Montclair Wildlife Preserve Sees Wave Of Visitors Amid COVID – Montclair, NJ Patch

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Alonzo F. Bonsal Wildlife Preserve in Montclair isn’t just a park – it’s a nature preserve, advocates say.

On Sunday, the Friends of the Bonsal Preserve issued a friendly reminder to anyone who wants to visit Bonsal, which is home to a diverse roster of plants and animals.

“These past few months, during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve experiencing increased traffic,” the preserve stated. “The Friends of Bonsal welcomes this fresh wave of visitors, and we’re glad that folks can come out and, amid current challenges, enjoy the respite that the preserve has to offer.”

“While you’re here, please respect the space that we love and all share in its natural state,” Friends of the Bonsal Preserve stated.

The following restrictions are mandated by Montclair town ordinances, but come with a “please,” too, the group said:

• “Stay on the main trails. Wandering off them or creating new trails causes erosion and tramples growth and life in the leaf litter. So don’t remove, injure or disturb any wildlife or plant life.”
• “Leash your dog. Otherwise s/he can spook other visitors and stress out our wildlife.”
• “Stay out of the river. Wading disturbs the macroinvertebrates in the water, and our pathogen levels are not healthy for humans.”
• “Don’t build forts or dams.”
• “No fires, no fishing, no littering, no digging, no motorized vehicles, and no alcohol.”
• “Enjoy the preserve from dawn until dusk.”

The group said that anyone seen violating the above rules can be reported to the Montclair Police Department, or to the Friends of Bonsal at BonsalPreserve@verizon.net.

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