Sandy Hook Unit Reopens to Public May 1st

Gateway National Recreation Area will reopen the Sandy Hook Unit to the public for the first time since Hurricane Sandy beginning Wednesday, May 1. A ceremony at 10 A.M. will mark the reopening, with U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone in attendance.

“We have been looking forward to this moment since the storm hit us and we’ve worked hard to make it happen this soon,” said Sandy Hook Unit Coordinator Pete McCarthy. “Employees and volunteers have literally dug out beach centers and parking lots, and pumped out flooded basements, we’ve even rebuilt sand dunes and replanted beach grasses.” Work will continue this summer as more services are restored and roads continue to be repaved.

After the opening ceremony Congressman Pallone will address the group, which will include the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) Color Guard who will be on hand to present the colors. These MAST high school students’ campus is located in the park and their campus was flooded during the storm. The students will finish the school year at an alternate location, host their graduation at Ft. Hancock and will return to Sandy Hook for fall classes.

The gates will open at 5 A.M. to accommodate fishing. Maps of fishing areas are posted on Gateway’s website. Beach F, a favorite spot for fishers, will be accessible by walking up the coast from Beach E.

Beach parking is free until Memorial Day weekend, when beach parking will again cost $15 per day. The park will open all parking areas on May 1st, and is intending to open the beach centers on Memorial Day weekend. Beach parking permits will go on sale beginning May 1st at 9 A.M. at the front gate. Beach parking permits cost $75 for the season, the same as last year.

Beaches B, Gunnison and North will be open to the public. North and Gunnison are lifeguard-protected beaches from Memorial Day through Labor Day during the hours of 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Beach B is not lifeguard protected. Beaches C, D, and E will also be guarded during the summer season. While the sewage system undergoes repair, beach centers will use portable toilets.

Like the rest of the New Jersey coast, the recovery of Sandy Hook is still a work in progress. Electric, telephone, water and sewage services were all incapacitated by storm. These services are largely but not entirely restored. Throughout the summer, the park will continue to rehabilitate damaged beach centers, sections of the multi-use path and other affected areas. Details are still being worked out for food service but it will be limited for the summer. Ray’s Bike Rentals will be returning to Sandy Hook again this summer, however bikes will only be available for rent at Fort Hancock. The Visitor Center at Spermaceti Cove was one of several buildings damaged by the hurricane and will remain closed at this time.

Established in 1972, Gateway National Recreation Area offers more than 26,000 acres of marshes, wildlife sanctuaries and recreational athletic facilities, miles of sandy beaches; indoor and outdoor classrooms; picnicking and camping areas, as well as historic structures and military installations, airfields, a lighthouse, and adjacent waters around New York harbor. The park offers urban residents in two states a wide range of recreational opportunities year round. It is one of the ten most visited national parks in the country.

For information about Gateway’s upcoming public programs, see the park’s Web site at http://www.nps.gov/gate/.

Extirpated Species of New Jersey

There are some species that are not threatened or endangered but that have been lost from New Jersey. This is known as extirpated, not extinct, because they survive in other parts of their historical range.

Although it is possible, it is unlikely that they will naturally return to NJ. They are still stories worth knowing because they help us understand how species disappear from a geographic area.

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ  reports that five extirpated species are the cougar (Felis concolor), Eastern pearlshell (Margaritifera margaritifera), North Atlantic gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) and Trout-perch (Percopsis omiscomaycus).

Puma By Saguaro National Park - Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Link

The cougar is also known as the mountain lion or puma. It is one of the most wide-ranging big cats in the world, although it's hard to imagine it once roaming the Garden State.

Though the cougar once ranged from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and as far north as Canada and as far south as southern South America, today it does not live east of the Mississippi River except for a small population in southern Florida and a few stray individuals.

Cougars are carnivores who hunt alone and feed on small mammals such as rabbits and squirrels to larger animals such as deer and livestock such as sheep or young cattle.

They began to disappear in the late 1700’s partially due to habitat loss as towns and cities grew. Cougars need a large area for their hunting. Also, because of fear and to stop livestock losses, rewards were offered for cougar kills and the remaining animals were eliminated by the early 1800s.

Earth Day 2013

 Monday, April 22 is Earth Day. This year, Earth Day's theme is The Face of Climate Change.

The first Earth Day was on April 22 in 1970. That day got 20 million Americans thinking about doing something to help the Earth and launched the modern environmental movement.

The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed.

Growing out of the first Earth Day, the Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.

Climate change can seem like a remote problem for our leaders, but the fact is that it's already impacting real people, animals, and beloved places. These Faces of Climate Change are multiplying every day. Fortunately, other Faces of Climate Change are multiplying too: those stepping up to do something about it. Help us personalize the massive challenge climate change presents by taking a photo and telling your story. How has climate change impacted you? What are you doing to be part of the solution?

The Lenni-Lenape, New Jersey's Original People

The Lenni-Lenape, who inhabited New Jersey long before the Europeans arrived, considered themselves to be the "Original People."

Unfortunately, they did not survive long after the arrival of the Europeans. The Colonists wanted to own the land. As with other Native Americans, European diseases, guns and alcohol all led to the death of natives and flight from the original homelands. By 1700, the Lenni-Lenape population was probably one fourth of what it was when the Dutch arrived and estimated it at 2000.

Lenape traditions and lifestyle seemed strange to the Europeans. Rather than settling and staying in one place and home, the Lenape moved with the seasons in what is now New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

In spring, planting was done in around their permanent settlements. In summer, they moved to the shore for oysters and clams and to escape the heat. In autumn, they returned to their village and harvested crops. In the winter, they lived by hunting deer and other animals.


The Lenape Indians lived in bark houses called wigwams. The frame was made by bending branches to form a dome shape. These branches were tied together with vines or leather thongs and it was then covered by bark or hides. A hole at the top let out smoke from the small fire circle inside.

The Algonquin Nation, including Lenni-Lenape, sided with the French in the French & Indian War hoping that they would move the settlers away from their homeland. The French and the Indians were fighting British colonists in what was the final Colonial War here. (It was fought in Europe by Austria, England, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Sweden and was called the Seven Years War. although it extended from 1689 to 1763.)

The French and Indians lost the war on our soil. Some peace came through negotiations in 1758 with the New Jersey Governor Francis Bernard and Lenape leader, Teedyuscung. A home for the Lenni-Lenape in Burlington County was established and this was the first "Indian reservation."

There were about 200 Lenape who made a home in what was called Brotherton and was supervised by a hopeful Reverend John Brainerd.  A grist mill and sawmills were set up for the Lenape to create a new life and the area became known as Indian Mills.(Now, Shamong Township.)

The experiment was not successful and in 1796 the Oneida tribe (also Algonquin by language) in New Stockbridge, NY, invited the Brotherton tribe to live with them, and almost all of them moved to NY.

The New Jersey Assembly sold the reservation in 1801 and gave the proceeds to the less than 100 remaining tribe members.

Although Elisha Ahhataina (Lashar Tamar), the last chief of the Brotherton Indians, did go to New York, he eventually returned to New Jersey with some members and settled near the town of Rancocas, NJ.

Those who stayed with the Oneida asked the New Jersey Legislature in 1832 for the balance of the money from the sale of their Brotherton Reservation and were given $3,551. Forty remaining members resettled in Statesburg, Wisconsin. A small number moved west to be with the Cherokees and Osages.

The modern day Lenape Trail was intended to follow some of original trails and areas where the "Original People" lived.

There is still a group of the Ramapough Lenape Indian Nation (AKA Ramapo Mountain Indians) numbering about 5,000 who live around the Ramapo Mountains of northern New Jersey and southern New York.

Source:  New Jersey Homepage of the American Local History Network

Politics and Pollution on the Passaic River

a Passaic River cleanup, Lyndhurst

An article this past weekend by Tom Moran in The Star-Ledger gives a good summary of the complicated history of the pollution and cleanup attempts on the Passaic River.

It is a tale of corporations, environmentalists and politicians. The article opens by saying:

A half-century has passed since workers at Diamond Shamrock were ordered to dump dioxin into the Passaic River in Newark, and then to march out at low tide and knock down the toxic mud piles with rakes so that no one would know.

