Blueberry Picking in the Pine Barrens

The Franklin Parker Preserve, New Jersey Conservation Foundation's largest preserve, is known mostly for its history of cranberry cultivation, but it also includes some large, previously cultivated blueberry fields. Many of these areas continue to produce big, delicious blueberries.

Come out for an "all you can pick" experience on Saturday, July 14, from 9 - 11 a.m. at the Franklin Parker Preserve in Chatsworth, Burlington County.

Participants will carpool and caravan from the meeting location to the blueberry fields. Bring your own blueberry containers, as well as plenty of water. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat. Trip leader will be Russell Juelg, Land Steward and Pine Barrens Educator.

The cost is $5 per adult, free for children. Reservations will be confirmed and directions sent when the fee and waiver are received.

Register online at http://donate.njconservation.org/Registration. If you have questions or need more information, contact Laura (laura@njconservation.org; 908-234-1225).

More Step Into Nature event listings for other walks, talks and fun activities are at http://www.njconservation.org/njcfevents.cfm

This Weekend at Tuckerton Seaport

Tuckerton Seaport is a newly built recreation of a maritime village. The buildings are replicas of the Bay's earlier days. At Perrine's Boat Works, you will see volunteers demonstrate the building of small boats call sneakboxes. Outside the boat works is Gus Heinrichs Sr.'s sneakbox built in 1951. Other exhibits include clamming and oystering at Parson's Clam and Oyster House and decoy carving at Parker's Decoy Shop, Joe Dayton's Sawmill, Napolean Kelly's Oyster House, and much more.

The Tuckerton's Light House and Museum has exhibits of early sea rescue, the Lighthouses of the Jersey Shore, the lives of early Native Americans and the Pirates that once visited the area.

Two upcoming events:

Baymen’s Seafood & Music Festival
June 23 & 24
11am to 5pm
Enjoy delicious Jersey fresh clams, crabs, scallops and shrimp from the finest local seafood purveyors. Crafters, vendors, music, food, refreshments, family activities, demonstrations,boat rides, boat builders and decoy carvers. Speak with commercial fishermen to learn about occupations on the bay or take a clam shucking class. So bring the family and plan to spend the day. Selected as one of the: “Top 10 NJ Outdoor Festivals” by NJ Countryside Magazine. Presented by the Jersey Shore Folklife Center.


10th Annual Red Wine & Blues Festival
June 30
3pm to 8pm
Team up with the Tuckerton Seaport for a perfect afternoon of wine tasting from New Jersey’s finest wineries plus live blues music. Crafters, vendors, food, boat rides and lots of fun. Complimentary souvenir Seaport wine glass! “Traditional Pie Bake Off” contest.

A visit to the Tuckerton Seaport is educational and relaxing. Stroll the 3/4 mile boardwalk and experience life on the Tuckerton “Crik.” Identify birds and plants on our 1/4 mile nature trail. Tour our site and view garveys, sneakboxes, cruising yachts and party boats displayed on land and water.

New Jersey Surf Museum @ Tuckerton Seaport

The local baymen worked on the water, but they also played on it. Many a clammer worked the low tide and surfed the high tide. The New Jersey Surf Museum @ Tuckerton Seaport explores the historic connections to the sport – and the lifestyle – of the New Jersey Surfer.

Exhibits in the museum cover the origins of surfing and how it came to New Jersey in 1912. The museum also explores the close connection of surfing to the environment and the science of waves. A large collection of important surfboards is on display along with memorabilia and surf art.

Tuckerton Seaport is located at 120 W. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ


http://www.tuckertonseaport.org

NJ Freshwater Fishing Digest

The 2012 Freshwater Fishing DIGEST is available in PDF format in its entirety and individual segments.

Print versions are available at Division offices and at license agents.

Portions of this Digest are available in enlarged format for the visually impaired. To request a black and white, large format Digest, write to: NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Large Format Fishing Digest, Mail Code 501-03, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420.

New Jersey's Free Fishing Days This Weekend

This weekend, on June 16 and June 17, the Department of Environmental Protection is offering free samples of some of the finest freshwater fishing in the Northeast. On these two special days, anyone can fish anywhere in New Jersey without a license or trout stamp. It's a perfect time for families and friends to discover the simple pleasures of fishing and enjoying time together in the outdoors. Existing anglers often make new fishing buddies by inviting friends and relatives to join them for a day on the water on Free Fishing Days. And as the word spreads about how much fishing has improved here, a growing number of out of state anglers come to New Jersey for their free sample in June.

New Jersey offers every type of fishing for every level of angler. Cold, clear streams support a top rate year-round trout fishery. Warmwater and coolwater fishing is spectacular as a result of the addition and development of fisheries for a number of popular game fish over the last 25 years. Muskellunge, walleye, northern pike, channel catfish and hybrid striped bass fisheries are now thriving and New Jersey anglers routinely catch many world-class sized fish. Outstanding statewide fisheries for largemouth and smallmouth bass, pickerel and numerous panfish species round out the smorgasbord of warmwater fishing choices available to New Jersey anglers.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife Web site has a wealth of information on fishing in New Jersey with very specific information on where to fish for trout and the various warmwater fish stocked throughout the state.

There are three regional brochures available to help you find lakes and ponds with the fish you seek just a short drive away. The regional brochures contain information on each water's acreage, the nearest town, site amenities, boat and shoreline fishing, the fish available and fishing tips for each species. These brochures focus primarily on lakes and ponds with warmwater and coolwater fisheries.

'Where to' and 'how to' trout fishing information including directions to more than 300 trout fishing access points is also available on the Fish and Wildlife website at http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/fishpromo12.htm

Landscape Project Version 3.1 and Training

As part of its efforts to continually use the best science in managing the state’s resources, the DEP has also released the newest version of its Landscape Project, an interactive ecosystem-based mapping tool that assists government agencies, planners, conservation groups, the public and others in making decisions that will protect wildlife. This tool can be used immediately.

“Version 3.1 of the Landscape Project takes into account the new species’ statuses, and implements a new, more precise scientific methodology used previously only in the Highlands region,” said David Jenkins, Chief of the DEP’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program. “This new version is much more user-friendly and will prove extremely helpful in making sound decisions that will protect imperiled wildlife and their habitats.”

You can learn about the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's recently updated Landscape Project 3.1 which includes a number of updates and enhancements such as new species' statuses and a more precise mapping method at a training and information session at Richard Stockton College, Galloway, NJ, on Tuesday, June 12, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The training and information session will cover the updates and enhancements to the project and participants will have an opportunity to use GIS "hands-on" to access habitat maps for threatened and endangered wildlife species. Registration is required and seating is limited - to register, please e-mail: patrick.woerner@dep.state.nj.us

• For additional information regarding the session visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/landscape/landscape_train.htm
• View the Landscape Project Report: http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensp/landscape/lp_report_3_1.pdf
• Download File Geodatbases or Shapefiles:  http://www.nj.gov/dep/gis/landscape.html
• Use NJDEP's interactive mapping application, NJ-GeoWeb: http://www.nj.gov/dep/gis/geowebsplash.htm

Amphibian Crossing Project on Video

An American toad gets some crossing protection

This year, the Amphibian Crossing Project again helped migrating amphibians cross busy roads. Among the species identified were Jefferson salamanders, a New Jersey species of special concern.

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ and their partner in the Amphibian Crossing Project, the NJ Endangered & Nongame Species Program, placed a particular location at the top of their survey list. The project activity was captured for a special episode of Nature in a New York Minute.

“The surveyors were out until 4am this year to collect the data they needed on the amphibian population and traffic rate at the site,” said Kelly Rypkema who filmed the team’s efforts. “Helping amphibians across was icing on the cake. Instead of feeling tired, I felt a real tangible sense of accomplishment which spurred me on.”



This year, the surveyors were challenged by the sporadic nature of the nighttime rain showers during which the amphibians cross. “Most times, the rain hit very late at night or before dawn – a great situation for frogs and salamanders that have to cross otherwise busy roads,” said MacKenzie Hall, the biologist who coordinates the project, “but tough for us to keep tabs on.”


Nature in a New York Minute is a series about nature in urban environments. From communicating with ants to interpreting the secret life of squirrels, biologist and host Kelly Rypkema showcases in each episode ways to be actively involved with the nature of the concrete jungle. You can follow the series on Facebook.

Kelly holding a spotted salamander

Programs at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge

The Friends of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor Center in Harding Township are offering these programs.

Visitor Center

“Nature on Film, a Lunch & a Movie” will be shown at 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 7. The film is yet to be announced. Viewers are encouraged to bring a “green bag” lunch. Beverages and dessert will be provided.

"Story Time for Children" with Pat Garvin. will take place at the Visitor Center from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 8. Garvin will be telling seasonal stories for young children.

Second Sunday with Friends: A New Vision for Refuges will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, June 10. A new vision for the National Wildlife Refuge System and the Great Swamp will be discussed.

For more information, call (973) 425–9510

http://www.greatswamp.org

Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery Marks 100th Anniversary

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife will mark the 100th anniversary of the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery in Warren County with an open house the weekend of June 2-3. Visitors will get a behind-the-scenes look at the storied facility that for the past century has raised a wide variety of species to benefit anglers across the state.

In 1911, the Roberts Farm in Hackettstown, along with several adjoining properties totaling 100 acres, was secured for a state fish hatchery. This farm was chosen for its ample supply of pure, cool spring water, a running brook (Trout Brook) and convenient, nearby shipping capabilities. Several weeks later, the New Jersey Fish and Game Commission appointed Charles O. Hayford as the superintendent of the facility which would be officially dedicated to him in 1953 and now bears his name.

The open house will feature a unique tour of the intricate fish hatching operations, while young anglers will have an opportunity for hands-on fishing experiences at two newly renovated education ponds or at the "Kiddie Fishing Tank." A giant mobile aquarium will display some of the state's finest fish specimens and there will be bird walks, hatchery tours and archery, an outdoor flea market, historic displays in the original hatchery building, and on Sunday entertainment by a bluegrass band.

Food can be purchased from vendors, but visitors are welcome to bring their own food. No dogs will be allowed at this event, since this is an operating fish hatchery with many open ponds and raceways.

Admission is free.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for both event days.

Pre-registration will be required for some activities on the day of the event.

For more information, including a complete list of programs, directions to the Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery and an extensive history of the hatchery itself visit
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/hacktown100.htm on the division's website.

Historic shot of a stocking truck