Montclair could soon become the first town in New Jersey to adopt an ordinance designed to help sustain bees, butterflies and other pollinators that live in and pass through the Garden State.

According to Montclair Councilman Peter Yacobellis, the measure calls for the municipality to use at least 70% native trees and other vegetation when doing new plantings on public property.

He said there has been a significant decline in the number of pollinators over the past few decades, so the idea here is “what is the best opportunity to try and restore as much of the native habitat that used to exist for pollinators in a town like Montclair.”