Residents & Community Leaders Invited to Learn Stewardship Techniques
Watershed Map
On Saturday, June 9, Bergen Save the Watershed Action Network (Bergen SWAN) and the Borough of Haworth will host northern Bergen County's first large-scale, outdoor educational event focused on improving water quality through good watershed management. Living Well in the Watershed: A Sustainable Home & Garden Festival will offer a series of talks by scientists, engineers, community activists, and ecologically oriented business owners.
While enjoying the beautiful backdrop of a four acre, sustainably maintained historic property in Haworth, participants will have the opportunity to learn how to run their households and manage their outdoor spaces with minimal impact to their immediate, neighborhood, and community environments.
When: Saturday, June 9, 2007 (Rain Date: Sunday, June 10, 2007)
Time: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Place: 317 Massachusetts Avenue, Haworth, NJ
Suggested Donation: $10 - Children 12 & Under Free
The festival is a benefit for Bergen SWAN, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational organization dedicated to the preservation and stewardship of the Upper Hackensack River Watershed – our reservoir region. SWAN has been active for almost 20 years preserving land and conducting environmental education. To date, it has helped preserve over 800 acres in Bergen and Rockland counties. This is its first outdoor fundraising effort since its Walk for Watershed in 1997. The event is co-sponsored by the Borough of Haworth and its Environmental Commission.
Informative Talks:
The festival is organized around two themes - taking action at the individual/household level, and working at the municipal government/community level to improve the health of our waterways and watershed. On the agenda for the home, garden and yard care portion of the program are Jane Nogaki from the NJ Environmental Federation and Mark Blaire of Greening the Cleaning, who will speak on the dangers of common household products and effective alternatives. Bruce Marek, owner of Old Hook Farm, will answer questions on organic gardening and eating fresh, local, organic foods. Gary Arlio of the lawn care service, Organigro, will discuss organic lawn care and landscaping. Art Elmers of the National Irrigation Association will give residents a better understanding of indoor and outdoor water conservation techniques and devices.
The municipal/community action track features scientist-experts such as Greg Rusciano of Rutgers Research and Co-op Extension Water Resources, who will present on solutions to common groundwater and stormwater problems. Margie Turrin, an Environmental Coordinator at Lamont-Doherty and member of Rockland Water Quality Committee, will explain the significance of vegetative stream buffers. Representatives from the Native Plant Society of New Jersey will talk about restoring watersheds with native plants. Haworth’s Mayor, John DiRienzo, will highlight the Bergen County Environmental Council’s successful storm drain marker program, and Hillsdale’s Engineer, Chris Statile, will describe his town’s floodplain buyout plan.
Exhibits, Demonstrations:
In addition to listening to speakers, festival goers can view information tables and exhibits of over 25 environmental organizations and ecologically oriented vendors, and engage in a variety of experiential activities.
They will be treated to a guided nature walk by Peter Kukle highlighting the benefits and uses of common yard weeds, and a tour of honeybee hives by beekeeper Chris Harp. Artist Penny Dell will instruct children in the practice of making drawings and sculptures with natural materials. Haworth resident Tom Flattery will teach participants how to make a bluebird box out of scraps of wood. Roland Ulrich, of the Chestnut Ridge-based Fellowship Community, will demonstrate the art and science of backyard composting.
Master Gardener Chris Shankar and Rich Israel of the Sierra Club’s Water Sentinel program will reveal how rain gardens help control excessive runoff and beautify the home. They will invite participants to put the finishing touches on one of Bergen County’s first rain garden projects, located at the festival grounds.
Silent Auction, Free Food & Samples:
To further assist in Bergen SWAN’s fundraising efforts, participants can take part in a silent auction and bid on “green” products and services, such as natural foods and non-toxic cleaning product gift baskets; a non-electric lawn mower, an organic lawn treatment, and a case of compact florescent light bulbs. Free, healthy refreshments will be provided by area food concerns and caterers, such as Trader Joe’s of Westwood and Contemporary Foods of Harrington Park. While supplies last, participants will be able to take home samples of green cleaning and personal care products, environmental magazines, organic fertilizer, grass seed, quantities of educational handouts, and more.
For further information, directions, or to volunteer at the event, please call Bergen SWAN at 201-666-1877, or email bergenswan@sprynet.com. For a full schedule of activities, see the organization’s website at www.bergenswan.org.
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