Spring Must Be Near

Robins on your lawn might be your sign of spring, but a post on the NJ Osprey Project blog reminds me that adult ospreys begin heading north in the first weeks of March.

Volunteers with the NJ Osprey Project help install an osprey platform
along Patcong Creek in Linwood
Image © Ben Wurst via http://njospreyproject.blogspot.com

In the northeast U.S., Ospreys migrate south, from September to early November, to winter in the Gulf States, Florida and Central America. Ospreys return to the same nest site year after year, and young adults return to where they originated to reproduce when they are 3 years old.

Ospreys usually live till around 10 years old in the wild. The oldest osprey that was ever encountered in New Jersey was a female that was 18 years old.

OSPREY -  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Osprey are large (22”-25” in length) black and white fish-eating raptors, with a bold white forehead and eyebrow, and a wingspan of 58”-72” inches.

Both males and females are similar, but females generally exhibit more spotting (a “necklace” of spots) on the breast than males and are generally a little larger. In flight, they hold their wings back in a characteristic “M” shape.

Ospreys nest in tree tops, poles, towers, stubs, sometimes roof tops, chimneys, navigation buoys, rock pinnacles, stick piles, and even on the ground, but never far from water. Nesting material includes sticks, grass, seaweed and clods of mud.

The adults return year after year in early March to rebuild and add material to the nest. Some nests are occupied every year for 40 or more years by a succession of birds and reach a depth of over 10 feet. Fledglings leave the nest after about 8 weeks from their hatch date.

New Jersey Osprey Project: Prepping for Another Nesting Season

Delaware and Raritan Canal

Historic map of the D&R Canal
click image for large size via http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu

The Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) is a canal in central New Jersey, that was built in the 1830s and served to connect the Delaware River to the Raritan River.

D&R Canal Company

It was intended as an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York City, especially coal from the anthracite coal fields in eastern Pennsylvania. Before the advent of the railroads, the canal allowed shippers to cut many miles off the traditional route from the Pennsylvania coal fields. That route took the coal down the Delaware, into the Atlantic Ocean, around Cape May, and up along the coast to New York City.

The canal system was dug mostly by hand tools, mostly by Irish immigrants. Work began in 1830 and was completed in 1834, at an estimated cost of $2,830,000. When the canal first opened, teams of mules were used to tow canal boats through it (the steam engine was not yet applied to such uses).

The canal's greatest usage occurred during the 1860s and 1870s during the area's Industrial Revolution. On May 18, 1872, the D&R Canal Company was merged with several parallel railroads into the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company, and leased by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Over time, the importance of the D&R Canal waned as railroads were used to perform, more rapidly, the same function as canals, but it remained in operation until 1932.

Over the years, sections were filled for various road and rail projects and other sections of the canal were piped underground.

Today, the D&R Canal offers us a number of natural and historical resources, including 160 species of birds, wooden bridges, canal locks, historic bridge & canal houses, and former mill sites. The park can be enjoyed individually or at one of the many nature and history related programs that are offered throughout the year by the park's naturalist and historian.

The total length of the entire canal system was approximately 66 miles (106 km).

A steam tug docked on the canal in front of a Princeton hotel.

Unfortunately, some sections of the canal are forever lost. A section of the main D&R Canal in Trenton, along Mulberry Street, has been covered over (the water still flows below) and redeveloped, and is inaccessible to public use. The portion of the canal that provided access to the Delaware River in Bordentown is also abandoned. In Trenton it has been covered by NJ Route 129, which opened in 1996. Another section south of Trenton is located in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey between the southern boundary of Trenton and the Crosswicks Creek.

Locks were used to overcome elevation differences along the D&R canal. Many of the locks are still present along the canal route; however, the lock gates have been replaced on the upstream side with small dams and water outfalls. The downstream gates have been removed, so the water in the locks is level with the water on the downstream side. Some of the locks have been buried or removed due to construction projects in the vicinity of the canal.

