Dear Editor:
I commend Tricia Tirella for the wonderful sunrise photos taken from J. George Fredman Park, although I doubt anyone taking a photo from that spot could get a bad shot.
For many people, seeing the NY Skyline, Hudson River and the changing seasonal panoply of color from the dwindling foliage is truly a magnificent experience. The thought that more of the trees will be removed for development is disheartening to say the least. Besides providing much needed oxygen, trees keep the soil intact and prevent mudslides as was the case at Churchill Estates when trees were removed. They also provide shelter for a vast array of birds and small mammals. The little bit of nature that exists clinging to the Palisade Cliffs is home to a variety of shrubs, plants, trees and birds that do so much to enhance the quality of our life. One of the most magnificent sights is to see a red tailed hawk ride the air currents. The Palisade Cliffs, particularly by Fredman Park, is home for the red tail hawk, according to a biologist that I brought here to take a nature inventory of the cliffs several years ago. What legacy do we leave future generations? More concrete and steel has very limited benefits and only to a few, whereas the venerable Palisade Cliffs can continue to embrace generations of New Jersey communities forever.
I like to think of the Palisade Cliffs as our Yosemite Park or Grand Canyon. What other natural wonders that are over 200 million years old do we have in Hudson County? What price do we put on our own environment, open space and natural heritage? These treasures, I say, are priceless.
David Kronick