Volunteers Plant 34 New Trees In Camden Neighborhood

CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) - Dozens of volunteers gathered under a blue sky on Saturday morning in an effort to beautify a Camden neighborhood by planting trees.

"Perfect day to plant a tree," one resident said.

It was the perfect day to plant 34 trees, to be exact, in front of 34 houses in a Camden neighborhood at 6th and Grant Streets.

"They're about 500 pounds. They stand right now at about 15-feet-tall. Each tree is a different variety, and we're really dedicated to the right tree planted at the right place. So some of these trees will get large, and some of them will stay smaller," said Jessica Franzini of the New Jersey Tree Foundation.

This was a joint effort between the Tree Foundation and Camden non-profit Hopeworks. They were joined by volunteers from all over the region, including a high school from Williamsburg, Virginia that was sent to participate in community projects in Camden.

"Trees improve air quality; they also help with storm water management, which is a big issue here in the city of Camden. They provide shade in the summertime, and they beautify the streets," Franzini explained.

Local families were already taking advantage of a community garden and the new additions brought a big smile to the face of one of the neighbors.

"Looks more beautiful. With the garden, the trees now. It looks much better."

Reported by Tim Jimenez, KYW Newsradio