For the past few months, Ellen Seidman has been fighting to save a 271-year-old tree in Maplewood, considered the state’s oldest and largest London plane.
The tree sits on the property at 62 Pierson Road, next door to Seidman’s home, and is threatened by a developer’s plan to build two one-family homes there.
This week, a hearing was held to determine whether a developer could overturn the village arborist’s decision to deny the developer a permit to cut the tree down. The two-person committee — comprising Mayor Victor DeLuca and Town Committeewoman Nancy Adams — voted to uphold the township arborist’s decision to deny a permit.
“We do want to encourage development in the community but we want it to be responsible,” DeLuca said.
Anthony Nardone, the owner of the property at 62 Pierson Road, bought the 1922 home from his longtime friend in hopes of demolishing it, subdividing the lot and building two one-family homes. In November, the Planning Board approved the subdivision and the home was demolished this year.
In order to build the new homes, Nardone also had to remove the tree. In Maplewood, an ordinance indicates that any tree 12 inches or more in caliper requires a permit from the township arborist. The London plane in question is 72” in diameter, making it the largest of its kind in New Jersey. However, the law forbids permits being issued for the removal of a historic or rare tree except in certain circumstances.
Nardone applied for the permit, but in May, the town arborist Rich Wolowicz denied that request, leaving the owner only one recourse — to appeal the decision.
“It is estimated to be about 271 years old which makes it a couple years older than our recent 250th anniversary of the county,” Wolowicz said. “I think it gives it a historic nature so I agree with my associate and declined removing the tree.”
Nardone’s lawyer Corey Klein argued that the denial of the permit should have been denied because the tree had never been officially designated historic.
“Neither the township nor the HPC has the authority to prevent removal of a tree that has not been previously designated as a historic or rare tree,” Klein said. “We’re solely relying on our legal argument that this action was not permitted, the tree removal permit should be issued.”
However, the ordinance also states a permit can be denied if the Director of Public of Works considers it “rare.”
After learning about the plan to remove the tree, Seidman wrote to the Department of Environmental Protection, which runs a register of the state’s largest trees. In 2025, Seidman received a letter from a DEP forestry assistant Forrest Jennings claiming the tree was the largest known of its kind in the state and eligible to be considered “champion tree.” However, inclusion on the registry requires the owner’s consent, Nardone has not given.
“We’ve lived in our home for 24 years and we’ve been the beneficiaries of this tree’s beauty and shade for the same time,” said neighbor Ellen Seidman. “This is no ordinary neighborhood tree as it has been established — it’s significantly old.”
