Pequannock River Coalition’s 2013 Spring Hike!
Pequannock River Coalition Preserving the Future
Welcome to the Pequannock River Coalition’s 2013 Spring Hike! The Pequannock River Coalition provides a crucial voice in protecting the watershed of the Pequannock River (one of the cleanest rivers in New Jersey and a tributary of the Passaic River) since 1995.
Ross Kushner Executive Director Pequannock River Coalition
Meet Ross Kushner, the Executive Director of the Pequannock River Coalition. He’s going to lead the hike today!
Today we are going to explore four miles of the watershed of the C1 classified Wanaque River, a tributary to the Pequannock River.
PRC Spring Hike 4.14.13
Right now we are at the parking lot on Beech Road in Ringwood, NJ just east of Monksville Reservoir.
Monksville Reservoir
Ross begins by explaining that the Monksville Reservoir was created in 1987 by impounding the 2.8 mile Wanaque River and the .4 mile Beech Brook (a Wanaque River tributary). The land comprising Monksville Reservoir was formerly a river valley. Dead Trees (snags) still poke through the water where dry land once existed.
Mute Swan
Looking out at the reservoir a large white bird has caught Ross’s attention. The bird is a Mute Swan, he explains. Mute Swans originated from Europe and are not native to the US. The Mute Swan, according to legend, is silent all its life until right before it dies where the bird sings an achingly beautiful melody known as a “Swan Song“. The real story is Mute Swans are not mute but actually make a deep grunting territorial sound. Click here to hear a Mute Swan for yourself!
Gray Birch
Standing near the reservoir Ross points to a stand of Gray Birch Trees across the water. Gray Birch is a pioneer species that is one of the first trees to grow following a disturbance and can be found growing on poor soils. Ross says we’ll see two additional species of Birch on the hike. Let’s begin!
Tree Swallow
As we walk a Tree Swallow is seen flying erratically over the water. Tree Swallows prefer inland wetland ecosystems and are among the first in the American Swallow family to migrate back after winter. You can hear a Tree Swallow Sing by clicking here!
Red-Winged Blackbird
A second after seeing the Tree Swallow a Red-Winged Blackbird makes its presence known. Red-Winged Blackbirds are usually found in wetlands such as those found in the intact woodlands surrounding Monksville Reservoir. Click here to hear a Red-Winged Blackbird!
Beaver Lodge
Near the northern edge of the reservoir Ross points out an active Beaver Lodge to us. A beaver lodge is the home of the American Beaver and is created from sticks, mud and rocks. A small opening at the top of the lodge provides air.
Pileated Woodpecker Holes
As we walk closer to the woods we stop in front of an old Eastern Hemlock tree which has been punctured with large rectangular holes. The holes were created by a Pileated Woodpecker looking for one of their favorite foods: Carpenter Ants. Pileated Woodpeckers are North America’s largest living woodpecker and provided the model for the famous cartoon Woody Woodpecker. Their habitat is large mature forest such as the woods which surround Monksville Reservoir. Click here to hear a Pileated Woodpecker!
Tranqulity Ridge Passaic County Park System
At the end of Beech Road, we find ourselves at the entrance to Tranquility Ridge County Park (part of the Passaic County Park System).
The 2,100 acre Tranquility Ridge County Park is an extension of New York’s Sterling Forest found just north of where we are now.
End of Monks Connector
Entering the park we are now near the end of the green-blazed Monk’s Connector trail which connects to nearby Monk’s Mountain (part of Long Pond Ironworks State Park) with Tranquility Ridge County Park.
Yellow Birch
Barely inside Tranquility Ridge County Park, Ross has spotted our second birch: Yellow Birch. Yellow Birch prefers to grow near streams & wetlands. The tree’s characteristic peeling bark is visible to all. The hairy looking vine growing on the Yellow Birch is Poison Ivy.
Yellow Birch Wolf Tree
Ross spots a massive tree in the distance branching out in all directions and surrounded by young trees. Ross explains that trees can only grow sideways or to the top but can’t do both. This “lone wolf” tree will eventually be crowded out by the young trees competing for sunlight.
On Hasenclever Iron Trail
We are now turning left on the Hasenclever Iron Trail. The creation of the six mile Hasenclever Iron Trail was first conceived in 2001 by the Friends of Long Pond Ironworks. The Hasenclever Iron Trail follows an old Woods Road which dates from the 1760’s. The road connected Long Pond Ironworks with ironworks located in Ringwood. The Friends of Long Pond Ironworks installed nine interpretive signs along the trail in 2007. The installation was funded with a grant from the NJ Recreation Trails Program. We’ll be passing by historical signs #’s 4 through 1 today.
