Charlie Fineran’s Photo of the Week may seem mundane, but that’s just the beginning of the story.

This week’s Photo of the Week begins in 2008 when Allamuchy Township expanded its Firehouse & First Aid Squad building in October of that year. A result of this expansion was a large detention basin located next to the building.  In 2010 the Allamuchy Twp. Environmental Commission and Open Space Program using funding from Erivan & Helga Haub, at the time, owners of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. or A&P, purchased $3,000 in wetlands plants to beautify the basin and also turn same into an environmental educational wetlands garden site.  Wetlands plants were also planted at the new Mountain Villa School which had a wetlands swale. 

One year later, 2011, after the original planting, a large storm, caused a breach in temporary construction dams and the entire basin was covered in 6 inches of mud.  The site was cleaned out and replanted with insurance money the following year.  In the fall of 2012 Allamuchy Township’s Playground Committee had its grand opening for a new playground, which just happened to be adjacent to the Detention Basin garden, AND from the playground you could look down into the wetlands garden offering an opportunity for our children to play AND also observe a wetlands ecosystem and garden. 

In September 2013 work began to create the Allamuchy Twp. Nature Trail which is located directly across the street from the playground and detention basin.  This was a 1,000 foot trail connecting to the old Lehigh & Hudson River RR rite-of-way which would allow visitors to literally walk through Allamuchy and one day maybe connect into Andover and join the wonderful Rails-to-trails system there. 

NOTE:  during the completion of the Nature Trail five benches were installed, four along the trail and one at the top of the Detention Basin, and five kiosks were also installed. This multiple kiosk and bench plan would allow our senior citizens and our Families with small children to also be a part of this recreate, learn and just enjoy Nature scenario, with convenient parking and ‘that everything in a close area scenario’! 

NOW FOR THE OTHER HALF OF THE STORY

Over the years the side walls of the detention basin became overgrown with invasive species, all the while, the wetlands garden at the bottom was flourishing!!  The Environmental Commission, Open Space Program initiated the concept of clearing out the invasives and replanting the sidewalls thus beautifying the site, but, also again offer opportunities for visitors to learn about other native wildlife plants.  This concept was presented to the Town Council and various scenarios were looked into which were worked out to the final game plan used for this sidewall project.  One game changer to our overall plan, was the awarding of a grant from Xerces Society for 700 two inch plugs to be planted in the sidewall!!  This was realized, by John Parke, NJ Audubon Society, applying for a grant for the Allamuchy Twp. Environmental Commission. 

NOTE:  We are using this project and this story to also achieve points required in our Township’s application and goal in becoming recognized by Sustainable NJ.

A BUSY DAY

Thursday May 27th 2021: Busy Day, planting 700 two inch plugs into the sidewall of our Wetlands Garden Detention Basin. A big THANK YOU to Abe, owner of Riverside Greenhouses of Allamuchy, NJ for safe guarding our plants for a week!!  The plants arrived a week, BEFORE, we were ready!!  Another THANK YOU to the Allamuchy Township Volunteer Fire Dept. for spraying over 500 gallons of water onto our newly planted plugs, thus giving them assistance in growing after being planted!! Our PLANTING TEAM, consisted of John Parke & Lindsay from the NJ Audubon Society, Linda Doherty and Tim Roth from Warren County Parks Foundation, Bob Sydrock from Rutherfurd Hall Foundation, Jay Waldstein, Allamuchy Resident and trail volunteer, Claire Arcaro and yours truly, Charlie Fineran.

I hope this story about our project may stir interest in other towns and communities on ways to enhance mandated mundane projects into things of beauty, interest with educational and recreational opportunities for their citizens and visitors!

To All a Hearty THANK YOU and JOB WELL DONE!!!

Charlie Fineran, Director Open Space, Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman