By Ron Pate • Outings Chair, Gateway Group
Eagle Rock Reservation, one of the Essex County Parks designed by the Olmsted brothers in 1903, is a 400-acre suburban forest that is being overwhelmed by invasive plants. It is overbrowsed by whitetail deer, undergoing soil compaction by an overabundance of privately created trails, and losing trees due to the emerald ash borer and beech leaf disease.
Having led outings and hikes in Eagle Rock for many years, I noticed that the reservation had fewer trees and was losing its understory of plants. I decided to restart the Eagle Rock Reservation Conservancy (estab. 2004) and work with Essex County and volunteers from the New York New Jersey Trails Conference and the NJ Native Plant Society to revive this natural gem in Essex County.
Forest regeneration refers to the renewal of tree cover and native vegetation in an area, either naturally or with human assistance. It is essential for maintaining ecosystem stability, supporting biodiversity, and providing ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, water regulation, and habitat for wildlife.
We are repairing deer exclosures built in 2010 to provide deer-free zones where native plants and trees can regenerate and spread seeds. These protected areas are being cleared of any invasive plants that have colonized the interior due to fence breakage. We are also planting young hardwood trees like oaks and hickories in areas that have lost older canopy trees. This will become more important as we lose beech trees to beech leaf disease.
Invasive plant and tree removal requires an assessment of priority problem areas within the reservation. Through hiking and observation, the conservancy has identified several areas of high invasive plant infestation. Of particular importance is the removal of mile-a-minute weed, Chinese wisteria, and non-native “devils walking stick” trees that overwhelm native shrubs and trees.
This effort will require an all-hands-on-deck effort and will take many years. We welcome new members to join us on workdays. You can also familiarize yourself with invasive plants that affect all our suburban forests and ensure you remove them or don’t plant them in your yard.
Contact me at ronpate31@verizon.net to join the effort.