Environmental Commission

The EC Mission Statement

To protect and preserve Ridgefield's natural resources and instill community pride by creating awareness, understanding and appreciation of the environment through education and participation.

Click here to visit the Ridgefield Nature Center

Looking for weekend nature trips with the family.

Go to http://www.njwildlifetrails.org/
for an informative guide book on hiking, biking, fishing and paddling
in the meadowlands area and more. Come see the different habitats that
Ridgefield has to offer. The Ridgefield Nature Center (mature hardwood
forest and wetlands) and the Skeetkill Creek Marsh (tidal wetlands) are
prominently featured. Click on go to trails for NJ Meadowlands, then on list of sites. Directions are included.

Environmental News/ Wildlife Sightings

* Monk parakeet news: In March 2010, the NJDOT started repairs to the bridge on Hendricks Causeway over the RR tracks where the Monk parakeets nests are. The timing couldn't have been worse since nesting season was soon to start. Many thanks to M. Atef Saleh, Principal Engineer NJDOT, and the contractor for the bridge repairs, Power Concrete Co. and their Vice-President Joe Casimiro, for their compassionate and humane treatment of the Monk parakeets. Joe had his workers build 2 large nesting boxes that were mounted on 2 old utility poles north of the bridge. It took some time but the birds have built nests in both nesting boxes and have re-established their nests in the underneath of the bridge. Special thanks to Alison Evans-Fragale of the group Edgewater Parrots for her help and guidance.

* For more information about the birds and wildlife in the meadowlands and for an update on Ridgefield's monk parakeet colony on Railroad Ave. go to meadowlandsblog.net.

* Congratulations to the Slocum Skewes School as being one of the recipients of the 2009 Environmental Awareness Challenge Grant from the BCUA thanks to the hard work of science teacher Joan Furman, advisor to the Slocum Skewes Environmental Club and Robotics Club. A koi pond is currently being built in the courtyard area of the school. Congratulations are also in order for another successful Science Fair on 4/22/10.

* Sightings of 3 deer continue. Slideshow of a visit from a young buck last year is on the website's homepage. Look for Bald Eagles in the area. It is hard to miss with a 7-8 ft. wingspan. It takes 5 years for the white head and tail to occur.

* Long-eared owl was seen in an evergreen tree on Morse Ave. late Dec. 2009.

* Cottontail rabbit was seen in front of Saint Matthew's Church on Good Friday, April 2. Was that the Easter bunny?

EC Grants

(1) The Ridgefield Environmental Commission was awarded a 2008 Smart Growth Planning Grant from ANJEC (the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions) in the amount of $3,500. The Borough provided matching funds which was used to complete an Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) for all Borough-owned open spaces and parks, as well as other public open spaces in the Borough, including 200 acres of wetlands and marshes. Environmental Consultant Joan Hansen was hired and the data collection took 6-8 weeks. The ERI is an unbiased report which intergrates a variety of data from multiple sources to give the most complete picture possible on all the environmental features and characteristics in a municipality. A Public Information Session on the ERI findings was held at the 2/25/09 Environmental Commission meeting; this informative meeting was attended by members of the Borough Council and the public. At the June 16th Planning Board meeting, a adoption hearing was held and the Planning Board adopted the ERI into the Borough's Master Plan.

The EC thanks ANJEC and Executive Director Kerry Miller for making this important environmental study possible and to Consultant Joan Hansen for the excellent job on the ERI. Also, thanks to the Mayor and Council for their support with this project.

Click here to see the Ridgefield mapping prepared by the NJMC/GIS lab for the ERI

(2) The EC was awarded a 2nd grant in 2008 from the federal Recreation Trails Program in the amount of $20,000 to establish a proposed trails system in the Borough that would connect existing trails, parks, greenways, street and schools. A station with outdoor fitness equipment wil View/Edit Source l be established at the Slocum Path area.The project must be completed by July 1, 2010.

Grant update: The 8 pieces of outdoor exercise equipment have been delivered and will be installed in the near future at the Slocum Path.

(3) A 2008 Community Incentive Stewardship Grant (CSIP) from the NJDEP/ Forest Service in the amount of $25,000 has been awarded to the Borough for its Community Forestry Management Plan (CFMP). This grant is earmarked for the following projects: 1) $5,000 for the purchase of a handheld computer with GPS for tree inventory of Borough trees 2) $15,000 for the planting of 60 trees by the NJ Tree Foundation 3) $5,000 for contracted tree work based on the Forest Management Plan for the Nature Center. The 25% cash match will be satisfied 100% by in-kind services by volunteers and the DPW.

Grant update: 60 trees were planted late Nov. 2009 on Borough-owned properties (street ROW, Vet's and Willis Field). New trail is added in the NW corner of the Nature Center. GPS Tree Inventory of Borough street trees is in progress; the NJMC GIS/ MERI Lab is assisting the EC with the interpretion of the data.

(4) A 2009 Business Stimulus Grant (BSF) grant in the amount of $7,000 was awarded to the Borough by the NJ Forest Service to be used for a 2010 fall planting plan.

