HILLSDALE, N.J.—Members of Hillsdale’s Environmental Commission, Mayor Michael Sheinfield, Council Member Robbert Colletti Jr., School Superintendent Robert Lombardi Jr., Principal Bell, teachers, and students gathered April 25 at Meadowbrook Elementary School to celebrate Arbor Day with a special planting event.
We’re told new plantings, generously donated at the behest of Scott Raymond of Raymond Brothers Landscaping by Victoria’s Nursery — a family-owned business now based in Closter with more than 40 years in the nursery industry — were staged around the school’s corner sign.
Begun more than 150 years ago to recognize the value of trees and the importance of planting new ones, Arbor Day celebrates the future. The Hillsdale Environmental Commission notes that healthy, large, and impressively old trees are “gems sitting in plain sight” throughout Hillsdale, contributing greatly to the borough’s ambiance and character.
Although silent and stationary, trees have a powerful ability to improve residents’ lives in many ways, the commission said.
“An abundance of trees helps slow stormwater runoff, preserves water quality, offers shade and cooling from the heat, reduces area noise, provides important habitat and food for local wildlife, and makes for a more beautiful community,” Hillsdale Environmental Commission chair Fred Rubel told Pascack Press.
Lombardi explained to attendees how the donation came about, and Bell expressed delight at the Arbor Day contributions.
An inventory of Hillsdale’s environmental resources, along with other environmental reports, is available for free download at hillsdaleec.org — select the Reports link at the top of the page.
Protecting Hillsdale’s Environmental Assets
The Hillsdale Environmental Commission’s Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) — revised in 2023 — is a comprehensive account of the borough’s natural resource characteristics and environmentally significant features.
Authored by Environmental Commission member Fred N. Rubel, M.S., QEP, the 231-page report contains tables, maps, and visual information designed to provide baseline documentation for measuring and evaluating resource protection issues. The ERI is an objective index of Hillsdale’s environmental assets, intended to guide responsible development while protecting public health, safety, and welfare.
“As we go about our busy lives, you may be fascinated to learn that there is way more here in Hillsdale’s 2.98 square miles of land than any of us realize,” Rubel said.
The ERI identifies noteworthy facts about the borough, including that some of Hillsdale’s trees date back to the Civil War era, the town supports a range of wildlife including mink and bald eagles, and that there are currently no public electric vehicle charging stations, with municipal buildings and vehicles relying on traditional fuel sources.
Rubel describes the ERI as “an important tool for governing bodies, environmental commissions, open space committees, planning boards, and zoning boards of adjustment.” He emphasized that the document serves not only officials but also community groups such as scouts, garden clubs, teachers, and students.
Meredith Kates of the Environmental Commission told us when the report was released, “The ERI has been a priority for decades and its importance as a resource and reference tool can’t be overstated as we move forward in preserving and developing our community.”
Kates said that referencing the ERI in decision-making “will ensure that development will also protect the public health, safety and future ongoing development of our community and its inhabitants.”
Scott Raymond added, “The ERI will give guidance to future and ongoing development in our town for many years to come. This living document can be amended and changed in accordance with the future of Hillsdale.”
Rubel noted that the commission intends to conduct periodic reviews and updates to the ERI. Residents are encouraged to contribute to future updates by submitting new sightings of plants or animals using a form available at hillsdaleec.org.
Printed and online copies of the ERI are also available at the Hillsdale Free Public Library.
Bell, a veteran principal at the school, has overseen significant achievements during his tenure. Under his leadership the school has prioritized student-centered curriculum innovations, strengthened school security initiatives, and expanded social-emotional learning and character education efforts. Meadowbrook was recognized as a “Top Elementary School” by U.S. News and World Report in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and was named one of the Top 30 Schools in New Jersey in 2023. The school’s character education program has also been honored by the New Jersey Alliance for Social, Emotional, and Character Development.
For more information on the Hillsdale Environmental Commission and, vitally, to get involved, visit hillsdaleec.org.