When you drive through downtown Trenton today, you can see a new landscape taking root, young trees lining the streets, hinting at the canopy this city will enjoy in the years ahead. This transformation didn’t happen by chance. It’s intentional, it’s beautiful, and it’s something our community genuinely needs.
I had the chance to sit down with the person who has shaped much of this vision: John “Jay” Watson, the program’s chief architect. You can watch the icebreaker moment of this interview here: Facebook Video Click Here
In full disclosure, Jay and I go way back, kindergarten back. We won’t mention the year, but suffice it to say, this was a conversation between old friends. Jay has spent a lifetime in environmental stewardship, and you can feel that history in every part of our discussion.
Jay, a longtime champion of conservation and urban environmental justice, recently transitioned from his role as Co‑Executive Director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation to serve as Senior Fellow for Conservation Justice, where he leads the statewide Green & Healthy Cities campaign and advances green‑infrastructure projects in Trenton. His nearly 45‑year career includes three decades at NJDEP, rising from Green Acres Project Manager to Administrator, then Assistant Commissioner for Natural and Historic Resources, and ultimately Deputy Commissioner before retiring from state service in 2010. Throughout his work in both government and the nonprofit sector, he has been a forceful advocate for protecting New Jersey’s natural and historic resources while expanding environmental access, opportunity, and quality of life in urban communities, particularly for communities of color. A graduate of Mercer County College and Florida A&M University, Jay lives in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.
Reflecting on his career, Jay put his thoughts on the Trenton program this way, “I have to say that it really feels like serendipity for me to round out my environmental career, doing this work in a city I have loved forever, and it has loved me back. This feels like the best work I’ve ever done.”
T: In the 4th Grade, did you bring baby raccoons into the classroom? J: YUP, that was me! See the full laugh-out-loud video here: Facebook Video Click Here
T: What is your first recollection of Trenton? What did it look like? J: While growing up in Ewing, I always felt I was part of Trenton. In fact, my childhood home was directly behind, then Trenton State College, so it gave my claim gravitas.
My father, the late John S. Watson and my mother Marie owned businesses in the Battle Monument neighborhood, and we spent a lot of our childhood time in that neighborhood and in Cadwalader Park. In my teen years, there was so much to do in the city, including nightlife and clubs that we frequently ‘hopped’. Concerts in the parks and War Memorial theaters and other venues.
T: From your time in state leadership, what did you learn about how environmental investments shape long‑term urban health? J: Our environment is critical not just in community health, but in how the community feels about itself. Studies consistently demonstrate that your surroundings play a big part in your overall outlook and well-being. Regarding the State investments, they are critical in helping create safe green spaces, trails, parks, and urban farms that directly support residents and address potential exposure to contaminants and pollution. My time at the NJDEP also reinforced my belief that there are many highly skilled, dedicated professionals working in government to do public good.
T: Why do you believe the shade tree program is a smart public investment for Trenton specifically? J: We know that our cities globally are subject to the urban heat island effect and city streets and neighborhoods are often 7 to 10 degrees hotter than surrounding suburban neighborhoods on any given day. In Trenton, we had the opportunity to plant entire streets that were completely void of any shade trees. The impact is immediate and these trees, if properly cared for, are literally growing assets and their value will increase over many years for future generations of Trentonians and visitors. We are very proud that our Trees for Trenton partnership can make these investments in the capital of the most densely developed and populated state in the nation.
T: What first sparked your personal commitment to Trenton’s urban tree canopy? J: I have been in and around Trenton my entire life. The people of this city basically raised me and my family as we grew up and instilled in us the desire to do some good for our community. Our family spent a lot of time there ‘back in the day’ when you could actually take the elevator to the Battle Monument observation deck high above the city!
T: When you look at Trenton today, what makes the shade tree program feel urgent or essential to you? J: When the temperatures are in the high 80’s and 90’s, I intentionally drive around the city to see how people are dealing with the heat. On every trip, I see people outside their homes, sitting in any puddle of shade they can find for some relief. It is either that, or they must be inside blasting the air conditioners if they have them, which drives up their electric bills. In our new climate realities, heat has become increasingly deadly, sending more people to the emergency room than ever and heat related mortality is up. We must invest now in cooling down our city streets everywhere to take care of our community and our collective future. The value of these plantings happens over long periods of time. You know the answer to that old question, “when is the best time to plant a tree?”, the answer being “twenty years ago!” We are getting our start now.
