Urban Nature
March 31, 2010
Hike, Morris County, Newark Watershed, Passaic County, Pequannock River Coalition, Sussex County Butler, Morris County, Nature, New Jersey, Newark Watershed, Passaic County, Pequannock, Pequannock River Coalition, Sussex County Leave a comment
Just found out the picture below taken on a winter hike with the Pequannock River Coalition appeared in its bi-monthly newsletter!
Beaver Dam
I will finish this post with some more pictures from the hike:
Bobcat Track
White Oak
Winter Scene
March 30, 2010
Central Park, New York City Central Park, Manhattan, Nature, Pigeons, Turtles, Urban Park, Woodpecker Leave a comment
You would think that going to the same place at least 5 times a week would get boring. Not the case with Manhattan’s Central Park!
And spring is really cool-especially seeing plants regardless if native or not (in this case) come into bloom. Even the pretty pigeons (that’s an oxymoron if I ever saw one) come out to play.
Look at this pigeon strutting his stuff
Look who decided to stop by for a snack
Soak up that sun guys
Central Park is always good stuff. Nice to have an island of green in a sea of gray.
March 29, 2010
Bergen County, Borg's Woods, Hackensack, Maywood, NJ Nature, Old Growth, Old Growth Forest, Trail, Urban Woods, Water Bergen County, Borg's Woods, Hackensack, Maywood, Urban, Urban Nature 2 Comments
FALLEN TREES — Dennis McNerney states that the County will not cut or touch the trees which fell during the March 13th storm. Presumably this means that major limbs and small fallen trees will be removed which are blocking the main trail which runs from Allen to Byrne Streets.
MOSQUITOS — McNerny stated that the County Parks Department will let the Bergen County Mosquito Control Commission continue their current practices regarding the water level and the mosquito issue at the vernal ponds.
This is not good news, but it is not unexpected. However, it should be noted that McNerney was called to other business and did not finish his statement. McNerney was copied on the e-mail. A new blog will be posted regarding this matter if a response is received.
March 23, 2010
Bergen County, Borg's Woods, Hackensack, NJ Nature, Old Growth, Old Growth Forest, Trail, Urban Nature, Urban Woods Bergen County, Borg's Woods, County Parks, Hackensack, Urban, Urban Forest 4 Comments
I will let these pictures speak for themselves of the March 13th storm devastation in Hackensack’s Borg’s Woods.
Eric Martindale, who helped preserve the preserve stated in the Bergen Record on April 2, 2010 that “Trees blocking major trails should be cleared, but otherwise, fallen trees are characteristic of an old growth forest. “The trees aren’t blocking the trails. In addition, large fallen trees provide habitat niches for various types of wildlife.”
Hackensack Riverkeeper’s own Capt. Bill Sheehan stated in the April 2, 2010 Bergen Record that “Bugs and other small critters will take care of the trees in good time, and that’s how you replenish the soil of the forest,” Sheehan said. “Things die, they fall down, they biodegrade, and new things grow up. If a tree falls in the woods, it should probably stay there.”
Borg's Woods Map
March 22, 2010
American Beech, Bergen County, Dunham Trail, Forested Wetlands, Fresh Water Wetlands, Herbacious Wetlands, Hike, Ho-Ho-Kus, Ho-Ho-Kus Brook, Mallards, Nature Trail, NJ Nature, Remnant Wetlands, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Trail, Urban Nature, Urban Woods, Water, Wetlands, White Tail Deer, Wildscape Dunham Trail, Ho-Ho-Kus Brook, Nature Trail, New Jersey, Parks, Ridgewood New Jersey, Ridgewood Wildscape Association, Trail, Urban Nature, Village of Ridgewood, Wetlands, Wildscape 8 Comments
Dunham Trail
Ridgewood’s Dunham trail is roughly .41 of a mile and cuts through an estimated combination of 9.61 acres of deciduous forest and wooded wetlands. The trail is named after Dr. Dunham who was a nature consultant for the Ridgewood school district. The Dunham trail is owned by the village and maintained by the Ridgewood Wildscape Association as one of six wildscape areas found in the village. The Ridgewood Wildscape Association helps to raise awareness for the remaining natural areas in the township.
Ho-Ho-Kus Brook
The trail is bordered by the Ho-Ho-Kus brook to the east, dense residential development to the west, Grove Street to the south and Spring Ave to the north.
The Dunham trail is flat and follows the artificial path of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook (a tributary of the Saddle River) for its entire length and features uplands and an estimated 3.6 acres of remnant wetlands. The wetlands are found near the Grove Street entrance.
Some notes of interest on the trail include sandstone which was mined from Totowa which was placed alongside of the Dunham Trail for unknown reasons.
Sandstones mined from Totowa
The trail also features several massive American Sycamores that are at least two hundred years old.
Massive American Sycamore
Other flora includes:
Trout Lily
Common Blue Violet
Animals that have been observed on the Dunham Trail include
Mallard on Ho-Ho-Kus Brook
Downy Woodpecker
The Dunham trail ends at Spring Avenue.
