Fall 2008 - Hackensack RIVERKEEPER

Fall 2008, Volume XI, Issue 4
Hackensack Riverkeeper® is the leading environmental organization working on Hackensack River issues.
Corzine Recognizes Riverkeeper’s
Clean Water Efforts
Hackensack River
Water Trail Update
Hackensack Riverkeeper receives
Governor’s Award for
Environmental Excellence
New canoe and kayak launch to be
built at Laurel Hill Park
By Hugh M. Carola
At a ceremony and reception on December 5 at
Drumthwacket – the New Jersey Governor’s mansion
– Hackensack Riverkeeper received the 2008
Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for
Water Resources conservation. The award recognizes
our successful efforts to inform and educate municipal
leaders regarding Category One (C1) protections on
the upper Hackensack River Watershed. As Governor
Corzine was unable to personally attend, Acting
NJDEP Commissioner Mark Mauriello made the presentation to Captain Bill Sheehan, who accepted on
behalf of Hackensack Riverkeeper. Riverkeeper
staffers Diane Saccoccia, Nick Vos-Wein and I were
also in attendance.
Hackensack Riverkeeper earned the award for pro-
By Nick Vos-Wein
Like many urban waterways, one of the biggest
challenges facing the Hackensack River is the lack of
public access. This is especially true for those seeking
safe places to launch and retrieve canoes and kayaks.
Without improved boat launching facilities, it is
extremely difficult for paddlers to enjoy the recreational opportunities that the river provides.
In order to fill this need, we began working on a
plan to create a water trail that would connect access
points through two counties, a dozen municipalities
and some 21 miles of river. In 2004, Hackensack
Continued on Page 14
They Came, They Saw,
They Enjoyed Their River
Like previous years, our 2008 program
season was a great success
Continued on Page 22
By Hugh Carola, Lisa Ryan & Nick Vos-Wein
Faithful Tidelines readers will recall that our program season began on a pretty sour note: with a theft.
Using bolt cutters and other tools, thieves removed the
115-hp Yamaha outboard motor from the Riverkeeper
Vessel Edward Abbey the day before she was to be put
back in the water. While the loss felt like a sucker
punch and the thieves were never caught, our insurance company and several donors came through for us
Acting NJDEP Commissioner Mark Mauriello (center)
presents the Governor’s Award to Hackensack Riverkeeper.
Continued on Page 3
INSIDE:
Railroad Victory
Bird Festival Recap
Riverkeeper Library Tour
Nature Program Cooperative
5
6
8
9
Real Science for Real People
Birds of the Hackensack
Watershed Field Notes
Ambassador Update
Volunteer Corner & Party Invite
Blue Moon Fundraiser
10
11
13
14
20
23
Page 2
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
At the
helm
231 Main Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601-7304
A word from
Captain Bill
Better Days Are Almost Here
2008 will go down in history for
obvious as well as not-so-obvious
reasons. Our country has elected a
new president and the Obama
administration will soon begin
working to repair eight years’
worth of failed domestic and foreign policies. With two ongoing
wars, an economy in shambles, the
squandering of trillions of dollars
and the cultivation of a culture of
fear, it’s hard for me to focus on
just the environmental failures of
the Bush years, but as you know,
the environment is what
Hackensack Riverkeeper is most
concerned with.
Over the Thanksgiving break I
watched an interesting documentary entitled, My New York Secret.
The film’s subject was the New
York City Sewer System but could
just as easily have been about the
sewers in Hackensack, Jersey City,
Paterson or Newark. I was amazed
to learn that the decision to build
Combined Sewer Systems (CSSs)
was made in a climate of fear. In
the 19th Century, American cities
experienced huge population
increases and with them, a corresponding increase in sewage output. Until CSSs were built, cities
had open sewers running though
streets and back alleys. Outhouses
were built atop cesspits and chamber pots were regularly emptied out
of windows onto the street below.
Such practices led to deadly outbreaks and epidemics of cholera,
typhoid fever, typhus – and a climate of fear.
In those days, authorities had
just one thought in mind: to get
sewage off the streets and out of
the neighborhoods as quickly as
possible. To that end, combined
sewers were looked upon as stateof-the-art technology and the best
way to prevent disease.
Unfortunately, they also piped
sewage directly into local rivers. In
those days, sanitation “experts”
thought nothing of dumping raw
sewage into waterways that had
previously been productive local
fisheries, places for recreation
where people could escape the heat
and the stench of the cities, and the
most reliable means of transporting
both goods and people. In just a
few short years, otherwise wellmeaning sanitarians turned the
Hudson, Hackensack and Passaic
Rivers into open sewers. Soon,
there was so much sewage lining
the riverbeds that methane gas
began bubbling up to the surface
and fouling the air.
The point I’m making is that in
order to solve the health problems
of their day, public officials
bestowed a legacy of pollution on
all generations that have inhabited
Continued on Page 8
Phone:
(201) 968-0808
Fax:
(201) 968-0336
Hotline: 1-877-CPT-BILL
[email protected]
www.hackensackriverkeeper.org
Board of Trustees
Margaret Utzinger, President
Ivan Kossak, CPA, Vice President
J. Michael Parish, Treasurer
Susan Gordon, Secretary
Trustees
Virginia Korteweg
Kelly G. Palazzi
Dr. Beth Ravit
Ellie Spray
Nancy Wysocki
Honorary Trustees
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
William “Pat” Schuber
Executive Director
Captain Bill Sheehan,
Hackensack Riverkeeper
HRI Staff
Hugh Carola, Program Director
Lisa Ryan, Operations Director
Diane Saccoccia, Development Director
Nick Vos-Wein, Project Manager
Svetlana Kukhar,
Watershed Ambassador
Nick Vos-Wein, Tidelines Editor
Lisa Ryan, Webmaster
We gladly accept submissions of
articles, photography and advertisements from the community; however,
we retain editorial discretion. We do
not necessarily endorse any individual
or company whose advertisements are
found in these pages.
Hackensack Tidelines
is published quarterly
on recycled paper.
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Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
2008 Program Recap
Continued from Page 1
and we replaced the stolen motor
with a brand-new 2008 model.
Other than that little “bump in the
road,” things went pretty smoothly:
no pontoon boat breakdowns, just a
couple capsized canoes, no drums
of toxic waste found and for the
most part, the weather cooperated.
SO without further ado, we present
to you our 2008 Program Recap…
Bird-Walks
This year we focused on two
locations for our public events –
the Celery Farm Natural Area in
Allendale and the State Line
Lookout in Alpine – with thirtyfive people participating.
Unfortunately several group walks
scheduled for the Mill Creek Marsh
Trail in Secaucus and DeKorte
Park in Lyndhurst had to be cancelled on account of bad weather.
Fortunately our luck was much better during this year’s Festival of
Birding (see Page 6 for the full
story). As in past years, a large
number of young people participated in land-side activities through
our Combination Programs. Among
the activities that are paired with
Eco-Cruises are mini Bird-Walks,
water testing, nature journal-writing and sketching exercises. All
told, over eight hundred students
took part.
Page 3
The Paddling
Center @ Laurel
Hill Park
This program
just keeps getting
better and better
with every passing
year as more and
more people get
into the sport – and
enjoyment – of
paddling. This past
year, 377 people
rented canoes and kayaks for independent exploration and an additional 563 paddlers participated in a
NEW record total of forty-six guided trips (seventeen scheduled and
twenty-nine charters). All totaled,
940 paddlers spent over 1,800
hours exploring the Hackensack
River and the creeks of the
Meadowlands. Unfortunately, a
whopping thirteen weekend days
were rain-outs compared to only
three bad weather days in 2007. If
we’d had better weather, we would
have certainly broken the one thousand paddler-mark once again.
