Image: Courtney Armele, The Record

ANDREW WYRICH, THE RECORD – JULY 9, 2014

A group of borough residents and volunteers have rebuilt and redesigned a path through a section of Beechwood Park.

Councilman Frank Pizzella said the two-day project was spearheaded by the borough’s Environmental Commission and the Mahwah Environmental Volunteers Organization, and the two groups teamed up with borough residents to rebuild – and even build from scratch – parts of the approximately quarter-mile trail that snakes through the park.

“We had a group of dedicated, motivated and engaged residents who got together and use their different skill sets to rehabilitate an area that is a unique space in Hillsdale,” Pizzella said.

…

The borough’s Environmental Commission obtained a $1,000 grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions in April, and used the funds to buy wood to rebuild the boardwalk, Pizzella said.

Over the two days of work, more than 70 people helped cut fallen trees into equal pieces that were used to mark off parts of the trail and also piece together a new boardwalk and bridge. The group also connected the trail into a circular shape – something Pizzella said the volunteers decided to do since the original path did not fully connect.

Read the full article:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/hillsdale-residents-rebuild-path-through-beechwood-park-1.1048568

Thank you MEVO and to our amazing town volunteers for your gift to Hillsdale!

Hillsdale residents: Enjoy the new look and a great walk along the Beechwood Trail again!

Please find more pictures before and after the repairs on our Projects site.

And take a look at the original Nature Trail Guide from 1969:

BeechwTrail_Guide

PASCACK VALLEY COMMUNITY LIFE
Hillsdale has become the first town in Bergen County to adopt an anti-fracking ordinance, which prohibits the controversial natural gas mining procedure within the municipality.

While officials are not aware of any natural gas deposits in town, the ban is intended to send a message to state leaders and to encourage other municipalities to do the same, according to Councilman Larry Meyerson. The measure to ban the practice, known formally as hydraulic fracturing, was presented to the council by members of the Hillsdale Environmental Commission.

“This is a time when we should be making a statement through ordinances and resolutions regarding our environment. It’s no longer acceptable, in my view, to permit these kinds of activities and then allow environmental disasters… These are the types of statements that small governments, medium sized governments and large governments ought to be making to protect the public,” said Meyerson prior to the council’s 5-1 passage of the ordinance on June 10.

Efforts on the state level to ban fracking have not been successful. In January 2012, Governor Christie placed a one-year moratorium on fracking, which expired and has not been reinstated. The governor vetoed a bi-partisan bill in September 2012 that would have prohibited treatment and disposal of fracking waste within the state due to concerns it would violate an interstate commerce provision with Pennsylvania, which allows the practice. Last month, the state Senate voted 33-4 to advance a similar piece of legislation, whose primary sponsor was Senator Bob Gordon (D-Bergen). In order for the bill to reach Christie’s desk, the state Assembly needs to pass it.

Read the full article:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/environment/hillsdale-becomes-first-town-in-bergen-county-to-ban-fracking-1.1033371