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March 5, 2009 PRC receives Riparian Corridor in West Milford - The Passaic River coalition recently purchased and preserved a 9.8 acre property in West Milford. The property was purchased with a $220,000 grant from the Passaic County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. This forested property has been named the Morsetown Brook Wetland Preserve after the stream that runs through the property. The stream and the wetlands on this property make it an important acquisition for the Passaic River Coalition because the quality of water in streams like Morsetown Brook ultimately affects the water quality of larger streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Wetlands play an important role in protecting water quality by filtering runoff from developed areas and by storing flood waters during heavy rains. Morsetown Brook flows into Belcher’s Creek, which is a major tributary to Greenwood Lake. Our Executive Director Ella Filippone explains, “Preserving riparian corridors is an important and natural method for protecting the water quality of streams. We would like to see other properties along Belcher’s Creek and its feeder streams preserved as open space as well.” Morsetown Brook Wetland Preserve is now forever preserved as open space and can never be developed. By leaving this land in its natural state, it will continue to recharge groundwater supplies, hold floodwater, and protect wildlife habitat. The Passaic River Coalition is grateful to John Veteri, Esq. for providing pro bono legal services for this project.
Morsetown Brook |
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PRC receives donated wetlands in Florham Park - Recently Evergreen Environmental, LLC, donated a 35 acre wetland property to the Passaic River Coalition. The property will be known as Central Valley Wetlands-Florham Park since the northern edge of the property lies on the Passaic River. The forested property is located off of Passaic Ave on the eastern border of Florham Park. This wetland in Florham Park is particularly interesting to the PRC because like the other wetlands in the Central Valley, it is a remnant of Glacial Lake Passaic. Over 25 thousand years ago, as the Wisconsin Glacier retreated its melt water formed a lake that stretched from present day Far Hills to Paterson. When the lake eventually drained, it formed the Passaic River and left behind wetlands like the Great Swamp and Great Piece Meadows. Today, these wetlands are able to store flood water and preserving as open space them prevents flooding in the region from getting worse. The Passaic River Coalition is grateful to John Wood Goldsack, Esq. for providing pro bono legal services for this project.
Passaic River in Florham Park
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