Our 2008 season was full of
highlights. For starters, Nick conducted two guided paddles (one at
Mill Creek Marsh & the other at
the Sawmill Creek Marsh) on Day
Two of the Meadowlands Festival
of Birding, giving 35 birders a
duck’s eye view of shorebirds,
herons, raptors and (of course)
ducks. He also led three guided
paddles for the Future
Anglers club at High
Tech High School in
North Bergen; two
guided paddles for
students from the
Dwight-Englewood
School; and several
Scout troop paddles
including Boy Scouts
from Bergenfield, Fair
Lawn and Ridgewood
and Girl Scouts from
Oakland. Staff from
the Jersey City Mayors’ Office
were also taken on a tour of the
Sawmill Creek Marsh and got a
chance to see the Osprey nest at
PSE&G’s Hudson Generating
Station.
Of course much of the Paddling
Center’s success is due in large part
to its dedicated and highly-trained
seasonal staff: Megan Haidet, Betty
Hogan, Ryan Martin, Scott Martin,
John Sailer, Felix Wawra and Rich
Wittmann; plus super volunteer Bill
Meier who assisted Nick on ten
Guided Paddles. Two special mentions from the past season: Megan
and John soloed as paddling guides
for the first time, conducting a tour
for Adventures for Women; and
Ryan and Rich teamed up to rescue
a couple whose canoe capsized in
deep water just off the dock at
Laurel Hill Park. Despite cold
water and a very strong outgoing
tide, their lightning-fast response
ensured that the couple suffered
only wet clothes and bruised egos.
River Cleanups
Our River Cleanup program just
refuses to settle down, and is growing by leaps and bounds. We had
over 150 participants at at least five
of our cleanups this season:
Overpeck Park in Leonia (twice),
Kenneth B. George Park in River
Edge, Oradell Reservoir in
Harrington Park and Foschini Park
Continued on Page 18
Page 4
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Annual Awards Dinner & Sustainable SeafoodFest
Once again, Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Awards Celebration &
Sustainable SeafoodFest was a huge success. Among the attendees at this year’s event was Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (DNJ) who spoke about his work on the Clean Railroads Act and
its role in protecting our natural resources (See Page 5 for
details). Later, Captain Bill spoke about our 2008 accomplishments and presented awards to this year’s recipients.
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 5
Annual Awards Dinner & Sustainable SeafoodFest
Riverkeeper’s Battle Against Railroad Results In National Victory
Clean Railroads Act of 2008 will protect health, safety and the environment
On October 20, President Bush signed the Clean
Railroads Act of 2008 into law. This landmark legislation – authored by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (DNJ) – closes a 150-year old loophole that had prevented states from enforcing environmental, health and
safety rules at federally-regulated railroad facilities.
Among other things, railroads had been allowed to
operate unregulated solid waste processing facilities
along their rights-of-way without state oversight and
accountability. But no longer.
The Act also signals an end to our battle against the
New York Susquehanna & Western Railway Co. and
ensures that their trash facilities – including four in the
Meadowlands District – submit to regulation and per-
mitting by the NJ Department of Environmental
Protection and the NJ Meadowlands Commission.
Even though we reached a favorable court settlement
and secured concessions from the company back in
February, the ground rules remained the same.
Railway companies can no longer use their properties
without concern for the environment; not in the
Meadowlands nor anywhere else in America.
“Having little recourse to the courts, we learned that
the only way to solve the problem was for Congress to
take the initiative,” said Captain Bill. “We immediately reached out to Senator Lautenberg and fortunately
for us – and all America – the Senator stepped up and
led the way.”
Page 6
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Five Years of Birds, Birders and the Meadowlands
Fifth Annual Meadowlands Festival of Birding posts best results ever
rience level – we
couldn’t have produced such great
results.”
The focal point
for Day One of
every Festival is
always Richard W.
DeKorte Park and
the Meadowlands
Environment Center
Sunday morning Guided Paddle at Mill Creek Marsh
in Lyndhurst. The
author of Birding Babylon, a book
Center is a perfect base of operathat describes – using naturalist
tions and the trails at DeKorte are
prose – his experiences as a birder
always productive for novice and
and an American soldier in Iraq.
experienced birders alike. From
With a good mix of slides and stothere shuttle buses brought groups
ries, Sergeant Trouern-Trend proof birders to off-site birding locavided his audience with a unique
tions at Harrier Meadow, Mill
perspective on that country and
Creek Marsh and to River
detailed ongoing efforts to restore
Barge Park in Carlstadt. There
they boarded the Edward Abbey the wetlands in the Shat-al-Arab
delta.
and Robert H. Boyle and the
Our colleague Phil Germakian
three NJMC boats for birding
from the Tenafly Nature Center
trips along the Hackensack
educated and entertained audiences
River and into the several
by Rappin’ with Raptors – also
marshes of the Meadowlands.
New this year was an oppor- starring TNC’s resident Red-tailed
Hawk and Barred Owl.
tunity to observe bird banding
Like last year, Sunday’s Day
up
close
with
NJMC
Wetlands
Scanning for birds at DeKorte Park
Specialist Mike Newhouse who Two activities included field trips
to Liberty State Park, the Celery
maintains a banding station at
Despite the warm weather and
Farm Natural Area in Allendale and
Harrier Meadow. Several dozen
southeasterly breezes during what
a hawk-watch at Stateline Lookout
Festival-goers visited there in the
should have been a peak migration
in Alpine. The first two locations
early morning on Day One.
weekend, we listed a record 107
provided folks with pretty good
This year’s Keynote Speaker
species over the Festival’s two
birding but the aforementioned
was Jonathan Trouern-Trend,
days. Among the more notable
southeasterly winds made the
sightings were first-ever White
hawk-watch a bust. Other than a
Ibis, Marbled Godwit and Blue
few local Red-tailed Hawks,
Grosbeak; thirteen shorebird
Turkey Vultures and lingering
species; and an incredible fifteen
Ravens, the only birds of note were
warbler species – including both
a few Ospreys over the Hudson and
Waterthrushes.
pair of Black Vultures (the only
“It wasn’t just the birds that
ones of the Festival) that flew low
cooperated to make a successful
over the watch. It was a far cry
event; people cooperated as well,”
from the 254 raptors we counted in
said Captain Bill Sheehan.
2007. FYI: That’s why we call
“Without the eyes and ears and
them wild animals.
birding savvy of the people who
Also on Day Two, we expanded
attended – regardless of their expeMike Newhouse banding an Ovenbird
By Hugh Carola
Even though we had a number
of indoor options available to us
this year, the weather cooperated
brilliantly yet again (it was even a
bit on the hot side) and the Fifth
Annual New Jersey Meadowlands
Festival of Birding went off without a hitch. In many ways, it was
the best Festival ever for us and our
partners; the NJ Audubon Society
(NJAS) and the NJ Meadowlands
Commission (NJMC). This year,
the event took place on September
13 and 14, 2009 and through good
planning and five year’s worth of
experience, the event turned out to
be both informative and fun for our
250+ attendees and volunteers.
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 7
Festival Species List
The Celery Farm Natural Area in Allendale
the paddle / birding opportunities for
Festival-goers. Nick Vos-Wein led a kayak
trip through Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus
in the morning and a trip through the
Sawmill Creek Marsh in Lyndhurst /
Kearny during the afternoon. Thirty people
participated.
Of course, the Festival of Birding would
never happen without the team, led by our
own Lisa Ryan. Pete Bacinski, Director of
NJ Audubon’s Sandy Hook Bird
Observatory, brings experience and vast
expertise to the process. He also handpicks
some of the best and most knowledgeable
people to serve as field trip leaders.
Gabrielle Bennett-Meany, Mike Newhouse,
Angelo Urato and their NJMC team did a
great job. They ably represented the
Meadowlands Commission and they
ensured that the Festival ran smoothly.
