Upcoming Programs at Pequest

 

The public is invited to learn about New Jersey’s fish and wildlife resources and ways to enjoy them through special programs and events at Pequest. Take advantage of these unique opportunities and get outdoors!
All programs require registration; registration opens two weeks prior to program date. All registration is done online.
All programs and special events, including parking, are FREE unless otherwise noted.
Events are held rain or shine outdoors so dress for the weather.

For info and registration for all events:
dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/freshwater/learn-at-pequest/

2 Feb
Friday Fly Tying Basics (3 session series)
Friday 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ
Friday Fly Tying Basics
*Must attend all three sessions (February 2, March 1, April 5) Looking to learn how to tie your own fishing flies? Let the Pequest Natural Resource Education Center staff walk […]
 

7 Feb
Make Your Own Fly Fishing Leader
Wednesday 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ
Take your fly fishing to the next level by learning how to tie your own leaders. Join the Pequest Natural Resource Education Center’s fly-fishing instructor as they walk you through […]
 

13 Feb
Cold Weather Hiking Essentials
Tuesday 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ
Just because winter is here does not mean you can’t get out and explore the trails. You just need to have some extra equipment and more situational awareness.

14 Feb
Winter Hike
Wednesday 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ
Winter is an amazing time to head outside and fall in love with nature. Join the staff at the Pequest Natural Resource Education Center as we head out and explore

1 March
Friday Fly Tying Basics (3 session series)
Friday 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ
*Must attend all three sessions (February 2, March 1, April 5) Looking to learn how to tie your own fishing flies? 

5 April
Friday Fly Tying Basics (3 session series)
Friday 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center 605 Pequest Rd, Oxford, NJ
*Must attend all three sessions (February 2, March 1, April 5) Looking to learn how to tie your own fishing flies? 

Programs and special events at Pequest are supported through the sale of fishing and hunting licenses and related stamps. In order to help us continue to offer programs and special events, participants are encouraged to purchase a fishing license at the Natural Resource Education Center, at a license agent, or online at nj.aspirafocus.com/internetsales.

For program updates subscribe to the Education E-mail List

Follow NJ Fish and Wildlife on Eventbrite eventbrite.com/o/nj-fish-and-wildlife-34051889281

 

 

To Rake or Not To Rake

It's time to start raking leaves. Or is it?

Most of us rake up our leaves. Some of us bag them, some can dump them on the roadside and let the town pick them up. Fewer people mulch them. But you might want to consider letting them stay where they fall.

The leaves that fall and stay there in woods (known as leaf litter) are habitat for salamanders, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, worms, and lots of insects that most of can't identify.

Leaves are important for wildlife and there is a cycle of life contained there. If you raked under that fallen forest log, you would be destroying some wildlife.

One species you might find there are the butterflies that find shelter (in the egg, pupal, or adult form) as a protected place to over winter and wait for spring.

Besides shelter, leaves offer food to some invertebrates who in turn help break down the leaves, which feeds the soil.

Deeper piles support spiders but ladybugs, salamanders, toads, and other predators of pest insects (like aphids) are fine with naturally occurring piles.

Of course, I understand if you don't want piles on your front lawn, but consider leaving a pile or two in the backyard corner. When spring comes, you can watch the birds picking through the leaves in search of a natural meal.

And more people are trying out leaving the leaves and using them as mulch or running a mulching mower over them and letting the leaves help the lawn's soil.

Leaving them is not as easy with all the oak leaves that I have in my backyard. Their size and chemicals make them slower to break down than most other deciduous tree leaves. They might form a mat that could actually rot your plants underneath.

Even if you rake your leaves or don't have leaves to clean up, there is the possibility for a good lesson here for kids on what is "alive" in and under those leaf piles.

Check out these sites for information about leaves, raking (or not raking), and leaf pile  wildlife:
agreenhand.com/who-lives-in-the-leaves-great-play-outdoors-fun/
beautifulwildlifegarden.com
healinglandscapes.org
insects.about.com

                 

And don't forget The Lorax  by Dr. Seuss. I wrote a post about that book elsewhere but it's a good environmental stewardship tale for all of us.

NJ Native Fish Art and Writing Contest

One of the 2011 Winning entries

The Native Fish Art and Writing Contest is an annual contest, sponsored by Trout Unlimited. It is open to all New Jersey students in grades 4 through 7.

Teachers should know that 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).

To enter the contest, participants need to research one of New Jersey's native fish. With the information gained from their research, students 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 be original and include correct biological and ecological information about the fish. Things to include in the story are habitat, food, habits, and any other ecological information that pertains to that fish. The fish species must be named in the story and the fish must be native to New Jersey. Stories must be 500 words or more and typed.

