Environmental Insights Program on Our Open Space Dilemma on Oct 26th

October 13, 2016October 17, 2016Leave a comment

Land Preservation in a Built Out Community

Thanks to the foresight and vision of leaders like Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir and many others, 2016 marked the National Park Service’s 100^th birthday. It’s a perfect time to reflect upon and appreciate the many parks throughout the country that we are able to enjoy. It is also a great time to learn what we can do to preserve and expand upon the parks and open spaces in our town. Join us for a presentation entitled Our Open Space Dilemma: Land Preservation Challenges in a Built-Out Community. John S. Watson, Jr., Vice President of the D&R Greenway Land Trust, will speak to us about the work that the D&R Greenway does and lead a discussion about identifying and preserving the best of what is left in Ewing for recreation / conservation purposes and how the Greenway Land Trust might support this preservation work.

As the most developed state in the nation, New Jersey faces difficult land preservation challenges. Ewing Township is almost completely built out, having lost most of its agricultural heritage after WWII, and embodies some of the difficult choices that many suburban NJ communities face regarding open space. It is predominantly covered by residential, commercial, and institutional development. The nonresidential properties serve to decrease the population density as a whole, but they are unavailable to the public as preserved and accessible open space. The open space that is available consists of about 361 acres of wooded stream corridors, parks, and golf courses interspaced among those developments. Approximately half of our open space is regional and half local. We also have a tree canopy of 27.4%, below the state goal of 40%.

During our community visioning process conducted in 2014, citizens identified the preservation and conservation of our open spaces as an important component of community sustainability. Through its annual bike rides the EGT has been actively promoting our parks and open spaces to increase interest in expanding and protecting them.

We Americans have come to prize our national parks and to regard their preservation as a sacred trust. Preserving the natural areas in our town not only adds to the beauty of our community, but also serves as a legacy to future generation. Please join us.

Date: Wednesday, Oct 26^thTime: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Ewing Senior and Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, in the Community Room

About Mr. Watson

“Jay” is the Vice President of D&R Greenway Land Trust, a Princeton, NJ nonprofit land conservancy working to preserve and restore New Jersey’s landscape. Prior to coming to the D&R Greenway Land Trust, Jay spent nearly 30 years in various roles in the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). He has extensive experience protecting our natural resources from working in the Green Acres Program, working on waterfront reclamation and redevelopment, working on the Delaware River Basin Commission, chairing the Invasive Species Council, serving on the Lawrence Hopewell Trail Corporation and much more.

Save the Date – What Can Be Done To Make Ewing a Better Home for the Arts?

October 4, 2016October 17, 2016Leave a comment

This past August the EGT collaborated with the Arts Council to hold a very successful public meeting where we advanced a two-fold agenda, discussing how to advance a dynamic arts community in Ewing and soliciting input to help us complete our survey defining Ewing’s art assets.

We invite all interested artists and art lovers to attend our follow up meeting as we continue our discussion on “What can be done to make Ewing a Better Home for the Arts?”

Date: Thursday, October 13th
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Ewing Senior and Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing in the Community Room

We hope to see you there

Building Healthier Communities with Let’s Move and Million Hearts: New Environmental Insights Series Offering

September 24, 2016October 17, 2016Leave a comment

As the summer heat begins to fade autumn is a great time to resolve to live that healthier life we have long promised ourselves we would. Join us at our monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 28^th when Kedesch Altidor-Dorcély, Public Health Advisor for the US Department of Health and Human Services speaks about how we can build a healthier community using two of the nation’s stellar health programs, Let’s Move and Million Hearts.

Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years; giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices; providing healthier foods in our schools; ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food; and, helping children become more physically active. Everyone has a role to play in reducing childhood obesity, including parents and caregivers, elected officials from all levels of government, schools, health care professionals, faith-based and community-based organizations, and private sector companies. Everyone’s involvement is key to ensuring a healthy future for our children.

Million Hearts® is a national initiative with an ambitious goal to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017. Heart disease and stroke are the first and fifth leading causes of death in the United States. Every 43 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack, many of them fatal. On average, one American dies from stroke every 4 minutes. Launched by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in September 2011, Million Hearts® aligns existing efforts, as well as creates new programs, to improve health across communities and help Americans live longer, more productive lives. Million Hearts® aims to prevent heart attacks and strokes by: empowering Americans to make healthy choices and improving care for people who need treatment.

Kedesch E. Altidor-Dorcély is employed with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Region II in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health as a Public Health Advisor. She leads the Let’s Move! initiative addressing childhood obesity, Million Hearts initiative addressing heart attacks and strokes, chronic diseases efforts, and the Environmental Health program. Before coming to HHS, she worked at the US Environmental Protection Agency as an Environmental Scientist working on Environmental Justice issues. She attended the University of Florida and University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she received her degree in Environmental Science.

This program is the latest entry in our Environmental Insights Series, environmental presentations designed to engage Ewing residents in a public conversation about critical environmental issues and to spark new ideas concerning sustainability.

Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Ewing Senior and Community Center (ESCC), Community Room
Cost: Free and Open to the Public

Calling All Cyclists! – Register today for our Bike Tour of Ewing

September 17, 2016October 17, 2016Leave a comment

Summer vacations are receding in the rearview mirror, the kids are back in school, and Fall is within 2 weeks. What better time to revive yourself by registering for Ewing’s bike tour taking place Saturday morn Sept. 24^th? The team has just ordered the tee-shirts, and soon you will see some signage at entrances to our parks.