Retired NJMC Staff Naturalist Don Smith
was also on hand and lent his considerable
talents to the event.
Kudos are in order for Scott Gunther
and Don Torino at Wildbirds Unlimited of
Paramus who brought books, DVDs and a
great selection of birdfeeding and nesting
products for folks to peruse and purchase.
They also helped us arrange for alternate
indoor programming in case we experienced bad weather.
Lastly, whether you’re a novice or a veteran birder, be sure to mark your calendars
for the Sixth Annual NJ Meadowlands
Festival of Birding, which will take place
on September 12-13, 2009. We hope to see
you there.
Photos by Roberto D’Elia, whose photos also
grace our new notecards (see back cover).
Total Number: 107
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Gadwall
American Wigeon
American Black Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Ruddy Duck
Ring-necked Pheasant
Double-crested Cormorant
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
White Ibis
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Clapper Rail
Black-bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
Marbled Godwit
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Forster's Tern
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Least Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Marsh Wren
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Page 8
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
A “Novel” Way to Meet Your Riverkeeper
Our 2009 Library Tour is coming to a watershed town near you
Always looking for new and fun ways to reach out to the citizens of the
Hackensack River Watershed, Hackensack Riverkeeper is launching it’s first-ever
Library Tour starting January 13. Captain Bill will conduct presentations at eight
different Public Libraries during the winter and spring. Audiences will be treated
to an updated Virtual Tour of the Hackensack River slideshow; will learn about the work of
Hackensack Riverkeeper and join a discussion about how each of us can become better Watershed
Citizens. Special emphasis will be given to the upper Hackensack River Watershed – source of drinking water for over one million people. The dates, venues and times of the Tour are:
Date
January 13
January 28
February 8
February 17
March 5
March 12
March 24
April 8
Location
Oradell Public Library, 375 Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell
Haworth Public Library, 300 Haworth Ave., Haworth
Old Tappan Public Library, 56 Russell Ave., Old Tappan
Closter Public Library, 280 High Street, Closter
Park Ridge Public Library, 51 Park Ave., Park Ridge
Westwood Public Library, 49 Park Ave., Westwood
Emerson Public Library, 20 Palisade Ave., Emerson
Tenafly Public Library, 100 Riveredge Rd., Tenafly
Time
7:00 PM
7:30 PM
2:00 PM
7:30 PM
7:00 PM
7:00 PM
7:00 PM
2:00 PM
Admission is free and all are welcome but if you come, be prepared to participate and bring your questions, comments and concerns. After all, our public libraries are on the front lines of free speech in
America and are the perfect places to learn and share ideas about the things that matter most – things
like clean water. See you at the Library!
At the Helm
Continued from Page 2
our region since. It took literally a
century for change to even begin.
In the 1970s Congress finally acted
and passed the Clean Water Act
and other environmental laws that
would help restore our waterways.
So I have to ask: Why are these
antiquated 19th Century sewer systems still in operation and still
dumping raw sewage into our
waterways with each rainfall?
What we have now in 2008 is an
opportunity for New Jersey – and
America – to help rebuild our
economy by rebuilding the sewer
infrastructure that has been neglected for as long as any of us have
been alive. And that’s far too long.
Just think of the thousands of people who could be put to work if
government were to lead by putting
its shoulder to the wheel and getting things going: engineers, architects, construction workers, manufacturers and more. The American
manufacturing sector could be rejuvenated by supplying the equipment and hardware for what could
become known as the Great
Rebuild. If (and hopefully when)
this happens and the projects are
completed, we will truly reverse
that legacy of pollution and bestow
upon our children and future generations cleaner, healthier waterways
and a stronger nation as well.
In order for any of this to happen, real leadership is necessary at
both the federal and state levels.
Our leaders must be willing to
undertake the necessary repairs to
our economy without doing further
harm to our environment. They
must resist the temptation to roll
back our hard-fought and hard-won
environmental victories, as often
happens in tough economic times.
Real, long-term investments in our
economy and our environment will
justify the initial outlays many
times over. And while I’m not the
only one these days who’s talking
or writing about how public infrastructure projects can help get our
economy back on track, I understand that simply building stuff
over and around polluted rivers and
bays is not the answer. Only
through a commitment to strong
environmental protection can we
reclaim our rights under the Public
Trust and guarantee that our children will not live with a legacy of
pollution.
Today, we say, “Yes we can.”
Hopefully our descendants will
look back on this time in our history and say, “Yes, they did.”
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 9
Nature Program Cooperative Programs
Hackensack Riverkeeper is a founding member of the
Nature Program Cooperative, a network of environmental
education organizations. NPC members provide opportunities to experience and enjoy our region’s natural side.
Members of one are welcome at all; nonmembers are also
welcome. (For more info, visit www.natureprogram.org.)
Here are the upcoming events:
The Bergen Christmas Bird Count
Hosted by Bergen County Audubon Society
Saturday, December 20, Pre-dawn to post-dusk
For adults only. For over 100 years, the National Audubon
Society has conducted this nationwide event designed to
create a “snapshot” of America’s birds during the two
weeks surrounding Christmas. NAS Chapters and other
groups are assigned count “circles” within which teams of
birders spend up to eighteen hours listing species and
counting individual birds. The Bergen CBC includes eastern, east-central and southern Bergen County (including
the Meadowlands District) as well as southern Passaic
County. Registration and team assignment is required.
There is no cost to participate. For more information, contact Dave Hall at 973-226-7825.
The Ramsey Christmas Bird Count
Hosted by The Fyke Nature Association
Saturday, December 27, Pre-dawn to post-dusk.
For adults only. The Ramsey CBC includes northwestern
and west-central Bergen County as well as central and
upper Passaic County and small portions of Rockland and
Orange Counties in New York State. As with the Bergen
CBC, up to eighteen hours of commitment is expected; and
registration & team assignment is required. There is no
cost to participate. For more information, contact John
Brotherton at 201-327-1483.
Winter Tree Identification Hike
Hosted by Greenbrook Sanctuary (Palisades Nature Association)
Sunday, January 25, 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Join us for a winter hike in Greenbrook Sanctuary and
learn how to identify at least 10 species of trees and shrubs
using buds, bark and fruits with Naturalist/Director Nancy
Slowik. Dress for cold weather and please wear sturdy
shoes. We will meet at the Orientation Center. The gate
will be open from 12:45 - 1:10 pm for non-members the
day of the hike. Please register by phone at 201-768-1360.
Members of Greenbrook and other Nature Program
Cooperative organizations are FREE. Non-members $5.
Snow Date: Feb 1.
Meadowlands Birding Guided Paddle
Hosted by Hackensack Riverkeeper
End of New County Road, Secaucus, NJ
Sunday, April 26, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Hackensack Riverkeeper kicks off the 2009 paddling season! Join us in a kayak or canoe for a guided exploration
of the Sawmill Creek Wildlife Management Area and the
Kingsland Marsh. Enjoy a heron’s eye view of salt marshes
and skylines while scanning for migrating shorebirds, raptors and more. Check-in time is 1:00 PM at the Paddling
Center at Laurel Hill County Park, Secaucus; boats launch
at 1:30. Reservations secured with a credit card are
required ($25 for NPC members and $30 for nonmembers).
Prior paddling experience is not necessary but some age
restrictions apply. Call Hugh Carola at 201-968-0808 for
more information and to reserve your boats today.
To keep track of more upcoming NPC events or to
access links to all NPC member organizations, visit
www.natureprogram.org. See you in the field!
