Agendas are posted here on this page the Friday preceding each meeting.
All regular and special meetings of the EAAC & Green Team Committees shall be open to the public. Please check the "Meetings" tab on the homepage for up-to-date meeting locations and times, or contact us at [email protected] if you would like to attend a meeting.
The purpose of this Committee is to research into the existing use and possible use of the open land areas of the Township, maintain an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, review site plans of proposed development in regards to open space, consider and make recommendations to Council on other environmental and sustainability issues; as well as the selection, planting, care, culture, trimming and development of shade trees in the Township.
Click HERE for the EAAC's list of Goals & Objectives.
Click HERE for the EAAC's Annual Report of Accomplishments for 2021/2022.
Click HERE for the Council Resolution and supporting documents for Medford's inclusion in the Sustainable Jersey Program.
Click HERE for the Open Space & Farmland page on our website.
Click HERE for the Recycling Page on our website.
**March 14, 2023 -- Community Educational Forum in lieu of regular meeting in the Public Safety Building Courtroom (91 Union Street) No pre-registration is necessary.
*The meeting was livestreamed via the Township website & archived for later viewing at: Videos
Topics covered included the following:
Green Products - Ileen Wright. Discussion of new sustainable household products and packaging that is environmentally friendly yet still effective.
Creating a Wildlife Habitat – Cecelia Schmidt, CLA. Ms. Schmidt is a licensed Landscape Architect with many years of experience creating natural habitat areas for her clients. This discussion will focus on how to create and maintain a wildlife habitat area in your backyards &/or HOA open space areas. Click HERE for a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation.
Wetlands, Buffers & Transition Areas - Robert Petrillo. Mr. Petrillo is a certified ecologist and professional wetland scientist with concentrated experience in freshwater wetlands and threatened & endangered species in NJ. We’ve all heard about the presence of wetlands in Medford, and he will explain what they are, why they are important, and best methodologies to preserve them. Click HERE for a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation.
Spotted Lanternfly - Saul Vaiciunas. Mr. Vaiciunas is a Plant Pathologist working for the NJ Dept. of Agriculture and has been working on the spotted lanternfly problem since 2018 when they were first discovered in NJ. He has been with the NJDA for 22 years conducting surveys for invasive plant pests including insects, plant diseases, nematode and even mollusks and weeds. He will discuss identification and eradication methods for the spotted lanternfly, which could potentially have devastating consequences in Medford. (The Township's March edition of the Medford Messenger e-Newsletter has more info on the SLF.--It is posted here on the Twp. website: https://www.medfordtownship.com/enewsletter ) Click HERE for a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation.
Please contact the EAAC by emailing [email protected]. You may also call (609) 654-2608 x 330.
Beth Portocalis - Township Liaison
All EAAC members, plus:
*Ileen Wright
*Tyler Matthews
1/23/23--Sustainable Jersey representatives announced that Medford Township has met the rigorous requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey Silver Certification. Medford is one of is one of 60 towns that attained silver certification in 2022. Sustainable Jersey's participating communities represent over half the state's municipalities and nearly 90 percent of its population.
To become Sustainable Jersey certified, the Township submitted documentation to show it had completed a balance of the required sustainability actions, meeting a minimum of 150 action points. In addition to reaching 150 points, each certified community had to create a green team and select at least two out of 12 priority action options. Medford’s priority actions included climate adaptation & flooding risk, energy efficiency for municipal facilities, updated natural resource inventory, prescription drug safety and disposal, recycling and waste reduction education and compliance, and sustainable land use.
“Congratulations to the municipal staff, green team volunteers and community members who have worked hard to achieve Sustainable Jersey certification,” said Randy Solomon, the executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “The Sustainable Jersey certified towns demonstrate leadership and are a testament to how much we can accomplish toward the long-term goal of a sustainable New Jersey.” Certified towns excelled in areas such as improving energy efficiency and health and wellness, reducing waste, sustaining local economies, protecting natural resources and advancing the arts. Collectively, the 453 participating Sustainable Jersey towns are a powerful force in New Jersey.
Sustainable Jersey provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. Currently, 80 percent or 453 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program and 345 school districts and 896 schools are participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification program.
10/1/21 --Township officials are pleased to announce that thanks to a grant from Sustainable Jersey & Atlantic City Electric, and in collaboration with the Township's Office of Emergency Management and Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee, a lightning detection system has been installed in Freedom Park.
A siren and strobe light will be utilized to warn individuals on impending storms and the need to seek safe shelter. The project was funded through a $10,000 grant issued by Sustainable Jersey and Atlantic City Electric. The remaining amount was funded out of the Medford Township operating and capital budget. Included in the project is a five-year maintenance plan for the system.
It is the Township's goal to provide lightning detection in all our parks and recreation areas as we move forward in ensuring Medford Township’s resiliency and preparedness.
There are two facets to the new system:
The weather station is available as a webpage to anyone who would like to access the link below. This site will provide real time weather data from Freedom Park. Pictured is a sample of the webpage. It is suggested that you save this link as a favorite on your mobile device. The link to access the weather station is HERE
The lightning system will alert when it detects lightning in the area. The system will then sound an sound a siren and activate a strobe light based on the proximity of the lightning to the park. There will be signs in the park in both English and Spanish that provide instructions on the system and scannable bar codes that will take you to the countdown timer. You can access the countdown timer from the link below. This timer will provide guidance as to when it is safe to re occupy the park. It is suggested that you save this link as a favorite on your mobile device. Click Here
While under alert, you can track how much longer until outdoor activities can resume on your desktop or mobile device. You can see the time of the last lightning strike within your protection area. This will act as a tool to back your decision to delay or resume activities.
As with any device, common sense should prevail; if the sky still looks threatening continue to shelter.
Check out the Hartford Trails Facebook page for info & updates on new biking & walking trails recently opened (May 2019) in Hartford Crossings Park, located at Hartford & Church Roads.
Click on the topics below for environmentally friendly & sustainable tips from the EAAC:
Please click HERE for important information on Spotted Lanternflies, including identification of egg masses, nymphs, and adult species, as well as recommended treatment and eradication methods from the NJDEP.
The EAAC, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, and the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions hosted a community presentation on May 29, 2019 on the below topics.
You can view the presentation by using these links:
Creek-Friendly Yards Information Session
Everything that we do on the land affects the water that we rely on for day-to-day life. Join us to learn about how you can manage your yard to improve your impact on the environment and reduce the amount of pollution that makes its way into our water.
1) Conserving Water at Home
Rich Bizub, Pinelands Preservation Alliance
2) Landscaping for a Creek-Friendly Yard
Isabella Castiglioni, Pinelands Preservation Alliance and the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions
3) Septic Management
Jamie Bitzer, English Sewage Disposal
4) Declining Honeybees: What Can We Do to Help
Jason Shoff of the Mill Creek Apiary
Discussion will outline the benefits of honeybees as pollination and for biodiversity. Jason will also discuss other common aggressive stinging insects- wasps & hornets, and misconceptions about the honeybee. He will also explain the original term “Colony Collapse Disorder” and what it means today. As a part of Jason’s presentation, he will introduce some ideas about what we can do to directly impact honeybee health, including use of alternative herbicides/ pesticides, keeping managed colonies and how to integrate beneficial plantings.
New Jersey has its Jersey Fresh campaign promoting fruits and vegetables grown locally in farm fields and garden, but now the state is collaborating with a college and an environmental group to make yards more Jersey friendly. This partnership has launched an interactive website www.jerseyyards.org as part of a new Jersey-Friendly Yards campaign.
The website offers practical ways for homeowners and other landowners to landscape their properties in an environmentally friendly way that will reduce stormwater runoff, capture rainwater, eliminate use of fertilizer and pesticide and replace invasive plant with native species. State environmental officials said the ultimate goal of this campaign, however, is not to just promote native plants but to reduce stormwater runoff that contaminates rivers and streams from lawns treated with fertilizer and pesticides.
The interactive section of the site has a tool for layout for low-impact landscaping options the user can explore for different types of gardens or lawns and to reduce runoff and capture rainwater. It shows how to transform a grass-dominated property into one that has native plants and other features.
