About Shade Trees
What is a Shade Tree?
- Any deciduous tree within the borough Right-of-way
- Deciduous-a tree which loses its leaves every fall
- Borough Right-of-way usually 10 feet from the curb
Reasons Why You Should Plant Trees
- They are good for us!
- Trees store carbon and clean the atmosphere. In 50 years, one tree generates $30,000 in oxygen, recycles $35,000 of water and removes $ 60,000 of air pollution.
- Tree shade reduces air conditioning costs in residential and commercial buildings by 15-50 percent, thereby reducing the need for generation of more electricity.
- Properly placed and cared for trees and shrubs significantly increase residential and commercial property values.
- Trees connect us with nature and reinforce spiritual and cultural values.
- Trees prevent soil erosion and decrease water runoff
- Trees provide homes for animals
- Trees add beauty and grace to a community setting. They make life more enjoyable, peaceful and relaxing.
*If you are interested in having a Shade Tree planted in your Right-of-Way, please make your request by sending a letter to the Shade Tree Commission with your name, address, and phone number.
Contact Information
482 Hudson Terrace
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
Phone: (201) 569-5252
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00AM to 4:00PM
(Except Holidays)
Tree Care
Mulching:
- GOOD – proper mulching is good for trees. It helps soil hold water, fertilizes soil, and protects the bark from mowers and string trimmers.
- BAD – Too much mulch is bad for trees. NO MULCH VOLCANOES!
- Mulch mounded up on the trunk in the shape of a volcano is bad because it softens the bark and causes it to become susceptible to insect, fungus, and rodent infestation.
- HOW TO APPLY – Start 6 inches from the tree trunk at ground level and mulch outward to the edge of the drip-line to a maximum depth of 2-3 inches.
- OLD MULCH – remove crusted mulch before adding new mulch
Newly Planted Tree:
- Provide the tree with one inch of water per week (in addition to the water provided by any lawn sprinklers)
- Water trees 3-5 times a week during the first few months of planting, if there is no heavy rain.
- Remove all supporting stakes from around the tree on year after planting.
- Keep all mulch at least 4 inches from the bark of the new tree and not more than 2-3 inches deep.
- Refrain from planting perennials and bulbs within 10 feet of the new tree
Mature, Established Tree:
- The above procedures should be followed especially during prolonged dry periods.
- Refrain from attaching any objects to a tree such as a sign, flag, mailbox etc.
- Refrain from planting perennials and bulbs within 10 feet of the base of the tree.
Additional Links for Tree Care Information:
Tree Regulations
Can I Remove Any Tree? NO - A Permit is Require
- If a shade tree - call 201-569-5252 Ext. 459
- If beyond the 10 foot right-of-way call - 201-569-5252 Ext. 445
Can I Prune Any Tree?
- If it is a shade tree - only the borough may prune it
- If beyond the 10 foot right-of-way pruning is permitted
Who Should I Hire?
The state of New Jersey certifies Tree Experts provided they have taken and passed the Certified Tree License Test. This test is rigorous and thorough and once a tree worker passes it he/she is given a CTE number registered with the state.
What Should I Do if My Tree is Dead or Dying?
- If the tree is within 10 feet of the curb call Yvonne Favaro 201-569-5252 Ext. 459
- If the tree is on your property, call Lana Dimidjian 201-569-5252 Ext. 445
- If the tree is on your neighbor's property, call your neighbor and give him/her the appropriate number.
What Should I Do if Someone is Cutting Down a Tree?
Act immediately. Call the Police at 201-569-8300.
What Should I Do if the branches are in the Power Lines?
Call PSE&G at 1-800-821-6684 or Guy Vogt at 201-330-6557.
What Should I Do if a Storm Damages or Topples a Tree?
Call the Police at 201-569-8300 or DPW at 201-568-0242.
If a Tree Falls
After we make our storm preparations, all we can do is hunker down and hope we don't hear the crash of a limb or tree. If something happens, here are some answers to FAQs about problems we hope you don't encounter.
Tree or Branch on Utility Lines
This is dangerous. Call the utility and report the situation, then stay clear.
Tree Falls on Borough Property
Contact us to remove it, 201-569-5252, even if the tree was on your property before it fell.
Tree Falls on My Property
If a neighbor's tree falls on your property, you are typically responsible for whatever portion is on your property.
Tree Damages my Property
Take photos for insurance as soon as possible. Contact your insurance company and report the claim as soon as possible. If the situation is dangerous, you'll need to remove the tree immediately and not wait for adjusters.
Removing Your Own Trees or Tree Branches
If you have trees or substantial branches come down, unless you are experienced with a chainsaw, call us -- or another trained, insured, licensed professional -- not a handyman with a saw. Chainsaw accidents by untrained users are all too common and trees under load with heavy snow or ice are unpredictable even for professionals.
Shade Tree Ordinance
Trees In Winter
Important Information
About the Emerald Ash Borer for Owners of Ash Trees
The emerald ash borer is an insect which kills ash trees and white fringe trees. This pest has already killed millions of ash trees. It is expected to kill hundreds of millions more as it spreads through North America.
The emerald ash borer was found in Bergen County in 2015. It is only a matter of time before it reaches Englewood Cliffs.
- The emerald ash borer infests the top of tree first.
- Death of the top of the tree is usually the first visible sign that an ash tree is infested.
- Affected ash trees die within three to four years of infestation.
Property owners should identify all ash trees and white fringe trees on their property so they can monitor those trees for signs of emerald ash borer infestation. Fall is an excellent time to identify ash trees because ash trees’ distinctive seeds appear in the fall before the leaves turn.
- The branches of ash trees are directly opposite on another.
- Each leaf of an ash tree has five to 11 leaflets.
- Mature ash trees have diamond shaped bark.
- Ash trees have oar shaped seeds which appear in the fall.
Additional information on identifying ash trees and photographs of ash trees’ features are available on many websites. The following websites have excellent pictures of ash trees’ branch structure, leaves, and seeds. Use your cell phone to compare your trees to the websites’ pictures of ash trees’ features.
- http://www.emeraldashborer.info/documents/E-2942.pdf
- https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/identifyingashtrees.html
- http://www.nyis.info/pdf/AshIdentificationppt.pdf
Information on identifying white fringe trees is available on Virginia Polytechnic Institute’s website, http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=27.
Cutting down ash trees, either proactively or once infestation has occurred, is one option. Insecticide treatments also are available. Property owners interested in insecticide treatment options should be aware that treatment must repeated periodically in order to remain effective.
Additional information about the emerald ash borer, including insecticide treatments, is available on the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s website, https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/whatiseab.html.