Beech Brook Tributary
After we cross a tributary to Beech Brook Ross tells us that Beech Brook contains a naturally occurring population of Brook Trout. We have now entered the 6,911 acre Long Pond Iron Works State Park.
Beech Farm Information
We have just passed an unmarked trail to our right and historical marker #4. Marker #4 tells us that the unmarked trail leads to Beech farm which has long been abandoned.
Wild Turkey Sign
As we walk Ross points out dirt patches in the leaf litter on the ground. This was caused by Wild Turkeys looking for food.
Turkey Feather
A turkey feather has just been found in the litter. Given all this Turkey sign Ross takes out a device which makes a female turkey sound that hunters use to attract the male turkeys (toms). Ross used the device but the Turkeys have moved on for now and we do not see any.
Ross Kushner with Turkey Call
Ross strongly recommended not to play the device during Wild Turkey hunting season. Want to hear what a Wild Turkey sounds like? Click here to hear!
Ross Kushner Squirrel Markings
Ross has stopped at another Eastern Hemlock and says this tree has been designated a “marking tree” by an Eastern Gray Squirrel. Squirrels rub the glands found under their chin on trees as a sign of territory to other squirrels in the other area.
Edward Hewitt Interpretive Signage
We are now at historical marker #3 which describes Edward Hewitt, who was a member of the last family to own most of Ringwood State Park before it became state land. The Hewitt family also owned hunting and fishing camps which were built in the area we are now standing.
Ross Kushner discussing invasive plants
This hike is taking place in early spring and the only plants we see blooming are invasive species like Japanese Barberry and Winged Euonymus (aka Burning Bush) both of which thrive in disturbed areas. Ross explains that invasive species are non-native species which lack natural predation to control their spread. As a result invasive plants crowd out native plants by forming a monoculture.
Limestone Interpretive Signage
We’ve now at historical marker #2 which describes the role of limestone in iron making. Limestone was crushed and added to iron furnaces with iron ore where it acted as a fluxing agent to separate impurities from iron.
Ross Kushner Black Birch
Ross has just found our third and final species of Birch: Black Birch. Black Birch twigs and bark have a strong scent of wintergreen when scraped. Ross is scraping away some the bark of a Black Birch to take a whiff. Wintergreen oil was derived from Black Birch for commercial purposes in the past.
Shagbark Hickory Grape Vine
Ross has stopped in front of an old Shagbark Hickory with an old Grape Vine wrapped around it. Only mature Shagbark Hickories (such as the one we are looking at here) have actual “shagbark”. Young trees have smooth bark. The grape vine wrapped around the Shagbark Hickory is probably as old as the tree itself. Grape Vines prefers to grow where sunshine is plentiful and prefers forest edge habitat.
Rock Outcroppings
The rock outcroppings we are passing to our right are part of Big Beech Mountain which is one of the NJ Highlands “Baker’s Dozen”.
After a brief climb on the Hasenclever trail we pass near wetlands to our right.
Skunk Cabbage
The green leaves of Skunk Cabbage are starting to poke through. Skunk Cabbage is one of the first native flowering plants and generates heat to poke through ice and snow. It generally blooms in February. Skunk Cabbage earns its name due to a foul odor emitted by torn leaves.
Hasenclever Iron Trail #1 Interpretive Signage
We’ve just reached historical marker #1 on the Hasenclever Iron Trail. This is the last marker we will see today. This marker describes Long Pond Village, a long ago industrial village that supported the nearby Long Pond Ironworks.
Wanaque River
We are now approaching the Wanaque River. The word “Wanaque” is Native American for “place of the Sassafras Tree”. A good portion of the length of the Wanaque River is impounded to form the Monksville and Wanaque Reservoirs. Ross tells us that a bridge used to cross the Wanaque River to the old Long Pond Ironworks but was washed away when Hurricane Irene struck in 2011. The NYNJ Trail Conference is planning to rebuild the bridge in 2013.
Sterling Ridge Trail Blaze
We have now left the Hasenclever Iron trail and are turning north on the joint Sterling Ridge/Highlands Trail. The Blue-on-white 8.6 mile Sterling Ridge Trail leads to Sterling Forest State Park in New York if we kept going straight. Don’t worry! Ross has no plans to take us out of New Jersey today.
Highlands Trail Blaze
We are also sharing the same path with a section of the estimate 45 mile long interstate Highlands Trail. The Highlands Trail is a project by the NYNJ Trail Conference which highlights the unique characteristics of the Highlands region. The Highlands Trail is still a work in progress.
Tributary
We are now following a tributary of the Wanaque River.
Eastern Hemlocks
We have stopped just as we enter a cool ravine. Eastern Hemlocks favor this habitat. Indeed, Eastern Hemlocks are all around us!
Ross Kushner Iron Slag
What is Ross holding in his hand? It’s an old piece of iron slag left over from the iron making operations that took place here over a hundred years ago.
