Comments on: Hackensack’s Borg’s Woods “A Living Museum”

By: Eddie

Eddie — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:26:58 +0000

Eric your my kind of person. I’m into Herps myself. Got to pay a visit to the preserve. Hope I find some interesting Herps.

By: njurbanforest

njurbanforest — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 01:55:05 +0000

The link regarding the article about coyotes in Borg’s Woods is here:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/125282618_Coyote_sightings_put_some_residents_on_edge.html?page=all

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:24:09 +0000

There was an article in The Record recently regarding residents upset about the coyotes in Borg’s Woods.

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:37:24 +0000

Readers should note that on May 20, 2011 Brian Zarate of NJDEP certified the vernal pool in Borg’s Woods. The pool ID# remain 6001pied. There is a new number, a Link ID#, which is 31959.

This certification was based on photo-documentation of wood frog egg masses in the vernal pool, taken on or about April 3, 2011.

The certification has broad public policy ramifications with regard to management practices by the Bergen County Parks Department as well as mosquito control techniques by the County Mosquito commission. Draining out the vernal pool is no longer an option.

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Sun, 01 May 2011 14:38:51 +0000

20 schoolchildren, mostly 7th graders from Hackensack, attended the Borg’s Woods cleanup day. They picked up litter, did minor trail maintenance, and pulled up invasives such as Purple-leafed wintercreeper, Japanese Knotweed, and Multiflora. One of the kids told the group that he stumbled upon the gathering of wood frogs to mate in mid-March. He saw dozens of frogs both on land and in the water laying eggs. He was wondering if they might still be there, but the mature frogs live in the wooded uplands far from water. They only come to the pond a few days of the year to mate.

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:50:15 +0000

I will get a copy of the NJDEP’s investigation of water-level alterations in Borg’s Woods, and post it here. I don’t have a copy, and perhaps there are other documents.

By: njurbanforest

njurbanforest — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:05:32 +0000

I look forward to the article! I’ve seen white tail deer and coyote prints in the mud.

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:11:25 +0000

Only one newspaper reporter showed up. An article will be out in about a week. One other local resident walking a shaggy, black-and-white dog came at exactly 2:00 PM, stayed about 50 feet away, watched to see who was there, and left.

I witnessed the most impressive chorus of wood frogs that I’ve heard in the vernal pool in many years. And the presence of breeding amphibians is what makes it “official”, whether it was on the original state register or not. Also seen were 3 white-tailed deer in their favorite corner of the woods, a small clearning between the vernal pool and Fairmount Ave. I got to within 25 yards of them.

I’ve never seen the 4-foot tall leprechaun reported on an nj.com string on Borg’s Woods. It’s said to be wary, and faster than any human. Maybe someone should call in monsterquest and they can do an episode. Probably it’s just the coyote.

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:18:04 +0000

BORG’S WOODS TOUR AND WATER TABLE DISCUSSION: Eric Martindale will show up at the end of Byrne Street on Sunday March 13th at 2:00 PM to conduct a tour for local residents; to explain how the topography and landfilling of Brook Street has caused water table problems (explained in my 7:50 AM post today), and why the water table is higher than in Borg Swamp after a major storm. We will first walk to the southern end of the wetlands, right behind Brook St, and then we’ll look at the point of drainage. We’ll also discuss the definition of wetlands and vernal pools.

Readers of this blog, the blogsite editor, and any Hackensack, Maywood, or County officials are welcomed to attend.

I believe that the science behind the problem holds the answer, and I will simply offer an explanation of the problem. Other people who attend are welcomed to offer their views. And then people can decide on their own, after hearing everyone, what they believe. If people want to gripe and yell, that’s fine, but my goal is that discussions will proceed in a reasonable and calm manner.

And if nobody comes, I’ll enjoy my own walk in the woods.

By: Eric Martindale

Eric Martindale — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:50:05 +0000

My sources tell me that people on Brook Street in Hackensack near Borg’s Woods have basement flooding today. There is no dam in the vernal pool, nothing to obstruct the water flow.

Today’s flood event is a perfect example showing the flooding of basements has nothing to do with the vernal pool in Borg’s Woods. Water and groundwater is flowing off the Summit Ave ridge to the bottom, that’s Brook Street. It is attempting to flow north to enter into Borg’s Swamp, but because thousands of cubic yards of soil were bulldozed over the brook to build Brook Street, the natural flow is impeded and the water table there rises significantly with every major rain event. Right now the water table in the Byrne/Brook development is MUCH HIGHER than the water table in the vernal pool.