A Bridgeton, New Jersey nonprofit is building a homegrown workforce of certified arborists while expanding tree canopy in one of the state’s most economically strained communities, offering paid apprenticeships that blend classroom instruction with hands-on conservation work.
Why It Matters
Bridgeton, a city of roughly 28,000 residents located about 50 miles south of Philadelphia, faces significant economic hardship — approximately 27 percent of its population lives in poverty. Access to green space and environmental job training in communities like Bridgeton is often limited, making the Native American Advancement Corporation’s program a notable exception in the region.
The Bridgeton-based nonprofit owns the Cohanzick Nature Reserve, a 63-acre preserve in Salem County acquired in 2023. The organization is now channeling that land into a structured Arborist Apprenticeship Program designed to produce both qualified tree care professionals and lasting environmental benefit.
What Happened
The apprenticeship program combines classroom sessions, online coursework, and direct forest work at the Cohanzick reserve. Paid participants learn to cultivate land, plant and prune trees, and catalog specimens using geographic information system technology. Upon completing the program, apprentices become eligible to sit for the certification exam administered by the International Society of Arboriculture.
Lewis Fragoso, a first-generation arborist apprentice who now serves as partnerships manager for the Native American Advancement Corporation, is among those the program is producing. His interest in the environment traces back to childhood camping trips with his grandparents — an informal introduction that eventually led to formal professional training.
“The youth are the future, but also the trees are the future,” Fragoso said. “Without our environment, there’s really no us.”
By the Numbers
- 63 acres — total size of the Cohanzick Nature Reserve in Salem County
- 1,200 trees — to be planted using funding from the American Forestry Foundation
- 27% — share of Bridgeton residents living below the poverty line
- 2023 — year the Native American Advancement Corporation acquired the Cohanzick preserve
- Monthly — frequency of planned community events at the reserve, including tree-planting days
The American Forestry Foundation provided the financial support behind the 1,200-tree planting initiative. Because municipal rules limit tree planting to public areas within Bridgeton proper, the reserve and community events serve as the primary venues for expanding the urban canopy.
Zoom Out
Workforce development programs tied to environmental conservation have gained traction nationally, particularly in low-income communities where both green jobs and green infrastructure are in short supply. Apprenticeship models that pair paid work with industry-recognized credentials are increasingly viewed as a viable path for connecting underserved populations to sustainable employment — a dynamic the Native American Advancement Corporation appears to be channeling directly into its community.
New Jersey has seen growing legislative and budget interest in community investment. The state legislature recently advanced a record $60.7 billion budget that includes various funding streams for workforce and community programs, reflecting a broader policy environment that could support nonprofits operating in this space.
What’s Next
The Cohanzick Nature Reserve is planning a recurring schedule of monthly community events focused on tree planting and conservation, aimed at broadening public engagement alongside the formal apprenticeship pipeline. The 1,200-tree planting project funded by the American Forestry Foundation represents a near-term milestone for the reserve’s reforestation goals.
Fragoso encouraged residents — particularly younger community members — to get involved without waiting for a formal program slot. “With this work, you’re doing a good thing for the environment,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go out to those volunteer opportunities.”
The Native American Advancement Corporation has not publicly announced expansion timelines for the apprenticeship program, but the combination of paid training, credentialing pathways, and community outreach positions the effort as a model other nonprofits in the region may look to replicate.