The Washington Borough Green Team continues to be an environmental leader in Northwest New Jersey

In 2023, the Washington Borough Green Team registered Washington Borough to become a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat with the support of the mayor and council. For several years, Sustainable Jersey has presented the borough with grants for its efforts, and this year was no different as Borough Mayor Louann Cox and Washington Business Improvement District Executive Director Melanie Thiel accepted a Sustainable Jersey grant funded by the PSEG Foundation at a recent statewide event.  

In the grant application, the Green Team noted that: “We are committed to making Washington Borough healthier and more wildlife-friendly by creating wildlife habitat throughout the community. We are also actively working to educate and engage residents about how to create sustainable and wildlife-friendly habitats on their properties.”

The application further stated: The Washington Brough Green Team will work with the Borough Department of Public Works, the Washington Public Library, volunteers from Earth Rights, a student group from Warren Hills Regional School District, and volunteers from the Warren County Pollinator Protectors Taskforce of the Warren County Environmental Advisory Committee, to plant native plants and maintain a wildlife habitat at the Washington Public Library. The Washington Public Library property will then serve as a demonstration Community Wildlife Habitat which people can visit to see how they can turn their properties into wildlife habitats, which provide the four basic elements that all wildlife need to thrive: food, water, cover, and places to raise young, while integrating sustainable gardening and landscaping practices. Members of the Washington Borough Green Team will also provide educational programs at the library to teach people how to turn their properties into wildlife habitats.

The project began this past month with the DPW and others preparing the area to be planted by clearing vegetative matter and weeds and removing any existing landscaping cloth and weed barrier. On June 22, 23 & 24, Green Team volunteers, Earth Rights, and the Pollinator Protectors will work together to plant a variety of perennials and shrubs and mulch the area. Please contact Suzanne Marr at 908-343-1135 if you would like to volunteer.

A ribbon cutting will be held in September with invitations to local officials and the community to visit the Wildlife Habitat funded by Sustainable Jersey at the Washington Public Library. 

The Green Team, in conjunction with a host of community volunteers, has completed several projects over the years as well as clean-up events. The executive team is chaired by Gary Pohorely and includes Vice Chair David Butler, Secretary Josephine Noone, and general members Suzanne Marr and Michael Franks.