Habitat Enhancement Master Plan Chatham Borough River Road Site Chatham Borough River Road Site Chatham Borough, Morris County, NJ Amy S. Greene Environmental Consultants, Inc. 4 Walter E. Foran Boulevard Flemington, NJ 08822 (908)788-9676 Fax (908)788-6788
River Road Site River Road Site � 12 6 acre parcel � 12.6 acre parcel 12 6 acre parcel 12.6 acre parcel � Upper Passaic Upper Passaic Watershed Watershed W t W t h d h d � Bordered by the Bordered by the � Passaic River Passaic River � River Road & River Road & Commercial & Commercial & residential residential properties properties
Southern Section Southern Section : : mostly mostly undeveloped, undeveloped, undeveloped undeveloped forested uplands forested uplands and forested and forested and forested and forested wetlands wetlands
Northern Section Northern Section : : � JCP&L Utility � JCP&L Utility JCP&L Utility JCP&L Utility easement easement � deteriorated deteriorated asphalt parking lot asphalt parking lot h l h l ki ki l l
Debris Piles Debris Piles � Empty 250 gal. tank � Empty 250 gal. tank Empty 250 gal. tank Empty 250 gal. tank � Tarps, bubble wrap, Tarps, bubble wrap, tires, old concrete tires, old concrete , culvert, asphalt culvert, asphalt tailings, electronic tailings, electronic parts parts
Early & Late Early & Late Successional Successional Field Field Field Field (Utility Easement) (Utility Easement) Invasive Species Invasive Species • Native Species � � � Mugwort � Mugwort Mugwort Mugwort – Daisy fleabane Daisy fleabane � Japanese knotweed Japanese knotweed – Bush clover � Common Reed Common Reed – Wild bergamot � Curled dock Curled dock Curled dock Curled dock – Pokeweed Pokeweed � Field bindweed Field bindweed – Goldenrod spp. � Common mullein Common mullein – Switchgrass � Purple Loosestrife Purple Loosestrife Purple Loosestrife Purple Loosestrife – Hickory Hickory � Queen Anne’s lace Queen Anne’s lace – Northern red oak � Orchard grass Orchard grass � Wineberry Wi Wi Wineberry b b � Multiflora rose Multiflora rose � Tatarian honeysuckle Tatarian honeysuckle � Chinese privet Chinese privet Chi Chi i i t t � Autumn olive Autumn olive � Tree Tree- -of of- -heaven heaven
Hardwood Forest Hardwood Forest (Between Utility Easement & River) (Between Utility Easement & River) Native Species N ti S i • Red maple • Silver maple Invasive Species Invasive Species p • Sugar maple Sugar maple Tree Tree- -of of- -heaven heaven • Box elder � • Pin oak Norway maple Norway maple � • Northern red oak Multiflora rose Multiflora rose � • White ash Tatarian Tatarian � • Sassafras honeysuckle honeysuckle • Tulip poplar Japanese barberry Japanese barberry � • Black walnut Wineberry Wineberry � • Shagbark hickory • Black haw viburnum Japanese Japanese � • Blackberry honeysuckle honeysuckle • A American bladdernut i bl dd t Stiltgrass Stiltgrass � • Poison ivy Garlic mustard Garlic mustard � • Virginia creeper Curled Dock Curled Dock � • Ferns Reed canary grass Reed canary grass � • Jack-in-the-pulpit • sedges
� Snags (dead/dying Snags (dead/dying trees) trees) � Important habitat Important habitat for bats & birds for bats & birds for bats & birds for bats & birds
Forest Understory Forest Understory Forest Understory Forest Understory � Heavy deer browse Heavy deer browse y � Feeding pressure Feeding pressure on native plants on native plants � Reduces plant Reduces plant diversity diversity � Many of the Many of the understory plants understory plants are non are non- -native, native, ti ti invasive species invasive species (i e stiltgrass) (i e stiltgrass) (i.e. stiltgrass) (i.e. stiltgrass)
Forested Riparian Forested Riparian River birch River birch � Floodplain Floodplain Floodplain Floodplain American sycamore American sycamore � Silver maple Silver maple � Red maple Red maple p � Green ash Green ash � American elm American elm � Persimmon Persimmon Persimmon Persimmon � � Box elder Box elder � Northern red oak Northern red oak � American Bladdernut American Bladdernut � Black Haw virbunum Black Haw virbunum � Skunk cabbage Skunk cabbage g � Blue flag iris Blue flag iris � Arrowhead Arrowhead � Trout lily Trout lily Trout lily Trout lily � � Sedges Sedges � Stout wood reed Stout wood reed �
Forested Wetlands Forested Wetlands Forested Wetlands Forested Wetlands � Riparian floodplain Ri Riparian floodplain Ri i i fl fl d l i d l i of the Passaic of the Passaic River River Ri Ri � Temporary (vernal) Temporary (vernal) pools pools � Sparsely vegetated Sparsely vegetated p p y y g g � Habitat for Habitat for amphibians amphibians amphibians amphibians
Emergent Wetlands Emergent Wetlands g (Utility Easement Area) (Utility Easement Area) � Swamp milkweed S Swamp milkweed S ilk ilk d d � Wool grass Wool grass � Soft rush � Soft rush Soft rush Soft rush � Broad Broad- -leaved cattail leaved cattail � Jewelweed Jewelweed � Sensitive fern Sensitive fern � Sedges Sedges � Common reed Common reed � Purple loosestrife Purple loosestrife
Open Water Open Water – Passaic River Open Water Open Water Passaic River Passaic River Passaic River � Approx. 50’ wide Approx. 50’ wide along project area along project area � Wildlife observed: Wildlife observed: � Great blue heron Great blue heron � Kingfisher Kingfisher � Warm water fish � Warm water fish Warm water fish Warm water fish
Sensitive Species Known to Occur Sensitive Species Known to Occur within the Project Vicinity within the Project Vicinity i hi i hi h h P P j j Vi i i Vi i i � Wood Turtle � Wood Turtle Wood Turtle Wood Turtle � NJ threatened NJ threatened � Inhabits streams � Inhabits streams Inhabits streams Inhabits streams with deep pools and with deep pools and banks with banks with overhanging roots overhanging roots overhanging roots overhanging roots and logs and logs � Riparian areas in Riparian areas in p project area provide project area provide potential habitat potential habitat
Indiana Bat Indiana Bat � Federally & State Federally & State Endangered in NJ Endangered in NJ Endangered in NJ Endangered in NJ � Known from Great Known from Great Swamp NWR Swamp NWR p � Occupies large trees Occupies large trees with peeling bark & with peeling bark & dead trees dead trees � Forages in riparian Forages in riparian and forested and forested floodplains floodplains
Red Shouldered Hawk Red Shouldered Hawk Red Shouldered Hawk Red Shouldered Hawk � Breeding population Breeding population Breeding population Breeding population is NJ State is NJ State Endangered; Endangered; winter/migratory winter/migratory population is NJ population is NJ State Threatened State Threatened State Threatened State Threatened � Prefers secluded Prefers secluded mature forested mature forested mature forested mature forested wetlands & riparian wetlands & riparian forests forests forests forests
Barred Owl Barred Owl Barred Owl Barred Owl � NJ State Threatened NJ State Threatened � Large tracts of Large tracts of Large tracts of Large tracts of undisturbed forest, mature undisturbed forest, mature old growth & high canopy old growth & high canopy g g g g py py cover in wetlands with cover in wetlands with cavity trees cavity trees � Unlikely to use the project Unlikely to use the project site for breeding, it would site for breeding, it would be expected to forage be expected to forage be expected to forage be expected to forage within the riparian zones within the riparian zones of the Passaic River of the Passaic River
Enhancement Considerations Enhancement Considerations & Recommendations & Recommendations � Develop gardens Develop gardens Develop gardens Develop gardens � Remove deteriorated � Remove deteriorated Remove deteriorated Remove deteriorated � Community Vegetable Community Vegetable asphalt & install small asphalt & install small � Butterfly Butterfly gravel parking area gravel parking area gravel parking area gravel parking area � Native Plant Display N ti Native Plant Display N ti Pl Pl t Di t Di l l � Construct walking trail Construct walking trail � Rain Garden Rain Garden through forest & early through forest & early g g y y successional field successional field � Develop kayak/canoe Develop kayak/canoe p p y y launch launch
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