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Page 10
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Real Science for Real People
Coal-tar Sealcoats and PAHs
By Nick Vos-Wein
You probably recognize the
clean look of a freshly-sealed
driveway or parking lot. The dark,
glossy-black appearance may be
appealing to many, but coal-tar
based sealcoats are a major source
of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are some of
the most widespread organic pollutants and are found in used motor
oil, vehicle exhaust, industrial
emissions, tires and sealcoat.
Sealcoat is the thick, black liquid
that is applied directly to paved
surfaces for aesthetics and for protection against weather and chemicals. There are two primary types
of sealcoating materials on the
market: those made from coal-tar
and those made from asphalt.
Although similar in appearance,
the two types of sealcoat differ in
the amount of PAHs they contain.
Produced by the incomplete
combustion of fossil fuels, PAHs
are a group of over 100 different
toxic chemicals. Many PAHs have
been shown to be carcinogenic and
to have other harmful effects on
aquatic life. Product analyses indicate that coal-tar sealcoat products
have PAH concentrations about 70
times higher than concentrations in
asphalt-based sealcoat products.
Additionally, studies conducted by
the United States Geological
Survey (USGS) have shown that
concentrations of PAHs were much
higher in particles washed off
parking lots with coal-tar based
sealcoat than from all other types
of parking lot surfaces.1
The problem arises when the
sealcoat is abraded by tires and
carried by stormwater into nearby
waterways. Once in the water,
PAHs can have a wide range of
direct and indirect impacts on
aquatic organisms. Effects on
invertebrates include inhibited reproduction, delayed
emergence, the tendency of
organisms to avoid contaminated sediments, and ultimately increased mortality
rates. Adverse effects on
fish may include fin erosion, liver abnormalities,
cataracts, and immune system impairments.
Due to those toxic effects
and the potential health
risks to humans, the city of
Austin, Texas banned the
sale and use of coal-tar sealcoats in 2005 – the first city
in America to do so. Other
municipalities across the
country are also considering
similar bans. Additionally,
major retail chains like The
Home Depot and Lowes
Sealcoat is a black liquid that is painted or
have discontinued the sale
sprayed onto pavement. It is often used on
parking lots and driveways.
of coal-tar based sealants.
If you have a driveway or
parking lot on your property, there
Oyster Project Update
is an easy way determine what
kind of sealcoat was last used. Add
Thanks to our dedicated
sealcoat scrapings and paint thinvolunteers, we were able to
ner to a jar. After about five mincomplete sampling trips in
utes the mixture will change color.
April, May, July, August,
Asphalt-based sealcoat turns the
September & October of
thinner a dark, coffee color. If
2008.
By the end of the year,
coal-tar sealcoat was used, the
we had counted and measured
thinner in the jar stays a clear tea
all 19,800 oysters at least
color. The next time you are planonce. We will feature a full
ning to have your driveway or
parking lot resealed, be sure to ask
report on the results of the
your contractor what kind of sealstudy in the next edition of
coat is being used. There is no reaTidelines.
son to choose coal-tar sealcoat
We have applied to the
when other, less toxic alternatives
are readily available. Plus, it’s the
Hudson River Foundation for
right thing to do.
funding to continue work on
Van Metre, P.C., Mahler, B., Scoggins,
M. and Hamilton, P.A., “Parking Lot
Sealcoat: A Major Source of Polycyclic
Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in
Urban and Suburban Environments”
1
the oyster study and if this
comes through, we will have
a call out for volunteers in
March or April of 2009.
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Birds of the Hackensack:
Page 11
Carolina Wren
By Ivan Kossak
Often, the harshness of any given winter
can be measured by the abundance of Carolina
Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in our area.
New Jersey is in the northern section of the
range of these birds. Historically, this range
extended from southern New England south to
Mexico and west to Texas, Oklahoma, and
Kansas. However, in recent years (perhaps due
to global warming) their range has extended
into southern Canada. Carolina Wrens are nonmigratory permanent residents of this range so
when a winter is cold and/or snowy, lack of
food and hypothermia can kill many local
Carolina Wrens. Conversely, during mild winters, survival rates can be quite high.
Carolina Wren
Unsurprisingly, the Carolina Wren is the state
bird of South Carolina and appears on that
Carolina Wren pairs stay together for life, remaining on their territory
year-round. Only the male Carolina Wren sings the loud song.
state’s commemorative quarter.
Carolina Wrens measure five and one-half
inches long making them the largest of the wrens typi- typically lay four to six eggs and can have as many as
three broods over the course of the nesting season.
cally found in the Eastern United States. Both male
After 12-14 days of incubation the young hatch and
and female Carolina Wrens are identical (at least to
are altricial; meaning they are helpless at birth and
humans!). They are a warm brown on the head, back
require adults to feed and care for them for a period of
and wings with a buff underside. The most striking
time. In another 12-14 days, the young are ready to
plumage feature of these birds is a bold white stripe
fledge.
above the eye that reaches to the back of the head.
By placing a nest box in your yard, you may have
This feature helps the observer to differentiate
Carolinas from House and Winter Wrens, even at fairly the opportunity to observe the life cycle of these birds.
long distances. As with most other wrens, the Carolina This is not guaranteed because Carolina Wrens will
build dummy nests to confuse predators. However,
Wren has a long tail that is frequently held upright.
even if you do not have the opportunity to see a
The Carolina Wren’s bill is long and thin and curves
Carolina Wren, it is even more likely that you can hear
slightly downward. This allows Carolina Wrens to
probe deep in tree crevices for insects and larvae. They one. These birds are quite vocal with their song
(described by most birders as “teakettle, teakettle,
will also forage on the ground in leaf litter for insects,
teakettle”) carrying considerable distances. They are
and occasionally small seeds and fruits.
Carolina Wrens are cavity nesters and will often use one of the few birds to sing all year long. If there is a
Carolina Wren nesting in your neighborhood, chances
nest boxes. Therefore, Carolina Wrens are commonly
are you will know it.
found in rural and suburban yards. The female will
Page 12
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
A Mitzvah on the Riverbank
Volunteers turn out to clean up, close Paddling Center for the winter
By Hugh M. Carola
For the fourth year in a row,
Hackensack Riverkeeper participated in the annual Mitzvah Day sponsored by United Jewish Appeal
(UJA) Federation of Northern New
Jersey. Coordinated by the UJA’s
Jewish Community Relations
Council, Mitzvah Day provides
volunteers with unique opportunities to serve. On a sunny but brisk
November 2, a stalwart group of
six people met up with Nick VosWein and me at our Paddling
Center at Laurel Hill Park in
Secaucus to sweep up, clean up,
straighten up the Center so that it’s
ready for reopening on April 25,
2009.
Due to the nature of the work
which included moving boats
around and a bit of heavy lifting,
this year’s Mitzvah Day activity
was an “Adults Only” affair –
something that made sense but had
us wondering what sort of response
we’d get. Fortunately, our six volunteers did everything that needed
doing : re-taping the kayak paddles,
washing and scrubbing out the
kayaks, securing all kayaks and
canoes on their trailers, cleaning
out the boat storage area and the
Paddling Center building and putting all the paddles & life jackets
securely away. And we got all the
work done in less than two hours
Thanks to a hearty group of volunteers, our first “Adults Only” Mitzvah Day
event was a great success.
proving the old adage that “Many
hands make light work.”
Conducted by Jewish groups and
congregations across America and
around the world, Mitzvah Days
provide opportunities to participate
in the mitzvah (commandment) of
Tikkun Olam, which means:
Repairing the World. A Mitzvah
Day is a concerted effort to bring
Jews and others together to spend
one day volunteering with social
justice projects/activities in their
communities. True to that effort,
after the work at Laurel Hill Park
Mitzvah Day volunteers scrubbing down our fleet of Old Town kayaks.
was done, “our” volunteers moved
on to other projects and activities
along with thousands of others in
New Jersey alone.
