Gomez was 17 and growing up

in Puerto Rico , he was inspired

by the island ’ s tropical El Yunque National Forest to create his own native plant garden in his backyard . He planted some of the same trees and flowers found there , including Ruellia coccinea , tropical milkweeds and guanábana , and watched as his backyard transformed into his own forest .

“ Immediately , I started watching birds Inever saw before in my yard — butterflies , insects , even frogs ,” German-Gomez says . He loved watching nature and creating his own paradise .

It is this love of the natural world that led him to create the Northeast Earth Coalition , acommunity-based nonprofit whose goals are to protect the environment , promote local sustainability and provide food security . “ That is exactly what we are trying to do , recreating nature in different projects ,” he says . NEEC supports farming initiatives , including community vegetable gardens and backyard and urban farms .

German-Gomez ’ s environmental activism drives the Montclair Backyard Habitat Project , which he co-founded and is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation as well ; part of NEEC , the program has certified more than 250 wildlife habitats in backyards and parks throughout

Montclair . He is also a member of the Township of Montclair Parks and Recreation Advisory Board .

Here are seven things to know about Jose German-Gomez .

HE RELOCATED TO THE U . S . FOR HIS JOB . In 1995 , he was working with a French international artists management company called Diva Studio International-Classical Music and Opera , and the company transferred him to America . He lived in Rutherford and Lyndhurst before moving to Montclair in 2000 .

HE FOUNDED THE LARGEST GATHERING OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS IN NEW JERSEY . Since its start in 2016 , the Acting Locally for a More Sustainable World Conference ,

which includes discussion on climate change , arable farming and related issues , has garnered a lot of attention . In its first year , the conference attracted 150 environmental activists . The annual conference was incorporated into the NEEC ’ s urban community outreach program and is now considered the largest gathering of environmentalists and community activists in the New York metro area , German-Gomez says .

“ We feel good because all the energy , all the time we have invested in the organization is paying back ,” he says .

HIS CHARITY HAS BEEN DONATING PRODUCE TO PANTRIES FOR YEARS . NEEC has three community gardens in Montclair that produce organic produce for local pantries , German-Gomez says : 94 Pine St . Community Garden ( Mother Teresa Garden ); 40 South Fullerton Ave . ( Sanctuary Garden ) and Crane Park Demonstration Garden . Before the pandemic , the gardens donated 750 pounds of produce to Toni ’ s Kitchen , a food support organization . Now , he says , the coalition expects to increase the food the gardens produce by at least 25 %.

“ Having produce come in from a garden is a tremendous blessing to us ,” Anne Mernin , the executive director ofToni ’ sKitchen , says . “ I think it also sends amessage to those families and seniors we ’ re serving that the community cares about their health .”

COURTESY OF JOSE GERMAN-GOMEZ

12 FALL 2021 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE