Friends Of Bonsal: Uprooting Trees Will Impact Wildlife

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The following letter to the editor comes courtesy of The Friends of the Bonsal Preserve. Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Montclair Facebook page here.

The Friends of the Bonsal Preserve has been made aware of an issue for our community and others throughout North Jersey. The properties affected include any and all that have underground aqueducts, presumably including golf courses, private homes, greenways and other parklands like Bonsal.

The Department of Homeland Security has mandated that the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, along with other water systems, must remove any tree within fifteen feet of their lines. The reason, we’re told, is not to thwart terrorism, but to ensure that roots and treefalls do not impact the pipes - a concern, we’re also told, that’s actually of little real risk.

Meanwhile, for Bonsal, uprooting trees along the Third River will disturb the riparian buffer, adversely impacting wildlife, birds and the stream ecology.

Officials from the relevant municipalities, including Montclair, have been alerted, but so far, as far as we know, have not consulted residents. The project has been in the works for months, and is set to begin imminently.

If you share our concern about this, either because of your interest in Bonsal or another property, please write BonsalPreserve@verizon.net and title your email DEFORESTATION. We’re assessing what can be done to head this off and would appreciate a show of hands.