Wanaque River
We are heading briefly off the marked trail and walking towards the Wanaque River. The segment of the Wanaque River seen here is draining Greenwood Lake. What a great spot for lunch! After resting we continue to walk leaving the Wanaque River and following a tributary stream.
Tributary Stream Crossing
Crossing the tributary on rocks we pass the Yellow Blazed Jennings Hollow Trailhead to our left and are now stopped at the base of a Tulip Tree.
Tulip Poplar
Tulip Trees grow straight and narrow with fissured bark. The tree’s leaves actually look like Tulip Flowers! It flowers in Mid-May to early June.
Woods Road
We are now walking northeast on an unblazed woods road. This is the same woods road we passed to our right when we first started out on the Hasenclever Iron Trail.
Patterson Mine
As we walk, we pass a deep impression in the ground to our left. The impression is a remnant of the Patterson Mine. The Patterson Mine last saw operation at the end of the 1800’s. Ore from the Patterson Mine was sold to the local market or supplied ironworks found in the area.
Abandoned Motorcyle
Check out the abandoned motorcycle to our right! It’s pretty old but it is still standing.
Vernal Pond
Off to the left of the woods road is a vernal pond. Vernal ponds are temporary pools of water that are free of fish and provide valuable areas for amphibians such as Wood Frogs to lay eggs. Wood Frogs are found further north than any other species of frog. Ross explains that the theory is this: water found in cells will expand to the point of explosion when frozen. Wood frogs have found a way to move water molecules outside their cells when they get frozen to prevent this from happening.
Red Velvet Mite
We’ve just turned right on another unmarked trail following Beech Brook to our right. Ross suddenly stops. He’s found a Red Velvet Mite! Red Velvet Mites live in the soil and eat fungi and bacteria. Red Velvet Mites are harmless to humans and are part of the arachnid family (the same family spiders belong to).
Well, we’ve arrived back at the gate and back at our cars! What a great hike!
Monksville Reservoir Near the Parking Lot
Want to check out this hike for yourself? Here are the directions to the parking lot where the hike begins!
Take exit 57 on Rt. 287 to Skyline Drive. Follow Skyline 5 miles north to Greenwood Lake Turnpike. Make a right there onto Greenwood Lake Turnpike and follow it about 4 miles to a right on Beech Road. Look for a gravel parking area at the reservoir on the left.
Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Don’t miss The Highlands: Critical Resources, Treasured Landscapes! The Highlands exemplifies why protection of New Jersey’s Highlands is so important for the future of the state. It is an essential read on the multiple resources of the region.
Click here for more information!
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Hiking Torne Mountain! (Norvin Green State Forest)
Norvin Green State Forest
Welcome to Norvin Green State Forest’s Torne Mountain!
Torne Mountain
Torne Mountain, standing at 1,120 feet and located in Passaic County NJ, is situated in the southern section of the estimated 4,982 acre Norvin Green State Forest. The land comprising the forest was donated to the State of New Jersey by the nephew of Ringwood Manor’s Abram S. Hewitt in 1946.
Torne Mountain Norvin Green State Forest
Norvin Green State Forest has the largest concentrations of trails in the state of NJ. Most of the trails date back to the 1920’s when members of a local organization known as the Green Mountain Club constructed them.
Geology
NJ Highlands Geology
Many of the rocks that are encountered during this hike have a rounded appearance due to the Wisconsin Glacier which came through the area around 10,000 years ago. This event is relatively recent as the Highlands rocks were formed over four billion years ago.
The rocks are “basement rocks” as the younger rocks which originally had covered them eroded away over time. Most of the rocks are thought to be comprised of ancient granite-gneiss.
Trails
Below is a brief virtual tour of a section of the 0.4 of a mile Torne Trail and a portion of the 6.4 mile Blue Blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail. Stops include outstanding views and an interesting man-made Stone Living Room. Ready? Let’s do it!
The hike is an estimated 1.5 miles from Otter Hole Road.
Entrance to Torne Trail
Starting from near the Otter Hole Road Parking area, head south to the trailhead of the red blazed Torne Mountain Trail.
To the Blue Trail (Hewitt-Butler Trail)
Once on the Torne trail, signs advertising the blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail will appear.
Hewitt Butler Trail Blaze
Head southwest then south on the blue blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail to Climb Torne Mountain.
View towards Buck Mountain
The first view will be of Buck Mountain to the north. Continuing southeast views of the Newark Pequannock Watershed land appear to the west.
Stone Living Room
Near the western viewpoint, a short unmarked trail appears to the left leading to a man-made Stone Living Room. “Chairs” & “Sofas” have been constructed from surrounding rocks. The Stone Living Room is an excellent place to stop for lunch and rest while taking in views.