Ridgewood Dunham Trail
The Dunham trail is located between Grove Street and Spring Avenue along the Ho Ho Kus brook and the public service right-of-way. Parking is available on South Irving Street.
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
March 18, 2010
Bergen County, Borg's Woods, Hackensack, Maywood, NJ Nature, Old Growth, Old Growth Forest, Uncategorized, Urban Nature, Urban Woods Bergen County, Bergen County Parks, Borg's Woods, Hackensack, Maywood, Nature, New Jersey, New Jersey Nature, Urban Forest 6 Comments
Sad news to report. I received an e-mail stating that 5% of Borg’s woods or nearly an acre was destroyed during the storm Saturday March 13th.
The e-mail, received from Eric M. who helped edit the Borg’s Woods blog here on NJURBANFOREST stated:
March 17, 2010
Bergen County, Ditch, Forested Wetlands, Land Conservation, Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve, Nature Trail, NJ Nature, Teaneck, Teaneck Park System, Trail, Urban Nature, Urban Woods Bergen County, ditch, Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve, Nature, New Jersey, NJ Nature, Parks, Teaneck, Teaneck Park System, Thomas Condict, Urban Parks, Urban Woodland 1 Comment
The Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve is located in Teaneck, New Jersey and consists of 14.9 acres of deciduous wooded wetlands and upland habitat. The preserve is bordered by Roemer Avenue to the north and dense residential development to the east, west and south.
Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve
The Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve was once called Roemer woods due to its proximity to Roemer Avenue. The preserve was targeted for single family homes construction to bring in tax ratables for Teaneck. The construction of the homes never materialized. Four acres of woods were sold to the North Teaneck Synagogue Association which constructed a Synagogue there in 1992.
In 2009 I decided to take a trip to the 14.9 Acre Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve in Teaneck. I had read that there was a trail called the Thomas Condit Instructive Nature Trail via this website:
It took two separate trips before I finally located what appears to be the Thomas Condit nature trail. On the first attempt, I parked my car on Winthrop Road and walked to River Road up to Roemer Avenue but could not find a trail leading into the forest.
After researching online I discovered that the entrance to the trails is located off of Winthrop Road where I had parked my car. Looking at the map on the internet at home I realized I had parked too close to River Road to have seen the trail entrance. I drove back to Winthrop Road and found a sidewalk with a Thomas Condit Trail sign leading into the woods.
The Thomas Condit trail consists of a cement/boardwalk path leading from Winthrop Road to the Congregation Keter Torah. There does not appear to be any description or instructive information present on this pathway.
But that’s ok because according to the 2008 Township of Teaneck Comprehensive Plan for Recreation a 1/2 mile trail is planned for the preserve. So maybe that will happen in the near future?
Matthew Feldman Nature Preserve Proposed Half Mile Nature Trail (in yellow)
In the meantime take a look at some pictures of this cool place!
Ouch!
March 15, 2010
Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, Uncategorized, Urban Nature Central Park, Manhattan, Mourning Dove, Mud, Nature, Squirrels, Urban, Walk 1 Comment
Central Park was a mud bath today. Everything was muddy-even the squirrels!
Look at his blurry mud filled face!
To be or not to be that is the question
The squirrel above seems to be deciding if he wants a mud bath or not.
Central Park was once a swamp but I don’t know-it might still be. Take a look:
I did manage to see a mourning dove who sought refuge in a tree:
So it was fun walk. I came home and started noticing views coming from http://www.hackensackriverkeeper.org/ I checked out their web page and bam! Just like that, under resources is a link to the Borg’s Woods Blog!
Very very Cool! 
March 11, 2010
Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, NJ Nature, Urban Nature American Robin, Bergen County, Bergen County Parks, Central Park, English Starling, Manhattan, New Jersey, New Jersey Nature, NYC, Saddle River Park, Urban, Wood Duck 2 Comments
For days, it seemed whenever I brought my camera with me to Central Park I could never capture this Wood Duck seen above with his feeding girlfriend. But as you can see, I got him after all. In fact, I caught a couple of other birds on film today including a little thug (aka European Starling) and an American Snobin (Sorry American Robin, couldn’t help it-bird always has his beak in the air and thinks he is something).
It was good times. Good times that is until I got home and logged into Northjersey.com and discovered that a swath of trees have been clear cut in the Glen Rock portion of Saddle River Park for a sports field. I mean come on, Bergen County needs every tree it has left. I am flabbergasted.
March 10, 2010
Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, Uncategorized, Urban Nature Central Park, Manhattan, Nature, New York City, New York City Parks, Parks, Urban Nature, Urban Parks 3 Comments
My usual walk at NYC Central Park involves doing a loop at the Pond. Recently I’ve been searching the nearby Hallett Nature Sanctuary (through the fence) for signs of the Central Park Coyote.
So far I have not seen it probably because it is nocturnal and sleeping away. However, I’ve seen plenty of these blooming.
I have no idea what these flowers are called or if they are native (which I am guessing they probably are not). In addition, I saw a forsythia bush in bloom. (I originally thought it was a vine)
Plus the teenage mutant ninja turtles were out.
He is mean and green.
Cool Places!