So began the long history of polluters evading responsibility for the murder of this river, an effort that continues to this day. Workers with rakes have been replaced by consultants and lawyers.

continue reading

Hurray, Bats Are Back in NJ

hibernating bats

Bats in New Jersey go into dormancy, hibernating in caves and abandoned mines, for the cold winter months. But those bats will be active again in the late spring, summer, and early fall.

The Hoary Bat, Red Bat, and Silver Haired Bat are part time residents to our state and migrate to southern states in the fall to over winter in the milder climate and return.

However, bats do not get the same good public relations that returning birds and butterflies get when they return to our state. We might see that first robin on the lawn as a sign of spring, but the site of that first brown bat doesn't have the same effect on most people.

Unfortunately, in our ever-changing world, bats have evolved to be habitat and food specific. They rely on certain food sources and certain habitats in order to survive. That makes them very vulnerable to disturbances to their places of hibernation or roosting. Changes to their habitat can also affect available food or water.

Of course, New Jersey is a state where many areas are constantly changing and hibitats are being changed or lost.

Bats need to eat and drink every night. The best areas for them are probably open grasslands and edges of forests where insects are abundant. They also like to roost near open bodies of water where
they drink water without landing.

During the day, they roost in tight crevices such as cracks in rocks, under exfoliating tree bark and in awnings of buildings because these places offer protection from predators and stable temperatures.

Groups such as the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ conduct summer bat surveys to monitor populations and also to encourage bat population stability using "bat houses."

Of course, they are valuable to us because they are the primary predators of night flying insects. It is often noted that a single little brown bat can consume up to 1,200 mosquito-sized insects in an hour and up to 3,000 insects in a single night. Nursing mothers can eat up to 4,500 insects nightly, which is more than their own body weight.

Many of the insects they consume are ones we label as "pests":cucumber beetles, leaf hoppers, termites, ants, roaches, corn earworms, grasshoppers, and mosquitoes.

Fear of bats goes back a long way in our history, literature and folklore. In fact, less than one percent of wild bats have rabies.

And despite my mother's stories, bats do not entangle themselves in human hair. They don't really want to even encounter people and will do so more in defense than anything else.

And despite tales of vampires, very few species of bats are blood consuming. There are more than a thousand species of bats worldwide. Only three consume animal blood (usually cattle and poultry) and none live in the United States.

As with snakes and some other animals, one danger to bat populations is our fear and misinformation about them. Protecting their habitats from disturbance is important to maintaining a good bat populations. That is especially true in the warm-weather breeding months.

If bats do get into your home, getting them out safely is important. It is illegal for anyone, including animal control officers and exterminators, to kill bats.  (Download information on nuisance control guidelines)

The critical time to NOT disturb them is mid-May to mid-September.

Information on Bats:
Bat Conservation International  www.batcon.org
Bat Conservation and Management  http://www.batmanagement.com

Information on the Bats of New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/pdf/bat_fact_sheet.pdf
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/bat.htm
www.conservewildlifenj.org

New Jersey Osprey Project

days old osprey at Great Bay

The osprey was listed as an endangered species in 1973 and quickly after that the New Jersey Osprey Project began.

Starting with a spring 1974 aerial survey to determine the number of active osprey nests from Toms River to Atlantic City, the results were not good.

With a baseline historic count of 500 osprey nests, it was expected that the numbers would be down due to the effects of DDT and habitat loss and in the 1974 count only 50 nests remained.

New Jersey habitat was also lost because of a growing shore population. New construction eliminated trees needed for nesting and it increased the ground predator populations.

The project began to supply man-made nest platforms for the birds to replace snags and trees that lost to development on the barrier islands.

DDT in the food chain caused reproduction to fail. DDT was banned in 1968, but the negative effects and residual DDT continued for a number of years. Used in and near marine environments, it was absorbed by both organisms and soils and accumulated in the food chain. Because DDT is fat soluble it bioacummulated in predators, especially birds of prey.

It did not kill the birds, but rather caused the thinning of eggshells which often broke under the weight of the incubating female.

3 young

By 1986, the osprey population had surpassed 100 pairs. This allowed their status to be changed to "threatened"in NJ.

During that time, some of my volunteer work for the Endangered and Nongame Species Program involved monitoring and tracking nest success.

