NJDEP Proposed Changes to the Endangered Species List

The NJDEP is proposing changes to the state's endangered species list that would affect 30 species that would see increased concern under the proposed rule. They include butterflies, freshwater fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and land mammals. Not all species are additions as some would be a changed or upgraded status.

The Atlantic sturgeon would be moved to the endangered list as less than 250 adults are believed to return to the Delaware River each year to spawn. 

Eleven butterfly species are proposed for endangered or threatened status, owing to population declines. 

The barn owl, eastern meadowlark, Kentucky warbler, king rail, and salt marsh sparrow each would see heightened concern under the proposal. The barn owl would be considered threatened and the eastern meadowlark endangered under the proposal.

The ruddy turnstone, a small wading bird, would be moved to special concern from stable, based on a significant population decline.

Cattle egrets and peregrine falcons would move to stable from special concern, and non-breeding red-headed woodpeckers would move to special concern from threatened.

The bobcat, the only mammal on the endangered list, would be upgraded to threatened as its population has increased, particularly in the area north of Interstate 80 and west of Interstate 287.

The Cope’s gray treefrog (below), although still restricted to the four or five southernmost counties, appears to be expanding northward. This may be due to shorter periods of cold and warmer winters associated with global climate change It would be upgraded to threatened from endangered.

Four bat species would be considered endangered under the proposal.

The bald eagle would see its conservation status changed from endangered to special concern. The osprey would be changed from threatened to stable. 

Species such as the bald eagle get lots of attention but we should also note that lesser-known species, such as the rusty-patched bumblebee are of concern. This bee used to be one of the most common bees in New Jersey, but no populations of this pollinator have been documented in the state since 1999, so the proposed rule would change its status to endangered.

SOURCE: sierraclub.org/new-jersey...

Washington Crossing State Park

Annual reenactment of Washington's Crossing

I wrote recently about the Princeton Battlefield State Park, and another of our state's Revolutionary War sites is Washington Crossing State Park.

This is the site of General George Washington’s historic 1776 Christmas night crossing of the icy Delaware River. For almost ten hours, boats and ferries moved continuously back and forth carrying men, horses and cannon to the Jersey side. By midnight a strong storm had developed, hurling sleet, hail and snow at the rebel army. 

Landing at Johnson’s Ferry, the Continental Army still faced an arduous nine-mile march to Trenton as the storm continued with a vengeance. Reaching Trenton in the early morning of December 26th, the American Army surrounded, defeated and captured over 900 Hessian mercenaries and secured a morale-boosting victory of immeasurable proportions.

The Washington Crossing Visitor Center Museum has two galleries, one focusing on New Jersey’s role in the Revolution and the other discussing “The Ten Crucial Days” surrounding Washington’s Crossing and the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. The NJN-produced film “The Ten Crucial Days: The Road to Liberty” can be viewed in the auditorium.

An impressive collection of over 500 authentic Revolutionary War artifacts, on loan from The Swan Historical Foundation, Inc., is housed in the exhibit galleries of the Visitor Center Museum. This collection serves to remind visitors of the perilous struggles that men and women endured during this era.

The Johnson Ferry House is a circa-1740, gambrel-roof farmhouse and tavern near the Delaware River was built by Garret Johnson on his 490-acre tract. James Slack operated the ferry service in 1776. In addition to using the ferry service, General Washington and other officers probably used the house at the time of the Christmas night crossing of the Delaware. The keeping room, parlor, pantry, and bed chambers are furnished with local period pieces and reproductions similar to the furniture used by the Johnson and Slack families from 1740 to 1780. The site also includes an 18th-century kitchen garden. Living history demonstrations are frequently held on weekends.

During the winter months when weather conditions are favorable, cross-country skiing is permitted on the 13 miles of ungroomed trails.

The park has 13 miles of trails for hiking. Walking and jogging are very popular in the park throughout the year.

Two and a half miles of trails are available for equestrian use in the Phillips Farm day use area. The Phillips Farm parking area is designated for horse trailers. There are no horse rental facilities in the park.

