April is Earth Month since both Earth Day and Arbor Day fall into this month. Both days celebrate nature, sustainability, and good environmentally beneficial practices. Recently, the Springfield Environmental Commission, Springfield Green Team, and the Springfield Department of Public Works hosted a Community Clean Up Day, where 60 volunteers assembled to collect and properly dispose of trash from three parks in Springfield: Smithfield, Laurel, and Patriot Park.
To celebrate Arbor Day later this month, the Springfield DPW will be hosting the Annual Arbor Day Celebration. It will be held on April 29th at Veteran’s Memorial Park, and the celebration starts at 10am. There will be a tree planting and tree seedling giveaway.
As for this weekend the Springfield Environmental Commission is hosting the Houdaille Quarry Walk. It will be on Sunday, April 24th starting at noon. Participants are asked to arrive at 11:45am. It is a 90 minute guided walk and is not recommended for young children; no strollers or dogs are permitted. It is important to wear the appropriate gear; long sleeves, long pants, and walking shoes are recommended.
“There is no public access to the Quarry, with the exception of this event. Participants will get to visit a completely natural, unspoiled area that is home to turkeys, raccoons, deer, foxes, coyotes and birds. At the bottom of the Quarry there is a pond and a tunnel under Route 78.”
-Alyson Weber Miller, chair of the SEC
The Commission has been a part of the township since the 1970s, around the same time that Earth Day was started. Their goal is to educate and advocate for positive changes to the environment, while playing a significant role in municipal master planning, land-use ordinance development and site plan reviews. In addition, the Green Team was started in 2009 when the township registered with Sustainable Jersey. The team is made up of volunteers that work with the Environmental Commission, Department of Public Works, and the township to maintain and implement environmentally sustainable practices.
“The program is intended to make Springfield a more sustainable community which can be achieved through various actions from Sustainable Jersey (SJ) aimed to preserve our environment and enhance our quality of life.”
For more information, visit the Springfield Environmental Commission, and the Green Team pages of our website.