Published on May 21, 2019

Mayor Janice S. Mironov announced that East Windsor Township was awarded a $10,000 grant from Sustainable Jersey, funded by the PSEG Foundation, for the restoration and upgrade of the Arboretum at Etra Lake Park.  The Sustainable Jersey grant will fund cleanup and access improvements, planting of native trees, installation of identification signage and markings, and preparation of maps and informational materials to share with the community and promote the Arboretum.  East Windsor Township was one of seven municipalities statewide to receive a $10,000 grant from Sustainable Jersey.  

Mayor Mironov stated, “East Windsor is excited to receive a Sustainable Jersey grant to restore and upgrade our Arboretum located at Etra Lake Park to establish an educational center for students and our entire community.  The Township Arboretum will serve as a ‘living’ outdoor museum and educational resource for the community to share information on the legacy of trees and forest ecology in a creative and fun convenient park setting.  We look forward to residents utilizing the improved Arboretum to learn more about native trees and their role in local landscaping and planning, and providing and promoting self-guided tours materials to share the Arboretum.”    

East Windsor Township has been certified as a New Jersey Sustainable Community since 2011, achieving the prestigious Silver Level Sustainable Jersey Certification in 2015 and recertified at Silver Level in 2018.  East Windsor earned silver certification action points for many Township initiated programs and actions undertaken by Mayor Mironov and Council Members, including creation of a farmland preservation plan, development of an open space plan, inventory and upgrade of municipal buildings for energy efficiency, community recycling/paper shredding events, business recognition programs, "Cut it and Leave it" program, Backyard Composting program, tree protection ordinance, environmental assessment ordinance, sustainable land use commitment, green building policy and community outreach programs.  East Windsor Township also has been designated a Tree City USA municipality for the past 18 years.

Sustainable Jersey, a statewide non-profit, provides a totally voluntary certification program for municipalities that want to go green, save money and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.  Sustainable Jersey provides municipalities tools, training, and financial incentives to advance sustainability at a local level.    
 

Mayor Janice S. Mironov accepts the Sustainable Jersey $10,000 Grant awarded to the Township for development and upgrade of the Arboretum in Etra Lake Park.  Pictured (from left to right) are:   Randall Solomon, Executive Director, Sustainable Jersey;  Rick Thigpen, Senior Vice President Corporate Citizenship PSEG and Chairman of the PSEG Foundation;  Mayor Janice S. Mironov;  Ronald Balint, Chairperson, East Windsor Environmental Commission and East Windsor Green Team, and Anne-Marie Peracchio, Chairperson, Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees.