On the chilly evening of October 28, the public meeting room at the Morris Township Municipal Building was packed with nearly 90 attendees who came to learn about sustainable landscaping and eco-friendly alternatives to grass lawns.
The panel discussion, organized and moderated by Environmental Commission member Charlie Schachter, featured five local experts who spoke and took questions about their particular areas of expertise.
Bianca Wright of Westfield talked about eco-gardening, a set of principles for working with, not against, nature to achieve a beautiful, sustainable garden. She showed us how to put the right plant in the right place, and she also discussed design and intention.
Lois Kraus of Westfield spoke about Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers (GPLBs) and the multitude of public health issues they create, from a unique form of noise pollution to microscopic toxic emissions. She also talked about ways we can reduce the use of GPLBs, including electric tools and not blowing leaves at all.
Bridget Daley of Madison talked about the concept of "Leave the Leaves," and why leaf cover is a natural and beneficial part of our landscape. Removing leaves contributes to the global decline in insect life, which impacts birds and other wildlife.
Susan Landau of Morristown spoke about how to plant a "Pocket Forest" that trades some of your lawn for a personal forest. Using her own home as an example, she shows how a pocket forest lawn is easy to install, super-low maintenance, and rich in habitat services.
Brian Monaghan of Madison talked about organic lawn care. He focused on three principles: no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, building the root structure, and feeding the soil. He also discussed how weeds can be controlled with organic herbicides and eco-friendly iron chelates.
Many members of the environmental commission were there to support the event and was not possible without the tremendous support of the township professionals.