In previous years, Hackensack
Riverkeeper-led Mitzvah Day projects involved clearing trails at the
Mehrhof Pond Nature Trail in
Little Ferry and twice conducting
invasive species removal along
Coles Brook in Hackensack’s Staib
Park (the infamous Mugwort I and
Mugwort II events). This was the
first time we worked at the
Paddling Center, ensuring that next
season all will be ready for more
people to explore and enjoy the
Hackensack River and the
Meadowlands – a part of the world
that is being repaired more and
more each day.
For more information about
Mitzvah Day and how you can participate in next year’s event on
November 1, 2009, contact Sharon
Rifkind at the UJA by phone at
201-820-3947; or via e-mail at
[email protected]. Be a mensch!
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 13
H A C K E N S A C K WA T E R S H E D F I E L D N O T E S
By Hugh M. Carola
Once again, we were treated to a
fantastic fall season: good numbers
of raptors, shorebirds, waterfowl
and plenty of migrating songbirds;
as well as some good mammal
sightings.
Before we get to the list, let’s
focus on one of our watershed’s
best wildlife-watching locations:
Overpeck Creek and Overpeck
County Park. Located just north
and east of the Meadowlands
District, Overpeck Creek is one of
the larger tributaries of the
Hackensack River. Unfortunately in
decades past, its wetlands and
creek banks were transformed into
garbage dumps, but later were
reclaimed as county parkland.
American Golden Plover
During the 1980s and ’90s, the
Ridgefield Park unit of Overpeck
County Park was well-known for
migrant sparrows and grassland
warblers. During that time many
uncommon and rare species were
listed there; and a bird-banding station operated onsite. By 2000, the
spread of Cottonwood and other
woody plants supplanted the grasses and made the area less attractive
to grassland species. Subsequent
landfill capping operations have
removed virtually all habitats from
the Ridgefield Park unit; which is
slated for redevelopment as active
recreation.
Today, park units maintained or
managed by private nonprofit
groups in Leonia (Overpeck
Preserve) and Teaneck (Teaneck
Creek Conservancy); as well as
smaller pockets of remnant streamside habitat offer the best birding
opportunities. For more info about
the Overpeck area, stop by our
office and pick up a free copy of
the Birding and Wildlife Trails
Guide – Meadowlands and More.
And now, on to the list…
American Golden Plover – An
immature bird was photographed at
Richard W. DeKorte Park in
Lyndhurst 9/25. This species is
rarely seen in coastal areas.
American Kestrel – Increasingly
rare in our region, one of these
small falcons was seen hunting
Dark-eyed Juncos over scrub
habitat near Laurel Hill in
Secaucus on 11/12. Three Kestrels
were observed hunting at the
closed Erie Landfill in Lyndhurst
on 11/17.
American Pipit – Drawn to
scrubby upland habitats, a flock of
thirteen was observed at Laurel
Hill Park in Secaucus on 10/22
and a group of fifteen was tallied
at Liberty State Park on 11/10.
Bald Eagle – The first overwintering eagle of 2008-9 was reported
perching in a tree in Hackensack
River County Park in Hackensack
on 11/3. The bird, sporting a blue
(color-coded for New York State)
leg band, was a juvenile hatched
earlier this year. Two adult
eagles (one perched; one flying) were observed at the
Richard Kane Natural Area in
Carlstadt on 11/11.
Barn Owl – One was
observed perching on the NJ
Transit/NX Jackknife Bridge
over the Hackensack River
between Rutherford and
Secaucus on 11/4. A nearby
American Kestrel
abandoned control building was
recently identified as a confirmed
nesting location.
Belted Kingfisher – Beginning in
late September, we began receiving
reports of these fish-eating birds
from Haworth to Jersey City. With
their distinctive rattling call and
striking plumage, they are hard to
miss wherever they are.
Black-crowned Night Heron – A
roosting flock of thirty-seven birds
was counted alongside a small
pond near Laurel Hill Park on
10/22 and an amazing seventy birds
were tallied there on 10/29.
Brant – A small flock of these
salt-water geese was observed in
the Sawmill Wildlife Management
Area in Lyndhurst on 10/5. Another
Continued on Page 16
Brant
Courtesy NJDEP
Page 14
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
WMA 5 Ambassador Update
By Svetlana Kukhar
Meet your New Ambassador
Hello, my name is Svetlana
Kukhar and I am your 2008-2009
AmeriCorps Watershed
Ambassador for Watershed
Management Area 5. WMA-5
includes the Hackensack River
Watershed and the Hudson River
waterfront in New Jersey. Like my
predecessors, I am based at
Hackensack Riverkeeper and supported by the New Jersey
Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP). From now until
July 2009, my job is to provide
watershed-based environmental
education to students of all ages
and help them understand the
important issues that impact our
region’s waterways.
As you probably know, WMA-5
includes portions of Bergen and
Hudson Counties – some of the
most urbanized areas in the state.
For many years, this region experienced many negative environmental impacts from both point and
non-point sources of pollution.
Fortunately, the worst is over and
both the Hackensack and Hudson
Rivers have recovered greatly since
Water Trail Update
Continued from Page 1
Riverkeeper was selected from a
large pool of applicants to receive
technical support from the National
Park Service (NPS) Rivers, Trails
& Conservation Assistance
Program to develop a plan for the
Hackensack River Water Trail.
Working with Jerry Willis of the
NPS, we created the Hackensack
the passage of the Clean Water Act
in 1972. Through various education
activities and partnerships within
the community, I believe that we
can all become better stewards of
the precious natural resources that
our rivers and watersheds provide –
and help them recover even more.
I have always loved the outdoors. My love of “Mother Nature”
and a sincere desire to protect it for
our generation, as well as our
descendants, constantly reminds me
to live my life in an environmentally responsible manner. At Rutgers
University this past summer I completed studies in Environmental
and Public Health – a field that I
have chosen as my career. Working
as your Watershed Ambassador will
bring me closer to my career goal
while helping you and yours to
become better watershed citizens.
Like my predecessors, I work
for you and I’m available to give
presentations in schools and to any
community groups that are interested in learning about how watersheds work and how to help prevent and reduce water pollution. I
can also teach groups to do biological and visual assessments of local
streams – a fun, hands-on way to
learn about water quality in your
own backyard. But it’s not just
about fun; we’ll share the data we
collect during assessments with the
DEP. The info helps the DEP determine the ecological health of New
Jersey’s waterways and how best to
protect them.
One last thing: Russian is my
native language. I would welcome
the opportunity to help the Russianspeaking community learn about
watersheds in their native language.
So whether in Russian or
English, please don’t hesitate to
contact me if I can be of assistance
to help teach your school and your
community about your watershed.
There is no cost for my presentations; the work I do is entirely free
of charge. You can reach me in the
Riverkeeper office at 201-968-0808
or via email at [email protected]. I
look forward to being an active
member of the Hackensack River
Watershed community and helping
to keep it and all of New Jersey’s
waterways clean!
River Water Trail Action Plan. The
Plan identifies thirteen sites along
the lower Hackensack River that
are best suited for launch improvements, and outlines the work that
needs to be done at each.
In the fall of 2007 we received a
$25,000 grant from the federal
Recreational Trails Program, and
earlier this year the Hudson County
Open Space, Recreation and
Historic Preservation Trust Fund
approved an additional $16,000
grant. With this funding in place,
we are ready to begin work on the
trail.
Our first step will be to construct
a separate canoe and kayak launch
at Laurel Hill County Park in
Secaucus in the spring of 2009. The
new launch will be fully ADA compliant and will serve as a model for
future launches at other locations
from Oradell to Jersey City.
