Norwood Environmental Commission

Norwood's seven-member, all volunteer Environmental Commission is appointed by the town's mayor and council too help the municipality identify and protect natural resources and promote sustainable land use in the community.  They meet monthly on the first Monday of the month and welcome active involvement by community members.

Working together with the support of the Mayor and Council and the Borough Planning Board, much has been accomplished this year.  Recent activities of the Environmental Commission include trail and environmental surveys in the proposed Fox Hill Woods preservation area, completion of an Open Space Visioning Plan for the Central Woods and Fox Hill Woods, design and completion of a sign dedicating the Central Woods and design and dedication of an historic sign for the Blanch Avenue road/trail.  The Borough was recently granted Tree City USA status.

The 116 acre Central Woods was protected with a conservation easement granted to the Meadowlands Conservation Trust (MCT) in 2006 and the sign dedicating the woods to 9/11 emergency workers was erected last fall at a 9/11 ceremony to celebrate the occasion.  Also, a historic sign  for Norwood's own historic treasure, Old Blanch Avenue was installed in June along with benches and native plantings in the Central Woods to celebrate our Tree City USA designation.  The Central Woods trails have been planned, avoiding sensitive areas and will be blazed in the future.

An approximately 50 acre portion of Fox Hill Woods has also been protected through an easement with the MCT.  On the west side of McClellan Street, the trials have been planned and installation has begun with the help of a Norwood Eagle Scout Project.  Work will continue and we hope to get the east side of McClellan Street under the MCT's protection also.  These areas are vital to the health of Norwood and we will continue to move forward with the administration to protect these areas for our community now and in the future.

Our beautiful Open Space Visioning Plan and Environmental Inventory for the Central and Fox Hill Woods made possible through a Smart Growth grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions and a Borough match was completed last year and presented by the consultant.  The Plan is available for review at the Borough Hall.

A tree preservation ordinance is also in the works and we hope it will address future clear cutting problems, which have produced a number of complaints lately.

Our 4th year has been very productive and we are grateful for the support of the Mayor and Council and the Planning Board that has made these accomplishments possible.

To find out more about the Environmental Commission or get a meeting schedule, call the Commission Chair, Christine Hageman at 201-835-5687 or e-mail Lchageman@yahoo.com.