Welcome to the home of the Rumson Shade Tree Commission!

Goals and Objectives

Introduce species of trees and shrubbery that will provide for long term coverage of public lands, parks and recreation areas, while at the same time allowing for diversity of color in the three temperate seasons enjoyed by this community as a pedestrian based center.

• Establish an ongoing maintenance program for the trees along Borough rights-of-way to include county maintenance procedures on County streets to reduce liability to the Borough and enhance the quality of life for residents.

• Revise current ordinances and develop new tree ordinances that define responsibility for maintenance, removal and replacement.

• Educate the public about trees and their importance to the entire community.

• Expand the training opportunities available to Shade Tree Commission members and Borough employees.

• Coordinate Shade Tree Commission activities with public and private organizations.

Mission

The mission of the Rumson Shade Tree Commission is to maintain a healthy, safe and sustainable shade tree resource that will provide aesthetic, economic, ecological, environmental and health benefits to the Rumson community and its residents. This will be accomplished by promoting the conservation and stewardship of trees and advising borough officials and residents regarding the selection, planting and maintenance of our trees.

The Rumson Shade Tree Commission was formally established in 1962. This advisory board strives to help Rumson become more proactive in its approach to tree care issues. It is a goal of the Shade Tree Commission to foster a cooperative environment between the local, county and state agencies for the betterment of Rumson’s tree resource and therefore its residents and visitors. These efforts have proven successful in the borough being recognized as a Tree City USA for 29 consecutive years.

Since its creation, Rumson has been a strategic riverside community with most of its original tree resources contained in native Oak and Beech forests. Its very first residents embraced the importance of trees and planted many other diverse species. Today, the borough is over 90% developed, and the majority of the tree resources lie on private property. In 2019, a resident’s magnificent 250 year old Ginkgo tree was crowned the NJ State Champion. As for the public tree resource, it mainly consists of 12 different tree species in the right of way along our roadways.

It is the intent of the Shade Tree Commission to establish goals and initiate objectives that will protect and enhance the tree resource of Rumson through a program of planting and preservation that will benefit present and future generations of the community. The Commission also serves as a resource to residents and welcomes the opportunity to advise in tree related matters.

Recent Shade Tree Articles

Our meetings are open to the public and an updated schedule can be found on the Borough website. If you have an item that you would like discussed, please email RSTC@rumsonnj.gov.

Respectfully,

Stephen Barrett

Chairman

Rumson Shade Tree Commission