Lois de Vries' Garden Views

In the middle of her election campaign for Township Committee, Lois took a day “off” on May 8th to head a group of volunteers who planted more than 300 bare-root shrubs during Andover Township’s Spring Detention Basin Planting Day. “Nature doesn’t wait until it’s convenient,” she said. Planting conditions were perfect: An overcast day that had been preceded by a week of rain. NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s preferred Best Management Practice for handling stormwater over large areas is the so-called Marsh Meadow Detention Basin, designed to mimic a natural wetland. They are low/no maintenance, eliminate the need for fertilizer and pesticide treatments, act as a visual and physical buffer, control erosion, act as biolfilters, and restore wildlife habitat. This year, local Girl Scouts led by Liz Kapuscinski assisted Commissioner Harvey Hummel in planting the basin at the municipal building Thanks to everyone who participated, from left: Environmental Commission Vice-Chai...

Do you have an annual cleanup day in your town? This is the third year for Andover and about 200 people participated, including girl and boy scout troops, as well as a local track team. In New Jersey, grant funds are available for towns to purchase gloves, T-shirts, vests, road signs, etc. for the volunteers. A bagel breakfast and pizza lunch were served. I can tell you from experience, food always draws more volunteers. While anyone can say they “love the environment,” actions speak louder than words. Lois not only pitched in and recruited her husband Dan for Cleaner, Greener Andover Day, she also signed up the Environmental Commission to work as a team. Pictured top, from left are Commissioners Linda Hubbard, Bob Green, Lois, Open Space Chair Dan Freed, and Commissioner Peter Spinney. Not pictured is Commissioner Diane Gillespie. The Environmental Commission team patrolled its assigned neighborhood collecting tires, a discarded lawnmower, two bags of recyclables, and six bags of gar...