering society after incarceration and is a positive example of what can be accomplished when we all work together,” he added.

“This is the second year in a row that trees have been planted in the City of East Orange and we really appreciate the County Executive and the NJ Tree Foundation for caring about East Orange and continuing to make it greener,” said Sanitation Superintendent/Recycling Coordinator Donald Wharton of the East Orange Department of Public Works.

“This program is phenomenal and we are pleased to return to East Orange this year to continue planting trees. It serves as a way to enhance our environment and the re-entry program provides these men with a second chance,” said NJ Tree Foundation Director Lisa Simms. “It means a lot for them to give back to the community and they take pride in that,” she added.

During the morning, 75 new trees were planted along Park Avenue in East Orange, stretching from North 15th Street to Park Street. The species included a mix of linden, red maple, cherry, sycamore and oak trees. In the Fall 2007, 75 trees were planted in Essex County and approximately 200 trees have been planted as part of the ‘Green Streets Cool Schools’ program to date. “It is important that we avoid having a monoculture so we plant a variety of trees in case one type of tree becomes susceptible to disease the entire population will not die,” added Essex County Department of Public Works Tree Superintendent Dennis Beury and Essex County Office of Environmental Affairs Coordinator Tara Casella.

The New Jersey Tree Foundation, in partnership with DuPont, plants trees along streets and at schools in the Lower Passaic and Arthur Kill Watersheds. This project, called Green Streets - Cool Schools, educates urban residents and students about the importance of urban forestry while creating lush green corridors and school grounds.

The NJ Tree Foundation partners with the New Jersey State Parole Board to hire a seasonal tree planting crew, creating transitional jobs for individuals under parole supervision. Transitional jobs are time-limited positions that combine real work, skill development and support services to help participants overcome barriers to employment.