Princeton District Will Plant 85 Trees At Schools With Help From State Grant

PRINCETON, NJ – Back in July, Patch reported that Princeton Public Schools received $92,125 in Trees for Schools grant to cover costs associated with the purchase and planting of trees.

The district on Wednesday said it will be planting 85 trees across all six schools, including planning, site preparation, watering, monitoring, and maintenance over a three-year period.

“We are thrilled to receive the Trees for Schools grant, which will help us create greener, healthier learning environments across our campuses,” said Mike LaSusa, Superintendent of Princeton Public Schools. “This is more than a beautification project. It’s a living lesson in environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and community care. Our students and staff will benefit from shade and cleaner air, and our district will contribute to building a more sustainable future for the entire community.”

The award is being given under the Trees for Schools program, a joint effort by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Sustainable Jersey, and The College of New Jersey. Nearly $4.5 million in grants was given out to fund the planting of trees at 40 public schools, colleges, and universities across New Jersey.

The school district will partner with Sustainable Princeton to plant the trees.

“Partnering with the Princeton Public School District on this grant was a natural extension of our mission to inspire sustainable actions throughout the community,” Christine Symington, Executive Director of Sustainable Princeton, said in a statement.

“We’re proud to support a project that brings tangible environmental benefits to our schools while also fostering student engagement with climate solutions. These trees are an investment in our students, our neighborhoods, and the future of our planet.”

The program was first launched in 2023 and resulted in the planting of nearly 3,000 trees at 33 school campuses across the state. This is the second round of funding through the program.

More than half of the projects are located in overburdened communities, where excessive paving and limited tree cover can cause temperatures to increase, a scenario known as the urban heat-island effect.

Grant awardees will participate in workshops and design projects, with the goal of planting more than 4,500 trees in Spring 2026.

“The tree plantings at schools across New Jersey will provide environmental benefits for communities and inspire students to be stewards for the environment we share. Many of the plantings will also improve residents’ quality of life in communities that have disproportionate access to green spaces,” Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette said.

The tree planting projects will increase shade coverage to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures due to climate change, beautify school campuses, soak up and filter stormwater runoff, and reduce the state’s carbon footprint.

The Trees for Schools grant recipients will now work with the project team to develop their tree project design and will participate in tree-planting workshops.

The tree plantings are scheduled for spring 2026.

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