The drawing of the native New Jersey fish can be done in acrylics, pencils, watercolors, oil, oil pastels, crayons or ink. Art must be original and depict a scene from the story. The finished size of the artwork must be 8.5 x 11 inches.

Entries will be judged on both the artwork and the short story.

There are first and second place winners in each of the following categories: 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, and 7th grade. All winners will receive a certificate and fishing equipment. First place winners will also receive a youth membership in Trout Unlimited. In addition, each winner and their immediate family will be invited to the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center in Warren County for a luncheon and awards ceremony on the morning of opening day of trout season (Saturday, April 7 in 2012). Winners will also be able to fish at the Pequest Fishing Education Pond.

Entries must be received by Friday, March 2, 2012. Entries must include the entrant's name, home address, home telephone number, grade and school name. Failure to include this information will lead to disqualification. All entries become the property of the Division of Fish and Wildlife and will not be returned.

Submit entries to:
Native Fish Art and Writing Contest
NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife
605 Pequest Rd.
Oxford, NJ 07863

Winners are notified within 2 weeks following the contest deadline. No other notifications are sent.

Note that this contest is not affiliated with Wildlife Forever's State Fish Art Contest. For information on their contest, see www.statefishart.com.

Follow these links for information on New Jersey Fish

• Freshwater Fish
• Saltwater Fish
• True New Jersey Natives (PDF)
• N.J. Fish Fact Sheets

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

Earth Science Week October 10-16

The American Geological Institute (AGI) invites teachers and students to take part in Earth Science Week 2010 during October 10-16.

Earth Science Week 2010 will encourage people everywhere to explore the natural world and learn about the geosciences.

“Exploring Energy,” the theme of Earth Science Week 2010, will engage young people and the public in learning about Earth's energy reources.

Since October 1998, the American Geological Institute has organized this national and international event to help the public gain a better understanding and appreciation for the Earth Sciences and to encourage stewardship of the Earth.

Click on the following links to see the many ways that everyone can participate in Earth Science Week.

• Mission and Theme:
  Check out the Earth Science Week mission and objectives.
• Events Near You:
  Find Earth Science Week events in your community.
• Earth Science Week Newsletter:
  Read our newsletter.
  
• Past Earth Science Week Highlights:
  Look at what went on during past Earth Science Weeks.
• Future Dates:
  Link here to information about future Earth Science Week dates and themes.
• Our Sponsors:
  AGI would like to extend a special thank you to all who have provided support for Earth Science Week.
• Order an Earth Science Week Toolkit!

 AGI hosts Earth Science Week in cooperation with sponsors as a service to the public and the geoscience community. Each year, local groups, educators, and interested individuals organize celebratory events. Earth Science Week offers opportunities to discover the Earth sciences and engage in responsible stewardship of the Earth. The program is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA, the National Park Service, the AAPG Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, ExxonMobil, ESRI, and other geoscience groups.

Volunteers Needed For Oyster Restoration on August 16

NJ Audubon's Nature Center of Cape May The Cousteau Center at Bridgeton is seeking volunteers on August 16, 2010 to assist with the Project PORTS (Promoting Oyster Restoration through Schools) project.

Project PORTS is a community-based restoration project that engages school children in activities associated with the enhancement of oyster habitat at the Gandy's Beach Oyster Restoration Enhancement Area.

shells with spat

Students construct shell bags, which are deployed in the bay to become a settlement surface, and home to millions of young oysters. Participating schools, PORTS Partner Schools, receive a truckload of clam shells, which are placed in stretchy mesh bags by students on site at the school. The bags are then transported to a lower Bay Cape Shore site where they are deployed for two months in the summer to capture the settling oysters known as spat.

The oyster spat and shell are transplanted to the upper Bay Gandy's Beach location will they will remain to grow, thrive, and provide important ecological benefits to the Bay ecosystem.

This work complements the State and Federal fishery-centered restoration efforts and demonstrates a way that local citizens can invest in the Delaware Bay and feel a personal commitment for its stewardship.

This year students at partner schools constructed 2700 shell bags. The shell bags were placed in the lower Bay in late June and have since been collecting thousands, if not millions of oyster spat.

These young oysters will be transplanted to upper bay conservation and fishery areas on August 16.

PORTS needs at least 30 volunteers on August 15 and 16 to help prepare and load the bags onto skiffs for transport.

Mature oyster

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica is one of, if not the most important species of the Delaware Estuary.