EC Events / Upcoming Events

(1) The Six Annual Ridgefield Clean Up Day was held on Saturday, April 24. Thanks to the 81 volunteers from the following Ridgefield groups: Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts, Senior Citizens, Environmental Club from Slocum Skewes School (7-8 grades), DPW and Ambulance Corps., that participated to make the clean up day a success. We also had volunteers from the Notre Dame Interparochial School in Palisades Park, students from middle schools in Hackensack and Paramus, and high school students from Leonia and Paramus. Volunteers stated that they found less trash and less recyclables in the 2 hour clean up. Everyone enjoyed the refreshments after the clean up and special thanks to Sarge's Pizza for the delicious pizzas.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Sunday, May 9, 10 am: Come see Mother Nature in its glory! Mother's Day Bird Walk in Ridgefield co-sponsored by the NJ Meadowlands Commission (NJMC)and the Bergen County Audubon Society (BCAS). Meet at the Ridgefield Nature Center at
10 am. The group will start birding at the Nature Center and end at the Skeetkill Creek Marsh with a stop to see the monk parakeets under the Hendricks Causeway Bridge.

Go to meadowlandsblog.net to see the write up of last year's event with a list of birds that were seen that day and the NY1 interview.

EC Projects / EC Contact Information

Volunteers are needed: to remove invasive plants and vines in the Nature Center and the Community Garden area.
Volunteers are always needed for small litter clean ups throughout the year.

Contact the Environmental Commission at 201-943-5215, ext. 353 if you are interested in volunteering or have any questions or concerns.

The EC now has an E-mail address: ec@ridgefieldnj.gov

EC Commissioner List- 2010

EC Commissioner List- 2010 Term Expiration Date

Karen Riede- Chairperson - 1/1/09 - 12/31/11
Dan Cavalli - 1/1/08 - 12/31/10
Marge Pescatore- Secretary - 1/1/08 - 12/31/10
Patty Pfaff - 1/1/09 - 12/31/11
Zoran Vukasovic - 1/1/10 - 12/31/12
Robert Wojtaszczyk - 1/1/10 - 12/31/12
Bruce Riede - Vice-Chairperson/ EC Member to Planning Board - 1/1/09 - 12/31/11
Donna O'Connor - Alternate #1 - 1/1/10 - 12/31/12
Willian Getreuer - Alternate #2 - 1/1/10 - 12/31/10
Councilman Angus Todd - Council Liaison

Environmental Commission Meetings 2010

The Borough of Ridgefield Environmental Commission meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month (with the exception of March, July, August and December) at the Ridgefield Community Center, 725 Slocum Ave., Ridgefield, NJ at 7:00 pm.

2010 Meeting Dates:
1/27/10 Annual Reorganization Mtg.
2/24/10 ANJEC- Road Show Workshop; Please note meeting venue change: Ridgefield Ambulance Corps building, 403 Shaler Blvd.
3/31/10
4/28/10 - Meeting changed to 4/27/10
5/26/10
6/23/10
No meetings July/August
9/22/10
10/27/10
November- TBD
December- TBD

All members of the public are welcome to attend.

NJDOT Plants 190 Trees In Ridgefield in 2008

The NJDOT, under the guidance of Landscape Architect Paul Pospiech, planted 190 trees along the Borough's state highways: Broad Ave. / Rt. 1&9 (spring planting plan); Bergen Blvd. / Rt.63 & Rt. 5 (fall planting plan). The Borough had input to the type of trees that were planted. All trees will be watered for one year from date of plantings, and will also include the replacement of any trees during that time. The EC thanks Paul and Councilman Warren Vincentz for helping to green Ridgefield.

2008 Earth Day Poster Contest Winners from the 3rd grade at Slocum Skewes School

L to R in back: Mayor Anthony R. Suarez, Karen Riede, Councilman Angus Todd

L to R in front: Ivana Jadrijev, Hyun Jee Jang, Yeo-Jin Oh, Sharon Heo.
Not pictured Gabriella Centrella.

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Back To RidgefieldNJ.gov Home page

Helpful Websites, Educational Resources and Upcoming Programs For Going Green

Websites:

State Recycling Association

NJ Clean Energy Program

Arbor Day Foundation

Bergen County Utilities Association

NJDEP Clean Water Program

Educational Information:

NJ Meadowlands Commission's Tips For Going Green

Home composting guide

School resources

"The NJ WasteWise Bulletin" Summer 2009 Edition

Primary Navigation

Environmental Commission

Environmental Commission

The EC Mission Statement

Looking for weekend nature trips with the family.

Environmental News/ Wildlife Sightings

EC Grants

EC Events / Upcoming Events

EC Projects / EC Contact Information

EC Commissioner List- 2010

Environmental Commission Meetings 2010

Environmental Commission Meetings Minutes 2009

Environmental Commission Meetings Minutes 2008-2007

Annual Report and Accomplishments for 2006

Environmental Commission By-Laws, CFMP, FMP, ERI

NJDOT Plants 190 Trees In Ridgefield in 2008

2008 Earth Day Poster Contest Winners from the 3rd grade at Slocum Skewes School

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Helpful Websites, Educational Resources and Upcoming Programs For Going Green