A number of spillways, which drained excess water from the canal into nearby waterways during periods of heavy flow, are located along the canal route. Spillways are evident as a dip in the tow path along the canal.

Image: bikinghikingwithkids.com

In 1974, most of the canal system was declared a New Jersey state park. It remains one today, and is used for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.

A graded natural-surface trail along the side of the canal, which was the tow path that mules used to tow barges on the canal before steam powered barges, is now used for hiking, jogging, bicycling, and horseback riding. Some 36 miles (58 km) of the main canal, and all 22 miles (35 km) of the feeder canal, still exist. The feeder canal along the Delaware, being a former railroad rather than a towpath, is especially suited to bicycling. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry.

The D&R Canal trail is a recreational trail of 77 miles (124 km) trail is made up of three segments that transverse three counties: a canal towpath from New Brunswick to Trenton; a canal towpath / rail trail from Trenton to Bull's Island; and a rail trail from Bull's Island to Frenchtown. The three combined trails together form the largest completed trail entirely in New Jersey. Much of the trail runs inside the state park. [Note: There is no direct connection between the main canal and the feeder canal paths along the Delaware River. Signed on-street connections are required to traverse the entire trail system.]

The proposed Capital to Coast Trail is planned to connect to the D&R Canal Trail.

The canal is accessible from many points along its route, with small parking areas providing access at most road crossings. One of the most scenic and popular sections of the D&R Canal state park is the segment along Lake Carnegie in Princeton, New Jersey, which features the canal on one side of the path and the lake on the other side. Another attractive section borders the Colonial Park Arboretum and Gardens in East Millstone.

The Delaware and Raritan Canal was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and the many historic canal houses where the bridgetenders lived (such as the Blackwells Mills Canal House and the Port Mercer Canal House) were listed as contributing properties.

• Canal Society of New Jersey
• D & R Canal Watch
• The Delaware & Raritan Canal: A pictorial history 
• D&R Canal Commission
• D&R Canal State Park Website
• Delaware and Raritan Canal at Work (Images of America) 
• D&R Greenway Land Trust
• Delaware River Mill Society 
• Maps
• D&R Canal blog

Slideshow and Talk on Birds of the Meadowlands

From Jim Wright, blogger at the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, is a post that he will present a free talk and slide show on the birds of the Meadowlands next Tuesday, March 1, at the Hackensack River Canoe and Kayak Club.

The talk will feature some photos of a range of common to once-endangered birds that Jim has photographed in the Meadowlands in the past few years. The emphasis will be on birds that can be seen on the river, as well as some other wildlife seen there.


The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Elks Club in Paramus, with Jim's talk to begin around 7:30 p.m.

See http://www.meadowblog.net for directions or click here for a Google map

Adopt a New Jersey Species

You can help protect rare wildlife by adopting a species. Your symbolic adoption supports Conserve Wildlife's efforts to protect New Jersey’s rarest animals, restore important habitat, and foster pride in New Jersey’s rich wildlife heritage.

Adopting a Species also makes a great gift and it's a gift that gives twice!

Full information is at ConserveWildlifeNJ.org

It's also a good classroom activity. Educator can use the Adopt a Species Educator page.

Animals Available for Adoption

1. Bald Eagle
2. Blue-spotted Salamander
3. Bobcat
4. Bobolink
5. Bog Turtle
6. Checkered White Butterfly
7. Indiana bat
8. Atlantic Loggerhead Turtle
9. Osprey
10. Peregrine Falcon
11. Pine Barrens Treefrog
12. Piping Plover

Continuing Along The Watchung Mountains

This post continues our virtual walk along the Watchung Mountains that we began in an earlier post with three more stops in Essex in Union Counties.

Eagle Rock as seen on a 1907 postcard

Continuing south through New Jersey, we come to Eagle Rock Reservation, on First Watchung Mountain. The Reservation is a 408.33-acre (165.25 ha) forest reserve and recreational park primarily in the communities of West Orange, Montclair, and Verona. The land is owned and administered by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.