View from Stone Living Room
From the Stone Living Room, head back to the Hewitt Butler Trail. Continuing south, descend Torne Mountain passing a stand-alone Stone chair.
Stone Chair
Here you will reach a ravine at the bottom of Torne mountain and the southern trailhead of the red blazed Torne Trail which will be your return back to Otterhole Road.
Rocky Ravine Torne Trailhead
For now, pass the southern trail-head of the Torne Trail and continue southeast on the blue blazed Hewitt-Butler trail climbing to Osio Rock.
Osio Rock
From here, views of the Wanaque Reservoir, the NYC Skyline (on a clear day) and High Mountain of the 2nd Watchung Mountain range may be viewed to the east.
Distant Wanaque Reservoir View from Osio Rock
After taking in the views, turn around and head north west to retrace your steps back to the ravine to the red blazed Torne trail trailhead.
Torne Trail
Here you will take the Torne trail north back to Otterhole Road where the trail began.
Flora
Flora found along the trail includes the below among others:
Sassafras
American Chestnut
Pitch Pine
Eastern Red Cedar
Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Fauna:
Eastern Phoebe Nest Torne Trail
Toad
Directions: (as taken from localhikes.com)
Hamburg Turnpike to Glenwild Ave. Parking area is next to Bloomingdale/West Milford border (look for Welcome to West Milford sign, or Welcome to Bloomingdale sign depending on which direction you are traveling.
Great Hiking/Ecology Books:
1. 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City: Including northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and western Long Island – Packed with valuable tips and humorous observations, the guide prepares both novices and veterans for the outdoors. From secluded woods and sun-struck seashores, to lowland swamps and rock-strewn mountain tops, this practical guidebook contains all the information needed to have many great hikes in and around New York City.
Click here for more information!
2. Take a Hike New York City: 80 Hikes within Two Hours of Manhattan – In Moon Take a Hike New York City, award-winning writer Skip Card shows you the best hikes in and around The Big Apple—all within two hours of the city.
Click here for more information!
3. Eastern Deciduous Forest, Second Edition: Ecology and Wildlife Conservation – This book is a useful tool for anyone who wants to know or hopes to help one of North America’s great natural resources.
Click here for more information!
4. Protecting New Jersey’s Environment: From Cancer Alley to the New Garden State – With people as its focus, Protecting New Jersey’s Environment explores the science underpinning environmental issues and the public policy infighting that goes undocumented behind the scenes and beneath the controversies.
Click here for more information!
5. Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State:
Wild New Jersey invites readers along Wheeler’s whirlwind year-long tour of the most ecologically diverse state for its size in America.
Click here for more information!
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
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Welcome to Essex County Mills Reservation!
Welcome to the Mills Reservation
Welcome to Essex County’s Mills Reservation County Park! Mills reservation, located primarily in Cedar Grove, NJ became a part of the Essex County Park system in 1954 due to a donation from the Davella Mills foundation which had previously owned the land.
Mills Reservation County Park
The reservation consists of deciduous woodland and wetlands with the only development consisting of a small parking lot located off of Normal Avenue and the development of an excellent trail system. Parking is also available on Old Quarry Road near the southern entrance to the reserve. Mills Reservation has Normal Avenue to the north, Montclair’s Mountain Side Park to the east, Reservoir Drive & the Cedar Grove Reservoir to the west and Old Quarry Road to the south.
Originally an estimated 119 acres, Mills Reservation’s total acreage was brought to 157 acres through a land swap in Newark between the years 1962 and 1967.
Geology
Volcanic Basalt
Mills Reservation is located on the 1st Watchung Mountain. The word “Watchung” is of Native American origin and means “high hill”. The rock which forms the Watchungs is known as basalt which formed when molten lava extruded out of the earth’s surface and cooled rapidly.
Mysterious Normal Avenue Purple Box Information
Emerald Ash Borer Detector
Visitors who park in the Normal Avenue parking lot may notice a strange purple box hanging from a White Ash Tree. This purple box has been placed to detect the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer, a non-native destructive pest from Asia which threatens all ash trees. The mature emerald ash borer does not pose a threat. It is the larva of these borers which eat away at the heartwood of ash trees. The color purple attracts the emerald ash borer. Once the insect lands on the box they become trapped on the sticky surface.
Trails
Mills Reservation Trail Map
Mills Reservation features 7 trails totaling 6.1 miles (with several trails overlapping in sections). The main trail is known as the 1.5 mile Mills Loop Trail which consists of a large gravel road.
Mills Reservation Loop
This is the most popular trail in Mills Reservation and you are almost guaranteed to come across people walking their dogs no matter what the weather.
Dog near Mills Reservation Loop
The other six trails (including a portion of the estimated 34 mile Essex County Lenape Trail) found throughout Mills Reservation also offer the chance to explore deep into this wooded forest island.
