Just east of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant, there is a large open space forest that fronts on the Long Island Sound. This forest is an oak-beech-birch climax stage habitat with magnificent rolling topography, views and trails.

Mountain bikers use the trails and maintain them as well. They have placed artificial turf sections in soft spots to prevent erosion. The trails vary from flat to steep.

I was invited by a friend to join him and his friend to take a  hike. I jumped at the chance because I was not familiar with it. I parked on North Country Road at a locked gate of the Brookhaven Town Beach which was closed for the winter. A long, paved road about a mile led to a parking lot overlooking the Sound. We started out at an unmarked trail head.

Our walk began along the bluff with spectacular views of the Sound through the forest edge. What better way to start a walk than by listening to the muffled sound of the surf below. These sounds change with the size of the waves breaking on the beach. Between us and the beach below, many of the trees were contorted. I saw only a few tree trunks that were straight.  Strong wind buffets the forest edge and with it, salt aerosol droplets that disturb normal growth by dissecting leaves. The sight of these contortions brought up a restlessness emotion for me. Although the trees were still, their message is restless; change frozen in bark and trunk.

The forest has many downed trunks and limbs. The forest canopy has yet to leaf out so light flooded the floor. It was midday and the light overexposed the ground making a strong contrast with dark trunks.

We walked on Holy Saturday, the end of Holy Week in the Catholic Tradition.  It is the day of waiting. We too are in waiting mode having heard rumors that this forest land may not last much longer. Renewable energy using solar panels needs new space. Perhaps our walk is to a funeral and a wake, the demise of this superb habitat for electricity-hungry communities surrounding this land.

There aren’t many mature forests left on the north shore. One has to travel to Wildwood State Park to see what we are seeing.

With no signage except at the entrance to the beach, a walker could easily be confused. Local residents pretty much have this forest to themselves. There is not a single “no trespassing” sign.

We descended to the beach after one of the group had to leave. We walked east toward the jetty, canal, and closed power plant.  The green tower of the reactor building looms over the landscape and cuts into the tree line. For me, the owed that comes to mind is OBSCENE.  The canal was to be used for intake of cold water to cool the reactor and release slightly warmer water back into the Sound. Ultimately, the plant closed because there proved to be no satisfactory escape routes for the huge Suffolk population which now tops one and a half million.

Two parallel jetties serve as a catch for huge masses of debris that has accumulated from strong storm surges like Sandy. I sat and watched three old squaw ducks diving and swimming and calling. Except for my companion, there wasn’t another person in this 200 acre paradise.

The undulating topography here makes hiking interesting. I could look down into hollows and with no underbrush, had good long views through the forest. We crossed through was once a retreat building with a grove of shrubs that formed a charming tunnel-like passageway. Beautifully shaped cedar trees with dark forms and shadows are a wonderful accent to contrast with the hardwood forest.

What made this experience special was no signage, no parking lot, entrance fee, bathrooms, proof of residence kiosk, trail markers.

Were we going to a funeral and wake?  I hope not. Where will the turkeys go to range for acorns? The deer to nip tender branch tips? Will I come here to find fences and a sign “SOLAR FARM – KEEP OUT?”

Tom Stock                                                     March 30, 2016