The reservation is named after the Eagle Rock, a bare rock looking down from the mountain, which marks the boundary between the towns of Montclair and West Orange, New Jersey. The Lenape Trail passes through the reservation.

Overlooking the Manhattan skyline is a memorial built in honor of those killed during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with the names of all who perished at the World Trade Center or on the two planes that crashed into the twin towers permanently inscribed in a marble memorial.

That particular day, I left my job when the planes hit and drove home past this reservation where cars were lined along the road and at the overlook as people could clearly see the burning and then collapsing towers to the east.

Check out the Eagle Rock Reservation Conservancy for more information including a map.

Campbell's Pond - South Mountain Reservation

Our next natural area is South Mountain Reservation which covers 2,047.14 acres (8 km²) in central Essex County, New Jersey, in portions of Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange, bordering South Orange, between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountains.

Wikipedia gives us some history of the area. In 1896, John Durand described the mountain that includes South Mountain Reservation as:

“a wilderness, as it probably existed at the time of Hendrick Hudson, a primitive forest abounding with deer and other wild animals, and traversed by streams alive with trout. Game was plentiful – partridges, quail, woodcock, rabbits, squirrels of every species, raccoons and foxes; while occasionally a hungry bear that had trespassed on the farmyards in the vicinity would be tracked to its den and shot.”

In 1680, wolves, bears and cougars were observed in the area, and there was a bounty on them.

The park has a Revolutionary War historic site at what is called Washington Rock. It dates back to the late 18th century when Beacon Signal Station 9 was located here. It was one of 23 beacons built by General George Washington to observe British troop movements quartered on Staten Island and New York City.

From this outlook on June 23, 1780, Essex County and Newark Militia were first warned that the British had launched an attack westward toward "the Gap," (Hobart Gap), a natural pathway to Washington's troops encamped at Morris Town. In a pincer movement designed to gain access to the Gap, Hessian troops fought bitterly along Vaux Hall Road, while the British advanced along Galloping Hill Road, until they were repelled, the Hessians at the base of the mountain and the British in Millville (now Millburn).

Washington Rock served again as a lookout for the Army when reactivated during the War of 1812.

The reservation has been well preserved and is primarily in a wild state today. Woodlands abound in a variety of hardwood trees, and tall hemlocks tower above streams, creeks and ponds. The west branch of the Rahway River flows through the valley. A reservoir and watershed owned by the City of Orange lies in the northern tract.

As a youngster, I spent many days wandering this reservation. Our family often took weekend drives that included a stop along Crest Drive which leads to Washington Rock and once led to the "deer paddock" where we would feed the deer.

The paddock is gone (but the deer have certainly thrived) and Crest Drive has been closed to vehicular traffic at the point of the old paddock, but visitors can take an easy walk down to Washington Rock.

Though many people know the area from South Orange Avenue south to Millburn as the Reservation, it extends farther north and includes the Turtle Back Zoo and the South Mountain Arena. The zoo's train rides through the woods along the Orange reservoir.

From different locations, there are vistas allowing views of New York City, Elizabeth, Union Township, and even Staten Island.

Hemlock Falls is one dramatic feature, and neighboring Blackrock Falls is another picturesque smaller cascade. A hike to Hemlock Falls is a moderate one and uses the Lenape Trail.

The reservation was built from land purchases that started in 1895. Frederick Law Olmsted visited the newly acquired reservation and said it was some of the most beautiful and promising terrain he had ever seen. The Olmsted Brothers designed the park in stages with much of the construction work of trails, footbridges, and shelters being done by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

More at the South Mountain Conservancy 

Watchung Reservation is the largest park in Union County and it is bounded by the city of Summit, the borough of Mountainside, the townships of Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, and Springfield. The reservation consists mainly of the upper valley of Blue Brook, between the ridges of First Watchung Mountain and Second Watchung Mountain. A dam near the headwaters of the creek creates Lake Surprise.