The website has an extensive plant database that suggests which native species to use instead of foreign plants that tend to overtake gardens or fields.
The online site was built by a Medford company, Fusionspark, Inc., with input from the collaborating agencies. The Trentonian Making yards Jersey friendly with water, plants
Also called wet ponds or detention basins. These are man-made/artificial lakes or ponds that include plants around the body of water. These basins serve an important function in municipalities such as Medford with high water tables by preventing flooding by channeling rain/storm water into the storage basin via the system of storm drains found on roadways and other strategic locations. Additionally, the basins aid in storm water runoff, or water from storms that collects in the streets. By having this water diverted to the basins, the Township is able to save money by not treating this water at the sewer treatment plant. The basins also help in the prevention of erosion, which is a benefit for our environment. The basins greatly improve water quality in the area by filtering out any pollution and toxins from the storm water, again, reducing costs to the total water treatment process.
In ecologically sensitive areas such as Medford, it is preferable to use certain plants in basins as opposed to only grass. Plants in retention basins aid in the filtration of the water within the basin. The preferable types of plants used for the basins are wetland and native plants in the area. In New Jersey, some plants used in these basins are yellow pond lily, pickerel weed, shrub dogwood, and stagger bush. These plants are providing much-needed help in keeping our pollinators like bees and butterflies around and happy. The Township can also save tax dollars by allowing these basins to grow the native plants instead of weekly or monthly mowing by Township staff.
There's a new publication by the NRCS on native meadow planting entitled "A Guide to Conservation Plantings on Critical Areas for the Northeast." This is pretty detailed with lots of great info to plant a basin. Click HERE
The Xerces Society is another resource to plant basins: Click HERE
Link to the Pollinator Habitat workshop to be held on September 29th: Click HERE
Medford is one of the three municipalities in New Jersey with the longest tenure of earning the distinction as “Tree City, USA” towns – we live in and next to the famous federally designated Pinelands Natural Preserve; aka the “Pine Barrens.” We have a LOT of leaves, but rather than dreading fall and enjoying the splendor of their rich colors, make good use of them!! Do not clear out your leaves from forested areas - leaves provide ground cover for our wildlife friends, can be used as mulch, protect plants and shrubs in the cold winter months, provide nutritious compost for your trees and plants and make a great fertilizer for your lawn. Use your lawn mower to mulch the fallen leaves back into your lawn as you mow. These leaves (and grass clippings) provide essential nutrients to the grass and yard season after season. Another alternative is to create a leaf compost. Leaf composting involves placing all the collective leaves in one area, turning them over once in a while so the leaves naturally degrade over time, creating a rich compost to use in your garden. By using your leaves in an environmentally conscious way, not only are you nurturing our Tree City's environment, you are helping yourself and fellow neighbors by saving the tens of thousands of your tax dollars each season spent on leaf collection. Medford Township residents recycled almost 17,000 cubic yards of brush and tree parts in 2017!!! Medford also collected over 30,000 cubic yards of leaves and disposed of them at a cost of over $311,500, which is equal to a penny on the tax rate!!
Click here for a NJDEP Press Release for the Proper Use of Pesticides & Fertilizers
Click here for a NJDEP Press Release for Deer Alerts
Click here for a NJDEP Press Release for wood-burning safety tips
Click here for the Pinelands Commission Request for Public Comments on its Conservation Fund
The Arbor Day Foundation’s new, ambitious tree planting initiative to plant 100 million trees by 2022 now has a dedicated website at timefortrees.org. Please visit to learn more about why trees are the solution to so many of our nation’s problems and why now is the time to join this campaign. Here is just some of the information you will receive:
Save money and time and reduce waste by leaving grass clippings on your lawn when you mow, and let nature do the recycling!! 🍃🌿🌱
You’ll save money on fertilizer since grass clippings return nutrients to the soil. Plus, you'll avoid purchasing yard waste bags. You'll save time since you won’t have to stop and empty your lawnmower bag and then haul the bags of clippings to the curb.
You can achieve the lawn you want and also protect our environment when you Cut It and Leave It! Learn more by clicking HERE.
