Volunteer Remove Invasives and Cleanup Winter Damage

Posted on October 5, 2010 by allan

This a followup to the previous post to the Volunteer Pick Invasives at Native Plant Reserves (which should have been published in June but I neglected to hit Publish). On May 16 The Environmental Committee of Congregation Ahavas Achim, the Environmental Commission, and the Native Plant Society did a clean up of the Native Plant Reserve and part of the Environmental Education Center (which are on River Road). Significant amount of Mugwort and Garlic Mustard had sprung up. This past winter has been difficult on many of the trees due to the heavy snow breaking branches and the invasive grape fine.  Many broken/bend tree limits were cut and removed. Below are some images of our dedicated work and tired work crew.

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Steve of the Environmental Commission and Mary of the Native Plant Society

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Jonathan of the EC and the Congregation Ahavas Achim, Allan of the EC in background

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Mason of Congregation Ahavas Achim

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Weeders from Congregation Ahavas Achim

The large tree branches were cut using an electric power saw powered by a mobile electric generator borrowed from DEP . Tools and gloves were provided by the Environmental Commission and Shade Tree Advisory Committee

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Arnold’s Farewell

Posted on July 22, 2010 by arnold

I suppose it is about time I said goodbye as your (supposedly anonymous) news writer all these years since the Highland Park Environmental web site started.
I’m now in Hayward California (another Tree City USA town), but I’ve left a good part of me behind in Highland Park. I feel still committed to the open space of HP and sometimes check in on the hpenv site or the borough site to see how you’re doing. I see that many of my suggestions in the Environmental Commission’s draft Open Space Plan have been lifted right up and put into the HP Master Plan’s latest update. The main one is for conservation zoning of at least parts of the areas in southeast HP sometimes known as Buck Woods Ravine and Upper Meadows. Go for it. The new zoning is Highland Park’s most crucial open-space work yet to be done, joining onto the on-going trail-and-restoration projects in the lower Meadows.
I’m watching, too, for how my other pet project, the Eugene Young Environmental Education Center, will be used. Among the things I’ve “left behind” are most of my nature/science books and collections (a big herbarium of dried plants in 3-ring binders and smaller samples of fossils and natural objects). My hope in housing them in the Center was that there could be certain informal open times there where citizens and kids after school could just drop in and browse.
Highland Park in the last few years has become one of the most environmentally conscious towns I know (with the rare townwide “Backyard habitat” certification the next goal). I’ll keep a lookout on the web site for your/our further progress. I may even be able to drop by briefly in October and see for myself. Posted by Arnold Henderson 7/2010

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Volunteers Pick Invasives at Native Plant Reserve

Posted on May 16, 2010 by leora

learning about mustard weed at the Native Plant Reserve
Today volunteers learned to identify mustard weed and picked much of it at the Native Plant Reserve in Highland Park, New Jersey. More photos and description coming soon.
mustard weed
Photo credits: Leora Wenger

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Additions to the Home Page

Posted on May 10, 2010 by allan

On the Home Page under More on This Website are two new resource documents:

Native Plants in HP Gardens – the document is a listing of the Latin and common names of the native plants found in Highland Park gardens. The Highland Park authors are listed on bottom of the document, which was compiled in April 2010.

HP Natural Resources Inventory 1992 – A Natural Resources Inventory compiles information on natural, historical and cultural resources of a community. It includes text, maps, photos, and diagrams. Once assembled, an NRI become the basis for land use planning that allows better decisions on protecting the environment. NRI’s allow Environmental Commissions and Open Space Committees to play a significant role in municipal master planning, ordinance development, and site plan review. NRI’s are utilized by Planning and Zoning Boards, departments of municipal government, and the public.

Although the 1992 NRI  is somewhat dated, it continues to provide significant information on the  geology, soils, streams, and other natural features of Highland Park. It also contains information of wildlife and native plant species, and historical, cultural, and recreational information.

In March 2010, the Environmental Commission/Borough of HP applied for a grant to develop an updated state of the art NRI, which fully utilizes GIS technology.

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Meadows Mystery ??

Posted on May 10, 2010 by allan

Pear Tree with Cones - Click on picture to enlarge

Cone on Pair Tree - Click Picture to Enlarge

There is a small mystery in the Highland Park Meadows (by the Southside Bikeway and adjacent to DPW on Valentine Street). On the Meadow trail going east (start at the trailhead and take the first left) is a Pear Tree with cones. Actually, these are pine cones that have been attached with string. Is this just decoration of the pear tree? Is this for birds to feed on seeds in the cone? If you know about this, send us a message. Hit “Contact Us” on the home page and send us a message.

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Cleanup on May 16th at the Native Plant Reserve

Posted on April 26, 2010 by hptabster

Come enjoy the spring weather and pitch in to help out our community at the Native Plant Reserve, a site owned by the Borough of Highland Park.

This event is co-sponsored with AAEC (Ahavas Achim Environmental Committee).

When Sunday May 16th 10:00AM – Noon
Where Native Plant Reserve, River Rd. across from Harrison Ave.
Who All ages. All must sign a waiver to participate.
What Bring drinks and a snack.
Wear long pants, closed shoes, long sleeves and work gloves

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EARTH DAY EXTRAVAGANZA AND HEALTH FAIR – April 22, 2010

Posted on March 30, 2010 by allan

The Earth Day Extravaganza and Health Fair takes place at the Highland Park High School and Gym on April 22, 6:00-9:00 PM.

Please bring a food donation for the Food Pantry.

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Congregation Ahavas Achim Environmental Committee at the Meadows

Posted on September 17, 2009 by allan

volunteers_meadows

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.

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Girl Scout in Gloves About to Start Work

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Bicycle Path Next To Meadows

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Couple Cutting Mugwort

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Cutting More Mugwort

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Girl Scout Carrying Away Cut Mugwort

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Adult Volunteer Carrying Away Cut Mugwort

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Volunteers Cutting Wild Grape Vines Over Running Tree

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Mike Rosenberg, HP Environmental Commission, Cutting Mugwort

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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 restore the Meadows to a more native state,  for their interest in the environment, and for their public service activities.

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Waste in the Environment

Posted on September 17, 2009 by allan

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

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Thus, leaving our garbage in the outdoors has a significant effects for a very long time!

See also our blog of May 12, 2009

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RIVERPALOOZA – Meadows Cleanup

Posted on July 29, 2009 by allan
AerialBroadViewMeadowsBuckFromOverRiverWEB2

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:

Send us a message.

map of HP

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