New Jersey Audubon Society is working in partnership with the
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission,
The Hackensack Riverkeeper
and the
Meadowlands Regional Chamber of
Commerce to create a new guide to wildlife viewing and fishing in the
Hackensack River watershed. Similar to the current Delaware Bayshore Birding and Wildlife
Trails effort, this program relies on public participation to
nominate sites in the area.
One of our main goals during the
collaboration of the BWT Guide is to build support in local
communities. We
are asking community organizations and government leaders to
sign and return a Resolution in Support of the New Jersey
Meadowlands Birding, Wildlife and Fishing Trails to help us build a network of
sponsorship for BWT Guides state-wide. Organizations and
individuals may use the form as is (fill in the blanks), or
simply as a framework for their own version of the document. Click
Here to download the form (in PDF format).
The nomination period closed on September 30, 2005. Sites
are now being assessed for reliability of wildlife viewing
and safety of public access. In addition, the partnership will
analyze road and capital improvement needs within the
Meadowlands District and will offer recommendations to improve
public access points. The guide is expected to be published in
June of 2006. Information will also be published on the
Internet.
About the Meadowlands District:
- 32 square miles
- 4 miles from Manhattan
- Just off NJ Turnpike
- 1,168 acres of publicly accessible parks with walking and
paddling trails
- More than 900 animal and plant species
- More than 260 bird species reported
- Threatened and endangered species reported:
- 26 birds
- 1 reptile, 1 amphibian
- 7 plants
About the project boundaries:
- Represents Hackensack Watershed
- Bordered largely by Hudson and Passaic Rivers
- New Jersey State Line to North
- South to include Liberty State Park
- Approximately 112,040 acres
For a PDF format map defining the boundaries of the Hackensack River
watershed in northern New Jersey,
click here.
|
