The Nature Conservancy in NJ

Since 1955, The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey has protected more than 56,000 acres.

Their first project preserved 500 acres of one of New Jersey’s last old growth forests at Hutcheson Memorial Forest in Somerset County.

The Chapter now focuses on species and natural communities at risk in three program areas across the state. The program areas have projects in the Skylands, the Delaware Bayshores and the Pine Barrens.

In the Pine Barrens, they have safeguarded nearly 3,400 acres at four nature preserves.

These special places include the 520-acre Oswego River Preserve which spans diverse natural communities, Forked River Mountain Preserve, 1,740 acres linking neighboring protected lands to form an impressive greenway, and the Berkeley Triangle Project, a donation from a developer of nearly 4,500 acres, now protected and open to the public.

The Pinelands, which are not barren at all, spans more than one million acres. It is the most extensive undeveloped area on the eastern sea-board between Boston, Massachusetts and Richmond, Virginia.

The region harbors the largest example of pitch pine barrens on Earth as well as globally rare pygmy pine forests. These fire-shaped landscapes rely on natural fire regimes or ecologically prescribed burns to survive.

Mixed pine and oak forests and Atlantic white cedar swamps also thrive here, as well as many threatened plants and animals including curly grass fern (Schizaea pusilla) and pine barrens treefrog (Hyla andersonii).

Pelicans Delisted

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced that the brown pelican is being removed from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

The brown pelican was first declared endangered in 1970 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act, a precursor to the current Endangered Species Act. There are now more than 650,000 brown pelicans found across Florida and the Gulf and Pacific Coasts, as well as in the Caribbean and Latin America.

The pelican may not be a species that has an attachment to New Jersey, but past efforts to protect the pelican actually play an important role in protecting all endangered species.

Early attempts to protect the brown pelican led to the birth of the National Wildlife Refuge System more than a century ago in Central Florida. Paul Kroegel, appalled by the slaughter of pelicans for their feathers, approached President Theodore Roosevelt about the situation and it led Roosevelt to create the first National Wildlife Refuge at Pelican Island in 1903. Kroegel was named the first refuge manager.

The Fish and Wildlife Service had already removed the brown pelican population in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and northward along the Atlantic Coast states from the list of endangered species in 1985. The 2009 action removes the remaining population.

Why did the pelicans recover?  That is largely due to the federal ban on the general use of the pesticide DDT in 1972. This action was taken after former Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Rachel Carson published her book, Silent Spring, which alerted the nation to the widespread dangers associated with unrestricted pesticide use.

The FWS has developed a plan designed to monitor and verify that the recovered, delisted population of pelicans remains secure from the risk of extinction once the protections of the ESA are removed. The Service can relist the brown pelican if future monitoring or other information shows it is necessary to prevent a significant risk to the brown pelican.

Find a Wildlife Refuge Near You

The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is the world's premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants.

Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island as the first wildlife refuge in 1903, the System has grown to more than 150 million acres, 550 national wildlife refuges and other units of the Refuge System, plus 37 wetland management districts.

Don't let the winter weather keep you out of nature. Find a refuge by state, zip code etc. and explore!  If the kids are home on break and getting crazy, there's nothing like the woods to calm things down.

Bald Eagle Rescued in Essex County

According to nj.com, a juvenile bald eagle was discovered trapped in a tall grass embankment at a Short Hills reservoir on the property of New Jersey American Water.

The eagle had entered the ice-cold water in a marshy area nearby and was unable to fly out because of heavy winds and apparent neurological damage from lead it had consumed.

The Raptor Trust, a Millington-based bird sanctuary, was brought in to rescue and rehabilitate the bird. Eagles sometimes contract lead poisoning from eating deer carcasses that contain buckshot. This was the Raptor Trust’s first Essex County eagle rescue.

The reservoir property is a habitat for migratory water fowl and eagle sightings have become more numerous in recent years.

After treatment at the Raptor Trust, the eagle will hopefully be returned to the reservoir and released.

2009 NJ Raptor Reports Available

An osprey returns to its nest - Photo by Gary Lehman

The 2009 reports for three raptor species actively managed by the NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's Endangered and Nongame Species Program are now available online. The reports for Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Osprey summarize management efforts, species status and results of this year's nesting season.

This year, there was a record number of 84 Bald Eagle pairs, which resulted in 69 active nests producing 99 eagle fledglings.

