Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve
| Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve | |
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High Mountain (tallest peak of the Watchung Mountains) is seen in the background of this image of the Haledon Reservoir in the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve
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| Type | Nature Reserve |
| Location | Franklin Lakes and North Haledon in New Jersey, USA |
| Coordinates | 40°58′51″N 74°11′52″W / 40.98083°N 74.19778°WCoordinates: 40°58′51″N 74°11′52″W / 40.98083°N 74.19778°W |
| Area | 147 acres (59 ha) |
| Created | 2011 |
| Operated by | Borough of Franklin Lakes |
| Open | All year |
| Parking | One lot |
Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve is a 147 acre public nature reserve located mostly within Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, with a tiny portion extending into North Haledon, New Jersey. Situated between the First and Second ridges of the northern Watchung Mountains, the preserve occupies the site of the former Haledon Reservoir, which previously supplied water to North Haledon, Haledon, and Prospect Park. Passive recreation opportunities include hiking, fishing, and bird watching.
The area of the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve was once used as a reservoir and watershed to supply downstream municipalities with drinking water. To this end, Molly Ann Brook, which flows through the preserve, was dammed in 1919 to form the large Haledon Reservoir and an accompanying smaller basin. However, by the mid-2000s, the Haledon Reservoir and its surrounding property were disused and no longer maintained.
In 2006, the borough of Franklin Lakes, the host municipality of the majority of the property, purchased the reservoir facility in part with funds provided by the New Jersey Green Acres Program and the Bergen County Open Space Program. At the time, the site represented the largest land acquisition in the history of Franklin Lakes. After making extensive improvements to the property, including repairing roads and completing much needed maintenance on the property’s two dams, the newly christened Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve was opened to the public in June, 2011.
The 147 acre Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve sets aside 120 acres of land for public recreation, including 75 acres of water. Due to its location, the preserve features an unusual variety of terrain. Swamps and wetlands are extensive, visible in almost every section of the property. However, there are upland areas of the park, comprising manmade berms, gentle natural slopes, and the occasional knob or outcrop of volcanic traprock. This configuration gives rise to a unique setting where normally distant plant communities are in close proximity to each other, providing the basis of a diverse ecology. Because of this distinctive environment, the preserve features a variety and abundance of insects, and it is reputed to be a good bird watching location.
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