Maria Rodale is chairperson and Josh Buckallew is vice chairperson of the Salisbury Township Environmental Advisory Council.

They were elected at the Feb. 21 meeting when new and recent EAC members joined them, including Ed Olearczyk, Sam Sankari and Thomas McCabe.

Olearczyk was appointed 5th Ward representative to the EAC by a unanimous 5-0 vote at the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners’ Feb. 8 meeting. Commissioner Alok Patnaik made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Heather Lipkin, to bring the appointment to a vote. Olearczyk’s EAC term expires Jan. 1, 2027.

The Feb. 21 EAC was moderated by Salisbury Township Code-Rental Inspector, Assistant Zoning Officer Michele Lopez. She succeeds Salisbury Township Assistant Township Manager, Director, Community Development Sandy Nicolo at the EAC meetings, held every other month in the township municipal building.

“I’m in favor of anything we can do to safeguard the environment and preserve it for generations to come,” Lopez said in her introduction.

Lopez led a discussion of requirements for Salisbury Township to maintain its Bird Town Pennsylvania designation.

“To maintain that status, you have to set some goals,” Nicolo said.

“This is something to set goals for so that we can try to move it forward and make it happen,” Lopez said.

Bird Town Pennsylvania “works in partnership with local municipalities and like-minded organizations to promote community-based conservation actions to create a healthier, more sustainable environment for birds, wildlife and people,” according to the Bird Town Pennsylvania website: https://birdtownpa.org/.

“The best thing we can do is educate our population,” Lopez said, adding, “We could have someone come in from Bird Town and make a presentation.”

“We can create a resource on our website so that it’s not just about meetings,” Lopez said.

“Master Gardeners are available from Penn State Extension,” Lipkin said, the board of commissioners’ liaison to the EAC.

“Maybe we can involve students in Earth Day and tree planting,” Lopez suggested, noting, “Another part of Bird Town is community engagement.”

The township is to plant 30 trees in Laubach Park and Green Acres Park, possibly from April 3 to 11, according to Lopez. Nicolo said he would be following through on the tree planting with the township public works department.

In other discussions at the Feb. 21 meeting, Ed Del Viscio and John Eberhard updated the EAC about their ongoing efforts to clean up Walking Purchase Park.

“John and I have made 15 trips with our truck since October [2023] and we take it to the Dodson Park dumpster,” Del Viscio said.

Del Viscio recommended three 96-gallon trash containers be placed and secured in Walking Purchase Park.

Eberhard said dumping of trash continues in the park. “You see a truck going there three times and, if the coast is clear, they dump it,” Eberhard said.

Lipkin, Nicolo and Rodale attended a meeting with officials from Salisbury Township, Allentown and Lehigh County to discuss concerns about Walking Purchase Park. The park, which is in Salisbury and Allentown, is administered by the township, city and county. Wildlands Conservancy was represented at the meeting, which was spearheaded by Rodale.

“Just getting that meeting together was huge,” Lipkin said, adding, “We’re cautiously optimistic.”

Salisbury Township meetings in the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave., include: 7 p.m. March 13, zoning hearing board; 7 p.m. March 14, board of commissioners; 7 p.m. March 27, planning commission and 7 p.m. March 28, board of commissioners.