The 1,945 acre (7.8 km²) parcel is forested, and the reservation is managed for the preservation of its natural resources, but it does contain playgrounds, golf courses, stables, and a museum within the reservation.

The most popular recreational activities in the reservation are hiking and horseback riding on its many trails. The county-owned Watchung Stables are located on a large cleared area in the eastern end of the park, and at the center is the Trailside area, a large park with picnic tables and playground equipment with the Trailside Nature and Science Center at the southern edge in Mountainside.

The land in the reservation is not as pristine and undeveloped as our earlier stops. In fact, an entire village, Feltville, once existed in the woods in the northwestern quadrant and recently became inhabited again.

One popular hike through the western reservation goes through a pine plantation planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s.

In the late 1950s, the U.S. Army built a Nike missile base here and operated it between 1957 and 1963 to defend the airways over New York City. It is now the site of the stables.

During the 1980s, NJDOT completed a section of Interstate 78 through the northern fringe of the reservation. An attempt was made to build "land bridges" to allow wildlife to travel safely between the split parts of the Reservation, but they failed to be successful.

A Reservation Map (pdf) is available along with more information at the Trailside Nature and Science Center.

Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State

David Wheeler's book, Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State has just been published by Rutgers University Press.

David is the Director of Operations for the Edison Wetlands Association and the founder of the Wild New Jersey blog which (like this blog) looks at environmental and wildlife news from around the state and often features videos.

The book is a through-the-year sweep of New Jersey from the mountains to the beaches. It's a reminder of how diverse our state is in its habitats. The Pine Barrens and other spots in our state have an incredible diversity of wildlife that surprises even NJ residents - and just might shock outsiders.

David @DavidHWheeler and the Wild New Jersey blog @wildnewjersey are both on Twitter too.

Atlantic Sturgeon in the Delaware River

The sturgeon family is among the most primitive of the bony fishes. The shortnose sturgeon shares the same general external morphology of all sturgeon. The body surface contains five rows of bony plates or "scutes." Sturgeon are typically large, long-lived fish that inhabit a great diversity of riverine habitat. Sturgeon are found from the fast-moving freshwater riverine environment downstream and, for some species, into the offshore marine environment of the continental shelf.

Atlantic sturgeon are similar in appearance to shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), but can be distinguished by their larger size, smaller mouth, different snout shape, and scutes.Atlantic sturgeon have been aged to 60 years. (There is generally faster growth and earlier age at maturation in more southern populations.)

In their estuarine and freshwater habitats, Atlantic sturgeon face additional threats, including habitat degradation and loss from various human activities such as dredging, dams, water withdrawals, and other development. Some populations are being impacted habitat impediments including locks and dams and ship strikes (e.g., Delaware and James Rivers). 


Each river system in which Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon occur is considered to contain a unique stock despite the mixing of individuals in coastal waters. A review of Atlantic sturgeon stock status in 1998 by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that although the abundance of sturgeon had declined significantly, adequate spawning stock still remained for the persistence of the population and for juvenile production. Habitat improvements and fisheries conservation were recommended to improve the likelihood of full population recovery.



Video from NJN on the unique Atlantic sturgeon population found in the Delaware River


Shortnose sturgeon were federally listed in 1967 as an endangered species but in some systems abundance may be increasing to levels that would allow reconsideration of their endangered status. For example, the shortnose population in the Saint John River, New Brunswick Canada is among the largest in North America, and the Hudson and Delaware Rivers also support significant numbers of shortnose sturgeon.

Stock abundance of Atlantic and shortnose sturgeons steadily declined throughout the 20th century as a result of overfishing and habitat destruction. Fisheries for Atlantic sturgeon existed until 1997 when a moratorium was declared from Maine to Florida. 

Research into the biology, habitat requirements and stock status of both of sturgeons continues, with the goal of restoring both species to sustainable levels of abundance.

