Bernards Multi-Family Associations Consider Fewer Lawn Chemicals

With Bernards Township properties now eliminating or avoiding use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers for several years now, the municipality is available as an example of ways individual homeowners and multi-family homeowner associations can move away from lawn pesticides.

That was the message when representatives of some of those homeowner associations met this month with some Bernards Township officials to look for advice on how to begin an "integrated pest management" program.

"You have people who want to be pesticide free for health reasons, and for their kids and pets," Bernards Township Committeeman John Malay said at a roundtable discussion held at the town hall at 1 Collyer Lane, which has a pesticide-free lawn. "And then you have people who want their lawns to look like a golf course," who might be unhappy with lawns that may not be 100 percent grass.

Malay said the township took a risk when going "pesticide free" and instituting a system of integrated pest management — avoiding synthetics and pesticides whenever possible — and it has paid off. He said the program has been "tax neutral," meaning that costs for maintaining municipal properties have not risen.

"We have successful examples," Malay said. Along with township properties including athletic fields and local parks that are part of the program, Society Hill II, one of the local homeowner associations, has successfully operated with minimal pesticide use for at least a decade, he pointed out.

Tom Stiff, a representative of the Society Hill I board of trustees — where last year residents in one multi-family building protested against the spraying of pesticides and other chemicals near their units — attended the meeting at town hall. Stiff said the board has since agreed to go to an "integrated pest management" program, and is working with a lawn care contractor to determine how that program will be implemented.

Representatives from Society Hill II said their lawn care program with minimal reliance on lawn chemicals has been in effect for 12 years.

Dan McCabe, a representative from the Patriot Mews board of trustees in The Hills development, said his community is "kind of split" on the preferred type of lawn care, but the board is moving more in the direction of organic lawn care.

Malay and Joe Speeney, a member and former chair of the township Environmental Commission who helped set up the meeting, said the environmental commission's page on the township website also offers details information and suggested resources for organic lawn care.

"Trustees of multiple Bernards Township HOAs [homeowner associations] had been in contact with the Bernards Township Environmental Commission over the past year looking for advice on moving their lawn programs away from lawn pesticides," Speeney said after the meeting. "Rather than have only individual conversations with the Environmental Commission, it was deemed to be more productive to put everyone in the same room for an info-share roundtable and involve subject matter experts as well as Society Hill II trustees where lawn pesticides have been used only minimally on a spot treatment basis over the past decade," he said in an email.

Michele Bakacs, an environmental agent with Rutgers, was at the discussion to offer suggestions and contact information for those seeking guidance. This past year, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Organic Land Care Certification Course, in partnership with N.J. Department of Environmental Protection and the Northeast Organic Farming Association, was launched, providing another source of information, Speeney said.

Barry Draycott, President of Tech Terra, a lawn care materials supplier and advisor to Bernards Township in the management of all township-owned lawns without pesticides since 2008, also attended the meeting.

Bakacs said the Rutgers Cooperative Extension is reviewing NOFA standards to see if any of them should be adapted specifically for New Jersey.

McCabe said he feels homeowner associations would appreciate being able to look to the township and website for a "recipe" for lawn care that moves away from chemicals.

Along with the information on the township website, Malay said that if a homeowner association contacts town hall, "We would like to get you started on integrated pest management."

The Environmental Commission also remains available to any parties looking for assistance, Speeney said.