Ways to give back to the environment

There are many ways you can give back to the environment in Cherry Hill at your own convenience.

         There are pollinator gardens, initiated by the Cherry Hill Environmental Board (CHEB), emphasizing how it is fundamental to maintain the ecosystems in the community. They are significant because they provide necessary resources for the pollinators such as pollen and nectar. Thus, these gardens address the decrease in pollinators throughout the country. Located on Cherry Hill’s Open Space lands, they focus on reviving populations such as the Monarch butterfly. In order to assure that these gardens continue to serve their purpose, volunteers are welcome to help keep these gardens alive or are open for visitors to enjoy the beauty of the flourishing gardens.

Another initiative you can do is in your own home as Cherry Hill is working towards being a Certified Habitat Community by the National Wildlife Federation. In order to do so, at least 300 properties are needed to be certified as a Wildlife Habitat. Some aspects that are important to include are native trees, rain gardens, toad houses, native plants, and more.

Also, New Jersey Clean Communities aims to promote a decrease in litter across communities in New Jersey and under the Clean Communities Act, they can provide funding for volunteer groups to take the initiative to clean up the community. Those who do so can apply to get up to $500 in grant funds but no more than 15 grants will be given out every calendar year.

You can also enjoy the serenity of being in nature by joining the Cherry Hill Trail Crew run by the Cherry Hill Township Environmental Board (CHEB). In this volunteer program, you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the trails and also help sustain the quality of the trails for visitors. This can be through preserving the organisms that live there such as removing invasive species and clearing pathways. Resources and materials are provided every event day which are planned every second Saturday of the month. With 13 trails in Cherry Hill, it is fundamental that each one is maintained as it is a mutual necessity for both the environment and the people.

It is fundamental that each person in the community does their part in advancing the community to greater sustainability whether it may be through the opportunities from the Cherry Hill Township or being more environmentally-conscious in our daily lives.