[Princeton, NJ]: On September 24, 2025, 34 landscape professionals from 7 locally-owned businesses as well as grounds managers of The College of New Jersey attended a 4-hour fall landscaping workshop at the Watershed Institute. This workshop marked the 5th in a collaborative series hosted by Sustainable Princeton and The Watershed Institute. The September training was held in both English and Spanish and focused on state regulations, tree care, tree identification, tree insects and diseases, native and invasive trees, and more. The Arborist of the Municipality of Princeton, Taylor Sapudar, provided instruction and answered technical questions about tree care.
“Trees are one of the most valuable parts of any landscape, and caring for them properly takes specialized knowledge. By helping local landscapers and property managers understand arboriculture principles, we’re investing in healthier trees, safer properties, and greener communities that benefit everyone,” said Taylor Sapudar “The Municipality has made great strides in stewarding Princeton’s tree canopy through actively inventorying and assessing tree health, recommending species that thrive locally, and launching the Request a Street Tree program, but it’s truly a community effort, made possible by the collaboration of landscapers, property owners, and advocacy organizations like Sustainable Princeton and the Watershed Institute.
“We asked for feedback from our last landscaping workshop and heard that the landscapers told us they wanted training on sustainable tree care. We’re delighted to be able to partner once more with The Watershed Institute and the Municipality of Princeton to provide hands-on training,” Christine Symington, Executive Director of Sustainable Princeton, said. “Our local landscaping community plays a critical role in helping protect our local ecosystem. We can’t do it without them, and their feedback and input are valuable.”
“The Watershed Institute was thrilled to partner with Sustainable Princeton to deliver this program for landscapers,” Sophie Glovier, Chief of Strategy and Program at The Watershed Institute, said. “The feedback from participants last year was overwhelmingly positive, and they were interested in learning more. Bringing accessible information about green infrastructure to the landscaping community is vital as we work to combat climate-related flooding issues and challenges to our water quality, like harmful algal blooms. We will share this program design
and lessons learned so that other communities across the state can learn from this successful program in Princeton.”
In addition to Sapudar, other workshop presenters included Fredy Estrada, a former landscape company owner and community liaison consultant; Lucia Middleton, a Community Water Advocate from the Watershed Institute; Steve Tuorto, Ph.D., the Watershed Institute’s Director of Science & Stewardship; and Molly Jones, a nonprofit consultant.
Landscaping businesses and organizations represented at the workshop included:
- Antonio Barillas
- The College of New Jersey
- Delis Landscaping
- Dogwood Lawn Service
- Lopez Aparicio Landscaping
- Marcelino’s Design and Landscaping LLC
- Osorio’s Landscaping
- Plantlife Landscaping
Sustainable Princeton and The Watershed Institute congratulate and thank these businesses and their employees for their commitment to helping protect our community’s ecosystem and improving our shared resilience to climate change through sustainable infrastructure.
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About Sustainable Princeton:
Founded in 2012, Sustainable Princeton is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire the community to develop and implement solutions that positively impact the environment. We envision Princeton as a model town that examines every action through the lens of sustainability, ensuring a healthy environment, a strong economy, and the well-being of all community members now and in the future. Our office is located at 1 Monument Drive, Princeton, New Jersey. For more information, visit www.SustainablePrinceton.org.
About The Watershed Institute:
The Watershed Institute, established in 1949, is Central New Jersey’s first environmental group dedicated to protecting and restoring water and the natural
environment through conservation, advocacy, science, and education. The Watershed Reserve spans nearly 1,000 acres of forest, meadows, and wetlands and includes a
LEED-Platinum environmental center, providing a hub for community engagement and
environmental stewardship. Learn more about the Watershed, www.thewatershed.org