• http://www.littoralsociety.org/atlanticSturgeonProject.aspx
• http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/shortnosesturgeon.htm
• http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/fish/atlanticsturgeon.htm
• The Philosopher Fish: Sturgeon, Caviar, and the Geography of Desire
• Tale of a Great White Fish: A Sturgeon Story
  

Horseshoe Crab and Whelk Processors and Dealers Contribute to Horseshoe Crab Survey

Arlington, VA - Members of the horseshoe crab and whelk industry from the Chesapeake Bay Packing, LLC, Bernie's Conchs, LLC, LaMonica Fine Foods, Southern Connection Seafood, Inc., Sea King Corp., and Spot's Fish Company have collectively pledged $15,000 to support the Horseshoe Crab Trawl Survey for 2011. Combined, the biomedical industry and whelk and horseshoe crab processors and dealers have contributed more than $115,000 to conduct the survey this year.

Rick Robins, who coordinated the additional financial support for the survey, stated, "The Commission deserves credit for putting the Delaware Bay regional horseshoe crab population on a solid path to recovery. The Virginia Tech Horseshoe Crab Trawl Survey provides scientific information to the Commission that is essential to the successful management of this ecologically and economically important fishery."

The survey, which has been administered by Virginia Tech since 2002, is the only survey designed to sample the horseshoe crab population in coastal waters. Its data are a critical component of the coastwide stock assessment and the new Adaptive Resource Management (ARM) framework, both of which were endorsed through an independent peer review in 2009. The ARM framework includes modeling that links management of horseshoe crab harvest to multispecies objectives, particularly red knot shorebird recovery. It was developed jointly by the Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey in recognition of the importance of horseshoe crab eggs to shorebirds in the Delaware Bay Region.

"These contributions will go a long way to ensure that this essential survey is conducted at least in part in 2011," stated Thomas O'Connell, ASMFC Horseshoe Crab Board Chair and Maryland DNR Fisheries Service Director. "An additional $85,000 will enable the survey to be fully conducted in 2011 and may allow for the continuance of the survey through 2012 if we can get matching funds. I sincerely thank and commend both the biomedical and fishing industries for coming together to support horseshoe crab management. Given these contributions, I am hopeful that other interested groups will come forward to help support this important survey."

Generally supported by congressionally-directed funds in the past, the survey would have been shut down without the generosity of the companies from the biomedical and fishing industries, who depend upon a healthy population of horseshoe crabs. To garner support for the survey, the Commission had reached out to various stakeholders groups that have an expressed interest in shorebird conservation and horseshoe crab management. Support is still being sought to fund the remainder of the 2011 survey, as well as the long-term continuance of the survey.

Horseshoe crabs play an important role on many levels - their blood is used to produce Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate, an important tool for detecting contaminated medical devices and drugs; their eggs are consumed by hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds as they complete their northward migration to the Arctic; and the crabs themselves are harvested by fishermen to be used as bait for whelk and eel fisheries. The Commission and the states manage horseshoe crabs through the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Horseshoe Crabs (adopted in 1998) and subsequent addenda. The commercial bait fishery is controlled through state quotas, male-only harvest, and closed seasons.

News release from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission www.asmfc.org   The ASMFC Vision is healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015.

Walk Across Jersey

The 2011 Cross-Jersey Walking Challenge from the East Coast Greenway Alliance and FreeWalkers.org is free and open to the public. It challenges you to walk 100 miles across the entire state – from Trenton to New York City within the next 12 months – along the East Coast Greenway.

The East Coast Greenway runs the length of the Eastern seaboard from the top of Maine all the way to Key West, a total distance of about 3,000 miles.

Part of this effort is to add advocates of alternative transportation who are interested in helping build better and healthier communities.

If you become a registered walker, you can enter and track progress at their website during the year.

You can walk when you want, alone or with friends, or join the FreeWalkers on one or all of the three free organized group walks that in combination will cover the entire 100-mile stretch of the ECG through New Jersey.

April 9, 2011 is the The Great Canal Walk (Trenton to New Brunswick)

April 16, 2011 - New Brunswick to Metropark


May 21, 2011 - The Big Walk (Metropark to Penn Sta. NYC)

http://crossjerseywalk.org

Endangered NJ Diners

I came across another blogger who writes about endangered NJ, but his focus is on diners.

Kevin Patrick has only posted twice so far on this important and vanishing aspect of New Jersey, and I hope he will start again. He did a post on a group of diners and another on his last cup of coffee at the Newton Diner.

If you think this is trivial, note that when Preservation New Jersey released their Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites list it included “Historic Diners of New Jersey.”

There's no doubt in my mind that the Jersey diner is a part of our state culture, lifestyle and history. There are about 400 diners in the state that were were also manufactured here. Diner aficionados know them by the manutacturers like O’Mahony, Paramount, Kullman, Fodero, the Paterson Vehicle Company, Mountain View, Manno, Musi, and Swingle.

I little digging online turned up that Kevin is the co-author of Diners of Pennsylvania and is working on a New Jersey volume.

Two diners on his list that I know are the Little Falls Diner and the Mack Diner.

The Little Falls Diner is still at 9 Paterson Ave. in Little Falls (Passaic County). It is a 1946 Kullman diner from the late-1940s. It was open when I first came across it, but has been closed and abandoned for about 20 years. You wonder how it survives the wrecking ball. It actually has a good location right on the sidewalk with lots of parking behind it and within walking distance of the tiny "downtown" of Little Falls.

The Mack Diner (150 French St. New Brunswick) is a wartime 1941 Fodero diner that resembles the still active Summit Diner. I remember from my Rutgers undergraduate days. It became a record store after that, but was closed around 2005. I'm not sure what its current status might be. Are you in that area? Post a comment.

Lots to read (and watch) about diners...

• Retro Diner: Comfort Food from the American Roadside
• Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: the TV show
• Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide
• The American Diner Cookbook
• Vegan Diner: Classic Comfort Food for the Body and Soul

• More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints
• American Diner Then and Now

Jersey Diners

February Programs At Essex County Environmental Center

February Programs At Essex County Environmental Center

Registration is required for all programs at the Essex County Environmental Center, unless otherwise noted. For more information or to register, please call 973-228-8776.

"Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks" features Fred Dammont, a professional physicist, slide show lecturer and avid nature photographer. He has participated in many solo exhibits and will present a slide lecture on Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks. Cost is $8 per adult and free for Essex County Nature Photographers members. For information, call 973-228-8776. Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Parks will be held as follows:

Date: Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Birding Hike in Essex County Eagle Rock Reservation" is presented by New Jersey Audubon. Enjoy the beautiful views of Manhattan while discovering the birds of open spaces and woodlands. Meet in the Essex County Eagle Rock September 11th Memorial parking lot. This hike is free. Space is limited. Contact Kelly Wenzel at 973-226-6082 for more information and to register. Birding Hike is scheduled as follows:

Date: Thursday, February 3, 2011
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Eagle Rock Reservation
Eagle Rock Avenue
West Orange, NJ

"Evening Yoga Series" is geared for adults. This "all levels" yoga series will focus on alignment, flow and warmth followed by a restorative pose to unwind the body and mind for bed. Explore some peace and stillness like that which follows a winter snowstorm. All levels are welcome. Dress comfortably and bring your own mat. Cost is $40 for the series. Advance registration and monthly payment is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. No refunds will be given for missed classes. Evening Yoga is scheduled as follows:

Date: Thursdays, February 3, 10, 17, 24
Time: 6:15 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Winter Yoga" is a class for adults. Warm the body and the mind just enough to gain the full benefits of restorative yoga. The routine will focus on joint mobility and healing stillness. All levels welcome. Come for the series or just one class. Cost is $10 per class. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Dress comfortably and bring your own mat. Winter Yoga will be held as follows:

