July Force of Nature: Katherine Dresdner

Photo by Benoit Cortet

If you have taken a walk on beautiful preserved land in Hopewell Valley, odds are that FoHVOS July Force of Nature, Katherine Dresdner, has had some hand in preserving it.

From the time she was a child, Katherine’s life experiences seemed to lead and prepare her for her great achievements throughout Hopewell Valley.   

Katherine’s earliest memories include being with her grandfather in his garden and learning about trees and plants with her mother, a landscape designer, who always caught and released insects rather than killing them. These models helped shape her law career, which focused on protecting land and life. 

Katherine began litigating complex environmental cases in the 1980s. Some of her cases uncovered webs of corruption and mismanagement akin to the plots in movies like Erin Brockovich and A Civil Action. 

The Chemical Control Corp. (CCC) was one such case. In early 1980, 60,000 55 gallon drums leaking toxic waste exploded violently during the night and burned for two days spewing toxic smoke and particulates, endangering communities in Elisabeth and Staten Island.  Katherine successfully litigated the only CCC civil case, representing residents and a Red Cross volunteer who all suffered health problems caused by exposure to the toxic smoke. She shared her legal work to help firefighters and first responders when they developed cancer from their exposures to the toxic materials. 

Katherine obtained court orders for records that revealed the involvement of organized crime, corruption, and mismanagement: the CCC was taken over from the owner at gunpoint by an organized crime family; the CCC incinerator contracted to destroy the chemical wastes from Fortune 500 companies never functioned. PCBs from PSE&G were dumped by CCC for years through a hidden pipe into the waters of the Kill Van Kull. 

The NJ DEP issued violations, then decided to take over the site. Katherine proved the state's takeover of CCC from its organized crime owners was not used for intended cleanup but instead stored hazardous wastes brought from other dump locations to CCC. Katherine employed aerial photography grid analysis that proved 30,000 more drums were staged at CCC during the state's "clean up." Katherine also met with whistleblowers about the site conditions and obtained photographs of the site showing many leaking drums two days before the explosion. A state official had recorded a video taken the same time as the photos, but the video disappeared from the state evidence locker. The loss of this key evidence uncovered by Katherine was investigated in a hearing by the NJ State Senate Judiciary Committee, but the tape was never found.   

The last case Katherine litigated before moving to Hopewell Valley in 1998 involved helping young families in Franklin, Gloucester County who were sold starter homes without being told their new homes were built on a toxic landfill. The families had wells drilled into the landfill, and their water and soil were contaminated with chemicals. The families only became aware their homes were in a landfill when one morning men in full body hazmat suits came to their neighborhood to take water and soil samples. 

Katherine got involved through a state police lieutenant familiar with her CCC case work, who asked her to represent the families. The case took 10 years but Katherine saw it through from beginning to end. Her work exposed a web of silence by the landfill landowner, the developer, town and county officials, insurance agents, realtors, and law firms, all of whom were interconnected by family or business relationships. Her work continued when she had to sue the insurance company to pay the families the judgment she obtained for them. Every family was able to move to a safe home.

At the same, FoHVOS was winning our own 10 year battle, led by FOHVOS President Ted Stiles, that culminated in the property acquisition by Mercer County in 1998 that created today’s Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain.

As Katherine settled into Hopewell Valley, we would join forces as she got involved in local land conservation efforts. Katherine worked on the St. Michaels Preservation committee with many local families who cared about the land. Working with Sophie Glovier, then Development Director at D & R Greenway, together they raised the millions of private funds needed to save St. Michaels. Katherine believes local fundraising and community involvement differentiated the St. Michaels project from other preservation efforts.  The new model inspired the entire community -- senior citizens, school children, and every age in between, raised money for a common goal. 

Katherine volunteered for a year at D&R Greenway and at the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed for 10 years. Katherine would draw from the St. Michael’s collaborative community based model in her crusade to save the land that became the Mount Rose Preserve. She was inspired by Ted Stiles' vision of preserving the Carter Road site along with contiguous farmland and open space parcels linking the Valley to the Sourland Mountains.

