Doesn’t a 30-acre wilderness so close to New York City sound unbelievable? This is the Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve. It is New Jersey’s best-kept secret. Many visitors love to brag about it.
The Alonzo F Bonsal Wildlife Preserve has a rich history. A group of nature lovers and government officials made it possible 50 years ago. Jonathan Grupper is the president of the Bonsal Wildlife Conservancy. It is a nonprofit created in 2022. The conservancy oversees and raises money for the sanctuary.
The preserve borders Clifton. It is named for the Bonsal family of Montclair. The family donated seed money for the project in 1974. This happened after the land had been set aside under New Jersey’s Green Acres program.
The Alonzo F Bonsal Wildlife Preserve received further protection. Clifton resolved to bury an above-ground sewer line. The sewer line had threatened the woodlands. The preserve abuts a 9-acre parcel. The North Jersey District Water Commission owns it.
Today, Grupper leads a dedicated group of volunteers. They perform trash cleanups. They clear the preserve of invasive species like Japanese knotweed. They even conduct fish counts on the Third River. The Third River is a Passaic River tributary. It runs through the Alonzo F Bonsal Wildlife Preserve.
Cesar Presa is one of those volunteers. He hopes to get the word out. He wants to reach people beyond local residents and birding enthusiasts. These enthusiasts track warblers and dozens of other avian species. Presa leads the Bonsal’s invasive species strike force.
Presa says it would be great if more people visited. He hopes they would gain an understanding of the natural world. They would see how much work is needed to care for this land.
Over 80 residents celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve. They came from Montclair, Clifton, and beyond. Clifton undertook an engineering feat. It redirected its pipelines along the edge of Bonsal’s boundary. This was a wildly ambitious five-million-dollar engineering project.
The city recognized it needed to replace its failed sewer system. Montclair officials encouraged the city. The pipelines run underground. They are pitched gradually downhill. This allows gravity-induced flow. The project’s restoration phase provided almost 300 native trees and bushes.
That initiative sparked greater community involvement. It also sparked greater volunteer involvement in the Alonzo F Bonsal Wildlife Preserve. Now several projects maintain, enhance, and restore it.
The main entrance to the Bonsal Preserve is located off of Riverview Drive in Montclair. You can continue north to Daniels Drive in Clifton. You can head east or west to explore the wetlands near the Third River. The trails are not blazed. Due to the size of the preserve, you can’t get lost. You will soon discover a spot you previously traveled.
Montclair’s 30-acre wildlife sanctuary includes trails. The Friends of Bonsal partner with volunteers and school groups. They educate, maintain, and preserve the area. So, take a walk. Immerse yourself in nature. Get away from the noise of the modern world here at Alonzo F Bonsal Wildlife Preserve.