Reservoir Trail Blaze
- Reservoir Trail (Red Blazes, 1 Mile) heads west from the Normal Avenue Parking Lot and follows the western border of Mills Reservation near Reservoir Drive. Seasonal peaks of the City of Newark owned Cedar Grove Reservoir may be seen to the west of the trail. The Reservoir trail ends where the southern section of the Eastview Trail begins.
Eastview Trail
- Eastview Trail (Blue Blazes, 1.1 Miles) Southern portion of this trail begins near the Old Quarry Road entrance to Mills Reservation and, as the name implies, heads east to Quarry Point before turning north on the eastern portion of the reserve. Quarry Points contains volcanic basalt outcrops in addition to a very old cement platform where anti-aircraft guns were installed during World War II.
Quarry Point Ruins
Quarry Points offers great views of NYC and is considered one of the highlights of Mills Reservation. NJ Audubon Society hosts their Spring Hawk count at Quarry Point due to the great views.
Manhattan View from Quarry Point
The Eastview Trail’s northern terminus is the Normal Avenue parking lot.
Woodland Trail Trailhead
- Woodland Trail (Purple Blaze .8 of a mile) The northern portion of this trail is accessible off of the red blazed Reservoir trail near the Normal Avenue parking lot. This trail traverses down the heart of Mills Reservation heading in a mostly southwest direction before turning southeast to end near Quarry Point near the Eastview and Lenape Trail.
Welcome to the Lenape Trail
- Lenape Trail- is accessible from the Normal Avenue parking lot via the .1 of a mile Lenape Link Trail (Yellow on White Blazes) which heads west from the Normal Avenue parking lot to connect with the Lenape Trail which enters Mills Reservation from the northwest.
Lenape Trail Connector to Lenape Trail
The Lenape Trail then heads southwest crossing through the Reservoir Trail, Mills Loop Trail and the Woodland Trail before turning south to cross the Woodland Trail and Mills Loop Trail again. Once the Lenape Trail crosses the Woodland and Mills Loop Trail, it heads east to briefly meet with the Eastview Trail where it then turns east to Quarry Point. From Quarry Point the Lenape Trail heads north paralleling the Eastview Trail before turning east into Montclair’s Mountainside Park on its way to Newark.
- Mills Gate Trail (Orange Blaze .1 of a mile) is a side loop of the Mills Reservation Loop and can be accessed from the eastern border of Mills Reservation. The trail goes through the original and once primary entrance of Mills Reservation.
Original Entry into Mills Reservation
Flora
Mills Reservation contains an interesting array of native flora including:
Gray Birch
American Beech
Chestnut Oak
Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Great Hiking/Ecology Books:
1. 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City: Including northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and western Long Island – Packed with valuable tips and humorous observations, the guide prepares both novices and veterans for the outdoors. From secluded woods and sun-struck seashores, to lowland swamps and rock-strewn mountain tops, this practical guidebook contains all the information needed to have many great hikes in and around New York City.
Click here for more information!
2. Take a Hike New York City: 80 Hikes within Two Hours of Manhattan – In Moon Take a Hike New York City, award-winning writer Skip Card shows you the best hikes in and around The Big Apple—all within two hours of the city.
Click here for more information!
3. Eastern Deciduous Forest, Second Edition: Ecology and Wildlife Conservation – This book is a useful tool for anyone who wants to know or hopes to help one of North America’s great natural resources.
Click here for more information!
4. Protecting New Jersey’s Environment: From Cancer Alley to the New Garden State – With people as its focus, Protecting New Jersey’s Environment explores the science underpinning environmental issues and the public policy infighting that goes undocumented behind the scenes and beneath the controversies.
Click here for more information!
5. Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State:
Wild New Jersey invites readers along Wheeler’s whirlwind year-long tour of the most ecologically diverse state for its size in America.
Click here for more information!
- Directions: (As taken from NYNJCT Botany)Take the Garden State Parkway south to exit 151 (Watchung Avenue in Montclair). Turn west from the exit ramp onto Watchung Avenue. Drive about two miles until the road ends at Upper Mountain Avenue. Turn north and go 1.7 miles to the traffic light at Normal Avenue. Turn west and drive 0.3 miles to the entrance on the left.
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Emerson Woods Preserve Tour!
Emerson Woods Preserve
On December 4, 2011, Watershed Advocacy group Bergen SWAN (Save the Watershed Action Network) teamed with naturalist Nancy Slowik to host the first ever Emerson Woods nature walk. Once targeted for intense development, the woods are now preserved and help protect the Oradell Reservoir from non-point source pollution.