While serving as general counsel for the Hopewell Valley Citizens Group, Katherine donated all her legal work on this project since 2007.  HVCG formed during a contentious land use battle challenging Berwind Property Group's approved office park and proposed high density housing development slated for both sides of Carter Road in the former Western Electric/AT&T corporate campus. After winning in the NJ Supreme Court, Katherine proposed purchasing the land to settle the litigation. New Jersey Conservation Foundation partnered with HVCG as the lead land trust partner on the purchase. Katherine worked closely with NJCF executive director Michele Byers.

Katherine's vision of this project was regional in scope. She assisted in negotiating the northern loop of the 22 mile regional Lawrence Hopewell Trail with the landowners, and gained support for the land preservation project from Mercer County and all five surrounding municipalities. Overall, a dozen public entities and nonprofit organizations, as well as 130 private donors, and the Robert Wood Johnson 1962 Charitable Trust collaborated on a $7.5 million land purchase.

The Mount Rose Preserve is now a 400 acre public park and Katherine continues to work to raise donor and grant funding to cover additional land stewardship. FoHVOS Stewardship Director Mike Van Clef prepared a 10 year stewardship plan for Mount Rose. NJCF and FOHVOS are primarily responsible for stewardship, restoration, and trail work. The Mount Rose Preserve is currently owned by NJCF, FoHVOS, Hopewell Township, and Mercer County.

Partnering with NJCF added special significance to the win.  NJCF Executive Director Michele Byers was married to Ted Stiles and shared Ted’s vision for the preservation of Mount Rose. Katherine is very pleased that she was able to “complete the circle” by seeing the mission through with Michele.

At a FoHVOS event in 2015 both Katherine Dresdner and Michele Byers were presented the prestigious Jack Gleeson Environmental Award for a lifetime of achievement as an environmental activist.

An excerpt of this article appears in July's Hopewell Valley Neighbors magazine.

Film Premiere & Panel Discussion

 

PA/NJ lead the nation in deer-vehicle collision.

Seeing dead deer on the side of the road is a common experience in Hopewell Valley. Yet, most of us still cringe at the scene. 

This increasingly frequent sight is an upsetting symptom of a much larger issue.  As the deer population increases, the impact is devastating to both the deer and our local economy.

Through grant funding, local nonprofits Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) and The Sourland Conservancy commissioned documentary filmmaker Jared Flesher to explore the impact of deer on the local environment.

FoHVOS Stewardship Director Michael Van Clef Ph.D appears in the film and asks the disturbing question, “Who would have thought that we literally cannot grow new trees in a forest?” He explains that excessive deer destroy the forest understory where new trees normally take root.

The short film “The Deer Stand,” premiers at the new Hopewell Theatre on October 3^rd and will be followed by a panel discussion that includes the filmmaker, an ecologist, a sustainable farmer, law enforcement, hunters and others.

Filmmaker Jared Flesher will be on the panel and discuss his experience making the film. Panelists Michael Van Clef Ph.D, Brian Kubin, a management hunter, and Chris Moran, a new hunter, all appear in the film.

Jon McConaughy, co-founder of Brick Farm Groups and a panelist, will share that deer are among the biggest threats to food costs from the perspective of a local sustainable farmer.

Hopewell Township Police Chief Lance Maloney is a panelist that will share his insights regarding impact of deer accidents throughout Hopewell Valley.

2017 Hopewell Valley Central High School graduate Fiona Crawford rounds out our panel to share the important perspective of an active, budding environmentalist. 

The film and panel discussion will engage anyone that cares about maintaining Hopewell's bucolic environment. Our responsibility goes far beyond simply preserving open space. We need to ensure that we take care of our land.  It is the heart and soul needed to ensure our quality of life here in the Valley. 

Sponsor Trattoria Procaccini will provide seasonal appetizers and Sourland Mountain Spirits will serve cocktails, and 

coffee, tea and sweets will be provided. 

It should be a great evening at The Hopewell Theatre, this Tuesday, October 3rd at 7pm. Don't miss it.