By going to ewinggreenteam.org/ewingfallspin you can learn all about our plans for this year’s ride. In addition to the classical printable registration form, the Ewing Recreation Department has introduced a PayPal-like system allowing online registration for an additional $3 fee. Also, check out our route map for ride specifics along with the cue sheet with turn by turn directions that will be handed out to the cyclists.

Meet at John S. Watson Park and enjoy a leisurely tour of the township. The ride will occur in two consecutive stages. The first highlights our eastern section. The second for more ambitious riders continues on and highlights our western section. The cost is $15 for registrations prior to September 17th and $20 after to cover the cost of tee-shirts. Registrations online [honored up until 2 pm on Friday the 23rd] also incur a $3 fee. Tee-shirts are on order for the first 80 registrants. So join our 2nd Annual Ewing Fall Spin, as we promote healthy lifestyles, raise awareness of bicycle safety and promote a more bikeable Ewing.

Date: September 24th (Rain or shine).
Meet Up: 8 a.m. at John S. Watson Park (formerly Rambling Creek Park) off Upper Ferry Road
Parking: Behind Fisher Middle School. Use the foot-bridge to walk your bike over to Watson Park
Ride Starts/Mileage:

Stage 1( shorter) – 9:00 AM [10 miles]
Stage 2 (longer)- on completion of Stage 1 [14 additional miles]
Total Ride miles – 24 miles

Police Escort: The Ewing police will once again escort us through intersections.
SAG Support: Knapps’ Cyclery

Registration:

Online:
Create a User account (a one-time requirement for all Ewing programs) and fill out all required information including. An additional $3 fee covers processing costs. Do not use this system if you are being comped for the ride.
In Person:
Register and pay at the ESCC Recreation Department Office, 999 Lower Ferry Road.
Phone in registration by Credit Card
Call 609-883-1776 Ext. 2
By mail
Fill out the registration form and mail it along with your check made out to the Ewing Twp. Recreation Department to:

Ted Forst (Director)
Ewing Recreation Department
Ewing Senior and Community Center
999 Lower Ferry Road
Ewing, NJ 08628

Registration and payment must be received by Saturday, September 17 for the $15 rate.

Both stages are totally within Ewing and include:

John S. Watson Park – Start & end. Newly enlarged and being upgraded
Drake Farm Park – Stage 1 rest stop features the Temple-Ryan House, home of the Ewing Township Historic Preservation Society
Armstrong Park and the Ewing Community Gardens at Sherbrook Park – ride-bys
Johnson Trolley Rail to Trail, historic bed of the high speed trolley run by Trenton-Princeton Traction Company 1901-1940. Upgraded by Ewing staff with bridge repainted by the Ewing Environmental Commission.
Banchoff Park – Stage 2 rest stop includes picnic grove, walking paths, tennis.

The ride map is provided on our webpage as well as turn by turn directions are on our Cue sheet.
Our thanks to the sponsors who have offered their support to this, our 2^nd Ewing Fall Spin.

New Jersey Maufacturers Insurance Group
Greene 750 @ Bear Tavern
Sonic
Knapp’s Cyclery
Money Management Associates
Shop Rite
FMC
Horizon Audiology, Inc
Salerno’s III
RJ’s Bagels
Philly Pretzel Factory (Ewing)

Ewing Green Team To Receive ANJEC 2016 Environmental Achievement Award

September 14, 2016October 17, 2016Leave a comment

The Ewing Green Team is delighted to announce that its annual Build a Scarecrow Contest will receive a 2016 Environmental Achievement Award from the Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). The award will be presented at the organization’s 43^rd Environmental Congress at Mercer County Community College in West Windsor on September 30^th. Accepting the award for the Ewing Green Team will be team member Lisa K Feldman, the contest’s creator.

The annual awards program recognizes successful projects by environmental commissions, nonprofit organizations and school groups that benefit the local environment. An awards committee comprised of ANJEC Trustees and staff members select the winners based on project impact, originality, educational value, innovation, and response to a need. ANJEC has been presenting the coveted annual awards since the mid-1970s.

scarecrowflyerimage — Click on the Contest flyer to access our registration form

The Build a Scarecrow Contest, now in its third year, is a unique example of combining creative place-making with recycling and recycling education. It requires that all entries be constructed of at least 80% recycled, reclaimed, and/or reused materials. According to Ms Feldman, “It’s fascinating to see how creative participants can be with old throwaway items and standard recycling plastic bags, bottles, cans, newspaper and cardboard. Our events produce more than just scarecrows; they are a day for the arts, a day for community building, and a day to keep things out of the landfill. “

The entries were judged by Major Bert Steinmann and other Township notables at the Ewing Recreation Department’s annual Trunk or Treat event. Following the awards the scarecrows are kept on display for the many people using the Community Center to enjoy during the last days of autumn. At the end of the display period participants pick up their scarecrows. Those not picked up are taken apart to be recycled.

For more information about registering to participate in this year’s Build a Scarecrow Contest, go to ewinggreenteam.org/scarecrow-contest. We hope to see you, and your scarecrow, there!