ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
About the EC
The Fanwood Environmental Commission is a statutory board of eight regular members and two alternates. The regular members include Liaison (Planning Board) & Liaison (Town Council).
Our charge includes studying and making recommendations concerning open space preservation, water resource management, air pollution control, solid waste management, noise control, soil and landscape protection, environmental appearance, and protection of flora and fauna.
Members of the Environmental Commission are also caretakers of the Fanwood Nature Center located just off Cray Terrace. The entrance is accessible from alongside the powerlines as well as from the parking lot of the Bible Chapel on Terrill Road. The Fanwood Nature Center was established in 1974.
The Environmental Commission coordinates volunteer activities to maintain the Nature Center as well as the Municipal building flower beds. Volunteer opportunities begin in late March, and continue through October. Please email if interested in volunteering. The Commission also holds a youth day event in the Nature Center, in the Fall. Look for announcements and dates in our most recent Environmental Commission meeting notes, posted below.
Email: Fanwood.EC.1895@gmail.com
Our Mission
We promote the conservation, protection, development, or use of all Fanwood’s natural and water resources by:
- Planning & implementing local conservation programs as approved by the Town Council
- Compiling an Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) compendium
- Making recommendations on all development plans before the Planning Board with a focus on how it would impact Fanwood’s natural and water resources and environment.
- Conducting Outreach programs to raise awareness on environmental issues as they affect our town.
- Advertising, preparing, and distributing materials necessary to implement the Commission’s activities
- Acting as the Township liaison for conservation needs with regional, state, and federal agencies
- Working with Boy and Girl Scouts and other youth and community groups to perform various environmentally-oriented projects throughout the town
Nature Center
Take a video tour of the Nature Center via this link: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/3e270c0e/XXkZFQKE8UeMj7I7Ej-D2A?u=https://youtu.be/3qkq88QgcFg
Native Plants for your garden: Native plants are beneficial to the environment because they are well-adapted to local conditions, requiring less water, fertilizers, and pesticides, which results in lower upkeep. Native plants also support local ecosystems by attracting native species such as birds, insects, and pollinators, fostering biodiversity. See this link: Native Plants Guide
Invasive Species: (Plants to avoid) In contrast, invasive plants can be harmful to the environment as they often out-compete native species for resources, leading to a decline in local wildlife. Additionally, invasive plants generally require more maintenance to control their spread, which can be both costly and time-consuming. Overall, promoting native plants over invasive species is crucial for maintaining a healthy and balanced ecosystem. See this link: Invasive Species Guide
Guidelines for an Eagle or Gold Award Project or Other Scout Related Project on Fanwood Owned Property That’s Coordinated With the Fanwood Environmental Commission
1-Obtain the approval of the Fanwood Environmental Commission (FEC) for a project that you propose to work on as part of your Eagle or Gold Award honor or other project that will be done in or for a pubic property within Fanwood. The Fanwood Nature Center would be a likely property or it could be related to any property owned by Fanwood such as an open space area.
2-If the concept for the project is approved by the FEC, the FEC will determine who would represent them as a coordinator to assist you moving forward with your project to assure it will be done so it is acceptable and appropriate for a Fanwood owned property. The Scout’s responsibility is to obtain the necessary approvals from the Scout Council or other approving authority to confirm it’s acceptability for meeting the criteria for the Eagle/Gold Award honor. Any project design should be ADA (Americans with Disabilties Act) compliant. Any materials used for the project should be ecologically friendly. The one doing the project is responsible for obtaining the necessary funds for the project. Note that if any digging is needed for your project, call 811 to get the approval needed to actually do any digging.
3-Keep your FEC coordinator advised of the status of your project. Your coordinator will advise the FEC of the status.
4-Work with your FEC coordinator to confirm timing and any on-site details that might be key to the project. As an example, if materials need to be delivered to the site, the location for the materials and the timing for the shipment should be approved by the FEC.
5-If the project will be done within the Nature Center, be sure that you and any assisting you comply with posted rules for the Nature Center.
6-The project should include, if applicable, a plan to indicate how the project will be maintained in good condition after completed in order to obtain the final approval of the FEC.
7-While it may be required by the approving scout authority to take photos of your project as part of your submission for their approval of your project, keep in mind that the FEC will ask you to provide info to the Fanwood community once your project was accepted as complying with the requirements for the Eagle/Gold Award. Photos should be taken at the start of the project, while it’s being done and after your project is completed. In addition, the one doing the project should write a few paragraphs describing the project suitable for publication in our local TAP and also create a writeup on the project with any relevant links and photos for potential inclusion on the FEC website.
Example of an EC sponsored project:
Girl Scout Silver Award Birdhouse Project
For our Girl Scout Silver Award Project, we constructed 8 birdhouses designed to keep various bird species within our local community. Our goal was to educate patrons about the importance of these birds at the Fanwood Nature Center (FNC) and to provide nesting sites for them. By keeping birds in our local area, they help control insect populations, making them a vital part of our local ecosystem. We could not have completed this project without the incredible support of the community. A huge thank you goes to Mr. Elliot from Wildbirds Unlimited for sharing his expertise, Len from Len’s Tree Service for helping with hauling the owl box to the top of the tree, and Addie’s dad for his amazing craftsmanship in building and installing all the birdhouses at the FNC. Please visit the Fanwood Nature Center to see our birdhouses and learn more about the fascinating birds that live in our area!