Date: Fridays, February 4, 11, 18, 25, 2011
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Valentine's Day Lip Balm and Lotion" is for adults and children ages 14 and older. Maria, a soap maker, Essex County beekeeper and proprietor of HoneyLove Soaps, will show participants how to make their own pure, natural lip balm and lotion. HoneyLove Soaps is committed to making products that are pure, natural and, most importantly, have no impact on the environment. Participants will each leave with one tin of lip balm and one jar of lotion. All supplies and containers are included. Cost is $45 per person. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Valentine's Day Lip Balm and Lotion will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 5, 2011
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Decorating with Earth Plaster" is a lost art that is a fun use of indoor time during the winter. It's easy to apply and repair, all natural, inexpensive and absolutely organically beautiful. Participants will learn the basics from SmartLittleHouse staff. Cost is $21 per person. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Decorating with Earth Plaster will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 5, 2011
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Bug Club" is for children ages 6 to 10. The Bug Club is devoted to young people who want to explore the wonders of insects through field walks, games, stories and crafts. This club meets year-round. Cost is $6 per child per session (additional material fees may apply). Advance registration and payment are required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Bug Club will be held as follows:

Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Outdoor Adventure Club" is for children ages 7 to 11. Participants will go outside and see where the hour takes them. Students might build forts, collect firewood, skip rocks, tell stories, dig for critters, spot wildlife, play tag and more. The hour will be directed by club members under the guidance of a Staff Naturalist who will facilitate all free-play activities. Dress for the weather as all classes will be outside. Cost is $6 per child per session. Advance registration and payment are required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Outdoor Adventure Club will be held as follows:

Date: Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Birding Hike in Essex County Hatfield Swamp" is presented by New Jersey Audubon. Participants will spend the morning searching for birds and other animals of winter. Meet in the parking lot of Marshall's in West Caldwell, near the corner of Bloomfield and Passaic Avenues. Space is limited. Cost is $6 for NJAS members and $8 for non-members. Contact Kelly Wenzel at 973-226-6082 for more information and to register. Birding Hike is scheduled as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 12, 2011
Time: 8 a.m.
Meeting Site: Marshall's
Bloomfield Avenue
West Caldwell, NJ

"Maple Sugaring" will take participants on walk to find Sugar Maple trees. Students will "tap" a maple tree, collect some sap and make maple syrup, then return to the Environmental Center for hot chocolate and sugar snacks. Cost is $5 for New Jersey Audubon members and $7 for non-members. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-226-6082. Maple Sugaring will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 12, 2011
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Cloverbud Pet Club" is for children in grades K-3. Students will learn all about pets and small animals. Non-pet owners are welcome. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-353-1338. Cloverbud Pet Club will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 12, 2011
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Horticulture for Seniors" will be presented by the Master Gardeners of Essex County. Designed for senior citizens, this month's topic is making a mosaic design using edibles. Meet in Garibaldi Hall. This is a free program. Advance registration is required one week prior to program. For information, call 973-379-5488 or 973-731-0717. Horticulture for Seniors will be held as follows:

Date: Monday, February 14, 2011
Time: 1 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
Garibaldi Hall
621A Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Outside Nature Discoveries Club" is for children ages 5 to 6. Participants will venture into the wooded wetland with magnifiers, trowels, containers and more to observe living things in their environment. Curriculum is not structured; students will discover as they explore and document their observations in a journal. Dress for the weather as all classes will be outside. Cost is $6 per child per session. Advance registration and payment are required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Outside Nature Discoveries Club will be held as follows:

Date: Monday, February 14, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Green Kids Club" is for children ages 7 to 12. Discover all areas of environmental science with hands-on fun and service projects! Advance registration and payment are required. Cost is $6 per child per session. (Additional material fees may apply.) For information, call 973-228-8776. Green Kids Club will be held as follows:

Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Nature Discovery Garden Club" is for children ages 7 to 12. Winter has arrived, but even in the cold weather we can enjoy gifts from nature right indoors. Come and grow a roof-top garden, make a beautiful wreath from the gifts of the forest and set up an experiment to observe if the salt used to de-ice roads affects plant growth. Cost is $6 per child per session. (Additional material fees may apply.) Advance registration and payment are required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Nature Discovery Garden Club will be held as follows:

Date: Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Time: 3:45 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"4-H Super Animal Kingdom Pet Club" is for children in grades 4-7. Students will learn all about pets and small animals. Non-pet owners are welcome. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-353-1338. Cloverbud Pet Club will be held as follows:

Date: Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
Garibaldi Hall
621A Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Birding Hike in Essex County Troy Meadows" is presented by New Jersey Audubon. Search the edges of the frozen swamp for wintering birds and animals. Be prepared for icy conditions. Meet at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland. This hike is free. Space is limited. Contact Kelly Wenzel at 973-226-6082 for more information and to register. Birding Hike is scheduled as follows:

Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Meeting Site: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"4-H Environmental Kids Club" is for children in grades 2 through 6. The environment is filled with things, big and small, that surprise and help us. Discover how much fun it is to learn about the world! Meet in Garibaldi Hall. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-3785. 4-H Environmental Kids Club will be held as follows:

Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
Garibaldi Hall
621A Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Full Moon Campfire" will take participants on a walk along the trails to experience the night life under the light of the moon. Students will discover crepuscular creatures out on a feeding frenzy before the long winter ahead. After the hike, enjoy a campfire and roasting marshmallows. Bring flashlights. Cost is $6 per child and $8 per adult. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Full Moon Campfire will be held as follows:

Date: Thursday, February 17, 2011
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Build a Bird House" will be held during National Nest Box Week and will teach participants to build a home that encourages breeding birds and other wildlife to take residence. Putting out a bird house now creates a good chance of having a nesting pair of songbirds in by spring. Cost is $6 per child and $8 per adult. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Build a Bird House will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 19, 2011
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"4-H Lego Club" is for children in grades 3 through 6. Students will use their imagination and build animals, castles and more with other children who are interested in Legos. Meet in Garibaldi Hall. Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-353-1338. 4-H Lego Club will meet as follows:

Date: Monday, February 21, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
Garibaldi Hall
621A Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Rock-N-Roll Geology Club" is for children ages 7 to 12. Revel in the fascinating formations of Earth's geologic creations. Hands-on club activities include exploring local geology, discovering what's in local soil, and identifying rocks and minerals. Cost is $6 per child per session. (Additional material fees may apply.) Advance registration and payment are required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Rock-N-Roll Geology Club will be held as follows:

Date: Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"4-H Stamp Club" is for children in grades 4 through 7. Learn about the history of stamps and stamp collecting. Meet in Garibaldi Hall. Advance registration is required. For information, please call 973-353-1338. 4-H Stamp Club will be held as follows:

Date: Thursday, February 24, 2011
Time: 4 p.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
Garibaldi Hall
621A Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Seed Starting" will be presented by Rutgers Master Gardeners of Essex County. Participants will learn the basics of starting vegetable and flower seeds at home, growing medium, seedling care, and seed selection. Meet in Garibaldi Hall. Cost is $8 per adult.Advance registration is required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Seed Starting will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 26, 2011
Time: 10 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
Garibaldi Hall
621A Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ

"Family Nature Crafts" for families with children ages 7 to 12. Even in the cold of winter, nature provides special gifts that we can gather to create crafts. Students will help winter birds by designing an unusual feeder and a beautiful ice wreath, and create a glowing winter tea light from nature's bounty to keep or give as a gift. Cost is $8 per child per session (includes $2 material fee). Advance registration and payment are required. For information, call 973-228-8776. Nature Crafts with Children will be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, February 26, 2011
Time: 11 a.m.
Place: Essex County Environmental Center
621B Eagle Rock Avenue
Roseland, NJ