SOMERVILLE, NJ – In recognition of Arbor Day, the Somerset County Park Commission’s Environmental Education Center (EEC) and Colonial Park Gardens will be hosting Native Tree Give-Away events on Friday, April 29. At each event, a diverse selection of native trees and shrubs will be available, including twelve different species native to the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Trees will be given away free of charge on a first-come, first-serve basis until supplies last. The Park Commission will allot one tree per person and two trees per family.

Flyers with information about each native tree species, such as the expected height and optimal conditions for tree growth will be available at tables in the facilities, and horticulturists will be on site to answer questions.

Arbor Day Native Tree Give-Away Events, Dates, Times and Locations
The events occur on April 29 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the following locations:

• EEC is located at 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge. For more information, call 908-722-1200 ext. 5336.
• Colonial Park’s Perennial Garden is located in Parking Lot F on 156 Mettlers Road in Somerset (Franklin Township). To learn more, call 908-722-1200 ext. 5721.

To learn about activities sponsored by the Somerset County Park Commission, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org.

History of Arbor Day
Arbor Day became a legal holiday in the state of Nebraska in 1885. By 1920, 45 states had recognized the holiday, the tree-planting tradition became customary, and children were learning about the importance of trees in school. Today, fifty states celebrate Arbor Day as a national holiday, which usually occurs on the last Friday in April. However, some states declare Arbor Day on a different date in January through May depending on when the state’s best tree-planting weather occurs.

 Sponsors of the Native Tree Give Away
Sponsors of the event include the Somerset County Park Foundation, the Go-Green Committee of the Somerset County Park Commission, the Bernards Township Shade Tree Commission, and the New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign Partners.

 Somerset County Park Foundation
The Somerset County Park Foundation is a non-profit 501c(3) created to preserve, support, and promote the Somerset County Park Commission’s programs, facilities, and open space through advocacy and fundraising.

Somerset County Park Commission
The Somerset County Park Commission stewards nearly 15,000 acres of county-owned open space, which is visited by 2 million park users each year. Five golf courses have three driving ranges, a pitch and putt course and a recreational putting course. Other attractions include a riding stable, an environmental education center, two tennis facilities, an outdoor pool, paddle boating, a rock and rare plant garden, an award-winning rose garden, an arboretum, and a sensory and fragrance garden. Six county parks offer amenities such as athletic fields, picnic facilities, bike paths, fishing, bird watching, cross country skiing and hiking.

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