Link to the Bird Box Project: Bird Box Pamphlet
Take a video tour of the Nature Center via this link: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/3e270c0e/XXkZFQKE8UeMj7I7Ej-D2A?u=https://youtu.be/3qkq88QgcFg
Native Plants for your garden: Native plants are beneficial to the environment because they are well-adapted to local conditions, requiring less water, fertilizers, and pesticides, which results in lower upkeep. Native plants also support local ecosystems by attracting native species such as birds, insects, and pollinators, fostering biodiversity. See this link: Native Plants Guide
Invasive Species: (Plants to avoid) In contrast, invasive plants can be harmful to the environment as they often out-compete native species for resources, leading to a decline in local wildlife. Additionally, invasive plants generally require more maintenance to control their spread, which can be both costly and time-consuming. Overall, promoting native plants over invasive species is crucial for maintaining a healthy and balanced ecosystem. See this link: Invasive Species Guide
Guidelines for an Eagle or Gold Award Project or Other Scout Related Project on Fanwood Owned Property That’s Coordinated With the Fanwood Environmental Commission
1-Obtain the approval of the Fanwood Environmental Commission (FEC) for a project that you propose to work on as part of your Eagle or Gold Award honor or other project that will be done in or for a pubic property within Fanwood. The Fanwood Nature Center would be a likely property or it could be related to any property owned by Fanwood such as an open space area.
2-If the concept for the project is approved by the FEC, the FEC will determine who would represent them as a coordinator to assist you moving forward with your project to assure it will be done so it is acceptable and appropriate for a Fanwood owned property. The Scout’s responsibility is to obtain the necessary approvals from the Scout Council or other approving authority to confirm it’s acceptability for meeting the criteria for the Eagle/Gold Award honor. Any project design should be ADA (Americans with Disabilties Act) compliant. Any materials used for the project should be ecologically friendly. The one doing the project is responsible for obtaining the necessary funds for the project. Note that if any digging is needed for your project, call 811 to get the approval needed to actually do any digging.
3-Keep your FEC coordinator advised of the status of your project. Your coordinator will advise the FEC of the status.
4-Work with your FEC coordinator to confirm timing and any on-site details that might be key to the project. As an example, if materials need to be delivered to the site, the location for the materials and the timing for the shipment should be approved by the FEC.
5-If the project will be done within the Nature Center, be sure that you and any assisting you comply with posted rules for the Nature Center.
6-The project should include, if applicable, a plan to indicate how the project will be maintained in good condition after completed in order to obtain the final approval of the FEC.
7-While it may be required by the approving scout authority to take photos of your project as part of your submission for their approval of your project, keep in mind that the FEC will ask you to provide info to the Fanwood community once your project was accepted as complying with the requirements for the Eagle/Gold Award. Photos should be taken at the start of the project, while it’s being done and after your project is completed. In addition, the one doing the project should write a few paragraphs describing the project suitable for publication in our local TAP and also create a writeup on the project with any relevant links and photos for potential inclusion on the FEC website.
Example of an EC sponsored project:
For our Girl Scout Silver Award Project, we constructed 8 birdhouses designed to keep various bird species within our local community. Our goal was to educate patrons about the importance of these birds at the Fanwood Nature Center (FNC) and to provide nesting sites for them. By keeping birds in our local area, they help control insect populations, making them a vital part of our local ecosystem. We could not have completed this project without the incredible support of the community. A huge thank you goes to Mr. Elliot from Wildbirds Unlimited for sharing his expertise, Len from Len’s Tree Service for helping with hauling the owl box to the top of the tree, and Addie’s dad for his amazing craftsmanship in building and installing all the birdhouses at the FNC. Please visit the Fanwood Nature Center to see our birdhouses and learn more about the fascinating birds that live in our area!
Commission Members
| Suzanne Custons-Sanschagrin – 12/31/2026 term exp | Secretary |
| Gary Szelc – 12/31/2026 term exp | Vice Chair |
| Sandy Redder – 12/31/2025 term exp | Chair |
| Phyllis Sandrock – 12/31/2025 term exp | |
| Dave Schwartzberg -12/312028 term exp | |
| Leslie Krone-Speck | Planning Board Liason |
|
Patricia Walsh – no term |
Council Liaison |
| Carol Chimento – 12/31/2027 term exp | |
| Andrea Parra – 12/31/2028 term exp | Alternate #1 |
Commission Meetings 2025
| January 16 | February 20 |
| March 20 | April 17 |
| May 15 | June 19 |
| July 17 | August 21 |
| September 18 | October 16 |
| November 20 | December 18 |
Meetings are held: 3rd Thursday, 7 PM at the Fanwood Memorial Library, 5 Forest Road.