Bergen County does not require native plantings on private lots but actively promotes them through the Open Space Trust Fund, county parks restoration projects, and the Bergen County Audubon Society partnership for pollinator habitats and invasive species removal.
Bergen County encourages native landscaping through its Department of Parks, Open Space Trust Fund grants, and partnerships with the Bergen County Audubon Society and Native Plant Society of New Jersey. The county does not impose a native plant mandate on residential lots; ordinary lawns and ornamental plantings remain permissible. Major development applications routed through the Bergen County Planning Board may include native vegetation recommendations under NJDEP's Riparian Zone rules at NJAC 7:13 and reforestation requirements. NJDEP and NJDA quarantine actions target invasives like spotted lanternfly hosts. Pollinator-friendly plantings on county property follow the New Jersey Pollinator Protection Act guidance.
There are no penalties for refusing native plants on private lots. Failing to remove regulated invasives or violating riparian zone planting plans can lead to NJDEP enforcement under NJAC 7:13.
See how Garfield's native plants rules stack up against other locations.
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