Vineland schools celebrate Arbor Day

VINELAND - Mennies Elementary School students gathered Friday afternoon to put down some roots.

To the east of the school’s entrance, a handful of students grabbed a shovel and welcomed the purple leaf plum to the East Grant Avenue neighborhood. The other students formed a circle around the tree and applauded its arrival.

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Yaretzy Juarize, 5, knew the reason for the fanfare.

“Because it’s Arbor Day,” she cheered.

For the past two decades, the city’s Environmental Commission celebrates Arbor Day by donating trees to the city’s schools in hopes “that the students become environmental stewards,” said Sue Fenili, the environmental commissioner who chairs the event.

The tree is not only pretty, it serves a more practical function.

“We need oxygen,” added Iyanah Alli, a Mennies kindergartner.

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Dane Barse Elementary School also hosted a tree planting on Friday. They were assisted by N.J. Youth Corps members.

This year, 14 schools are participating in the tree plantings, Fenili said, adding the Vineland Downtown Improvement District also received trees.

The commission purchased the trees from A. Ferrucci and Son Nursery of Newfield.

“Adam Ferruccci recommended the purple leaf plum trees because the species is easy-to-keep and drought resistant,” Fenili said. “Drought resistance is a quality the program has embraced for many years, after initially losing some trees to a dry spell.”

Deborah M. Marko; (856) 563-5256; dmarko@gannettnj.com