mattersmagazine.com 21 The habitat garden in Seth Boyden’s OLC is so named because it is meant to provide habitat to the birds, insects and small animals that call northern New Jersey home. One part of the garden is more formal. The other is wilder. Over time, it is supposed to come to represent the woods that, hundreds of years ago, would have covered the entirety of the school yard. Luckily, inspiration for such a garden is close by, at the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary in Short Hills. There, on 16 acres donated to the township by the daughter of Short Hills founder Stewart Hartshorn, modern day environmentalists in the mold of their namesake are striving to recreate a native forest in the heart of suburbia. This being modern-day suburbia, of course, the plot of ground is by the Short Hills train station and not quite out of earshot of the ubiquitous landscaping machines. It also is surrounded by a high, secure fence necessary to keep out the deer that will otherwise destroy the ground cover (as they have in so much of the South Mountain Reservation). Still, walking in its densely shaded depths, dappled with sun and enlivened by the rustle of birds and small animals, and cooled by a soft breeze, the world retreats. Closer to the street, the Arboretum is awash in mammoth wildflowers that put humans on a sort of squirrel scale: this is where several species of native plants grow that the Arboretum staff generously donated to Seth Boyden’s Habitat Garden. The Arboretum restores more than its environs. Among its volunteer army is Israel Yanoff, a South Orange resident who suffered a stroke seven years back. Yanoff spent two years in rehabilitation and never has been able to return to work. Instead he spends many of his days doing garden work at the Arboretum. Like a new generation of learners at Seth Boyden, he knows the restorative power of the outdoors. The Arboretum is free and open every day. It also offers a variety of educational programs. Find out more at hartshornarboretum.org. ABOVE: A profusion of wildflowers at the entrance to the Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary in Short Hiills where there are more than 3 miles of trails and several benches for sitting. RIGHT: Israel Yanoff of South Orange is one of the arboretum’s volunteers. Nature takes some upkeep! Neighbors Helping Neighbors Inspiration (and some cuttings) for Seth Boyden’s OLC These can all be symptoms of TMD! Don’t let a treatable condition worsen with time! Dr. Muench, a past sufferer of TMD himself, is an expert in the treatment of this disorder. Don’t wait on getting care you deserve! DO YOU SUFFER FROM MIGRAINES, DIZZINESS, OR TOOTH ACHES? AS SEEN IN 2 0 1 1 5 TOP DENTISTS 2 0 1 5 Kevin F. Muench, DMD, MAGD 140 Maplewood Ave, Maplewood 973.763.2221 | MuenchDental.com For Dental Health Tips : For further Information, or to sign up contact Paula at farbrookminicamp@gmail.com This Summer I will be a clown in the circus, dance in the sprinkler, ride a pony in a rodeo, sing songs around the campfire, jump through hoops, view wildlife in my binoculars, play the saxophone, learn to “downward dog”, make ice cream, and send a rocket to the moon. You can too ... The ultimate camping experience for 3-7 year olds. Directors: Paula Levin, Bill Deltz and Donna Deltz