-Svetlana Kukhar
[email protected]
201-968-0808
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 15
Former Riverkeeper Staffer Marries AmeriCorps Sweetheart
Couple makes wedding donation to Hackensack Riverkeeper
In 2003 Jared Eudell was working as Project Manager
for Hackensack Riverkeeper. At the same time, Laura
Hilton (a California Girl) found herself working in New
Jersey as the AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador for
Watershed Management Area 6. As fate would have it,
Hackensack Riverkeeper was the host agency for another
Ambassador, and was conveniently located in the
Watershed Management Area next to Laura's.
Jared and Laura first met at the Hackensack Riverkeeper
office in October 2003 and soon both took special note of
each other. Over the next several months the two got to
know each other better, and eventually started dating.
To make a long story short, on July 20, 2008 Jared and
Laura were married in Baltimore, MD. The ceremony was
attended by several Riverkeeper staffers and former
Watershed Ambassadors. Because they credit their involvement with Hackensack Riverkeeper for their meeting, they
decided to make donations to Hackensack Riverkeeper in
their guest’s names in lieu of favors.
We thank Jared and Laura for their generous donation,
and wish them much happiness and success in their life
together.
Advertise in Hackensack Tidelines!
Hackensack Tidelines is mailed to more than 13,000 people and
another 3,000+ are given out at special events.
Place your ad and reach people who care about their communities,
the environment and the well-being of generations to come.
For cost-effective rates & design service,
contact Nick Vos-Wein at 201-968-0808
Jared and Laura Eudell
We Did It!
Hackensack RiverCreepers top $10,000 mark
in 2008 World Series of Birding
By Hugh M. Carola
(a.k.a. Captain Creeper)
Well, it took six months to finally close the books on the 2008
World Series of Birding but when
the last donation was finally tallied
in early December, our grand total
stood at $10,069.00 – a goal we
achieved for the first time without
any matching funds whatsoever.
However, on the strength of our
dedicated individual WSB donors
alone, we cracked the five-figure
mark as the 104 species of birds we
listed back on May 10 translated
into an amazing $96.82 per bird.
On behalf of Captain Bill and my
RiverCreeper teammates, thanks
again to everyone who supported
the team and helped us reached
that important milestone – and
provided much-needed funding to
Hackensack Riverkeeper. FYI, the
next World Series of Birding takes
place on May 9, 2009; look for
details in the next issue of
Tidelines.
Hackensack
RIVERKEEPER®
Page 16
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Field Notes
was photographed over Mill Creek
Marsh in Secaucus on 10/19 and
Continued from Page 13
one was tallied at Overpeck
group was seen in the same vicinity Preserve on 10/21. But Gene
Dunton had the best report: On
on 10/18.
11/6, I guess as a special birthday treat for me, a female
Coopers Hawk in the most gorgeous plumage dined on a
Mourning Dove, on the ground,
in my back yard.
Connecticut Warbler –
Perhaps the rarest warbler to
migrate through our region, one
was observed at the Clay Ave.
Brown-headed Cowbird
overlook near DeKorte on 9/10.
Eastern Coyote – One was
Brown-headed Cowbird – Large
observed at the Haworth Golf
flocks of these seed-eating birds
Course w/ prey (an Eastern
were observed alongside Farview
Cottontail rabbit) on 9/21.
Avenue in Paramus on 10/24 and
Eurasian Wigeon – Almost an
Kinderkamack Road in Emerson on
annual sighting in our region nowa10/28.
days, the first of the season (a
Caspian Tern – Three were
observed in the vicinity of DeKorte drake) was seen in the cove off the
Bayonne Golf Club on 11/10.
during the week of 9/3.
Great Cormorant – Look for
Common Raven – A single bird
was noted flying over Route 440 in
Jersey City on Oct. 2. A pair of
Cooper’s Hawk
them was seen mobbing a Redtailed Hawk over Kearny on 10/14
and another (the same?) pair was
seen over Laurel Hill Park on
10/22.
Common Loon – Eight were
spotted in the Hackensack River off
Laurel Hill Park on 10/29.
Cooper’s Hawk – A single
migrant was seen over the
Anderson Creek Marsh in Secaucus
on 10/4 during our final Guided
Paddle of the 2008 season. Another
Photo by Doug Goodell
this larger (and rarer) cousin of our
more common Double-crested
Cormorant to show up in our area
as the weather gets colder. This
season’s first was observed at
Liberty State Park on 11/10.
Great Horned Owl
Great Horned Owl – One was
noted at the Overpeck Preserve on
9/16. A pair – most likely a mated
pair – was observed at the Teaneck
Creek Conservancy on 11/3. Look
for these birds to be on nests by
January.
Lapland Longspur – A rare bird
for our area, an individual of this
Arctic-nesting species was reported
at Liberty State Park on 11/17.
Mourning Warbler – Yet another uncommon migrant in our area,
two were observed on 9/10 at
Harrier Meadow in Lyndhurst.
Nashville Warbler – One of our
later migrants, an individual was
observed along Overpeck Creek on
10/11.
Northern Goshawk – A pair of
Continued on Next Page
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Field Notes
Continued from Previous Page
early migrants was noted flying through riparian
forests along the Hackensack River in New Milford on
10/20.
Northern Harrier – A female (or immature male)
was seen migrating south along the Hackensack River
in Teaneck. One was noted flying over Little Snake
Hill in Secaucus on 10/4; another was seen harassing a
flock of Killdeer over Mill Creek Marsh on 10/19.
Osprey – As usual, LOTS of these fish-eating raptors made their way south through our watershed during the fall. Some even stayed around awhile to enjoy
a meal or two before moving on including one bird
that was observed eating a fish in a Teaneck backyard
on 10/13.
Pectoral Sandpiper – Difficult to pick out among
the more common and numerous Yellowlegs, nonetheless, two were observed on 9/5 at the Clay Ave. site.
Peregrine Falcon – The “Route 3 Bridge Pair” continued to be seen through mid-October. Numerous
migrants were also noted, including two flying fast
past Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus on 10/4 and a second female chased away from the bridge by the residents on 10/19.
Pine Siskin – In what looks to be a great season for
winter birds, a flock of twenty was observed at Flat
Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood on 11/4.
Purple Finch – Nowadays a rare bird in our area,
several were noted at Overpeck Preserve on 10/21.
Another was observed there on 11/2.
Red-throated Loon – A group of four individuals
was observed in the waters off Liberty State Park on
11/10. Look for this bird overwintering in coastal bays
and inshore waters.
Rough-legged Hawk – The first report of this
Arctic-nesting species came from River Edge, where
an individual was observed flying on 11/6. Another
was noted at the Richard Kane Natural Area in
Carlstadt on 11/16.
Short-eared Owl – Once almost common in the
Meadowlands back when the garbage dumps were
operating, one was seen hunting over the former
Kingsland Landfill near the entrance to DeKorte Park
on 11/9. Four others were observed near Berry’s
Creek on 11/19.
Snow Bunting – Another Arctic species that finds
our area to be a perfect overwintering habitat, a flock
of fifty birds was observed foraging atop the former
Erie Landfill on 11/17.
Sora – Two individuals of this secretive rail species
were observed on a mass of Phragmites reeds floating
Page 17
in the Hackensack River off Harmon Cove in
Secaucus on 10/13.
Sparrow (Field, Lincoln’s, Savannah, Swamp &
Vesper) – As the weather cools, our region’s sparrow
list increases dramatically as northern-nesting species
make their way south. Members of each of these
species were seen along Overpeck Creek and at
Overpeck Preserve between 10/12 and 10/21.
Stilt Sandpiper – One individual (and another
Yellowlegs-like bird) was seen at DeKorte on 9/7.
Another was noted at Mill Creek Marsh on 11/9.
Tricolored Heron – Seen in our region only during
pre- and post-breeding dispersal, one was noted in the
Sawmill WMA on 9/16 during one of our oyster monitoring trips.
