Sun. June 3 1-4 pm Maplewood's (SOMA's) Magnificent Trees: What they are and how to protect them

Maplewood’s Magnificent Trees

Celebrate our beautiful, but aging treescape and learn about how to protect and maintain it

Sunday, June 3, 1-4 pm, at Durand-Hedden

Our community is known for its vast array of native and introduced trees, but do we fully know and appreciate these natural life-enhancing treasures? Many are now threatened due to storms, disease, and the effects of global warming. 

From 1pm to 4pm on June 3 at Durand-Hedden, NJ Certified/Licensed Tree Expert Rich Wolowicz will provide tips on how to protect the health and longevity of trees on our properties, such as through preventative pruning, fertilizing and inoculating. Wolowicz is a graduate of Cook College, Rutgers University, an ISA Certified Arborist and Utility Specialist, a member of the board of the NJ Shade Tree Federation, and often lectures and writes about tree issues.   

Grasmere Park (the grounds around Durand-Hedden} is a microcosm of Maplewood’s larger treescape and arborist Todd Lamm, retired head of the Maplewood Department of Parks and Shade Trees, will lead tree ID walks through the park visiting specimens including an American Elm, a Black Cherry, a Black Walnut, a Box Elder, a Sassafras, a Sugar Maple, a White Ash, a White Pine and vintage apple trees. He will introduce their unique characteristics, habits and uses. Lamm has updated his Notable Trees of Maplewood brochure (available on June 3), which identifies 22 trees in town that he finds to be the most distinctive. Visitors are invited to share photos of their arboreal favorites.

For kids and art lovers of every age, from 2 to 4 p.m. local teaching artist Karen Fuchs will inspire all with a display of examples of branching and growth patterns in nature, followed by art making activities such as sketching and printmaking using plant and tree materials found on the grounds.  There will also be an opportunity to count the rings of an old-growth tree stump and to trace its history.

This family-friendly event is free; donations appreciated.

Exhibit on Maplewood

Be sure to also see the fascinating exhibit on the impact of World War I on Maplewood, Maplewood Remembers World War One.

Country Shopping 12:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Check out our Country Store’s historic-themed treasures: early American games, books, and toys; facsimile documents; quill pens and ink; historic cookbooks; cookie molds; tin lanterns; and reproductive decorative items and ceramics. You’ll also discover the hard-to-find original Doors of Maplewood poster, Smile: A Pictorial History of Olympic Park 1887-1965, and the new acid-free reproduction of the charming 1931 Map of Maplewood.

Annual Meeting

Immediately following this event, at 4:15 p.m., there will be a brief Annual Meeting for Durand-Hedden House and Garden Association Members.

About Durand-Hedden House and Garden

Durand-Hedden House is dedicated to telling the history of the development of Maplewood and the surrounding area in new and engaging ways. It is located in Grasmere Park at 523 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood. For more information or to arrange group tours call 973-763-7712. You can also visit our website at durandhedden.org and find us on Facebook and Twitter.