Certify Your Native Landscape!

If you are a resident of Montclair that is working on incorporating native plants into your home landscape, or if you already have a pre-existing native garden, you can fill out this certification form to become a Certified Montclair Native Habitat. If you qualify, you will receive a complimentary lawn sign and the opportunity to have your garden/landscape showcased on the municipal website! Before you fill out the form, please review the minimum requirements for certification below. If you don’t yet qualify, here are some resources to help grow your garden.

Certification Requirements

Eligibility

Must be located within Montclair Township.
Minimum 50 square feet of contiguous native planting area. This is roughly the size of a small patio - about 5 feet by 10 feet - with recommended average planting density: 1 plant per square foot, and 6 distinct native species.
At least 80% of plants must be native to New Jersey.
No invasive, toxic, or aggressive species (e.g., poison ivy, Virginia creeper).
Maintenance must be organic (no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers).

Design Standards

Recommended average planting density: 1 plant per square foot.
Densely planted with at least 50 native plants and 6 distinct native species.
Minimum 12 native species for gardens up to 200 sq ft; add one species per 50 sq ft thereafter.
Representation of at least two bloom seasons: spring, summer, or fall.
At least 40% forbs (wildflowers).
No more than 10% bare soil by Year 2.

Prohibited or Non-Qualifying Plants

Invasive exotics (English ivy, barberry, burning bush, pachysandra, liriope, periwinkle), aggressive natives (Virginia creeper, poison ivy, sumac, reed grass), and decorative cultivars are not eligible toward native counts.

Maintenance Requirements

Maintain at least 70% living native cover by Year 2.
Manual or mechanical weed control only.
Leave stems and leaf litter over winter.

Application Process

Applicants must submit a completed application form, minimum 3 photos of their garden, and a plant list. Submissions may be uploaded via the Township’s online form. Verification will be conducted by Sustainability staff (visual inspection only).

Dimensions and Visual Equivalents

Shape	Dimensions	How it looks
Square	7 ft × 7 ft	Roughly the size of a small dining area rug or half a parking space
Rectangle	5 ft × 10 ft	Like a standard garden bed along a house wall or two doorways wide and one deep
Strip garden	3 ft × 17 ft	Like a narrow side-yard bed or hell strip between sidewalk and curb
Circle	8 ft diameter	About the size of a small round patio or trampoline

Fill out the Certification Form here.