TW-SeptOct04_8-12 8/12/04 6:40 PM Page 1 RAILWALKER TNEW YORK-NEW JERSEY TRAIL CONFERENCE — MAINTAINING OVER 1,600 MILES OF FOOT TRAILS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 In this issue: New West Hudson North Crew...pg 4 • Black Bears...pg 5 • Discounts to Our Members...pg 8 • Favorite Hike...pg 10 Green Acres Acquisition of the Norvin Green Connector Lands Approved Unanimously by West Milford Council The land—420 acres situated between bicide intrusion into the headwaters and was signed with the state for $5,500 dollars the Macopin and Otter-Hole Roads in recharge area of the Post’s Brook/Wanaque per acre, an amount that would be hotly West Milford—is the route of a vital link of Reservoir and the Macopin River and contested by the preservation opponents the Highlands Trail between Norvin Green Apshawa Brook tributaries of the Pequan- who filed a lawsuit in Passaic County Supe- State Forest and the Newark Watershed, nock River. rior Court to kill the sale. and Trail Conference members played an In spite of opposition from the pro- A number of Trail Conference members active role in protecting it from develop- development faction, a purchase contract continued on page 9 ment. The fate of this parcel had been in con- tention since 1996 when the township signed an agent agreement with Len Miller, Kittatinny Trails Guide Ready This Autumn a New York investment banker who owned Kittatinny Trails, a new comprehensive guide trails in the DWGNRA. That book has property around the Algonquin Waters to trails along the Kittatinny Ridge of north- been out of print since 2000. The new lake, in which he would pursue develop- west New Jersey, will be published by the publication responds to requests for a more ment of a golf course, hotel, and NY-NJ Trail Conference in October. It is a comprehensive guide not only by hikers convention center on the site. large format book, with maps, photographs, but federal personnel in the DWGNRA The new Highlands Watershed Protection In 2002, a new town council majority innovative charts on choosing a hike, and an and state managers in Worthington State legislation, approved by the New Jersey leg- voted to remove Miller as the agent and to introduction on history, geology, plants, and Forest, Stokes State Forest, and High Point islature in June, resulted in a victory for preserve this tract as open space with a sale animals. It will have 220 pages with an State Park. open space and ensured protection of a to Green Acres. Proponents of the golf index, and will sell for $18.95. Author Bob Boysen hiked all the trails, vital trail corridor in West Milford. (Gov. course development were outraged. They Authored by Robert Boysen, our West wrote all the descriptions, drew the maps, McGreevey was scheduled to sign the envisioned a large ratable for the township, Jersey Trails Committee Chair, the book took the photographs, researched the histo- Highlands legislation as this issue went to which had recently been told it was losing describes all the blazed trails from the ry and geology, and organized the field press in early August.) $1,137,000 dollars in state aid previously Delaware Water Gap to High Point State checking. The book and cover design is by The mayor and town council of West received as part of a watershed community Park on the New York border. It also Nora Porter. Milford on August 4 voted unanimously to host agreement. includes descriptions of hiking trails in the Kittatinny Trails has been in preparation approve the sale, noting that the Highlands Opponents of the development focused Delaware Water Gap National Recreation for two years since the Publication Com- act effectively precluded the development on water issues. They cited the estimated Area (DWGNRA) in Pennsylvania south mittee accepted Boysen’s proposal. of the property. As part of the agreement 45 million gallon water diversion from the of the Route I-80 bridge across the Publications Chair George Petty, who was with Green Acres, the state may lease a Echo Lake Reservoir at a time when the Delaware River. project manager for the book, said, “Bob small portion of the former Jungle Habitat downstream Pequannock River was experi- Kittatinny Trails replaces Delaware Water Boysen’s many talents and disciplined Site to the township for recreation. (Details encing decreased yearly flow rates. There Gap National Recreation Area, a small for- effort brought the book out on schedule.” were uncertain as of this writing.) were also concerns about pesticide and her- mat NYNJTC book that covered only Estelle Anderson: Trail Blazer Don’t Leave Home Estelle Anderson walked one July morning Without It! along the still-new Will Monroe Loop in Norvin Green State Forest in Bergen Coun- Membership in the Trail Conference ty, NJ, a