Five miles of trails in the Phillips Farm day use area are available for mountain bike use.

For snowshoeing, the park offers 13 miles of trails that can be used during the winter months. There are 13 miles of moderate trails throughout Washington Crossing State Park. These trails are not ADA-accessible.

view area map

Check the park's website for information on any closures as the ongoing Washington Crossing State Park Improvement Projects prepare for the celebration of the United States’ Semiquincentennial Anniversary, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The 250th anniversary will happen on July 4, 2026, although events marking the various historical events before and after the July, 4 1776 signing will begin as early as 2024 and continue through 2033.

U.S. Wildlife Officials Plan to List Monarch Butterflies

Migrating monarchs  -  NPS Photo

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act. The law states that a species is labeled "threatened" when it is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

Winter is the time when millions of monarch butterflies journey thousands of miles across North America to spend winters in the forests and mountains of central Mexico.But over the years, the beloved butterfly has seen such a troubling decline in its population.

Monarch butterflies in New Jersey are no exception and also migrate to Mexico for the winter. Every year, they embark on an incredible journey, traveling up to 3,000 miles from as far north as Canada to the mountain forests of central Mexico1. New Jersey plays a special role in their migration, as thousands of monarchs stop at the tip of the Cape May peninsula to rest and refuel before crossing Delaware Bay. 

The monarch plays a significant role in maintaining its ecosystem's biodiversity. It is an important pollinator and a vital food source for various animals.

the threats are all too common - habitat loss (often from legal or illegal logging), exposure to insecticides, and the climate crisis. These factors have shifted the monarch's breeding and migratory patterns.

The loss of pollinators would have far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and economically for agricultural production. Pollinators are responsible for 75% of the production of the food for humans. But with President-elect Donald Trump - whose previous administration attempted to water down protections for endangered species - protection of a species may be much more difficult..

It was two years ago that the International Union for Conservation of Nature categorized the migratory monarch butterfly, specific to North America,as endangered due to climate change and habitat loss. In just one year, between 2021 and 2022, the presence of monarch butterflies in their Mexican forest wintering grounds dropped by 22%, according to a recent report from the World Wildlife Fund.

More at njconservation.org/our-marvelous-mysterious-migrating-monarchs/

Princeton Battlefield State Park

 

A wintry view of Clarke House

On January 3, 1777, the peaceful winter fields of Thomas and William Clarke’s farms were transformed into the site of what is considered to be one of the fiercest fights of its size during the American Revolution. 

Soldiers under General George Washington surprised and defeated a force of British Regulars. Coming at the end of "The Ten Crucial Days" which saw the well-known night crossing of the Delaware River and the two battles in Trenton, the Battle of Princeton gave Washington his first victory against the British Regulars on the field. The battle extended over a mile away to the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University).

The Americans were pushed back by a strong British assault but were rallied by Washington who rode his horse between the British and American lines, leading his men to his first field victory. 

I have visited a number of battlefields and you never know what to find. You don't find evidence of the battles, but there is sometimes a feeling that being there brings to you as you walk the grounds which is enhanced by visitor centers and displays.

Thomas Clarke, a Quaker farmer, acquired 200 acres in 1772 from his older brother William. He subsequently built a house and lived there with his sisters Sarah and Hannah as well as Susannah, a black woman enslaved by the Clarke Family. The Clarke farm includes the original two-story half-Georgian frame house and enlarged wing, the carriage barn and smokehouse. The house, consisting of seven rooms, is furnished in the period of the Revolution. Much of the original flooring, moldings and windows remain.

What became known as the Mercer Oak once stood in the middle of the battlefield not far from the spot where General Hugh Mercer fell during the Battle of Princeton. The historic Mercer Oak, believed to have been present during the Battle of Princeton, once stood on the battlefield near what is now Mercer Road. It collapsed from old age in March 2000. An offspring grown from an acorn of the Mercer Oak in 1981 now thrives next to the large stump of the original tree.

Information for visitors to the park

Princeton Battlefield Society