Recent Posts
- Congregation Ahavas Achim Environmental Committee at the Meadows
- Waste in the Environment
- RIVERPALOOZA – Meadows Cleanup
- Teenage Osprey with Jewelry
- HPEC now on Facebook
- Volunteers Needed for Weedbusters! Event in Meadows
- Arnold Henderson Honored
- Highland Park Library Green Teens
- Your Impact on the Ocean!!!
- More Photos of the Meadows Clean Up
- The Highland Park Meadows Clean Up – Earth Day Celebration
- Salamanders are on the Move!
- Earth Day Extravaganza on Weds April 22
- Middlesex County to Pay $2.4M for Wetlands
- Global Warming Bypasses Environmental Ed Center?
Congregation Ahavas Achim Environmental Committee at the Meadows
By allan | September 17, 2009
Volunteers in Front of Meadow Message Board Before Starting Work
On a sunny Sunday morning (September 13), the Environmental Committee of Congregation Ahavas Achim (216 1st Avenue) and members of the Environmental Commission had a work session at the Meadows. We had a total of 24 volunteers including members of Boy Scouts from Troop 55 and Girls Scouts from Troop 81455. The volunteer worked on the restoration of the Meadows by removing significant amounts of invasive Mugwort from both sides of the bicycle path and from the Meadows trail, and the removal of invasive grape vines overgrowing several trees.
Girl Scout in Gloves About to Start Work
Bicycle Path Next To Meadows
Couple Cutting Mugwort
Cutting More Mugwort
Girl Scout Carrying Away Cut Mugwort
Adult Volunteer Carrying Away Cut Mugwort
Volunteers Cutting Wild Grape Vines Over Running Tree
Mike Rosenberg, HP Environmental Commission, Cutting Mugwort
Girl Scouts Pulling Up 1st Year Mugwort on Meadows Trail
The photographs of the happy and productive volunteers were taken by Mason Resnick.
The Environmental Commission thanks the EC Committee of Congregation Ahavas Achim and the scouts for their assistance in the effort to restorie the Meadows to a more native state, for their interest in the environment, and for their public service activities.
Topics: Highland Park events, The Meadows | 6 Comments »
Waste in the Environment
By allan | September 17, 2009
Earlier this summer, we were in Arcadia National Park and read the information below in the Acadia National Park “Beaver Log”.
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If you leave litter behind, how long does it take to break down? You mights be surprised.
Glass Bottle ……………. 1 million years
Fishing Line ……………… 600 years
Plastic Bottle ……………. 450 years
Disposable Diaper ……… 450 years
Aluminum Can ………….. 80-200 years
Foam Coffee Cup ………… 50 years
Plastic Bag …………………. 10-20 years
Cigarette Butt ……………. 1-5 years
Source: US National Park Service; Mote Marine Lab, Sarasota, FL
=========================================================
Thus, leaving our garbage in the outdoors has a significant effects for a very long time!
See also our blog of May 12, 2009
Topics: Recycling | No Comments »
RIVERPALOOZA – Meadows Cleanup
By allan | July 29, 2009
HP Meadows - the site of a RIVERPALOOZA Cleanup
The Highland Park Environmental Commission is co-sponsoring with NJ Community WaterWatch a cleanup of the Meadows (see map below) as part of the RIVERPALOOZA Event (see Home News Tribune article) on August 8, 2009. There will be a kick off and breakfast at 10:00 AM.
Purpose:
To clean up the HP Meadows by removing trash from the banks of the Raritan River, pull weeds from various areas, and remove invasive vines from trees.
When:
Saturday, August 8, 2009, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Where:
Highland Park Meadows, Corner of Valentine Street and South 5th Avenue
Equipment:
Work gloves if you have them. Gloves and tools will be supplied.
Requirement:
Volunteers will need to sign an HP Volunteer Release Form or a Waterwatch Release From. HP form can be obtained here.
Questions:
Topics: Highland Park events | No Comments »
Teenage Osprey with Jewelry
By allan | July 6, 2009
Juvenile Osprey in the process of being banded. Photos by George Pitcher (6/25/09)
Better view of juvenile osprey
Local Highland Park resident George Pitcher participated in the banding of two juvenile ospreys at a tidal marsh in Cheesequake, NJ and took the above pictures. The birds were approximately 3-4 months old and were expected to fledge (begin flying) in two weeks. Volunteers and wildlife officials banded the birds, which were sitting on the nesting platform. They used a ladder to remove the birds from the platform, banded them, and then replaced them on the nest. The juveniles ospreys did not appear stressed by the process and the circling osprey parents did not attack the volunteers. The banding is part of a federal/state program to track these previously endangered birds.
During the summer, ospreys can frequently be seen soaring above the Raritan River. They hover and then dive into the river for fish. They are frequently seen above the river. Donaldson Park and Johnson Park are good places to observe them.
Link to Wikipedia Article on Osprey
Topics: Highland Park events | No Comments »
HPEC now on Facebook
By hptabster | June 24, 2009
Follow the Highland Park Environmental Commission news on Facebook - HPEC Facebook wall. Become a “fan” and stay up to date on goings on.
Topics: Highland Park events | 1 Comment »
Volunteers Needed for Weedbusters! Event in Meadows
By allan | June 17, 2009
The Highland Park Enviromental Commisssion is sponsoring a “Weedbusters!” Event to remove the invasive weed Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) from the Meadows
The invasive weed Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Purpose: To help remove the invasive weed Garlic Mustard from the Meadows
When: June 27 and June 28. 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
Where: Highland Park Meadows, Corner of Valentine Street and South 5th Avenue
Equipment: Work gloves
Requirements: Volunteers will need to sign a Volunteer Waiver; Volunteers under 18 will need a parent to co-sign waiver form. Waiver Form can be obtained here.
Questions: Send us a message.
Topics: Highland Park events | 2 Comments »
Arnold Henderson Honored
By allan | June 17, 2009
Arnold Henderson, Environmentalist
Topics: newsflash | 1 Comment »
Highland Park Library Green Teens
By leora | June 5, 2009
Michelle Reasso, Teen Librarian at the Highland Park Public Library, has a new blog for the Green Teens, a program for Highland Park teens who are educating themselves about the environment and learning gardening.
Here’s the first post on the beginnings of the Edible Garden project.
Topics: Highland Park events, blogs, gardening | No Comments »
Your Impact on the Ocean!!!
By allan | May 18, 2009
Sign at Sunset Beach, Cape May Point, New Jersey
We were recently in Cape May, NJ for a birding weekend and came across this sign at a shop on Sunset Beach, Cape May Point. It outlines how long it takes man’s trash to degrade in the ocean. A disposable diaper (not biodegradable) has an estimated lifetime in the ocean of an astounding 450 years!!
“Leave nothing on the beach except your footprints – take care of our land and seas.”
The signs say it all!
Topics: Recycling | No Comments »
More Photos of the Meadows Clean Up
By allan | April 24, 2009
These additional photos of the Meadows Clean Up were provided by Highland Park photographer Bill Bonner (www.highlandparkartists.org/Bill.htm , www.canalphotos.org/)
Allan Williams, EC, Jim Zarra, Nature Club, Steve Barnes, EC, Elsie Foster-Dublin, Borough Council President (from left to right)
Volunteers Assembling
Volunteers Off to Collect Trash
Freeholder James Polos and Daughter
NJ Community Water Watch Banner
Volunteers Off to Collect Trash II
Topics: Highland Park events, The Meadows | 1 Comment »