Each spring and fall, the Newport Tree Conservancy (NTC) invites residents to help grow Newport’s urban forest by providing trees for planting. The organization’s Fall Tree Program is underway, offering 11 species for Newporters to choose from. A lottery system gives priority to those living in Newport’s Health Equity Zone and to first-time recipients.
Founded in 1987, the NTC emerged from a group of concerned citizens who recognized that Newport’s once-legendary urban forest was aging and ailing. Such was the case with the liquid amber trees in Morton Park. On Oct. 9, NTC invited members of the public to the park to witness the first public replacement planting of a cloned heritage tree.
Scott Wheeler, Newport’s Superintendent of Parks, described the liquid ambers—more commonly known as sweetgums—as some of the oldest trees in the city. According to Wheeler, they were noted by Frederick Law Olmsted’s intern, Charles Eliot, during an 1894 visit to Newport when he surveyed the land in preparation for designing Morton Park. One of the American sweetgums (Liquidambar styraciflua) grew on the hillside until September 2024, when it was lost during a weather event.
Fortunately, NTC’s horticulture team grafted the historic specimen in 2021, creating seven identical genetic copies. After being cared for by Kristyn Woodland, Morgan Palmer, and Joe Verstandig, the saplings now stand over six feet tall. Verstandig explained that while sweetgum trees are native to the Atlantic coast, they are rarely found north of New Jersey—making previous attempts to replace the original with store-bought saplings unsuccessful.
“This tree is built for the future with a piece of the past,” said Verstandig, who added that the team would protect it with a tree guard and provide regular waterings to ensure its growth. The liquid amber is a large tree prized for its star-shaped leaves, vibrant fall colors, and distinctive spiky fruit balls.
The Newport Tree Conservancy remains committed to supporting the health and resiliency of Newport’s trees by connecting the community with its citywide arboretum and planting the next generation of the city’s urban forest.
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