Turkey Vulture – While not unique in our watershed, a large migrating flock (or “kettle”) was
observed gaining altitude over East Rutherford on
10/8.
White-crowned Sparrow – One of the most “common” of our winter sparrows, an amazing ten individuals were tallied by birders along Overpeck Creek during 10/11 and 12. Another flock was observed at
Overpeck Preserve on 10/21. Look for these birds to
show up at DeKorte as well.
White Ibis – The Meadowlands’ “Bird of the Year”
was observed by numerous people (but not me)
through late Sept. at several locations including the
Sawmill WMA and the Anderson Creek Marsh in
Secaucus. While in our neighborhood, the Ibis was
often seen in the company of a small flock of Snowy
Egrets.
White-rumped Sandpiper – One was noted at the
Clay Avenue site on 9/5.
White-tailed Deer – Strangely, a doe was reported
Continued on Page 22
White-crowned Sparrow
Photo by Doug Goodell
Page 18
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
2008 Program Recap
Continued from Page 3
in Hackensack. We also had a great
turnout at a new location: 16th
Street Park in Bayonne – and that
in spite of 97° heat! In total, over
1,000 people came to 10 Cleanups
over the course of the season,
including events with Panasonic
North America, Goldman Sachs
and Wallenius Wilhelmsen, our
loyal corporate cleanup partners.
These incredible numbers are due
in part to student groups and other
local organizations looking for
ways to give back to their communities in a fun, family environment.
And apparently we’re the only
game in town! Actually, make that
the state – we had groups from as
far away as South Jersey help pull
trash out of our river!
Our core group of “repeat
offenders” also continues to grow
with each passing year, and we are
so grateful for the support they provide; everything from going out in
canoes with less-experienced volunteers, to knocking down the tent
and packing the cleanup trailer at
the end of the day and more. Capt.
Bill and Lisa could not get through
the day without them!
As usual, the majority of the
junk we pull out of the river comes
in the form of plastic bottles, aluminum cans, niggling bits of
Styrofoam and plastic shopping
bags – all of which reminds us yet
again of the need for a strong antilitter campaign (which we just happen to working on). There were,
however, surprises like refrigerators, lawn furniture (likely a remnant of last year’s flooding storms),
bicycles, tires, traffic barriers,
dolls, balls, antique bottles, shoes,
and sometimes full bags of household garbage! People react differently to the sheer quantity of
garbage that fouls our waterways:
some are energized and race the
clock to see how many bags they
can fill or how large an item they
can balance on their canoe, while
others just stare in dismay and disbelief. This was especially true at
our cleanup of the Oradell
Reservoir, the source of our drinking water. It was an eye-opener for
many to learn that our reservoirs
are subject to the same runoff
issues as the rest of the river.
The success of our River
Cleanup program is clear, but it
does have its limits. What we
would like to see is people organizing little cleanups in their own
neighborhoods, on their own section of river, stream or brook, and
becoming aware of steps that can
be taken to prevent runoff of litter
into the waterways in their own
towns, such as buffer zones of
shrubs and grasses. An educated
citizenry is the most important
safeguard we have to ensure that
our local governments uphold the
environmental laws of the state and
prioritize the health of our natural
resources. We also plan to launch a
“Bust a Litterbug” program in the
near future, which would hold such
ignoramuses accountable for their
thoughtless actions, and perhaps
someday, make our River Cleanup
program obsolete. Stay tuned!
Eco-Cruises
As we looked over the results
and numbers from the 2008 season,
it quickly became apparent that it
was a record-breaking season. For
starters, Captains Bill and Hugh
conducted a record 230 EcoCruises during 178 events (some
events having multiple cruises)
between April 18 and October 27.
A total of 3,454 participants joined
us aboard the Riverkeeper Vessels
Edward Abbey and Robert H.
Boyle. That number includes 585
people who took advantage of 39
Open Boat Eco-Cruises, 2,422 people who came out on Charter EcoCruises and 447 people who were
treated to special event trips.
Twenty Eco-Cruise events were
rained out.
Another record: nearly half of
our participants (1,455 people)
were members of school and Scout
groups from across our watershed
and beyond. Students from six
Continued on Next Page
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 19
2008 Program Recap
Continued from Previous Page
institutions of higher learning
(Fairleigh Dickinson University,
Kean University, Montclair State
University, Seton Hall University,
Bloomfield College and Bergen
Community College) were represented in addition to over a thousand elementary and high school
students, their teachers and staff.
Eco-Cruises were conducted for
public entities including the staff of
Rep. Steve Rothman (D-NJ-9th), the
New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection, New
Jersey Transit, Bergen County
Freeholder Julie O’Brien and the
Hudson County Open Space Trust
Board. We did corporate outreach
Eco-Cruises for Eileen Fisher,
Hudson County Motors,
Metropolitan Exhibitions, Levy
Sports, PSE&G, the River Edge
Chamber of Commerce, Wild Birds
Unlimited of Paramus and the
Wurth Group of North America. A
special “press junket” trip for fifteen journalists was conducted
courtesy of Shop Rite
Supermarkets.
We also conducted outings for
many of our colleagues in conservation including the Alliance for NJ
Environmental Education
(ANJEE), American Littoral
Society, Association of New Jersey
Environmental Commissions
(ANJEC), Conservation Resources,
Friends of the Teaneck Greenway,
Greater Newark Conservancy, NJ
Audubon Society and the Puffin
Foundation. We also helped ensure
success for special events like
Ridgefield Park Earth Day (85 participants on a blazing-hot June 7),
the 5th Annual Meadowlands
Festival of Birding (90 “boat-birders”) and this year’s MeadowFest
during which our captains brought
a whopping 272 people through the
Sawmill Marsh on sixteen miniCruises aboard the Abbey and the
Boyle.
As always, we enjoy working
with disadvantaged and special
needs youth; this past season gave
us plenty of opportunities to do just
that. Clients and students from
ARC of Bergen County, Family
Co-Options, NJ Youths Corps and
The Transition Center at WoodRidge participated in Eco-Cruises
and Combo programs. We also
gave students from Hackensack,
Jersey City, Linden, Newark,
Passaic, Paterson and Union City
the opportunity to see the natural
world from a moving deck – and
for many of them, it was their very
first time on a boat.
And if all that wasn’t enough
We also conducted a record
number of speaking engagements,
tabling events and in-school presentations that “brought the river”
to thousands more people. From
the New York Boat Show to Global
Green Expo to scores of classrooms, meeting rooms, auditoriums
and more throughout North Jersey,
our staff reached out to over 100
audiences of all ages during the
year – and not one of them got
rained out.
So if this recap has inspired you,
do give us a call at 201-968-0808.
Although our schedule won’t be
out until the next issue of Tidelines,
we’re happy to book Charter trips
anytime. After all, it’s never too
early to think about exploring the
watershed and planning an EcoProgram with Hackensack
Riverkeeper. See you at the river!
Letters to Riverkeeper
Captain Bill and company,
On behalf of the Yeshiva University High School for Boys, I want to personally thank you for the wonderful
tour you gave our students yesterday and for the accommodations you made for our late-in-the-season date.
Our Biology Instructor, Dr. Jeremy Luchins, remarked to me that it was the most impressive wetlands tour he
had ever experienced. I also want to thank you for arranging the picture-perfect weather; I think we can all
agree that we dodged a real bullet.
As I related to you on the phone, I hope to drop by
the facilities next Spring. How could I not, given
the glowing reviews I heard.
Thank you so much again,
Edward F. Berliner, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics & Mathematics
Director of Honors College
Thank You for the Kind Words...
We would love to hear from You!
Please don’t hesitate to send us a letter or
email telling us about your relationship to
the Hackensack River.
