Welcome to the SJC OpenTreeMap (OTM) for Jersey City ! Tree Census + Stewardship

Join Our Campaign In your Neighborhood

‘We Can’t Manage What We Don’t Measure !’

Getting Started with SJC's Tree Mapping Census for Jersey City is a 3-STEP PROCESS -

1. Tree Census Registry Sign-Up MANDATORY - This Links You To Your Neighborhood !

2. If You Missed Summer 2021 SJC Citizen Science Tree Mapping Program - Take Our Fall Training - Join The Tree Census For Your Neighborhood ! Sept 15th, 7pm OTM Training, Registration Required , ( A Primer On The Importance Of Urban Tree Canopy Health + Learn How To Use The OpenTreeMap On Your Smartphone ) You Must Participate In One Of SJC’s OTM Training Sessions To Join As A Tree Mapper In Your Neighborhood ~

3. Download Online Text Messaging GroupMe App To Stay In Touch With Your Neighborhood Captain (NC) AND Tree Mappers In Your Neighborhood - available for your smartphone and desktop 👍 ( You Will Be Sent Your Neighborhood GroupMe Link Right After The Virtual Zoom Citizen Science Training As Part Of Your Onboarding Instructions to establish a SJC OTM Account.)

what Is Going On?

JC’s Tree Canopy has deteriorated another 6+% since the 2015 JCEC Tree Canopy Study was done (2013 data used).

We Can’t Manage What We Don’t Measure ! is the name of this Tree Mapping Census Campaign we are spearheading with the assistance of the public. Our aim to Help JC Forester Ed O’Malley better manage, protect and restore JC’s Tree Canopy using the SJC OTM to collect and resource Tree Data for decision making purposes ~

Two Reasons Why the JC Tree Canopy Matters - 1) Jersey City and the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHI) - February 2021 , 2) Flood Mitigation - BIG issue in JC !

Learn more about SJC’s Heat Watch & Air Quality Campaign below -

• Grant Award Announcement For SJC To Do Urban Heat Island (UHI) Study In JC With Partners ! Air Quality (AQ) Study To Follow 👍

• NOAA NIHHIS Cohort Collaboration For National Heat Watch Campaign - Jersey City, Elizabeth, Newark !

• Participate - Learn More About SJC’s Heat Watch & Air Quality Campaign / Fill Out Commuinty Questionaire !

• Visit SJC’s Heat Watch & Air Quality Campaign website page to learn more here.

SJC Campaigns In The News HERE !

More about Green Infrastructure For Jersey City HERE !

*** CLICK HERE FOR ENLARGED VERSION OF THE SJC OpenTreeMAP (OTM) BELOW WITH TREE INVENTORY DETAILS FOR ALL WARDS, NEIGHBORHOODS, PARKS AND SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ***

Originally developed by Azavea, SJC piloted a version of their open-source tool from 2016-2018 and now we have launched our own SJC OTM platform, partnering with iNaturalist to help our Citizen Scientist Tree Mappers with Tree Species ID. After a very successful first season kick-off of a Historic JC Tree Mapping Census On Earth Day 2020, Season 2 is already underway with a Winter Education Series for our Tree Mappers.

Learning Resources

Learn why a UTC Assessment for Jersey City is important, watch video below:

Learn more about Trees in your neighborhood by tuning in to the resources below:

Download the new SJC OpenTreeMap (OTM) Tip Sheet here.

Download this SJC Citizen Science + Tree Mapping Training Brochure - includes Tree Species ID Tips and thanks Ray Baylon LSP Naturalist !

Resources for Tree Mappers to get started with Tree Species Identification - remember that part of the fun of being a Citizen Scientist Tree Mapper is learning to identify the different Tree species in Jersey City 😎

• Trees of NJ and the Mid-Atlantic States Guidebook pdf download, recommended by the NJ Tree Foundation + How To Use This Guidebook ! (print and take with you when you go Tree Mapping - letter size pages)

• REQUIRED: Self-directed ELLA Webinar - Tree Species ID by Their Leaves with Companion Pocket Guide TREE FINDER available on Amazon for only $5.95 (recommended by our Neighborhood Captains 👍 !)

• Neighborhood Captain Chris Lamm JC Common Trees List !

Learn more about how to measure large Trees -

• Here are some great tips from the NJ Forest Service on how to measure CIRCUMFERENCE (even on a sloped landscape), TREE HEIGHT (using an arms-length stick !) & CROWN SPREAD (metric used to award Biggest Tree ! )

UPCOMING ! 2022 Winter Tree Education Series Starting Tues Eve January 18th - Register Here ✨

Sustainable Jersey City is happy to present our 2022 Winter Tree Education Series - come learn how to care for the Trees in your neighborhood! We will be holding the following webinars via Zoom with these wonderful Tree Experts:

Sam Bishop / Trees NY - Environmental Benefits of Urban Trees Tuesday January 18th 7pm - webinar recording here

Sam Bishop - Winter and Spring Tree Care Tuesday February 1st 7pm - webinar recording here

Kieran Hunt / NJ Forestry Association- Developmental Pruning of Young Trees Tuesday February 15th 7pm

Sam Bishop - Planting your tree bed Tuesday March 1st 7pm

2021 Winter Education Series For Tree Mappers - 7 Webinars Recorded

• Dec 17th NJ Forestry Association with Kieran Hunt / Backyard Forestry Series - Winter Tree Species ID Part 1

• Jan 21st NJ Forestry Associaiton with Kieran Hunt / Backyard Forestry Series - Winter Tree Species ID Part 2

• Jan 25th Trees NY with Sam Bishop - Learn How To Be An Urban Tree Steward

• Jan 25th Native Plant Society with Joe Alverez - Winter Botany 101

• Feb 8th Trees NY with Sam Bishop - Learn to Identify Local Street Trees

  • Street Tree ID Guide

  • Urban Tree Key

• Feb 18th NJ Forestry Association with Kieran Hunt / Backyard Forestry Series - Winter Tree Species ID Part 3

• Feb 22nd The NYC Parks Stewardship Team - Learn to Protect Urban Trees

• BONUS CHECKLIST - New Jersey Tree Foundation (NJTF) Tree Stewardship Best Practices !

  • NJTF Young Tree Pruning Guide

Photo gallery

Special Thanks to SJC’s OTM Advisory Team -

Kieran Hunt and Ryan Metz, you guys are awesome !