Environmental Commission

VISION

We envision a Byram Township in which all residents and homeowners appreciate and value the town's natural resources, understand their impact on the environment,

including the town's water bodies, forests, and watersheds, and are active stewards of these resources.

MISSION

Our mission is to protect Byram's abundant natural resources and work with our Township's committees, schools, residents, and other regional organizations to preserve and enhance our quality of life and conserve the environment for future generations. 

Byram Township is known as "The Township of Lakes," having more than two dozen lakes and ponds within its 22.48 square miles.  Byram Township is also the proud home of Allamuchy Mountain State Park, Waterloo Village, and large areas of parkland with many miles of hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails.  With over 5 miles of the interstate Highlands Trail running through town, as well as the southern trailhead of the Sussex Branch Trail, Byram truly the "Gateway to Sussex County Trails."

Located in the heart of the New Jersey Highlands, approximately 14,000 acres (98%) of our town is dedicated to the Highlands Preservation area and 233 acres (2%) to the Planning area.   It is one of 88 municipalities protected by and subject to the provisions of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act enacted by the State Legislature for the purpose of protecting, enhancing, and restoring Highlands natural resources, in particular water resources, which provides drinking water to over 5 million New Jersey residents.  In addition, most of Byram is in the Musconetcong River Watershed, with smaller sections of the north and west parts of the township in the Wallkill River and Pequest River Watersheds. 

Established in October 1974, the Byram Township Environmental Commission participates in a broad array of Township initiatives.  The ordinance establishing the Commission defines its responsibilities as "all things necessary to promote the conservation and development of the Township's resources, to provide the impetus and take leadership in natural resource planning and to inform the public about local conservation programs and the need for conserving the natural resources of the Township."

The Commission partners with and participates in various events with the Town Council, community groups, schools, resident volunteers, and other organizations.

The Commission reviews applications before the Township Planning Board, makes site visits, and submits written comments to the Board and applicants regarding any environmental impact concerns including but not limited to protection of water, air, flora and fauna, waste, noise and light pollution, stormwater run-off, and erosion that may be created by the proposed application.

Our members are represented on the Town Council, Planning Board, Board of Health, Open Space Committee, Recreation Committee as well as the Musconetcong Water Association and Mansfield Trail Dumpsite Community Advisory Group.

The Commission is a proud member of the Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, and the Musconetcong Watershed Association.

Environmental Commission 2025 Top Accomplishments 

Main Goals:

(1) Advance the 2020 Trails Master Plan and create a fully functional trail steward program

●      Co-sponsored 3 NYNJTC workshops in May and June (workshops on Trail Maintenance, Invasives Species Removal, and Trail Design)

●      Began the process of creating and editing a Byram Township Trails digital trail map (using Google MyMap technology) for resident use

●      Initiated an "Adopt-a-Trail" campaign and recruited 11 Trail Keepers who are now actively maintaining 8 miles of township trails

(2) Focus on invasive plant management and restoration of natural habitats

●      Collaborated with Open Space Committee, Township Forester and NJ Forest Fire Service on a Controlled Burn plan in Tamarack to suppress invasive barberry

●      Distributed 120 native tree seedlings to Byram residents on Arbor Day

●      Created a "Native Plants vs. Invasive Plants" display at ByramFest and engaged residents on steps they can take to maintain biodiversity in Byram

●      Conducted a "Homeowner's Guide to Invasive Plants" Walk at Forest Lakes in October

(3) Sponsor and coordinate a "Zero Waste" event

●      Sponsored a sustainable living and Zero Waste Workshop at Louise Childs Library with Simple Bare Necessities

(4) Grow community and expand outreach to residents, schools, community groups, and regional partners

●      Created an ambitious Vision Statement and a mission-focused tagline: "Protecting our lakes, forests and waterways for future generations"

●      Used Facebook page (Friends of Byram Env. Comm.) for PSAs; followers have increased 400% in the last year

●      Presented at the Sussex County Trails Partnership Steering Committee meeting and will have Byram Trails on forthcoming county trail map update

●      Led a Trail Keepers Social Hike in October to Tripod Rock on Hudson Farm Wolf Lake property

(5) Continue watershed education efforts  

●      Engaged the public on watershed facts at June Canal Day at Waterloo Village

●      Created an alternative riparian buffer ordinance for Town Council consideration

Core Functions and Responsibilities:

●      Reviewed and provided comments on 13 Planning Board applications at its monthly meetings

●      Attended numerous training sessions this year, including continuing education credits that meet requirements to maintain Byram Township's New Jersey Urban and Community Forestry (NJUCF) Accreditation

●      Attended meetings for the Open Space Committee and Musconetcong River Management Council

●      Monitored projects including illegal fill dumpings, Mansfield Superfund Site, and the Waterloo Road Amphibian Crossings project

Help us preserve and protect our natural, scenic, and other resources, such as contiguous forests, wetlands, vegetated stream corridors, steep slopes and critical habitats for flora and fauna.

Interested in joining us? We are always looking for residents to help on projects or serve as Commission members. If you are interested, please call Environmental Commission Secretary Elaine Evers at 973-347-2500 x 138 or attend a Commission meeting (held on the 4^th Thursday of each month, except on or near holidays ,at 7:00 p.m. at the Township Municipal Building).

Volunteers are needed!   Several times a year, the Environmental Commission sponsors trail improvement projects on Byram Township's trails.  Volunteers may be needed to remove fallen branches off trails, trim bushes and cut back invasive species like barberry that encroach on the trails, remove trash, etc.   If you are interested in being on the distribution email for this, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Past Commission Work:

●        Support the Amphibian Tunnel project on Waterloo Road and provide assistance during the annual spring migration of the amphibians

●        Development of the growing town-wide network of hiking and biking trails, including the 2013 update of the Township Trail Guide, first published by the Commission in 2006.  Current ANJEC grant project work includes optimizing Trail information posted on township website.

●        Support community programs for Byram Schools and Boy Scouts

●        Grant projects, including repairing two Byram sections of Sussex Branch Trail, creating trails on three Township open space parcels, linking trails with Stanhope and Hopatcong, expanding Brookwood Park, developing a Community Forestry Plan, obtaining No Net Loss tree planting funds

●        Articles and film-screenings on various environmental issues, especially protecting our lakes, streams, and wells; Tri-County Forums on environmental issues of regional significance

●        2010 update of the Townships Natural Resources Inventory as part of the Highlands Conformance process; the NRI was written and published by the Commission in 1994

●        Participation in the development of the Township's Smart Growth Plan, Master Plan, Lakefront Development Plan, and Village Center ordinances

●        Grants for the Lubbers Run Greenway Study and the town wide Groundwater/Aquifers Study

●        Application for and implementation of grant projects totaling about $500,000 over the past 20 years

●        Establishment of a community Collaborative Planning process for Township residents and developers

●        Byram Day activities, including the "Name the Stream" contest, which resulted in official State and federal adoption of names for nine previously unnamed streams in Byram

Meeting Minutes / Agendas

Forms

Documents

Appointed Members

• Chair - Peter Dlugos
• Vice Chair - Eric Duch
• Member - James Myers
• Member - Dana Flynn
• Member - Greg Smith
• Alternate I - Randy Gutwein
• Member - Christine Aboulhosn
• Secretary and Non-Voting Member - Dianne Snyder
• Township Council Liaison - Richard Proctor
• Alternate II - Vacant
• Member - Josh Spahl