Page 20
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
r
e
e
t
n
u er
L
o
V orn
C
by Lisa Ryan
Foschini Park,
Hackensack
The City of Hackensack was gracious as always in supporting our
River Cleanups, this time providing us with our own garbage truck
to fill, compact, fill, compact - lots of fun! Another massive crowd of
over 150 volunteers joined us for this last cleanup of the season,
and got to check out the most recently completed section of the
Hackensack Riverfront Walkway. Thanks also to Starbucks of
Hackensack, who provided us with hot coffee on a cold morning.
Overpeck Park, Leonia
Our second Overpeck cleanup of the 2008 season, just five months
after the first one, yielded the same amount of trash (two 17-yard
dumpsters-full, plus tires) and volunteers (150+ people).
Impending environmental disaster!
A group of go-getter Scouts proudly display their acomplishment.
Lunchtime bonding by the garbage truck.
A fully loaded canoe returns to base camp.
Sometimes the trash weighs more than the volunteer!
A sampling of trash...
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 21
Pontoon Boat Scraping, Laurel Hill, Secaucus
November 1 was the saddest day of the year for Capt. Bill - it was the day we pulled the pontoon boats out of the water for the winter.
It was, however, a very successful and productive day, as 10 hardy volunteers donned their dirty old clothes and contorted themselves into
crazy positions to scrape barnacles off the pontoons (which are stuck on like glue, incidentally). These people worked so hard and fast that it
took less time to scrape the barnacles than it did to take the boats out of the water and get them tucked away for the winter.
Thanks to all of you who made this annual headache a real breeze!
SavetheDate forthe
VolunteerParty
February20, 2009, 6:30pm-9:30pm
BergenfieldElksClub
40 ChurchStreet,Bergenfield,NJ07621
CaribbeanThemedDinner
Pirate&WenchAttireencouraged!
AllHackensackRiverkeeperVolunteersWelcome!
RSVPstartinginlateJanuaryuntilFebruary13,please!
Page 22
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Field Notes
Continued from Page 17
walking on the elevated boardwalk trail running
between Secaucus High School and Mill Creek Point
Park on 9/10. A 6-point buck was seen in a friend’s
Teaneck backyard on 10/16. Sadly, an 8-point buck
was killed out of season and illegally on the grounds
of Flat Rock Brook Nature Center in Englewood on
10/20. The two poachers were scared off by hikers
who called police. Unfortunately, as of press time the
case remains unsolved.
White-throated Sparrow – Our most common winter sparrow, the first flock in our area was reported at
(where else?) Overpeck Preserve on 10/21.
White-winged Scoter – Extremely rare away from
the ocean and coastal bays, ten of these sea ducks were
reported in the Hackensack River near New Bridge
Landing in River Edge on 10/20. Another was spotted
taking flight over the river off Harmon Cove on 11/6.
Wild Turkey – Another unusual sighting for
Secaucus, a hen was spotted walking along the side of
the hill next to the NJ Turnpike ramp off of County
Avenue on 11/10.
Governor’s Award
Continued from Page 1
ducing A Citizens’ Guide to
Protecting the Hackensack River’s
Category One Waterways. The
March seminar was conducted in
cooperation with United Water
New Jersey at the utility’s water
treatment facility in Haworth, NJ;
and with funding from the
Pennington, NJ-based Watershed
Institute. The event provided 100
participants with a detailed
overview of the C1 Rule –
America’s strictest clean water protection. Speakers including former
DEP Commissioner Bradley
Campbell explained the role that
local municipalities and individuals
play in upholding it. All participants received a Category One
handbook and official map showing
the waterways covered by the Rule.
“The C1 Rule was something we
fought long and hard to achieve,
but years afterward we found that
Wood Duck – Rarely seen in the brackish marshes
of the Meadowlands, a pair was observed in the
Sawmill WMA on 10/11. Several others were observed
in a tidal flat off the Hackensack River in Teaneck on
10/13.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – In addition to the BirdFest
sighting, another migrant was seen at Overpeck on
9/17.
Thanks to all our spotters and as always, a tip o’ the naturalist’s hat (from A to Z) to: Joe Augeri, Jay Auslander, Pete
Bacinski, Rachel Banai, Scott Barnes, Michael Britt, Debra
Dimoplon, Ray Duffy, Gene Dunton, Dick Engsberg, Gil
Hawkins, Lynn Kramer, Frank Massaro, Mike Newhouse,
Mike Ruscigno, Lisa Ryan, Diane Saccoccia, Don Torino,
Bill Sheehan, Nick Vos-Wein.
many people who live in and govern the twenty-one C1 towns in
northern Bergen County didn’t
know what it meant,” explained
Captain Bill. “That’s why we
teamed up with the Watershed
Institute and United Water to help
explain it.”
Hackensack Riverkeeper was in
excellent company at the
Drumthwacket event. Fourteen
other organizations and individuals
were recognized for environmental
excellence. Among them:
• The Musconetcong Watershed
Association received the
Governor’s Award for Healthy
Ecosystem conservation. The
Association recently secured
National Wild and Scenic River
status for the Musconetcong River;
• George and Tyler Cicero – two
grade school brothers from Lake
Hopatcong – received an
Environmental Award for creating
the Lake Hopatcong Times, a
newsletter and website dedicated to
White-winged Scoter
clean water and regional environmental issues; and
• Ella Filippone, our friend and
Founder / Executive Director of the
Passaic River Coalition received
the 2008 Governor’s Award for
Environmental Leadership in
recognition of her nearly forty
years of service to the river.
Fortunately the awards ceremony did not mark the end of
Hackensack Riverkeeper’s work on
behalf of Category One protections;
it actually marked a new beginning.
From January through April 2009,
Captain Bill and staff will embark
on an ambitious “Library Tour”
(See Page 8) through eight upper
Watershed communities to teach
people about their rights and
responsibilities as C1 watershed
citizens. And that’s not all. We
recently received additional funding from our friends at the
Watershed Institute to conduct a
series of C1 seminars throughout
the region as well. Stay tuned!
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 23
Support Hackensack Riverkeeper with a Fiesta!
Do you have the winter blues? Well, we’ve got the cure – have a fiesta for Hackensack
Riverkeeper!
Blue Moon Mexican Café (located in Englewood, Old Tappan, Woodcliff Lake and Wyckoff) is
holding a fundraising night on February 10, 2009 to benefit Hackensack Riverkeeper.
Just visit your local Bergen County Blue Moon Mexican Café and enjoy a great night of fun
and good food. Present this coupon to your server, and 20% of your bill will be donated to
Hackensack Riverkeeper –it’s that easy. This amazing deal applies to take-out and delivery as
well (just be sure to give the coupon to the hostess or driver).
Blue Moon Mexican Café not only serves great food and excellent Margaritas (voted “Best
Margarita in Bergen County” by 201 Magazine) but also believes in supporting organizations
like Hackensack Riverkeeper in their work in the communities. We thank Blue Moon for their
commitment and support!
As they say at Blue Moon – Life is a Fiesta… So bring your family, bring your friends and
visit your local Blue Moon Mexican Café on February 10th. It’s a great way to support us and
have a great time!
Clip this card,
present it
when you pay
and 20% of
your bill will be
donated to
Hackensack
Riverkeeper!
Hackensack Tidelines - Fall 2008
Page 24
tide408
Be a Friend of Hackensack Riverkeeper
Your help is urgently needed. Hackensack Riverkeeper® operates with
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Please show your support for environmental health and conservation
within the Hackensack River Watershed by making a donation today.
HRI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Your donation is tax deductible.
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Plus Hackensack Riverkeeper
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• Clean, Plentiful Drinking Water
• Public Access To Local Waters
• Open Space Preservation
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