Emerson Woods and Oradell Reservoir
Bergen SWAN played a major role in preserving Emerson Woods. Bergen SWAN has fought for almost 24 years to help preserve the remaining forests surrounding upper Bergen County’s reservoirs. The most recent settlement occurred in 2009 with United Water. United Water manages the Oradell, Lake Tappan and Woodcliff Lake Reservoirs in Bergen County. After 5 years of negotiations with Bergen SWAN & the Hackensack Riverkeeper, United Water agreed to granting conservation easements on 3,100 watershed acres to the NJDEP in addition to setting aside $1 million to assist in acquiring and preserving additional land along the Hackensack River and its tributaries. United Water has since become a close ally of Bergen SWAN by helping to sponsor events such as the 2010 “Planting in the Park” in Pascack Brook County Park and allowing Bergen SWAN to host the December 4th nature walk on United Water watershed land-land which is normally not open to the general public.
Nature Tour
Emerson Woods Nature Tour
The tour, led by naturalist Nancy Slowik, started in the United Water recreation parking lot near Lakeview Terrace in Emerson, NJ. Once the group was organized, Bergen SWAN opened up the gate to the Oradell Reservoir providing a rare opportunity to walk along the shore of the reservoir. Nancy directed the tour to the waterfowl present on the open water of the reservoir. Double-crested Cormorant were seen in addition to Hooded Mergansers.
Double Crested Cormorant
Heading away from the shore, the tour passed a stand of American Sycamore with their white peeling bark.
American Sycamore
Early settlers used to make buttons out of American Sycamore seedpods. The “button” is found inside the seedpod. This practice created another name for the American Sycamore: the Buttonwood Tree. Nancy pointed out Poison Ivy growing on a dead Eastern Hemlock tree. Members of the tour were advised to never touch the hairy vine of Poison Ivy as you can still get a painful itchy rash even in winter.
Poison Ivy Rope on Dead Hemlock Tree
Palmolive dish washing liquid was recommended as an inexpensive cure for poison ivy. The tour then led participants up a gas line right of way for about ¼ a mile.
Along the way, White-Tail Deer were seen browsing in the woods west of the right of way.
White Tail Deer
As the group proceeded on, Nancy pointed out large rectangular holes found on a dead tree.
Pileated Woodpecker Holes
These holes were created by a Pileated Woodpecker, North America’s largest woodpecker. Most likely the bird was hunting carpenter ants, one it’s favorite sources of food. While the group admired the holes, a Black-Capped Chickadee, Northern Flicker and Red-Bellied Woodpecker were heard calling.
Up ahead on the gas trail was a stand of Northern Red Oak (NJ’s state tree!) with its characteristic “ski slope” bark. Nancy informed the tour that when a Northern Red Oak gets cut it admits a foul odor.
Northern Red Oak
Shortly before turning west onto the Heck Ditch trail, the group happened upon a White Pine plantation.
White Pine Plantation
White pines make excellent habitat for Great Horned Owls and other birds of prey which frequent Emerson Woods.
Possible Hawk or Owl nest in White Pine
Cones of White Pine are sticky with the seeds found inside. Native Americans used to chew on White Pine needles to obtain Vitamin C.
As the group passed the Heck Ditch Nancy pointed out that the oily looking water surface of the ditch was caused by bacteria decomposing leaves.
Heck Ditch
Ground Pine
Ground Pine was found growing in large colonies on the other side of the Heck ditch trail. Ground Pine takes years to become established.
Scouring Rush near Cotton Wood Tree
After walking for about 15-20 minutes on the Heck Ditch trail, the tour headed south on the Equisetum trail which leads back to the United Water Recreating parking lot. Along the way, Nancy pointed out large growths of equisetum growing near massive Cottonwood trees. This collection of Equisetum is thought to consist of the largest stand in New Jersey. Equisetum are members of an ancient order of plants and appeared well before the appearance of the first flowering plants. Equisetum was known to early settlers as “Scouring Rush”-a name given for its ability to clean and scrub pots and pans.
Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Giant Cottonwood
The group headed back to the parking lot as twilight descended. As we walked, we happened upon an abandoned Red-Eyed Vireo nest. The red-eye vireo spends the winter living in South America.
The group proceeded to the parking area and the tour concluded.
Emerson Woods Preserve
A special thanks to Bergen SWAN and Nancy Slowik for offering the opportunity to explore Emerson Woods in great detail. For more information on Bergen SWAN click here.
The Emerson Woods Preserve are accessible from off of Main Street in Emerson or Lakeview Drive. Ample parking is available on Summer Street. Be sure to check out Bergen SWAN if you wish to participate in nature walks, community clean-ups and educational events in Emerson Woods.
Kinnelon’s Kakeout Reservoir!
Butler Water Supply Kakeout Reservoir
Kakeout Reservoir
Kakeout Reservoir, at 150 acres, was constructed in the 1930′s by the works progress administration by impounding Stone House Brook over an old roadway connecting Butler and Kinnelon. Most of Stone House Brook, a Pequannock River tributary, is classified by the NJ DEP primarily as FW2-NT (Fresh Water, Non-Trout). Water with this classification are generally not suitable for trout because of physical, chemical or biological characteristics but may be suitable for a wide variety of other fish.
Stone House Brook
Kakeout Reservoir holds up to 950 million gallons of water and serves an estimated 9,600 people in Butler, West Milford and Kinnelon. Fishing in Kakeout Reservoir is allowed by permit only.
Fishing by Permit Only
Trails
While it is possible to do a loop around the reservoir, (click here for a description) I prefer to take the blue blazed Butler-Montville trail north of Fayson Lake Road to Kakeout dam and back. This trail is maintained by volunteers of the New York New Jersey Trail Conference.
Blue Blaze Butler-Montville Trail
If you take the Butler-Montville Trail south of Fayson Lakes Road it will lead to Pyramid Mountain and its famous Tripod Rock. Taking this trail north of Fayson Lakes Road goes slightly west with views of the reservoir and a small island.
Canada Goose on Mini Island
The trail then heads north to a bridge which goes over Stone House Brook.
Footbridge over Stone House Brook
Once you cross over Stone House Brook, the trail turns to the east and passes Kakeout Mountain to the northwest. The trail then hugs the Reservoir until you reach the dam.
Kakeout Reservoir Dam with Wetlands
There are wetlands beyond the dam where Stone House Brook once again narrows to form a stream which flows northeast. Stone House Brook (also called Kakeout Brook at this location) becomes C1 trout production from Lake Edenwold downstream. C1 is one of the highest classifications given to a stream in the state of NJ.
Once you reach the dam, turn around and follow the trail back to Fayson Lakes Road where the hike began.
Shoreline of Kakeout Reservoir
Flora:
- American Beech
- Mountain Laurel
- Red Oak
- White Oak
- White Pine
- Spicebush
- Skunk Cabbage
Daisy Fleabane
Indian Pipe
Directions:
From Route 23 in Kinnelon, take Kinnelon Road exit. Drive for about two miles and take a left on Fayson Lake Road. Parking is near the first causeway.
Feel free to comment or e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Ringwood’s Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve!
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve is a 7.18 green acres woodland located in the Borough of Ringwood NJ. The preserve is located on Fieldstone Drive off of Skyline Drive. It is named after the first chair of the Ringwood Environmental Commission. The Northgate Park housing development and Fieldstone Drive sit to the north of the preserve, Skyline Drive sits to the west and south of the preserve and High Mountain Brook flows to the east. High Mountain Brook is a fresh water trout production stream with a C1 classification which is one of the highest classifications given to a stream in the state of NJ. Its headwaters are formed from the artificially created 4 acre Brushwood Pond which contains Bass, catfish and other aquatic life and flows in a south west direction until it terminates in the 39+ acre artificially created Skyline Lakes.
High Mountain Brook
Part of the purpose of the preserve is to maintain the rural character of Ringwood. The 7.18 acre site was previously threatened with development by the name of Bald Eagle Suites . Bald Eagle Suites would have contained the largest buildings in Ringwood. The development would have consisted of four four story high buildings containing a total of 100 units of assisted living high density housing. The North Jersey District Water Supply Commission which manages the nearby Wanaque Reservoir, opposed the development. NJDWS believed that runoff from the development would contaminate local reservoir feeding streams.
Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve Woodland
The development would have disturbed nearly 96% of the 7.18 acres by essentially blowing off the top of the mountain and moving 20 thousand cubic yards of soil for the construction of an entrance road and sewage treatment fields. The site would have been stripped of trees and several large retaining walls would have been in place. Thanks to the combined efforts of Skylands Clean and the Ringwood Zoning Board, the development was denied and the 7.18 acres was purchase from the developer by Ringwood for $600,000 on March 16, 2007. Green Acres provided $300,000, Passaic County Open Space provided $250,000 and the municipal OS Trust provided $50,000.The preserve is the first open space initiative led exclusively by Ringwood.
Trail
The Jerry Wyckoff Nature Trail
Jerry Wyckoff Nature Preserve Trail Map
The estimated .27 of a mile orange blazed trail entrance is found off of Fieldstone Drive just north of the entrance to Stop and Shop. The trail was created and blazed by a local boy scout troup. No map is needed for this out and back trail. The total trail is an estimate .54 of a mile. Orange ribbons were found on many trees extending near the end of the trail during my last visit. This may indicate a longer planned trail for the future.
orange blazed trail
The trail provides many scenic viewpoints of nearby highlands and the Wanaque Reservoir (especially when the leaves are gone from the trees!)
Scenic View
The trail terminates at a glacial erratic.
Flora found along the trail include Christmas Fern, Sweet Fern, White, Chestnut and Red Oak, American Beech and Red Maple among others. I spotted this awesome little Eastern Chipmunk during a warmer month visit:
Eastern Chipmunk
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve is located at the entrance to the center of town (Skyline Drive) from Route 287 (Exit 57) off of Fieldstone Drive. Parking is available in the nearby Stop and Shop.
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Hiking West Milford’s Echo Lake!
- Echo Lake Recreation Area
Echo Lake West is one of the most beautiful trails I’ve ever been on. The Echo Lake West trail follows the western shore of Echo Lake. Another trail exists (Echo Lake East) on the other side of the lake. It is not possible to do a loop around the lake due to houses located on the north eastern border of the lake. Echo Lake West follows the Highlands Trail , a NYNJCT Trail Conference project. The trail head is located at the office of the NWCDC located near Echo Lake Road.
The trail passes near Camp Watershed a summer camp for the City of Newark youth. The beginning of the trail is gravel covered but then changes to a rough nature trail.
Echo Lake
Echo Lake is part of the Newark Pequannock watershed lands. The lake is an estimated 270 acres and is fed by the Macopin River. The Echo Lake channel and Macopin River drain from the lake and into the Pequannock River. The lake, with the exception of the northeast corner is completed surrounded by upland forest and wetlands. Kanouse Mountain sits to the west of the lake. Kanouse Mountain is around 1,100 feet in elevation.
Echo Lake
One of the great things about hiking is you never know what is around the corner. For example, we saw this tree completely covered with claw marks and (though you can’t see it in this photo) black bear fur. Black bears do this to mark territory.
We also saw the Southern Leopard Frog pictured below. The Southern Leopard Frog is usually found near freshwater.
Flora found on the trail included:
Canada Goldenrod
Ground Pine
Aside from a few muddy spots, the Echo Lake West trail is mostly dry until you reach near the end when wetlands abound.
Wetlands
It was near here that I found one of my favorite plants: Jewelweed
.
Jewelweed
Our goal for the hike was to make it to this rock (shown below) rest a bit and head back.
However, due to what appears to be beaver activity, the old (white blazed) Echo Lake West trail which led from the Highlands Trail to this rock is impassable and the trail now ends near the wetlands section.
For me, one of the more unusual finds of the day was finding what appeared to be the shell of a freshwater clam in Echo Lake.
Freshwater Clam Shell
This trail is mostly flat and is located in the heart of the NJ highlands. For more information on Newark Watershed hiking trails and obtaining a Newark watershed permit click here.
Pascack Brook County Park Update
Pascack Brook County Park
On the weekend of May 15-May 16, 2010, over 80 volunteers got together thanks to the collaboration of Bergen SWAN, United Water NJ, Pascack Sustainability Group, Rutgers Water Resources Program and Bergen County Parks Department to plant 60 new native trees and 75 native shrubs over a 10,000 square foot area at the main pond at the 79 acre Pascack Brook County Park. Native trees planted included Red Maple, Green Ash, River Birch and American Sycamore among others.
The main pond at Pascack Brook County Park
A month and change after the planting NJURBANFOREST took a stroll at the park to see the fruits of the labor. The new trees look great! The new trees and shrubs act as a buffer to protect the water quality of the pond. The pond was created from an impoundment of a small tributary that leads to Pascack Brook one mile from where the brook enters the Oradell Reservoir.
Newly Planted Trees
American Sycamore
After admiring the new plantings, I took the trail leading into a forest located to the west of the main pond.
I came upon another pond where the sound of bullfrogs filled the air. Turning around I met an unexpected visitor.
White Tail Deer
Though you may not be able to recognize it due to the photo suffering from blurryitis, the visitor was a white tail deer. He was a hungry guy. Bergen SWAN is currently planning a “Planting in the Park II”. This planting will focus on adding more wildflowers and grasses to the banks of the main pond.
Long Pond Ironwork’s Monk’s Trail!
Long Pond Ironwork’s Monk’s Trail is a 2.5 mile loop trail located near scenic Monksville Reservoir.
Monk's Mountain
Monk's Trail
The trail follows a white blaze near the abandoned Winston Iron Mine. The mine was in operation for a short time after the Civil War and was inactive by the 1880′s.
Winston Iron Mine
There is an interesting side trail (blue on white blaze) which leads to some amazing views of Monksville Reservoir.
Beautiful Monksville Reservoir
One of the unique finds on this hike was Prickly Pear Cactus.
Prickly Pear Cactus
The trail is a great scenic way to view some of the iron mine history of the NJ Highlands while taking in some great views. For directions and a full description of this great hike click here.
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