The number of Osprey nesting pairs recorded was 485; a 14% increase since the 2006 survey.

Peregrine Falcons increased also to 24 nesting pairs in 2009.

Visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/raptor_info.htm on the division's website for more information on these species and to view the 2009 reports .

2010 Women & Wildlife Awards Nominations

Do you have a friend or colleague in wildlife conservation whose dedication makes her stand out from the rest? Is her passion for wildlife contagious? Does she inspire other young women in her field and take the time to encourage them?

You can help her receive the recognition she deserves by nominating her for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation's 2010 Women and Wildlife Awards.

In March, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey will honor two dedicated women for their roles in wildlife and natural resource conservation. Two Women & Wildlife Awards will be presented: one for Leadership and another for Inspiration.

Award candidates must be women engaged in the fields of wildlife science or natural resource conservation in New Jersey. The nomination deadline is January 22, 2010. The nomination forms are posted on the Conserve Wildlife Foundation website: www.conservewildlifenj.org

If you know someone who deserves this honor, please take this opportunity to let her shine!

For more information, contact Patricia Shapella at patricia.shapella@conservewildlifenj.org

Jersey Manatee Visitor Snowbirds Back to Florida

Like many of NJ's human "snowbirds," a Jersey visitor has headed back to Florida for the holidays.

Ilya, a manatee who journeyed up and down the East Coast, is back in the warm waters off Florida. Ilya also made stops in Cape Cod and Maryland.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rescued Ilya in October from a warm-water outflow pipe at the ConocoPhillips Bayway Refinery in Linden.

Manatees are warm-water animals, so Ilya needed to get back to Florida before winter conditions set in.

Scars on the manatee's back identified him as e regular visitor to Northern waters. It is possible that Ilya came north in July in search of a mate. (A popular activity at the Jersey shore during the summer.)

On October 15th, a surprised oil refinery worker found him near a warm-water discharge pipe where he was trying to stay warm. The water temperature was 53 degrees while manatees need a water temperature of at least 68 degrees.

He was transported to a heated indoor pool at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, N.J. After he was cleared for transport, he was flown back to the Florida at the end of October aboard a Coast Guard C-130 cargo aircraft.

Ilya spent 6 weeks recovering from his cold exposure in a warm tank at the Seaquarium on Florida's Biscayne Bay.

Ilya is now off on his own again and hopefully will be more careful - 91 manatees have already been killed in 2009 by watercraft near Florida. Ilya has a white scar on his head and notches on his tail from boat hits.

Facilities such as the NJ Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) and the Miami Seaquarium are vital to the recovery of the endangered manatee population and other marine creatures. This may seem like extraordinary measures for one manatee, but each individual is important to the long-term survival of the species.

West Indian manatees in the United States are protected under federal law by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which make it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal. West Indian manatees are also protected by the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978. Violations of these federal or state laws can be met with civil or criminal convictions associated with monetary fines and/or imprisonment.

The MMSC has events to raise funds and awareness about the animals and their problems. Sponsorships help them continue the work of rescuing and rehabilitating Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles. There are also opportunities to volunteer at the Center.

Wayward manatee rescued in N.J. is flown to safety

To learn more about manatees
Save the Manatee Club (FL)
Miami Seaquarium
Marine Mammal Stranding Center (NJ)

NJ Weather and Climate Network

These past few weeks, with the weather being unusually cold and with early snow, I found myself turning more frequently to weather reports on the radio, TV and Internet. I also discovered a great weather resource for New Jersey online that is worth bookmarking. It is the NJ Weather and Climate Network at Rutgers University.

It has a variety of sophisticated reports for our state. You can see the hot spots and cold spots, wind, humidity, dewpoint and more in reports that come from stations across the state.

Check the map of stations for one near your home. I can look at reports from High Point, to Caldwell, at the Pequest Trout Hatchery and down at Cape May Harbor.

If you are a gardener, you can get the soil temperature in your area for planting. You may also want to check the precipitation map.

Even if you're not a weather bug, the site has lots of interesting  information. This would be a great site for teachers to use to teach students about using data for research.

Do you use Google Earth? You can mashup the sites data with their maps for some great local detail. (see bottom of home page)

And if seeing is believing for you, the site also has links to the locations of webcams throughout the state. (These web cams are not maintained by the NJWxnet and are not affiliated with the ONJSC or Rutgers University in any way.) Things look good even in the cold weather at Long Beach Island.

NJ Weather & Climate Network at Rutgers University
http://climate.rutgers.edu/njwxnet/

Continued Pine Snake Protection Recommended

In another clash of man and wildlife, the Endangered and Non-game Species Advisory Committee has recommended that NJ maintain the threatened status for the pine snake.

The New Jersey Builders Association had filed a petition contending that the pine snake is actually abundant. The species causes problems for builders, particularly in South Jersey, where their protection can limit construction.

Data from state biologists is still being compiled for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection who will decide whether the snake gets continued protection. A final decision has not been made yet, but is expected this month.

The Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) likes flat, dry, sandy areas. It is one of the few snakes that burrow in open sandy fields. Most adults are 4-6 in length. It is most likely to be seen in June and July in the afternoon. It feeds on rabbits, rodents, birds, and their eggs.

This snake uses constriction to overpower its prey. When approached it will loudly hiss and vibrate its tail causing most people to think it is a rattlesnake. Though this may work to its advantage is scaring humans, it also causes some people to think it is poisonous and they will try to kill it. A constrictor squeezes its prey and will not strike - in fact, it is fangless.

They are found in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Monmouth, and Ocean counties.

New Jersey may have the largest single population of northern pine snakes.

It is a rather secretive species that spends most of its time underground, particularly in the sandy soils of South Jersey. The species is found exclusively within the southern half of the state in the Pine Barrens of the outer coastal plain.

Because they eat rodents, in some areas the removal of snakes from an area can cause an increase in the population of mice which in turn may increase Lyme disease. (Mice are the common carriers during the tick's first larvae stage with deer being the frequent carrier in the adult stage.)

Threats to the pine snake include an increase in natural predators, which includes coyotes and raptors. Of course, many of these raptors are themselves threatened or endangered, so this increase is actually a good thing overall.

Pine snakes are also threatened by increased vehicle traffic on the roads through the Pinelands National Reserve which encompasses 1.1 million acres of pine snake habitat. Reptiles need to move into the sun for warmth and will often use roadways which leave them open to traffic and raptors.

The petition by the builders to delist the snake is the first "formal" to question the protected status of a NJ species in the 35 years since the state passed endangered species legislation.

• image via http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/photo/wildlife/pinesnake.html
• more information http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/pinesnak.htm

Scientists Call for Ending Bush-Era Endangered Species Listing Policy

"...At issue is guidance issued in 2007 that redefined when the Fish and Wildlife Service would protect a species as 'endangered' or 'threatened.' The Endangered Species Act requires protection of any species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Then-Interior Solicitor David Bernhardt issued guidance that recommended agencies focus on plants and animals most at risk in their current locations, rather than throughout their historic range or in other locations where species may be healthy.

The scientists want Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to rescind that memorandum. They say it sharply limits the scope of the ESA by..."

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/12/10/10greenwire-scientists-call-for-ending-bush-era-endangered-32632.html

Judge Halts WV Wind Farm Over Bats

"A federal judge’s ruling that stopped construction of a West Virginia wind farm to protect an endangered bat underscores the growing conflicts between green energy and imperiled wildlife.

But the case, thought to be the first of its kind involving a wind energy project, seems unlikely to derail other projects, as some wind energy advocates have feared, unless the operators ignore endangered species laws.."

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/10/judge-halts-wind-farm-over-bats/

New Jersey Native Fish Art and Writing Contest

Art from the 2009 contest

New Jersey students in grades 4 through 7 are invited to learn about New Jersey's native fish by participating in the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's 2010 Native Fish Art and Writing Contest.

The purpose of this annual contest is to encourage children to learn about New Jersey's native fish species and their biological requirements, including the habitats they need to survive. Students should research one of New Jersey's native fish and with the information gained from their research, write a short story depicting one year in the life of that fish and submit an artistic depiction of the species featured in their story.

The story must include accurate biological and ecological information about the fish, such as its habitat needs, food preferences, and behavioral characteristics. The drawing must have a finished size of 8.5 x 11 inches and can be done in acrylics, pencils, watercolors, oil, oil pastels, crayons or ink. Creativity and originality in both the story and artwork will weigh heavily with judges, as will the use of proper grammar, sentence structure and spelling.

First and second place winners from each grade level will receive a fishing rod and reel and a certificate. First place winners will also receive a youth membership in Trout Unlimited. All winners will be invited to the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center on the Opening Day of Trout Season, April 10, 2010 for a special luncheon, awards ceremony and the opportunity to fish for trout in the Pequest Fishing Education Pond.