2006 found the NJ osprey population at a new post-DDT high of just over 400 active nests, and that was surpassed in 2009 with 486 nesting pairs.

The next aerial survey was scheduled for this year.

MORE
The Osprey Project at conservewildlifenj.org/protecting/projects/osprey/ and follow them on Facebook.
Endangered NJ posts on osprey

Rare Wildlife of NJ Photography

If you are a nature photographer or just a fan of New Jersey's wildlife, check out Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ's photo group on Flickr of Rare Wildlife of New Jersey. This group pool has over 700 photos currently and is intended for individuals to be able to post and share their photos of wildlife and their habitat that are listed as endangered, threatened, or are species of special concern in New Jersey.

Bobcat, Sparta Mountain by BirdsPlus on Flickr

Peregrine Falcon by Brian E Kushner on Flickr

New Jersey Wildlife and Conservation Conference

New Jersey Wildlife and Conservation Conference

Friday & Saturday, April 26 and 27

Sheraton Eatontown Hotel, Eatontown

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife is inviting the public to join wildlife enthusiasts and sportsmen in sharing knowledge, insights, and recommendations for strengthening New Jersey's wildlife diversity and habitats at the NJ Wildlife and Conservation Conference.

Hosted by Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, the NJ State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and the Division, the NJWCC will present panels and seminars about New Jersey's wildlife and how sportsmen, wildlife enthusiasts, biologists and others can come together around our shared commitment and passion for protecting New Jersey's wildlife. Together, we can set the stage for innovative, productive partnerships in the years to come.

Conference panels will bring together experts with a diverse array of backgrounds, expertise, and opinions - all sharing a commitment and passion for protecting New Jersey's wildlife.

* Meet leading wildlife biologists working on rare wildlife
* Friday evening reception with keynote speech by Anthony Mauro, NJ Outdoor Alliance
* Register for Friday expert panels, Friday evening reception, and/or additional sportsmen seminars on Saturday

For more information, agendas, panel and seminar descriptions, and to register, visit the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ website at http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/getinvolved/event/njwcc/ .

Cherry Blossom Time in Essex County

You can celebrate the blooms of spring by racing, running or walking through Essex County Branch Brook Park.  Some events require advance registration.


Saturday, April 6: Cherry Blossom Challenge
Race through the Park in the Cherry Blossom Challenge, a competitive New Jersey bike tradition, or cheer on the cyclists while enjoying a day in the fresh spring air. Registration fees apply. To register, visit www.bikereg.com


Saturday, April 6: Essex in Bloom Photo Workshop
Celebrate the arrival of spring by honing your photography skills in the cherry tree groves. All levels of experience welcome. Registration fees apply. To register, call 973.377.6454. Sponsored by Unique Photo.


Sunday, April 7: Cherry Blossom 10K Run
Run through the cherry tree groves in this USATF-sanctioned race that benefits Special Olympics of NJ. Registration fees apply to the 10K. To register, visit www.compuscore.com


Saturday, April 20: Essex County One-Mile Fun Run/Walk
The school registration deadline for the annual Essex County One-Mile Fun Run/Walk in Essex County Branch Brook Park is almost here. This year’s fun run/walk will be held at 10am near the Prudential Concert Grove in the Southern Division of the Park. As always, this event is free to participate, but schools should register in advance to guarantee T-shirts for their students.

Branch Brook Park webcam

Lawmakers want gray wolf off endangered list

More than 70 lawmakers are asking the Obama administration to take the gray wolf off the endangered species list.

Sixty-six Republicans and six Democrats in the House and Senate signed a letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that argues the gray wolf is no longer in need of federal protection. They said the endangered species designation is making it harder for ranchers and farmers to protect livestock.

“Unmanaged wolves are devastating to livestock and indigenous wildlife. Currently, state wildlife officials have their hands tied any time wolves are involved,” the lawmakers, led by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in the Senate and Reps. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) in the House.

“They need to be able to respond to the needs of their native wildlife without being burdened by the impediments of the federal bureaucracy created by the [Endangered Species Act].”

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/regwatch/energyenvironment/290125-lawmakers-want-gray-wolf-off-endangered-list