T: Is there a moment or experience in your public service career that made the value of trees “click” for you? J: When I was in the NJDEP Green Acres Program in the 1990’s, I was charged with managing two tree planting programs. One was a grant program called Cool Cities with the NJ Bureau of Public Utilities; and the other was a Small Business Administration grant program to stimulate the forestry industry resulting in the planting of thousands of trees across the state. Today, I can walk in any city in New Jersey and just know which streets were planted through those investments as they are all a similar breast height diameter or BHD and have literally transformed entire city blocks. Unfortunately, one of the choice trees selected, because of how well they took to harsh, hot urban conditions was the Ash tree. Now, in those same communities, you can see entire stretches of those streets devastated by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that emerged. That said, many of the other species we planted during that time are thriving, providing a wide range of benefits to the communities, and we learned valuable lessons about making sure we diversify the species we plant out into the landscape.
T: What community benefits—health, safety, pride, identity—do you think residents feel most immediately? J: I think that residents take pride in the investments. We are particularly proud of the pre planting deployment of our “Tree Ambassadors” who are trained through the Outdoor Equity Alliance, and our contract Tree Ambassador, local downtown entrepreneur Elijah Dixon through his Equity by Design company. We are going into the community to talk about why we are doing this work and why it is an important part of the City’s infrastructure and value to residents. So, I think that pride and identity emerge first in this space. Importantly, we must regularly check on trees – pruning, watering, mulching tree pits, etc. to demonstrate our commitment and that we intend to make sure these trees make it to establishment.
T: How can trees help reconnect people to their blocks, their history, and their sense of place? J: I would only say that the work we are doing will hopefully send a message to the community that someone cares for them and the quality of their environment. And we hope they accept these ‘gifts’ in the spirit in which we provide them.
T: What would you say to residents who don’t yet see the value of this work? J: I would ask them to imagine a city without trees and ponder the living conditions. I very much want to tour people around the city to see well maintained tree lined streets and contrast that with streets without cooling cover. I understand that having a tree in front of your home or business is a responsibility and commitment. Some people have heard stories or even experienced problems with trees lifting sidewalks, getting roots in sewer pipes, etc. We must acknowledge that these experiences are valid, but we are more strategic in our plantings now, choosing known hardy species that can thrive and add value to the real estate, neighborhood and environment as a whole. We do need to seek more funding for ongoing maintenance and a dedicated fund to help repair sidewalks and clear pipes when things do happen like that. The solution must be to fix the sidewalk or clear the pipe and not immediately go to cutting down a tree that has been growing for many years. And I remind people that the new trees we are planting are 2 to 3” caliper in size or 12 to 16’ tall.
T: What legacy do you hope this program leaves for the next generation of Trentonians? J: We hope that a Green Infrastructure “Culture” emerges that values and fights for these investments in their own neighborhoods and become good stewards of the work we are currently doing. Our Tree Ambassadors and Outdoor Equity Alliance are doing great work in developing the next generation of residents who care about this work and their neighborhoods.
T: What partnerships do you believe are most critical to expanding the program’s impact? J: We have a remarkable assemblage of nonprofits working with the City of Trenton and State agencies, including the NJDEP and the Bureau of Public Utilities for our collective future. Capturing Carbon and Mitigating Urban Heat Island are at the center of our funding streams. I want to mention all our nonprofit and consulting partners doing this work, because they have been outstanding. They are – NJ Conservation Foundation, NJ Tree Foundation, Isles, BRS Inc., Outdoor Equity Alliance and the Watershed Institute. They have made this work possible. And I wanted to give the Trenton Downtown Association special thanks for adopting the newly planted trees in their district. Specially making sure these young trees are watered regularly for 2 to 3 years while they get established. The more trees we successfully plant, the more challenging it becomes to move water around the city to ensure they survive, and your commitment relieves a huge burden in the TDA District. And we are also grateful to Trenton Water Works for allowing access to the hydrant system to fill our water tanks to protect this infrastructure investment in Trenton.
T: Where do you see opportunities for community groups, youth programs, or local institutions to plug in? J: Through the various planting projects happening, especially with the Outdoor Equity Alliance and the NJ Tree Foundation, whose work and strategy require public participation.