A child's dream, a retiree's legacy

Half a century has passed, but Peter Martus of Blackwood, New Jersey, still cherishes the memory of those woods walks with his father. Growing up outside Boston, Martus says, "I always had a fantasy of growing up on a farm, since all I ever saw was concrete and asphalt."

"I always wanted to do something with nature, but I was never able to go to school to study it," he adds. "If I could do it over again, I would study botany or biology."

Now 60, Martus finally has the time to pursue his dream job - planting trees - and is busily making up for lost time. Since retiring four years ago from his job as a civil engineer, Martus has planted close to 100 trees - virtually on his own - in a treeless section of Cooper River Park in Camden County, New Jersey.

Up to 40 hours each week, park visitors can find Martus digging, planting, mulching, and studying the trees he holds so dear. Like thousands of others from New Jersey and Philadelphia who regularly visit the urban park, Martus used to stroll along the river and admire the trees. But for years he was bothered by a tract of land that was bereft of greenery.

"I'd be walking through the area in the summertime when it was 95 and humid and I'd think to myself, "We need a tree here, we need a tree here. Who knows how many hundreds of times I said that to myself without doing anything."

But Martus is anything but apathetic, and what he lacks in technical knowledge he makes up for in enthusiasm. Diego Gonzales, general supervisor of parks for Camden County, says he often sees Martus planting trees.

"We know he's really dedicated to this. He's learning as he goes along," Gonzales says. Martus chooses species indigenous to south Jersey, such as pine, tulip-poplar, white birch, maple, oak, and fir.

His first efforts suffered from the lack of a comprehensive drought and watering plan, but Martus was undeterred. Gonzales and county foreman John McNally pitched in to help, and Martus' trees began to take root, providing cover and habitat for Cooper River's growing numbers of wildlife.

Spring will find Martus enrolled in a master gardener class at a nearby branch of Rutgers University. "That way," he explains, "when planting time comes around, I'll be ready."

Along with sharpening his gardening skills, Martus hopes the class will teach him how best to encourage others to join his tree-planting venture. "My spirit draws me to [trees], a spirit I believe is within all of us," he says. "I have found my true vocation."

Camden County's Gonzales is pleased Cooper River Park is the recipient of this show of affection. "During the 1980s, when we were going through recessions, we noticed a surge of attendance here at the park. It was important for people to see the trees - their beauty is inspiring," he says." Planting trees is a monumental event for Peter...Long after we're gone, the trees will be Peter's legacy."

COPYRIGHT 1997 American Forests
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning