Oradell’s Lotus Woods Nature Walk!
Lotus Woods Nature Walk
The Borough of Oradell‘s Lotus Woods Nature Walk located in densely populated Bergen County NJ is a 10 acre wetland preserve featuring a woodland trail next to the Van Saun Mill Brook.
Lotus Woods Nature Walk
The woods were preserved by the Mayor and Council of Oradell in the early nineties. The trail has been maintained by the Oradell Boy Scouts since 1991. The boy scouts also help remove invasive plants and replace them with native plants. The Lotus Notes Nature Walk is a forest island completely surrounded by dense residential development. But you wouldn’t know that by looking at the photo below.
The Van Saun Mill Brook, a tributary of the Hackensack River, flows through the center of the woods. The Van Saun Mill Brook is monitored by the Bergen County Environmental Council further south of the preserve in nearby Van Saun Park three times a year to determine the quality of the water. The Lotus Woods help to protect the Van Saun Mill Brook from non-point source pollution.
Van Suan Mill Brook
Much of the preserve is dominated by typical wetland vegetation such as Sensitive Fern and Skunk Cabbage.
Sensitive Fern
The trail is level and is an easy pleasant walk next to a bubbling brook. The woods are a perfect way to observe nature at a slow pace. The main entrance to the preserve is on Amaryllis Avenue between Seminole Street and Summit Avenue in Oradell. It’s a nice slice of nature.
Click here for directions
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
James A. McFaul Environmental Center!
James A McFaul Environmental Center
The James A McFaul Environmental Center is an 81 acre nature preserve located in Wyckoff, NJ.
James McFaul Environmental Center
The environmental center was originally a pig farm and was acquired by Bergen County in 1962 with assistance from Green Acres. It was named the James A. McFaul Environmental Center in 1990 to honor a Bergen County parks director who did much to acquire this beautiful nature preserve.
Pond
The 2.5 acre pond was created in 1966 by impounding a Goffle Brook tributary.
Goffle Brook Tributary
A boardwalk extends out over wetlands and provides views of the pond.
Environmental Boardwalk
The educational center, which looks out into the pond, includes freshwater aquariums, educational signage and live native animal displays.
Life in a Pond Educational Display
There are outdoor animal shelters which features porcupine, white tail deer, golden eagle, red fox, eastern screech owls and red tail hawk exhibits among others.
Porcupine
Outdoor Turtle Display
In addition to live animal displays, the James A. McFaul Environmental Center provides much needed habitat to a multitude of birds and other native wildlife such as:
Mourning Dove
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Canadian Geese
White Tail Deer
Wild Turkey
Eastern Chipmunk
Muskrat
Near the entrance to the environmental center, there are rhododendron and seasonal daffodil gardens to be enjoyed.
Gardens
Nature Trail
Welcome to the Nature Center!
The preserve features a 2/3 of a mile interpretive nature trail which loops around a seasonal swamp and upland.
Deciduous wooded wetlands
A trail map is available here. As you wind along the path, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife such as White Tail Deer, Eastern Chipmunks and Red Tail Hawks. Frequent signage appears on the trail to help the hiker to identify the surrounding flora and fauna.
Lowland Habitat Interpretive Signage
Tree Cavity Interpretive Signage
Flora includes Ironwood, Pin, Black , Scarlet and White Oak, Red Maple, Shagbark Hickory, Tulip Poplar and skunk cabbage among others.
Click here for more information about this wonderful preserve in the midst of suburban Wyckoff.
Saddle River County Park!
Bergen County’s Saddle River County Park is a wonderful 577 acre linear greenway which parallels the Saddle River. There are six park areas and a historic site which are all linked by a paved path which may be used by bicycles, pedestrians and roller skating. Click here to see a map of the trail. The total length of the trail is six miles. Mileage signs appear every tenth of a mile on the path to help see how far you have progressed.
Fishing is allowed throughout the park with a license at the trout stocked Saddle River and Ho-Ho-Kus Brook as well as the three ponds found throughout the park. (The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook is trout stocked from Whites Pond in Waldwick until its confluence with the Saddle River).
Saddle River Pathway BEGIN
The northern section of the park begins in Ridgewood at the Wild Duck Pond Area. The Ridgewood Area of the park features the Wild Duck Pond, Dog Run, picnic area and playground.
Wild Ducks at Wild Duck Pond
- The trail continues through to Glen Rock, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Saddle Brook and Rochelle Park. On the way to Paramus and Glen Rock areas the trail passes by Ridgewood’s Grove Park, a 32 acre Beech-Oak forest which features hiking trails.
Saddle River County Park Glen Rock
The Glen Rock Area features a pond, playground and tennis. The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook flows to the east of the park. The brook has no mow zones to help clean the water and provide habitat for wildlife.
Heading south from the Glen Rock Area will go to the Fair Lawn Area which features soccer and a section for hangers/gliders and to the Dunkerhook Area of the park in Paramus. Dunkerhook (which means “Dark Corner”) was named by the Dutch who first settled in this area in the early 18th Century. This section of the park features a beautiful waterfall at the confluence of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook with the Saddle River in addition to a picnic area and playground.
Waterfall at confluence of Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and Saddle River
Saddle River County Park Dunkerhook Area
Just south of the Dunkerhook Area and after passing underneath Route 4 is the Easton Tower.
Easton Tower
The Easton Tower was initially built in 1900 to pump water for the estate of Edward Easton who made his fortune as a founder in the recording industry and was president of the Columbia Phonograph Company. Water from the tower was pumped to several fountains. Construction of nearby Route 208 divided the estate and isolated the tower. The tower was acquired by Bergen County in 1956 and restored a few years later. An earlier red mill tower which stood in its place sometimes leads to the present tower being mistakenly called the “Red Mill”.
Once pass the Easton Tower, the trail leads to the Otto C. Pehle Area in Saddle Brook. This section features a pond, model boating (permit required), ball fields, playground and picnic areas.
Otto C. Pehle Area
Canadian Geese
The final and most southern area of the linear park is the Rochelle Park Area.
Saddle River County Park Rochelle Park
This section of the park features basketball, tennis, and a picnic area. The trail’s terminus is at Railroad Avenue.
-
Trail Terminus at Railroad Ave
Flora at the park include:
- Fauna includes the below among others:
-
Groundhog
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Great Egret
Cottontail Rabbit
-
Painted Turtle
For more information check out the NY NJ Trail Conference description.
Resources:
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!
Other Resources:
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!
Ridgefield Nature Center and Community Garden!
Ridgefield Nature Center 34 Years of Preservation
The Ridgefield Nature center consists of 5.4 acres of deciduous wooded wetlands and upland.
Ridgefield Nature Center
The nature center is only open on Saturdays to the public from 8AM-Noon.
Ridgefield Nature Center Trail
The interpretive trail is wide and lined with old tree trunks. There are more than 25 educational signage covering everything from Pokeweed (as listed in the picture below) to Sassafras Trees.
Pokeweed with Educational Signage
Sassafras Leaves
Given the woods location on the Atlantic Flyway, many species of birds ranging from Red-winged Blackbird, White-breasted Nuthatch, Baltimore Oriole, American Goldfinch and other species are found here. A unique nonnative bird that can be found in the woods is the Monk Parakeet.
One of the more unique trees found at Ridgefield Nature Center is the American Persimmon tree. The tree is thought to be growing here at its extreme northern limit. The tree is found generally in the south. The bark of the Persimmon tree resembles alligator skin.
The day I visited the nature center this gigantic old mushroom was found and was on display.
Mushroom
The forest is surrounded by dense residential development to the north, south and west of the property. To the east of the forest is the Ridgefield Community Garden.
Ridgefield Community Garden
The garden is open for local residents to plant veggies or establish a butterfly garden. Wolf Creek flows to the east of the gardens and includes an estimated .58 of an acre of wetlands. The creek is a tribute of Bellmans Creek, a major lower Hackensack River Tributary. Both the community garden and Ridgefield Nature Center were once owned by the Great Bear Company which used the property to distribute bottled water. The Borough of Ridgefield purchased the combined 12 acres of the community garden and Ridgefield Nature Center land in 1975.
The woods are open to the public on Saturdays from 8am to Noon. Group Tours can be made by appointment by calling 201-943-5215 x353. The community garden is accessible to the public at any time during the day. Click here for more information regarding the Ridgefield Nature Center. The nature center is maintained by members of the Ridgefield Environmental Commission.
Ridgefield Nature Center and Community Garden
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Celery Farm Update!
This past weekend I took a stroll back to Allendale’s Celery Farm to check out some summer wildlife happenings. I’ve heard that summertime is traditionally slow for viewing wildlife. That may be true, but it was not the case with the Celery Farm which was teeming with wildlife as these photos below show.
Bullfrog
There were tons of bullfrogs!
Eastern Chipmunk
This guy fled with a chirp as soon as this picture was taken.
Mute Swan
Parent and child
Painted Turtle
Soaking up the sun
Eastern Cottontail
Munching away
Red Admiral
Check out NJURBANFOREST earlier post on the Celery Farm and be sure to check out the Fyke Nature Association webpage Celeryfarm.net for more information regarding this special place.
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.
Bonnabel Nature Park at Lachmund’s Bend!
Bonnabel Nature Park at Lachmund's Bend
Bonnabel Nature Park (Click Image to Enlarge)
Welcome to Old Tappan’s Bonnabel Nature Park! The park’s 3.26 acres consists of uplands and wetlands and is a pleasant respite from the suburban development that surround it. The park has the Hackensack River and its remnant watershed lands to the west and south, Old Tappan Road to the north, and additional remnant Hackensack River watershed lands to the east.
The land which became Bonnabel Nature Park at Lachmund’s Bend was purchased October 17, 2007 from the Bonnabel family by the borough of Old Tappan for $950,000 with a combination of Green Acres, Borough Open Space and Municipal Bond Ordinance funding for use as open space. The park was established in 2008.
The 3.26 acre site is situated next to the trout stocked upper Hackensack River (which is given C1 Status at this location) and United Water watershed land.
Hackensack River
Bonnabel Nature Park features trails, picnic tables, benches and fishing.
Flora at the park includes:
- Sensitive Fern
- White Snakeroot
- Sugar Maple
- Cinnamon Fern
- Others
The property was once the site of a popular hotel called Lachmunds which existed from the late 1800′s until it was demolished in 1954. Today, instead of a hotel, the land is a beautiful nature preserve for the people of Old Tappan and surrounding communities to enjoy.
Bonnabel Nature Park at Lachmund’s Bend is located off of Old Tappan Road near Recktenwald Court by the Rivervale border. Click here for directions. Please note that Unfortunately, yahoo maps does not recognize the park’s entrance as an address. These directions will culminate to Recktenwald Court. The park is located just southeast of Recktenwald Court on Old Tappan Road. A gravel lot in the park is provided for parking.
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
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.
Sterling Forest’s McKeages Meadow Trail!!!!
Though this blog primarily focuses on NJ natural spots, it does delve occasionally in nearby NY parks most notably in Central Park. But today’s blog will delve into beautiful Sterling Forest NY via McKeages Meadow Trail. (Check out the Trail Map) The trail goes through both Warwick and Tuxedo New York.
Sign for McKeages Meadow Connector
The trail begins on the east side of Long Meadow Road via a yellow triangle blazed connecting trail from Sterling Lake Loop trail. The main blaze is yellow with a blue/green line. The trail passes through Laurel Meadow Ponds showcasing plenty of flowering lily pads.
Lily Pad Flowers
The trail features swampland, upland and of course meadows. Indian Pipe was found just starting to sprout.
Indian Pipe just starting to sprout
Other flora found include tons of Japanese Barberry, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, White Oak, Chestnut Oak, Spicebush, Virginia Creeper and others.
For fauna, we spotted these two friends below in the swamp area of the trail. This area floods seasonally.
White Trail Dragon Fly with Bullfrog
It would be great to hold a meeting in this conference room in the picture below. I wonder how I can reserve it?
The Forest Conference Room
And remember: no promiscuous shooting while the meeting is in session!
No Promiscuous shooting allowed!
This trail goes for about 3 miles (add another mile or so round trip if you include the connector trail) and showcases much of what makes Sterling Forest such a unique place.
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
West Milford’s Wallisch Environmental Trail!!!!
Welcome to the Wallish Environmental Trail!!!
Wallish Environment Trail was constructed on the former Wallish Farm property in 2008. The property is roughly 100 acres. The trail features a woodchip path through herbaceous and forested wetlands. Ramapo College of NJ developed the trail and planted 2-21/2 caliper trees as well as fruit bearing shrubs on 3 acres in response to campus development.
Wallish Trail Map
The trail features a man-made vernal pond and various educational signage indicating the value of the surrounding wetlands. Belcher Creek flows to the west of the preserve and Morsetown Brook flows to the south.
It’s a great place to learn about herbaceous and forested wetlands firsthand thanks to Ramapo College and White Environmental Services who supervised and obtained permits for the project. Just be sure to watch out for ticks.
Plus like any preserve, you never know what you will encounter in your explorations. I met this friend below.
Painted Turtle
The Wallisch Nature Preserve is accessible off of Lincoln Avenue in West Milford, NJ. Parking is available on Eisenhower Drive.
Wallisch Nature Preserve West Milford NJ
Comments!