Nishisackawick Preserve
Frenchtown Borough, Hunterdon County, NJ
12 acres

Directions:

US 78 west to exit 12; pick up Route 625 south; drive 5.1 miles and turn right onto Route 513 (Everittstown Road); drive around 4.5 miles and in Frenchtown turn left onto Kingwood Avenue; turn left very soon onto Creek Road.  You can park at the Frenchtown Park parking area. (No dogs allowed.)  Investigate the area along the Nishisakawick Creek.  There is a bridge over the creek in the park.  The Preserve adjoins Frenchtown Park.

History:

Nichisakawick means Nisha, "two", sacunk, "outlet of stream" and wik, "house" or "two outlets of stream at house."

The property was formerly owned by Jonas Bingeman.

2000 (April)  --  the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance (HLTA) announced the preservation of  the land.  

The property was purchased by HLTA and The New Jersey Green Acres program, with the latter provided the majority of funding for the project. HLTA's contribution will be partially reimbursed by Frenchtown Borough.

Preservation of this property allows for the protection of the entire Nishasakawick Creek within the Borough of Frenchtown and anchors a potential greenway along the creek corridor.

Habitats:

A pristine area, home to the long-tailed salamander; it contains a scenic hemlock ravine.

Source: http://www.hlta.org/protected_lands/nishisackawick.html

Trails:

5/15.04.  We could not access the area through the park (with its playground and picnic area) since we had our dog Sonar with us (no dogs allowed).  So we kept going down Creek Road (onto the dirt road) with its several one lane bridges.  We pulled off at a wider area and bushwhacked down to the Creek.  Very beautiful red shale/New Brunswick shale cliffs.  There were no trails, but we were able to explore the area without too much difficulty.

PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney
* = date plants found in bloom, 5/15/04; brief visit

Trees:
Acer negundo (box elder maple)
Acer rubrum (red maple)
Carya spp. (hickory)
Celtis occidentalis (American hackberry)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
Juniperus virginiana (red cedar)
Morus alba (white mulberry)
Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Pyrus sp. (crabapple)
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)
Quercus rubra (red oak)
Tilia americana (American basswood)

Shrubs:
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive) *
Hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel)
Lindera benzoin (spicebush)
Rhododendron sp. (azalea) * planted
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose)
Rubus phoenicolasius (wineberry)
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw viburnum)

Vines:
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle)
Menispermum canadense (moonseed)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
Vitis sp. (grape)

Herbs:
Achillea millefolium (yarrow)
Actaea alba (white baneberry)
Allium tricoccum (leek)
Allium vineale (field garlic)
Aquilegia canadensis (columbine) *
Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit)
Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort)
Barbarea vulgaris (common wintercress) *
Chelidonium majus (celandine) *
Claytonia virginica (spring beauty) *
Collinsonia canadensis (horsebalm)
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's breeches)
Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane) *
Galium aparine (cleavers)
Hemerocallis fulva (tawny day lily)
Hesperis matronalis (dame's rocket) *
Heuchera americana (alum root)
Hosta sp. (hosta) planted
Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia waterleaf) *
Impatiens sp. (jewelweed)
Ornithogalum umbellatum (star of Bethlehem) *
Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple) *
Polygonatum sp. biflorum (true Solomon's seal) *
Polygonum sp. (knotweed)
Polygonum virginianum (jumpseed)
Prenanthes altissima (tall white lettuce)
Ranunculus ficaria (lesser celandine)
Rumex obtusifolius (broad dock)
Saxifraga virginiensis (early saxifrage) *
Smilacina racemosa (false Solomon's seal)
Stellaria media (common chickweed) *
Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) *
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein)
looks like a white aster?  on the cliffs  *  could not get near it

Sedges:
Carex crinita (sedge)

Grasses:
Bromus sp. (brome grass) beautiful nodding grass; on the cliffs; could not get near it
Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stilt grass)

Ferns and Fern Allies:
Asplenium trichomanes (maidenhair spleenwort)
Cystopteris tenuis (fragile fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)