Green Township advisory committee advances pollinator garden plans, approves bench installation

At its March 4, 2025 meeting the Green Township Environmental Advisory Committee voted to advance plans for a community pollinator garden, approved the site and installation of a garden bench, and agreed to explore a resident pollinator garden contest and outside grant opportunities.

The committee — Cynthia Moyano, Fausto Moyano, Ellen Lessin, Matthew Fox and Christopher Sullivan — met at the Municipal Building, 150 Kennedy Road. DPW Supervisor Jason Miller and Committee Secretary Gwen Santos attended. The meeting opened at 5:30 p.m. and adjourned at 6:37 p.m.

Why it matters: committee members are coordinating native-plant procurement, volunteer seedling propagation and secure on-site tool storage to support a pollinator garden in township parkland. If implemented, the work aims to increase native habitat, support pollinators and engage residents through a proposed contest and donated plantings from local growers.

Resources and outreach: Ellen Lessin shared a recorded video presentation by Doug Tallamy (homegrownnationalpark.org) that offered guidance on planting natives, restoring insect habitat and removing invasive species, and provided a list of nurseries the committee can use to source plants. Fausto Moyano distributed a copy of a Sussex County Senior Times article about a "Seed Saving Library" program that describes seed distribution and community gardening resources.

Procurement and seedlings: Lessin said she will contact Wild Ridge Nursery to prepare purchases of native plants; she also reported Anderson Farms expressed interest in establishing a vendor profile for committee purchases and asked the committee secretary to follow up. Matthew Fox said he will start seedlings from seeds collected last fall from the existing pollinator garden and distribute seedlings to members when ready.

Bench and equipment: Jason Miller, DPW Supervisor, answered questions about a bench purchased by a previous secretary and helped the committee determine the installation location and method. The committee approved the bench location by motion (moved by Fausto Moyano; seconded by Matthew Fox) and carried the motion. Miller also advised that a locking construction box will be bolted to the pavilion shed to store gardening tools for secure, convenient access.

Grants and community contest: Christopher Sullivan raised Watershed Alliance grant programs and urged the committee to evaluate eligibility. He also described a plan by which local growers — identified in the meeting as Tranquility Farms, Cahill Farms and Gardens of the World — could donate plantings for park areas in exchange for donor signage. Members discussed a possible resident Pollinator Garden Contest; Fausto Moyano moved to present the idea to the Township Committee, the motion was seconded and carried. The committee agreed to devise an action plan and review it at the next meeting.

Procedural notes and next steps: the committee approved the February 3, 2025 minutes (motion by Matthew Fox; seconded by Fausto Moyano). The meeting adjourned at 6:37 p.m. (motion by Christopher Sullivan; seconded by Cynthia Moyano). The committee scheduled its next regular meeting for Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.

Actions recorded at the meeting were limited to approving minutes, accepting the bench location and approving the motion to present a pollinator garden contest idea to the Township Committee; all motions carried by unanimous voice vote as recorded in the minutes.