Homegrown National Park Supports Saving the Drew Forest!

Co-founded by renowned ecologist and writer Doug Tallamy, Homegrown National Park is a grassroots call-to-action to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants and creating new ecological networks.

“Hi I’m Doug Tallamy. The Drew Forest is an excellent example of a publicly accessible “Homegrown National Park.” It’s stunning how Drew University, US Fish and Wildlife, local garden clubs and private individuals came together 14 years ago to transform an unhealthy forest into a regionally important biodiversity hotspot. Lotta work went into this restoration. First they fenced out the deer, then they began the arduous process of removing destructive invasive plants. Finally, they planted thousands of native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. Once native plants were in the ground and protected from deer, the entire ecosystem began to rebound. Additional native plants appeared on their own, along with many other species of birds, animals and insects that depend on those plants, some of which were threatened or endangered.

Beyond its ecological value, the Drew Forest educates and inspires Drew students and area residents. Everybody can take a walk and enjoy this amazing piece of Homegrown National Park right in Madison NJ, free of charge, free of crowds.

The Drew Forest also serves as a model that shows homeowners what they can create if they remove invasives and plant natives in their own yards. Protecting natural areas is a critical part of slowing the insect and bird declines that we hear about and these declines threaten the viability of the ecosystems we depend on.

But today Drew Forest, believe it or not, is under threat from development. It’s extremely important that all parties come together to preserve the Drew Forest because its 53 acres comprise an urban forest of exceptional value.”

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Regional Support for a Market-Value Conservation Sale:

• Towns

  • Caldwell Borough Council

  • Chatham Borough

  • Chatham Township

  • Madison Borough

  • Morristown

  • Morris Township

  • Parsippany-Troy Hills Township

• Environmental Commissions

  • Caldwell Borough Environmental Commission

  • Harding Township Environmental Commission

  • Long Hill Township Environmental Commission

  • Mendham Township Environmental Commission

  • Morris Township Environmental Commission

  • Mountain Lakes Environmental Commission

• Environmental Groups

  • Associations of New Jersey Environmental Commissions

  • Environment New Jersey*

  • Garden Club of America

  • Great Swamp Watershed Association

  • Homegrown National Park

  • Land Conservancy of New Jersey

  • Native Plant Society of New Jersey

  • New Jersey Highlands Coalition*

  • New York / New Jersey Baykeeper*

  • Old-Growth Forest Network

  • Passaic River Coalition

  • Raritan Headwaters Association*

  • Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter

  • Schiff Nature Preserve

  • The Watershed Institute*

  • Ridge and Valley Conservancy

  • Whippany River Watershed Action Committee

  • Wildlife Preserves, Inc.

  * = cosigners

• Drew University Students

  • Build elsewhere. Save Drew Forest. (November 13, 2021)

  • Drew University student government calls for transparency on potential forest sale (March 1, 2022)

  • LETTER: Drew students challenge university president on potential Drew Forest sale (May 9, 2022)

  • LETTER: Drew University must listen to students on forest issue (August 1, 2022)

  • LETTER: Does Drew really want to become the school that chopped down its forest? (August 23, 2022)

  • LETTER: Drew student critical of university's 'short-sighted' forest development plan (November 30, 2022)