For more information and to reserve tickets, visit: www.fohvos.org/2017DeerStand.html

PennEast Pipeline: A habitat threat

Long Eared Owl at Baldpate Mountain - WCAS (Sharyn Magee)

The major component of the FoHVOS stewardship mission is protecting and restoring natural habitats.  A quick review of our stewardship staff and volunteers’ time indicate various types of activities that ultimately lead to protecting habitat. From invasive species management through forest and grassland restorations, our eye is always on stewarding an environment where flora and fauna will thrive.

With this mission in mind, we were disappointed to learn that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) seemed to change their habitat requirements on the PennEast application.  Previously the NJDEP noted that PennEast’s draft Environmental Impact Statement lacked information on the pipeline’s impact on threatened and endangered flora and fauna and required that they conduct two years of wildlife surveys along portions of the proposed route.  Unfortunately, these conditions were not included in their latest feedback to PennEast.

Hooded warbler

We are aware that many groups opposing the PennEast pipeline were encouraged when the Army Corps of Engineers and the NJDEP ruled that PennEast’s application for its Clean Water Act permits were incomplete, missing significant required data.  Additionally, NJDEP ruled that PennEast’s application was made without having legal authority to enter all of the impacted properties along the proposed route since almost 70% of landowners in New Jersey have denied PennEast survey access.   PennEast was given 30 days to remedy those application deficiencies.

Kentucky warbler

We are less encouraged.  The NJDEP delay does not mitigate our habitat concerns. Environmental impact should be considered before PennEast’s applications are reviewed. 

The Mercer County Parks Commission has partnered with FoHVOS for over 10 years to properly steward the Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain. Our FoHVOS champion for whom the preserve was named, spent a decade protecting the mountain from improper development.  Now, Baldpate Mountain is under serious threat from the proposed pipeline, with PennEast proposing to expand the existing utility right-of-way by clear-cutting an additional 150+ feet of mature forest. 

Baldpate Mountain is not only amon Mercer County’s largest contiguous forests and wildlife habitats, but has also been designated as an Audubon Important Bird Area and is an important migratory stop and breeding area for Neotropical birds, many of which are ranked by the American Bird Conservancy as birds of conservation concern.  Hooded and Kentucky warblers are not found elsewhere in Hopewell - Baldpate harbors the only forest large enough for them.  The potential damage to these breeding birds cannot be mitigated by PennEast. 

Bald Eagle - US Fish & Wildlife

In our developing Forest Stewardship Plan, we’ve found that nearly 1,000 species of plants and animals can be found at Baldpate.  Of these species, there are over 30 rare species and another 75 species of high conservation value.  Plant species include the beautiful wild comfrey and yellow giant hyssop.  Rare long-eared owls (see top photo) have recently been discovered by Washington Crossing Audubon Society and Hopewell Township just documented an American bald eagle directly on the pipeline’s proposed path. 

Baldpate Mountain was preserved with taxpayer monies to permanently protect its sensitive ecosystem and the rare species that depend upon it.  In a mostly built out state, it’s simply not possible to replace the preserved lands like Baldpate that PennEast is proposing to degrade or destroy.

We encourage the NJDEP to restore its previous protections and survey requirements for threatened and endangered flora and fauna, before it reviews PennEast’s permit applications.

Building a corridor... not a wall

Since writing the story of our FoHVOS founder’s decade long battle to preserve Baldpate Mountain from development in Remembering Ted Stiles,  I have regularly discussed his long-term vision for the future.

On one occasion, a resident informed me that not everyone shared my enthusiasm for open space.

I explained that aside from his famous win at Baldpate, Ted Stiles had other protection ideals like his vision for land planning a greenbelt for our Valley.

The resident was incredulous, “Preserved forest land to surround our town? Sounds like a wall… You wanna build a wall!?!”

I was taken aback by his reaction.

Aside from obvious political implications, the mental imagery of the exclusionary starkness that “a wall” produces is the polar opposite impression of the bucolic welcome I had envisioned.

It was time for help from the big guns.  I reached out to FoHVOS Board Trustees Daniel Pace and Daniel Rubenstein.

Mr. Pace works for the County of Mercer Planning Department and is also a Trustee on the Hopewell Valley Historical Society. Dr. Rubenstein has been a FoHVOS trustee since the early days and knew Ted Stiles firsthand. Also he studies how environmental variations shape social behavior and the dynamics of populations.

So, if anyone could shed light on whether a greenbelt would act as a wall, it was The Double Dans.

Mr. Pace immediately shared that the concept of “Green Belt” dates back to the 19^th century as part of “the garden city movement” and was meant to plan cities in England in response to overcrowding and nature-isolated cities. The objective was proportionate areas of residences, industry, and agriculture.

While I like the idea of reducing overcrowding and ensuring proportional open space is balanced with development, my interest was more about whether the effect of a greenbelt was to wall off the surrounding area.

Dr. Rubenstein suggested to me that a greenbelt done properly acts like more of corridor than a wall.  Rather then excluding people or wildlife, belts attract them.  Additionally if surrounding areas have connected belts, disparate wild species as well as members of the neighboring communities will be joined together—

Kinda like the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail…  When I’m out there, I don’t notice where Hopewell ends and Lawrence begins.

It makes perfect sense. Everyone is attracted to the beauty in nature.  Clearly the greening of the area acts as a magnet, not a wall. Don’t most people move here because they are attracted to the character of the Valley?

A wonderful by-product is our symbiotic relationship – as we keep our preserves healthier for flora and fauna, our quality of life improves.

That may also explain why greenbelts are often referred to as an emerald necklace. They are designed to increase public access and interconnect the networks of beautiful jewels that surround us.

To further Ted’s vision, consider supporting FoHVOS. Also, come join Hopewell Township Committee, Environmental Commission and Open Space Committee members as they dedicate their 2017 Arbor Day Tree. This year’s native white dogwood memorial tree honors the late Ted Stiles. A brief ceremony will be held at 10 am on Friday, April 28 at Woolsey Park, located on Washington Crossing – Pennington Rd.

Remembering Ted Stiles

 President
Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
1989 - 2007

While most Hopewell Valley folks know Baldpate Mountain, few newcomers are familiar with its rich history including the decade long fight led by Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) early member Ted Stiles to save this beautiful land from development.

According to majority owner, Mercer County:

  

“In 1986 the property was sold to Trap Rock Industries, who planned to expand the quarry that already existed on Route 29.  When these plans failed, the remaining land was destined to be sold for luxury housing development.  Public concern and the efforts of the late conservationist Ted Stiles led to the property’s acquisition by Mercer County in 1998, creating today’s Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain.”

The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain sign

The Ted Stiles Preserve at Baldpate Mountain now comprises over 1500 acres, making it the largest preserved natural area in Mercer County. 

Today marks the 10-year anniversary of Ted Stiles’s passing, yet his legacy lives on in our continued work at Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space. 

We try to hold true to his vision and passion to ensure the land will be used and appreciated for generations to come.

For Ted, the presence of species like the Hooded or Kentucky Warbler would have further confirmed the great importance of protecting Baldpate. According to FoHVOS Stewardship Director, Mike Van Clef Ph.D.:

Kentucky Warbler

Hooded Warbler

"Above all else, Ted was fueled by an unabiding love of nature.  As an ecologist, he studied its intricacies and the interactions between its components (especially the co-evolution between birds and the fruit they eat). But for him, this was not enough.  He felt compelled to protect every last piece of nature that was humanly possible.  Untiring, he protected lands throughout the state, including adding many acres to the Hutcheson Memorial Forest (one of New Jersey's only old growth forests).  Lucky for all residents of the Hopewell Valley, Ted focused his protection efforts where he lived."  

Ted led or assisted with the protection of nearly 6,500 acres, which is over half of the protected lands in the Valley.  FoHVOS has continued his work and we now have increased our impact to almost 60% of the protected lands throughout the Valley.  A map and list of locations of our preserves is available here.

Our most recent preserve at Mount Rose will open in June 2017. Co-owners include Mercer County, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, and Hopewell Township. We know that Ted would be so proud to see that work conclude with nearly 400 acres of preserved land.

Bronze Plaque dedicated at the first Ted Stiles Memorial Hike