TEACHERS:  This annual contest, sponsored by Trout Unlimited, is open to all New Jersey students in grades 4 through 7. Participation can meet NJ Core Content Curriculum Standards Science 5.5: Grade 4 - A.1, C.1; Grade 6 - C.1; Science 5.10: Grade 6 - A.1 (as based on Trout Life Cycle (pdf, 96kb) (from Trout in the Classroom Activity Guide).

Entries for the contest must be received no later than Friday, March 5, 2010.

Sponsorship for the Native Fish Art and Writing Contest is provided by NJ Chapters of Trout Unlimited.

For more information, see http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/fishart.htm

Vitual Wildlife Viewing

With the weather not being that great in NJ for many people walking in the woods, it might be a good time to consider some virtual wildlife viewing.

It a quick click to visit the raptor cams at Blackwater Refuge in Maryland. Every season since 2001, they have operated the Osprey Cam and allowed visitors at the Refuge, and on the Friends of Blackwater website, to witness the miracle of seeing numerous osprey chicks hatch and fledge.

Due to the overwhelming success of the Osprey Cam, the Friends decided to mount a camera over an active bald eagle nest on the Refuge property beginning in 2004. The live Eagle Cam has proven even more popular than the Osprey Cam, and numerous eaglets have hatched and fledged on the cam.

The Eagle Cam is live from December through July (when the eagles are at the nest), and the Osprey Cam is live throughout the year, even though the ospreys are only on the nest from March through September. After the ospreys migrate to South and Central America in the fall, bald eagles take over the osprey platform and use it as a riverside perch, so the Friends leave the Osprey Cam on all year to allow cam watchers to see the visiting bald eagles.

Go to www.friendsofblackwater.org/camcentral.html

NJ has webcams too - for example, the eagle cam at Duke Farms will be active again in March, but check out some of their archived videos.

Flat Rock Brook Nature Center

Flat Rock Brook Nature Center is a 150-acre preserve and education center situated on the western slope of the Palisades in Englewood, New Jersey. The Center was established in 1973 by citizens who were deeply committed to land conservation and environmental education.

This natural woodland is one of the last remnants of the magnificent Palisades Forest. The preserve is managed by the Flat Rock Brook Nature Association. Its purpose is to maintain and preserve the lands under its supervision as a natural sanctuary for plant and animal life in an urban area and as a natural environment available to the public for trail walks, nature study and other passive recreation.

There are 3.5 miles of marked trails, including a short wheelchair-accessible boardwalk near the parking area - the boardwalk leads to a pond, part of a former rock quarry.

There are many volunteer opportunities available at the Nature Center for both adults and students. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the Adult Volunteer Form or Student Volunteer Form and mail or fax the form or email them for additional information.
directions to Flat Rock

Marine Turtles in New Jersey Waters

Green turtle surfacing for air

In New Jersey, we have 4 marine turtles that are protected.

1. Atlantic loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta - NJ Status: Endangered, Federal Status: Threatened
2. Atlantic leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea, NJ & Federal: Endangered
3. Kemp's ridley turtle, Lepidochelys kempi, NJ & Federal: Endangered
4. Atlantic green turtle, Chelonia mydas, NJ  & Federal: Threatened
5. Atlantic hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata, NJ & Federal: Endangered

Last week, cold-stunned Kemp's Ridley sea turtles began to wash up on Cape Cod beaches which unfortunately marks the beginning of the turtle stranding season here in the Northeast.

As water temperatures dip below 50 degrees, it becomes too cold for the sea turtles. These species should have moved south for the winter by now, but some marine reptiles get fooled by ocean anomalies around Cape Cod and Long Island.

Turtles described as "cold stunned" are in a torpid state with heart rates slowing down to as low as one beat a minute. They can appear to be dead, but this state actually allows the turtles' bodies to survive as the turtles can bury themselves in the mud on the bottom of the sea and survive for a few weeks in waters below 50 degrees.

Of course, they can survive the entire winter that way, so stragglers that wash up on the beach can be rescued by volunteers.

Unlike land turtles from which they evolved more than 150 million years ago, sea
turtles spend almost their entire lives in the sea. When active, they often come to the
surface to breathe, but can remain underwater for several hours at a time while resting.