trail she had lobbied for, helped entitles you to a 10 percent discount at 156 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ 07430 build, and now maintains (see Trail News participating retail stores and businesses, 201-512-9348 last issue). She was pleased to see the tread- but only if you show your card to cashiers! Member Name way packed down and evident as it coursed Your Trail Conference Membership Card Expires 12/31/2004 Member #1234 through woods and over a rocky ridgeline. is your proof of membership and is essen- Others have been hiking her trail. tial to taking advantage of this major Which perhaps is no surprise, since benefit. Without presentation of a membership card, no discount will be provided. Estelle is a walking commercial for both the These businesses (see list on page 8) provide a wonderful service to the NY-NJ Trail trail and the forest of Norvin Green. “I love Conference and its members and have helped us to expand our membership base, being up here,” she says to a new visitor to thereby strengthening our work on behalf of trails and trail lands preservation. Please be the forest. “I love bringing people up here. I sure to show your appreciation to these stores by thanking them and always love their surprise when we get to the top.” presenting your membership card when seeking a discount. The surprise from the top of Assini- wikam Mountain is that there is hardly a VOLUME XXXI, NUMBER 5 ISSN 0749-1352 PERMIT #970-100 sign of the suburban beehive below. Forest- ed trees surround Wanaque Reservoir and appear to extend as far as the skyline of Manhattan. And then there are the indigo buntings; she carries binoculars and makes sure her fellow hiker gets a close-up view of one of these rarely seen, tiny beauties. continued on page 9 GEORGETTE WEIR TW-SeptOct04_8-12 8/12/04 6:40 PM Page 2 TRAILWALKER FROM THE CHAIR VOLUME XXXI, NO. 5 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 GEORGETTE WEIR EDITOR LOUIS LEONARDIS GRAPHIC DESIGNER The TRAIL WALKER (USPS Permit #970- 100) (ISSN 0749-1352) is published bi- It is not often that a long distance trail Trail Conference to apply for and receive monthly by the New York-New Jersey Trail Hudson River Conference as a benefit of membership. has a legislative mandate and a top official money to pay for designing and printing Subscriptions are available to libraries only at Valley Greenway such as Governor Pataki keenly interested brochures of trails in that park and in $15.00 a year. Periodical postage paid at in it being completed. Over the last two Fahnestock State Park. More recently, the Mahwah, N.J., and additional offices. In 1991, New York State passed the Green- years, the Greenway Trails Committee, Trail Conference has contracted with the Postmaster: Send address changes to the address below. Opinions expressed by authors do not way Act, a program designed to encourage with extensive staff effort and public input, village of Wappingers Falls to help that necessarily represent the policy or position of communities in the Hudson River Valley produced a draft plan for the trail. Released community with a trails project, including the Conference. Contributions of typed to enhance life in the valley through eco- on June 4, 2004, in conjunction with recruiting and training volunteers. We have manuscripts, photos, and drawings are nomic development, natural and cultural National Trails Day, it describes categories also received grant money to purchase a welcome. Manuscripts may be edited for style and length. Send SASE for writers’ guidelines. resource protection, public access to the of trails, reports on the status of designated GPS (global positioning system) unit. Submission deadlines for the TRAIL WALKER river, and heritage and environmental edu- trail segments, provides detailed maps of The Trail Conference also supplies lead- are January 15 (Mar./Apr. issue), March 15 cation. The portion of that program of each county, and offers a framework for ers for the Greenway’s major effort to (May/June issue), May 15 (July/Aug. issue), July 15 (Sept./Oct. issue), September 15 most interest to hikers is the Hudson River completion of the land-based trail and a encourage people to get outdoors and (Nov./Dec. issue), November 15 (Jan./Feb. Valley Greenway Trail. Those familiar with 12-point working plan. It was designed to enjoy its benefits: the Hudson Valley Ram- issue). Unsolicited contributions cannot be the Hudson River Valley know that access be a reference and includes trail develop- ble on the last two weekends in September. acknowledged unless accompanied by SASE. to the river is more often blocked than ment tools, references for design and The event, which began in 2000, is For information on advertising rates, please write or call.