This article was reported by South Jersey Climate News, a nonprofit publishing partner of NJ Spotlight News.
Lewis Fragoso is a first-generation arborist apprentice at the 63-acre Cohanzick Nature Reserve in Salem County. It’s a way, he says, for him to connect with his cultural heritage, the land and the future generations.
“The youth are the future, but also the trees are the future,” said Fragoso, who is partnerships manager for the Bridgeton-based Native American Advancement Corp., a nonprofit group that owns the reserve and provides energy and nature programming. “Without our environment, there’s really no us. If you kind of look at it from a historical standpoint, that’s the values that the Indigenous people had all along.”
Fragoso’s interest in the environment was sparked by his grandparents, whose frequent camping trips immersed him in nature. His professional goal is to continue passing knowledge and passion to the community.
Arborists work to preserve nature, encourage plant diversity and maintain natural landscapes’ impact on humans, animals and ecosystems.
“I do very much align with and adhere to those values of stewardship,” Fragoso said.
Credit: (Native American Advancement Corp.)Classroom meets forest
The Arborist Apprenticeship Program combines classroom and online learning with hands-on forest work. Paid apprentices cultivate land, plant and prune trees and catalog specimens via a geographic information system. At the end of the program, participants can sit for the International Society of Arboriculture exam to become certified and practice professionally.
In 2023, the Native American Advancement Corporation acquired the Cohanzick preserve, which it tends. It also has big plans for Bridgeton, a Cumberland County city about 50 miles south of Philadelphia. Roughly 27% of its 28,000 residents live in poverty, Census data show. The American Forestry Foundation provided the nonprofit with funds to plant 1,200 trees.
The presence of trees in densely populated, extensively paved areas — known as heat islands — has been shown to ease scorching temperatures, provide protection from high winds, improve mental health and foster threatened animal species. In Bridgeton, the red-headed woodpecker may benefit, Fragoso said.
Planting is allowed only in public areas, so the apprentices will get creative. The reserve will invite Bridgeton residents to learn about planting trees and also will host monthlyy community events, including tree planting.
“We can’t plant a tree in Mrs. Jones’ yard, but we can invite Mrs. Jones to come to the reserve to take a class on taking care of a tree and then give Mrs. Jones a tree to plant in her front yard,” Fragoso said.
Fragoso is determined to reach the planting goal and encourage others to become a part of the reserve’s programming.
“With this work, you’re doing a good thing for the environment,” Fragoso said. “Don’t be afraid to go out to those volunteer opportunities. Do the things that you’re interested in. If you see us out in the world doing our arborist thing, don’t be strangers.”
