Seasonal Nature Walk
Join us at the Windy Acres pavilion for a two-mile nature walk to learn about the flora and fauna of Windy Acres.
Saturday, September 23, 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Instructor: Laura Bush, County Principal Park Naturalist
Contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions.
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7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Explore Echo Hill at night to see what is happening in nature after dark!
We will be hiking, listening to night insects, and learning about the adaptations of nocturnal animals. We will also do a series of activities to learn about how our eyes work in the dark. The hike concludes with a campfire, stories, and songs. Feel free to bring your own campfire snack.
Register at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CAAAC22A6FCC25-night
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Geology of Windy Acres
The rock formation that underlies Windy Acres (Passaic Formation) is associated with the Age of the Dinosaurs and the tectonic events that led to the birth of the Atlantic Ocean. Around 180 million years ago, the supercontinent Pangaea began to break into multiple tectonic plates. As the newly formed North American and African plates pulled away from each other, large valleys—including the Newark basin, the Connecticut River valley, and the Bay of Fundy region in Canada—formed. Similar valleys exist in northern Africa. Lake and river environments within the valleys created the sand, silt, and clay deposits that eventually became the sedimentary rocks seen in those regions today.
The Passaic Formation primarily consists of reddish-brown siltstones and shales that were deposited when the region lay near the equator. Their reddish color comes from iron minerals that were weathered when exposed to oxygen in the atmosphere. Similar sedimentary rocks to those that underlie Wind Acres are rich in dinosaur footprints, have been quarried for brownstones for use in the buildings of places like New York City, and were among the earliest evidence of continental drift. The neighboring Cushetunk Mountain, as well as the nearby Watchung Mountains, are the roots of volcanoes also formed as Pangaea broke apart. A modern equivalent to the setting is the East African Rift, which has lakes and volcanoes formed from the African tectonic plate pulling apart.
Bulk Tree Planting Day
Join us at Windy Acres on Sunday, April 23rd at 8:30 AM for our Open Space Committee tree planting day. We will have a forester guide us through the proper steps to conduct a successful bulk tree planting project. Reserve your spot. Please reach out to Councilwoman Amy Switlyk with any questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
I look forward to seeing you!
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https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4caaac22a6fcc25-windy2#/
The Hunters Helping the Hungry (HHH) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation working with regional food banks which enables hunters to donate venison while addressing the overpopulation of deer in New Jersey. Hunters participate in the program by donating deer through an approved butcher. In 2019, Open Space Committee Chair Mike Aversa and Vice-Chair Les Guise created the Hunting Program for Clinton Township. Both have advocated for HHH. Statewide HHH donated over 25,000 pounds of venison in the 2022/2023 whitetail season.
For more information on the program:
http://www.huntershelpingthehungry.org/about/
Mike Aversa, who has been hunting since he was 10, helped start a charity that donates excess deer meat to food banks and soup kitchens. Credit: Bryan Anselm for The New York Times - Click HERE for article.
Vice-Chair of the Clinton Township Open Space Committee, Les Giese, featured Hunters in New Jersey Help Feed the Hungry This Holiday. Click HERE for Video/Article.