Environmental & Open Space Commission
Meetings
Have an environmental issue?
The EOSC meets the 1st Monday of each month at 7:00 pm at the Lebanon Township Municipal Building, 530 West Hill Road, Lebanon Township, NJ.
***To avoid meeting on a Holiday EOSC will meet on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 and Tuesday, September 10, 2024..***
Our meetings offer a public session for Township residents to voice their concerns. Please come to a meeting and let us know what is on your mind or contact us by email at [email protected].
Commission Members
Sharon Petzinger, Chair
Marty Collett
Constance Grill
Linda Ryan
Sharon Hardy
Vacant, Alternate I
Nancy Lawler
Warren Newman
Nina Weiland, Alternate II
Lebanon Township Green Team
Visit the Lebanon Township Community Green Team Facebook Page to learn about the exciting work our Green Team volunteers are doing.
Events & Information
The NJ Department of Agriculture has designated Hunterdon County as a quarantine county for the Spotted Lanternfly. Please take a moment to review the following information to understand the impact of this invasive pest and what to do if you see it in our area.
New Jersey Department of Agriculture announces instructions for residents about Spotted Lanternfly (8/12/20)
What the New Spotted Lanternfly Quarantine Means for You
Pest Alert - Spotted Lanternfly
Checklist for residents living in Spotted Lanternfly quarantine areas - English
Checklist for residents living in Spotted Lanternfly quarantine areas - Spanish
NJ Conservation Foundation Press Release regarding the Pelio property preservation. (photo)
The Gypsy Moth, commonly recognized in the larva stage as the caterpillar covered with spiky hair and rows of blue and red warts, is one of the most notorious pests of hardwood trees in the Eastern United States. Since 1980, the gypsy moth has defoliated close to a million forested acres each year.
Gypsy moth larvae prefer hardwoods, but may feed on several hundred different species of trees and shrubs. In the East, it prefers oaks, apple, sweetgum, speckled alder, basswood, gray and white birch, poplar, and willow, but may also target cottonwood, hemlock, southern white cedar, and native pines and spruces.
Homeowners can consider one or more tactics to help reduce gypsy moth infestation on their property:
- Remove objects around the outside of the home that provide shelter for gypsy moth larvae and pupae, such as flaps of bark, dead tree branches, dead trees, boxes, cans, or old tires.
- Destroy egg masses found on outbuildings, on fencing, and in woodpiles. Egg masses can also be destroyed by painting them with commercially available products, such as liquid detergents.
- Place burlap wraps around trees to serve as a shade trap for older larvae when they seek out protected resting places during the day. The larvae can be manually collected and destroyed.
- Use barrier bands, such as double-sided sticky tapes, or sticky material such as Tanglefoot, petroleum jelly, or grease, to prevent larvae from crawling up the trunks of susceptible trees.
For further information on the Gypsy Moth and what homeowners can do to safely suppress the spread of this pest can be found at NJ Dept of Agriculture Gypsy Moth Suppression - Homeowner Fact Sheets.
Know the Bear Facts from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.
Resources
Lebanon Township Natural Resources Inventory 2003
The following links are good sources of information about the environment in New Jersey: