Oak named county’s official tree

Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone announced that there is now an official Monmouth County tree, the oak tree.

Freeholder Tom Arnone at the Shade Tree Forum

The Freeholder Director made the announcement at the 2019 Shade Tree Spring Forum hosted by the Department of Public Wor ks and Engineering’s Division of Shade Tree.

“When one enters Monmouth County, a resident or visitor should recognize that they are here by seeing a certain tree on county roads,” said Freeholder Director Arnone, liaison to the Department of Public Works and Engineering. “We have been working hard to decide what tree best fits our County and we are happy to announce that we will be the ‘County of Oak.’”

The diversity of the oak allows it to live in all county regions. Based on the different environmental qualities these regions possess, specific types of oak trees will be planted in the appropriate areas based on factors like geology and soils.

A tree analysis and recommendations for County trees was developed by the Division of Shade Tree. The analysis discusses tree data from Monmouth County and pinpoints the top 20 identified trees.

Professionals in fields such as ecology, entomology and landscape architecture spoke to inform attendees of what to expect in the warmer months as well as proper care and stewardship of trees in the county and municipalities.

The Division of Shade Tree maintains the trees along 400 miles of county roadways, in Brookdale Community College and in the Park System. Routine trimming, hazardous tree removals, insect and disease control, tree replacement and capital planting projects are also managed.

Additionally, Shade Tree maintains plant material at 43 County facilities as well as the David C. Shaw Arboretum, which is located on 22 acres in Holmdel Park. Shade Tree designs and constructs capital planting projects, memorial gardens and pocket parks. The goal is to maintain a healthy tree environment throughout Monmouth County.