A section of Kunkel Park will be allowed to grow a little wilder under a plan designed to give fireflies — and perhaps eventually bats — a better place to call home.
The Pennington Borough Council gave its support Sept. 8 to the first phase of the Kunkel Park Wildlife Habitat Restoration Project, a joint effort between the borough’s Parks and Recreation Commission and Environmental Commission. The initial phase would establish a firefly habitat along Stony Brook by leaving areas of tall grass, fallen leaves and other natural ground cover largely undisturbed.
For Parks and Recreation Commission member James Ottomanelli, who developed the proposal after joining the commission earlier this year, the idea began with something he noticed had changed since his childhood.
“What prompted this proposal was that I started noticing there are significantly fewer fireflies than there used to be,” Ottomanelli told MercerMe. “When I was little, my favorite part about summer was running around with my friends and cousins catching fireflies. We called them lightning bugs.”
More recently, the birth of his nephew got him thinking about whether another generation would have the same experience.
“I was wondering if he’d get to have that same experience, or if the next generation would even know what fireflies are,” he said.
The project calls for two complementary initiatives: firefly habitat preservation followed by the potential installation of bat houses. Ottomanelli’s September presentation focused on the firefly habitat, with the bat houses to return for consideration later.
Firefly nurseries are essentially protected areas where leaves and other natural litter and tall grass are left in place. Fireflies spend the early stages of their lives as larvae and pupae and need protective ground cover and moisture, Ottomanelli explained.
“When we look at the health of these populations, these species, both bats and fireflies, their presence signals a healthy ecosystem, a balanced ecosystem,” he told the council.
The project would establish low-intervention conservation zones along Stony Brook. Signs would mark the area, explain firefly ecology and encourage visitors to participate in environmental stewardship. The Mercer County Parks Department’s Stewardship Division has agreed to print the signs at no cost, Ottomanelli said.
Ottomanelli also suggested Kunkel Park could be certified as a wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation, which would contribute to Hopewell Valley’s broader wildlife habitat designation. Aside from a one-time $25 certification fee, he expects the project could be completed at no cost to the borough.
Council members offered ideas for defining the habitat. Kit Chandler and Dan Rubenstein suggested using meadow grasses as a natural barrier, while Rubenstein offered leftover logs from the Eileen M. Heinzel Memorial Arboretum that could be placed around the perimeter. Chandler said open space funds could potentially be used if materials need to be purchased.
Council President Nadine Stern asked whether anything would need to be done to attract fireflies. Ottomanelli said the purpose is not to introduce them, but to preserve and strengthen habitat already there.
“I’m hearing overall support for James’ proposal,” Mayor Jim Davy said.
Ottomanelli said moving forward would help ensure “that my nephew and other kids have the same opportunities to experience the planet that we did.”
Borough honors former Mayor Edwin Weed Tucker
Davy also read a proclamation honoring former Pennington Mayor Edwin Weed Tucker, who died Aug. 31 at age 91.
Tucker, a longtime Pennington resident, served in the U.S. Army as an overseas correspondent in Korea and as editor of the First Cavalry Division newspaper, “The Cavalier.” He later joined the Princeton Packet as a reporter, eventually rising to second in command, and became executive secretary of the New Jersey Press Association in 1976. He founded Edwin W. Tucker & Associates in 1991 and joined the Lawrenceville School faculty in 1994.
Tucker was elected mayor of Pennington in 1976 and served four years, during which he was involved in revising the borough’s zoning Master Plan, among other projects.
He returned to public office in 2003 and was elected to four consecutive terms on Borough Council, serving on every council committee during his tenure. He was also involved with the Pennington Business and Professional Association and numerous civic organizations throughout Hopewell Valley.
At the time of his death, Tucker was vice president of the Hopewell Valley Veterans Association and remained a supporter of emergency services and the Hopewell Valley September 11th and Emergency Services Memorial.
“The life of Edwin Weed Tucker stands as a model of what one person’s steady, sustained devotion can build within a community — in its infrastructure, its institutions, its memory, and its people,” Davy read from the proclamation.
Davy extended the council’s condolences to Tucker’s family and proclaimed that borough flags be flown at half-staff in his memory.
Other Borough news
Davy announced that Pennington received a $6,700 state Clean Communities grant, which can be used for litter removal programs and efforts to keep trash out of waterways and protect wildlife habitat.
The borough also received a $1,500 Recycling Tonnage Grant. The money from this ANJEC (Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions) grant can be used for recycling containers, drop-off compost sites, education and outreach, and enforcement of recycling ordinances.Because these grant amounts were not determined when the current budget was adopted, Council has requested the Division of Local Government Services to insert them into the budget.
Councilwoman Kati Angarone announced that the Pennington Stroll will take place Oct. 3, with additional details to come. She also announced the opening of the new Painter’s Loft, a DIY art and pottery wheel studio on Route 31, previously located in the plaza along Tree Farm Rd.
Council also adopted an ordinance amending borough zoning regulations to implement recommendations from the recently updated Master Plan.
The next Borough Council meeting is scheduled for Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.
