BOROUGH OF AVALON 3100 Dune Drive Avalon, New Jersey 08202 Incorporated 1892

A letter from Dr. Brian Reynolds, Chairman, Avalon Environmental Commission

Thank you for taking the time to visit the “Avalon Environmental News” page on the Borough’s official website. Avalon will continue to post information related to the pristine environment that we all enjoy daily in the Borough.

The Avalon Environmental Commission continues to assist the Borough with some very important initiatives that improve the environment, and your quality of life. Avalon is very fortunate to have a Mayor and Council that pays very close attention to our vibrant ecological system and constantly searches for ways to make it even better. Many of these programs and initiatives are discussed during the regular meetings of the Avalon Borough Council, held on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month.

2010 has been an especially active year for environmental issues in the Borough. I present to you three specific environmental initiatives that are being addressed in your community:

Dune Vegetative Management Plan

As you know, the dunes along the Borough’s beachfront are critically important to our environment, to the safety and protection of our people, and the infrastructure. Avalon’s dune system has become a model for success along the East Coast of the United States, and the Borough has received many awards and recognition for this valuable part of our community.

The key to long-term sustainability and health of our dunes is environmental diversity. However, Avalon’s dunes have experienced a very rapid growth of one particular type of tree, the Japanese Black Pine. This pine tree is now designated to be an “invasive species” in the Avalon dunes. The pine trees have seeded themselves seaward, replacing vegetation that is native to the dunes. Pests and various pathogens have become established in the pine trees, and some of them are dying off. Additionally, the thick layer of pine needles that fall from these trees provides a perfect environment for a fire that would be difficult to manage.

Borough officials held many meetings with the Lomax Consulting Group to discuss the need for ecological diversity in the Avalon dune system. Exhaustive research was conducted, and the full report by Joe Lomax and his associates, the Dune Vegetation Management Plan, is available to read on this webpage. As a result, the 74th Street dunes were selected as a ‘pilot area’ for this project. An orderly, systematic removal of some of the Japanese Black Pine trees has been conducted; the roots of the trees stay in place to hold the dunes as the new vegetation takes hold. These trees will be replaced with vegetation that is diverse, but indigenous to the mid-Atlantic coast. More ecological diversity always results in a healthier, stronger environment.

This Dune Vegetative Management Plan was carefully researched, and will be carefully executed. It is our ambition that the test area at 74th Street will show that a systematic approach to managing the ecology in Avalon’s dunes will result in healthy plants, trees, shrubs, and dunes for generations to come. Armacost Park

The Avalon Borough Council approved a resolution in July, 2010 that results in a contract for environmental consultant services with Windward Consulting, LLC of Clinton, New Jersey. The consulting firm will be taking a very close look at the current state of Armacost Park.

Armacost Park is approximately 11 acres in size, and is very important to the overall environment in Avalon. For decades, residents and visitors have visited the park to see nature at its best at the shore. They have marveled at the birds that visit the park, and have brought their children to the playground. This park will remain one of Avalon’s most important pieces of open space.

It is time for the Borough to take a look at the overall ecological health of the park, which includes wildlife, birds, and plants. I applaud the Borough for having the vision to include Windward Consulting in this important process. Windward Consulting will be spending plenty of time at Armacost Park, studying the history of the park while also conducting an analysis of the park to determine if there are any issues that need to be addressed.

Some of the tasks that will be conducted by Windward Consulting include:

*Compile inventory data and prepare tables *Broad scale baseline inventory of the park’s existing natural resources and facilities *Evaluate the feasibility for a tidally influenced saltwater pond/marsh and delivery of freshwater to maintain a healthy, freshwater pond system *Define broad habitat types, wildlife, and birds

The purpose of this review of Armacost Park is to simply determine what we have in the park and what steps/options the Borough will have in the future to maintain and improve it. Establishing the ‘baseline’ for what currently exists in Armacost Park is a very important step in determining how we can improve the park and make it even more attractive to the shore birds that visit, and make the park more attractive to the public.

Avalon’s Borough Council has made it very clear: The residents of Avalon are the most important stakeholders in this entire process. There will be much public discussion and dialogue on Armacost Park, and no decisions will be made without ample opportunities for the public to become engaged, and be heard. You will see some photos on this web page that were taken high in the air above the park by Avalon Public Information Officer Scott Wahl.

Forestry Management Plan

The Borough, Environmental Commission, and the Lomax Consulting Group have developed a comprehensive Forestry Management Plan. This plan has a mission statement that is clear, and concise: “The Mission of the Borough of Avalon Community Forestry Management Plan is to protect, enhance, and sustain productive community forest and shade tree resources that will improve the quality of life for the residents, visitors, and wildlife that inhabit this unique Borough.

The plan includes information about how the Borough intends to fully engage the community through education and outreach programs while also engaging several entities, including the office of the Mayor, Borough Council, and the Department of Public Works. This community-wide effort will ensure that the overarching values expressed by the community include appropriate management and improvement of the open space and active recreational areas in addition to the streetscapes of the residential and commercial districts. The Borough will also inventory the extent and condition of our trees.

Part of this Forestry Management Plan includes the review and adoption of the Dune Vegetation Management Plan, which has already occurred. The plan also includes identifying areas within the Borough streetscapes that could benefit from the planting of selected tree species.

As chairman of the Avalon Environmental Commission, I can assure every resident and visitor to the Borough that our community takes a positive, proactive approach to maintaining and enhancing our most valuable environmental resources. This does not happen by accident; it starts with the leadership of our Mayor and Borough Council. Please feel free to attend the Avalon Environmental Commission meetings, which are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 4:00pm inside the council meeting room of Avalon Borough Hall, and bring your questions along. We are an all-volunteer board, and our goals are your goals. We want to maintain and improve the natural environment in Avalon for generations to come. If you would like to get more information about environmental initiatives in Avalon, I invite you to attend a meeting and participate. If you are unable to attend the meeting, this portion of the Borough’s website will continue to post minutes of Avalon Environmental Commission meetings for your review.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brian Reynolds Chairman Avalon Environmental Commission

Telephone 609.967.7057 www.avalonboro.org Fax 609.967.5795