When I was younger, my father and granfather took me fishing in a forest that was filled with tall evergreen trees, oaks and maples, rolling hills, streams, lakes and deer. There are supposed to be bears in this forest, but we never saw those, so I can't say whether or not that's true. This forest, though, is remarkable, not because of what it has in it or because of its deer or trees. It is remarkable because it lies only forty-five minutes from the heart of midtown Manhattan.
I live in northern New Jersey, Bergen County specifically. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in our country, and the northern part is particularly compressed. Bergen county alone has more than 800,000 people living in it, which is more than the population of some entire states. As a result, open park land, forests and watersheds in our area of the country are very important, and often very loved. Along the New Jersey/New York border, where Bergen County lies, forest and park land have been protected by the State of New Jersey in the Ramapo Mountain State Forest, the Pequannock Watershed Area and the Waywayanda State Park. The state of New York has protected local forest land in the Harriman State Park.
Some land, just over the New Jersey border, filled with fresh water reservoirs, wildlife and forest, is today threatened. This is land that has yet to be protected, and is currently owned by a Swiss insurance firm. It's name is Sterling Forest, and its fate lies in the hands of the new Republican Congress.
The Swiss Insurance firm has plans to build a planned community in the Forest that would house 35,000 people, bring in commercial and industrial space, and generally despoil a natural watershed that provides drinking water for two million men and women. The state of New Jersey, the state of New York and moderates in the U.S. Congress want to stop that development. They have raised private moneys, designated state moneys and jump-started bills in Washington to provide the funds to purchase the Forest from the Swiss Company. The company is very willing; Western conservatives in Congress are not.
It is a new, recurring split that seems to be forming in the Republican majority in the House of Representatives. Younger, Republican members of Congress from western states, seem to be less concerned with environmental issues than more experienced, moderate Members from the east and northeast. The fight to preserve Sterling Forest is a prime example, where Representatives from Idaho and California oppose government funding, and eastern Representatives champion the cause.
It seems that it is in the best interest of Republicans, Democrats and Americans to promote an environmental agenda that serves the best interest of all our citizens. Preservation of forest land, especially in densely populated areas of our country, deserves a priority position at the top of this environmental list. It would reflect poorly upon the Republican Party if it were to become known as the "anti-environmental" political party. It is an even poorer showing on our government if we allow this land of fish, trees and water, 45 minutes north of Manhattan, to slip away.