Leatherbacks can dive to more than 3,000 feet below sea level. Their habitat preference is based on their preferred diet. Adult green turtles are herbivores, or plant eaters. All the other sea turtles are either carnivores (meat-eaters) or omnivores that eat both plant matter and meat.

Kemp's Ridley

The Kemp's Ridleys, which hatch off the coast of Mexico, are the most endangered of the sea turtles in our water. Kemp's ridley is the smallest of all sea turtles. From above, the short, chunky shell appears broadly heart-shaped to nearly round, with high vertebral projections and serrated edges. Adults weigh between 35 and 42 kg (77-92 lbs.).

The leatherback is the largest of all sea turtles. In fact, the leatherback is one of the largest living reptiles (only some species of crocodiles are larger). It is easily distinguished by its black, leathery skin, huge, spindle- or barrel-shaped bodies and long flippers. Adults generally weigh between 290 and 590 kg (638-1298 lbs.), but can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.

The most colorful sea turtle, the medium-sized hawksbill turtle has an elongated, oval shell
distinguished by overlapping scutes on the carapace.Color varies widely, from very bright colors to heavy dark brown (in the eastern Pacific).

Overharvesting of eggs for food, intentional killing of adults and immatures for their shells and skin and incidental drowning in commercial fishing gear are primarily responsible for the worldwide decline in sea turtle populations. Coastal residential and resort development has also degraded nesting habitat, and pollution of oceans threatens foraging habitats.

The federal government listed the Kemp's Ridley as endangered in 1970, the same year it also listed hawksbill and leatherback turtles as endangered. In 1978, it listed loggerheads as threatened and green turtles as threatened and, in the case of the green turtle's Florida and Mexico breeding populations, as endangered. New Jersey classified the species in 1979.

Deer and Motorists

It’s breeding season for white-tailed deer right now, and motorists should be on the lookout,” NJDEP Acting Commissioner Mark N. Mauriello said. “Deer can be seen crossing roadways at any time of day, but typically they are most active during the morning and in the evening. Motorists can minimize the risk of accidents with deer by being alert and slowing down.”

The DEP recommends motorists take the following precautions:

Drive with caution when traveling through areas known to have large deer populations, particularly along sections of roadways posted as deer crossings.

Slow down when you see deer on the roadside, and be alert for sudden movement. Remember that deer move in groups, so if you see one deer crossing the road, others might follow.

Use high beams after dark when there is no oncoming traffic. High beams illuminate the eyes of deer on or near a roadway, giving motorists more time to react.

Do not swerve if it appears you are going to hit a deer. Brake firmly, and stay in your lane. Motorists who swerve to avoid deer increase the likelihood of colliding with oncoming traffic or roadside obstacles.

Keep in mind that deer are unpredictable. They may stop in the middle of the road while crossing or turn around and return to the roadside. If a deer remains in the road, do not try to go around it. Stop and wait until the road is clear.

Sailing Trash Plastic Across the Oceans

Computer generated image of Plastiki

The adventurer and environmental storyteller, David de Rothschild, and a crew of leading scientists, adventurers and creatives are to set sail over 10,000 nautical miles across the Pacific from San Francisco to Sydney on a 60-foot catamaran made from post consumer plastic water and soda bottles and self-reinforced PET.

The 3 month journey is intended to inspire, educate and activate people to move towards a smarter more sustainable planet 2.0 way of living that can include. Its time to rethink waste as a resource.

The adventurer and environmental storyteller David de Rothschild and a handpicked crew of leading scientists, adventurers and creatives are to set sail over 10,000 nautical miles across the Pacific from San Francisco to Sydney on a 60-foot catamaran made from post consumer plastic water and soda bottles and self-reinforced PET.

By undertaking this daring expedition over three months, David and his Plastiki crew are on a mission to inspire, educate and activate individuals, communities and business’s to start moving towards a smarter more sustainable planet 2.0 way of living that can include waste as a resource.

The Plastiki Expedition will hopefully raise awareness about environmental disasters like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, an area of the ocean loaded with floating trash that the Plastiki will sail through on its maiden voyage.

The Plastiki will be made of 12,500 two-liter plastic bottles; weigh 9 tons; and will have a composting toilet, on-board renewable energy, and a garden. The design team had a need to invent a glue that eliminates toxic epoxies, so they developed one from cashew sugar nuts.

http://www.theplastiki.com