Green Drinks

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NEXT GREEN DRINKS:

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

7:30 PM

  

O’Reilly’s Bar and Grill

2208 Millburn Avenue

Maplewood, NJ 07040

 

 

 

 

 

Maplewood has joined the Green Drinks movement! Green Drinks is a series of global events which began over 30 years ago to help raise awareness of environmental issues. Green Drinks events now take place in many cities around the world. 


This month's speaker Matthew Morra, from Green Energy People, will provide us with information on the latest local changes in residential solar funding. These changes will make solar much more affordable for Maplewood and South Orange residents, so make sure you stop by to hear the latest!

The Maplewood Green Team is proud to bring this tradition to us. At these events, held periodically, you will meet many members of our community, both those actively involved in our green initiatives and those just finding out more. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, to learn all the latest environmental information, and to help make a difference in our town.  Everyone is welcome, so spread the word! (**no fee, cash bar**)

DECEMBER'S GREEN DRINKS -- Dennis Percher, Chair of the South Mountain Conservancy, and Tricia Zimic, Board member, provided an introduction to the South Mountain Conservancy and its activities with emphasis on the $800K multi-year forest regeneration project with the County.  In October, the Conservancy and Essex County announced the completion of a unique planting program to accelerate the restoration of the forest in the South Mountain Reservation.  Through this aggressive initiative, 48,000 native plant species were reintroduced into the reservation to reverse destruction caused by the overbrowsing of deer.

To help the forest regenerate more quickly and protect the flowers, bushes and trees that were planted, 41 new exclosures – ranging in size from 5,000 to 41,000 square feet – were created throughout South Mountain Reservation. These 41 regeneration sites total 500,000 square feet and were planted with 23,000 native plant species. In addition, 14 acres (600,000 square feet) of the former Essex County deer paddock were fenced in creating a Wildflower and Forest Preserve.  Here  25,000 native species have been planted and interpretive trails are being developed.  Ongoing monitoring and maintenance of the sites are being done by the Conservancy and the County Parks Department aided by monthly volunteer efforts and community groups such as the Girl Scouts and Seton Hall University through an Adopt-a-Site Program. 

 

Here is an excerpt from their presentation:

 

 

Here you can watch Cheryl Rogowski, CSA farmer speak about her program at September's Green Drinks: