Montclair Has 250 Wildlife Habitats – But Needs More, Group Says – Montclair, NJ Patch
MONTCLAIR, NJ — Here’s a smile-inducing fact that you might not know about Montclair: it has more than 250 places in town that are certified as wildlife habitats, including backyards, houses of worship and local parks.
But more are needed – and you could be the one to make it happen, a local environmental group says.
According to the Montclair-based Northeast Earth Coalition (NEEC), the National Wildlife Federation has certified more than 250 spots in town as “wildlife habitats.” The list includes 199 homes, churches and synagogues, parks and public schools.
Many of those locations also serve an important role as pollinators, helping local flora and fauna to keep a foothold in one of the most densely populated regions of the nation, the NEEC says.
Now, the NEEC is making a push to create even more pollination stations in the township.
Recently, the group launched a new initiative, “Pollinator Pathways in New Jersey,” in partnership with the Pollinator Pathway Northeast. Here’s the goal, they said:
“The pollinator pathway project aims to create contiguous corridors of pollinator-friendly properties in New Jersey connecting to adjoining regions in New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. The NEEC’s Montclair Backyard Habitat Project, which includes more than 250 locations in town certified as wildlife habitats by the National Wildlife Federation, will join this important regional initiative.”
To help jumpstart the project, two parks in Montclair – Crane Park and Brookdale Park – will be used as “open classrooms” to teach students and the community about the importance of native plants and pollinators.
“By creating natural habitats in our yards and public spaces, each of us can help to build connecting lifelines essential for the survival of pollinators and other wildlife,” the group says.
Here are some ways to aid the effort:
- include native plants on your property, and manage invasive species
- avoid using pesticides and herbicides
- consider leaving some bare ground and dead wood for nesting native bees, leaving some autumn leaves for overwintering eggs and pupae of pollinating insects
So far, the new Pollinator Pathways in New Jersey project is taking place in Montclair, Bloomfield and Totowa. Residents of more towns are expected to join the effort soon, the NEEC said.
The Backyard Habitat Project itself has been a fixture in Montclair for 12 years. But it’s beginning to blossom beyond the township into neighboring Essex County municipalities.
The NEEC told Patch that the initiative now has certified locations in Verona, Cedar Grove, Clifton, Bloomfield and Glen Ridge.
But in the end, there will always be a sweet spot for Montclair when it comes to protecting local wildlife, the group said.
“In 2010, Montclair became the first National Wildlife Federation-certified Community Wildlife Habitat in New Jersey, making it a pioneer in concern for pollinator habitat in the state,” spokespeople said. “The Pollinator Pathways Project positions Montclair again as a pioneer and leader in environmental protection in New Jersey.”
If you are interested in registering your yard as a pollinator habitat, contact Info@neearth.org or visit www.neearth.org.
WHAT ARE POLLINATORS?
According to the NEEC, pollinators are insects, birds or other animals that move pollen from one plant to another. They enable the cross fertilization of plants promoting reproduction and the growth of the new plants.
More than 30 percent of our food grows as a result of the work of pollinators do. However, the widespread application of pesticides and other chemicals on lawns and landscaped plantings and in agriculture is threatening these important members of the ecosystem, the NEEC states.
In addition, climate changes are causing a lack of larval host plants, and the loss of food and shelter sources as natural environments are becoming “increasingly fragmented” through urbanization and suburbanization, the group says.
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