Dating back thousands of years, the oyster has served as a keystone organism in the estuary, positively influencing water quality and providing food, habitat, and refuge to countless organisms. Challenged by disease, habitat deterioration, and overfishing, the resource is presently a fraction of what it once was.

Celebrate Endangered Species Day on May 21, 2010

Celebrate Endangered Species Day on May 21, 2010.

Endangered Species Day is an opportunity for people young and old to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions that people can take to help protect our nation’s disappearing wildlife and last remaining open space.

Protecting America’s wildlife and plants today is a legacy we leave to our children and grandchildren, so that all Americans can experience the rich variety of native species that help to define our nation.

Started by the United States Senate, Endangered Species Day is the third Friday in May.

Every year, thousands of people throughout the country celebrate Endangered Species Day at parks, wildlife refuges, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, libraries, schools and community centers.

You can participate in festivals, field trips, park tours, community clean-ups, film showings, classroom presentations, and many other fun and educational activities.

Find everything you need in the Endangered Species Day Toolkit, including a step-by-step guide to planning an Endangered Species Day event and materials to make your event fun and successful.

Teachers and other educators find resources in Endangered Species Day Educational Materials. This guide includes lesson plans, handouts and fact sheets.

Teaching Kids About Horseshoe Crabs

Horseshoe crabs are a good species to introduce to kids. They are both frighteningly strange looking and dinosaur-interesting. And in New Jersey, they are likely to be encountered on our beaches.

The spring migration of many species of shorebirds coincides with the arrival of the horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay. Bird counts of migratory shorebirds show disturbing decreases in numbers, and those who study the migrations see a correlation shorebird population declines and horseshoe crab over-harvesting.

Horseshoe crabs have survived 300 million years of a changing planet, but may not survive human interference. Loss of habitat is a concern, but the use of the crabs as bait is possibly even more of a threat.

These books offer a nice pathway into understanding this species for young readers.



Part story and part science lesson, Crab Moon (ages 5-9) is the story of seven-year-old Daniel and his mother who watch horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on the beach near their cottage in the moonlight of the full moon. I like that his mom remembers the seasonal spawning of horseshoe crabs on this same beach from her own childhood.

I also like the story's coda when Daniel "one last, lonely crab marooned upside down" and after some hesitation (horseshoe crabs can be scary looking!) he rights her, and follows her back to the sea.

Also



Harry Horseshoe Crab, A Tale of Crawly Creatures


The Crab from Yesterday: The Life-Cycle of a Horseshoe Crab


More on horseshoe crabs in New Jersey

40 School Greening Projects for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

Earth Day Network and environmental educators worldwide are committed to making our schools more sustainable. Through school greening projects, they make our school yards, facilities, and curricula healthier, more efficient, and more enriching.

Installing solar panels, building school gardens, installing efficient lighting fixtures, conserving water, and implementing environmental curricula are just some of the ways in which we do this. They each create engaging learning spaces across the globe while reducing their carbon footprint.


What is a Green School?

Green Schools are the most effective agents for enacting significant positive environmental and educational change in schools and communities. School greening is quickly becoming more than a trend; rather, it is now the method of choice for providing healthy, comfortable and productive learning environments while saving energy, resources and money.

A green school improves the health and energy-efficiency of the school facility, ensures science-based environmental and civic education in the classroom, implements healthy food choices into the cafeteria, promotes alternative means of transportation, and expands recreational choices and opportunities for all students.

The benefits of green schools are now well established and range from significant reductions in greenhouse gases to impressive energy cost savings, improved student test scores and higher teacher and student retention, as well as very impressive improvements in children’s health. Studies have demonstrated that green schools greatly reduce student sick days, significantly improve the health of students with diabetes, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, reduce social inequity, enhance student motivation in both the short and long term, and provide an educationally rich setting.

Despite what many people think, green schools cost on average less than 2% more to build than a traditional school, yet the payback often occurs within only a few years due to the energy savings alone. A green school typically utilizes 33% less energy and 32% less water – enough savings to hire two additional full-time teachers.

Ultimately greening America’s schools presents an extraordinary cost-effective opportunity to improve the health and educational settings for all students, increasing school equality and competiveness while reducing long-term health and operational costs.

More at http://www.earthday.net/greenyourschool



Green School Primer: Lessons in Sustainability (Architecture)
Teaching Green - The High School Years: Hands-on Learning in Grades 9-12
A Guide to Green School Success: A Maryland Initiative
Ecological Design and Building Schools: Green Guide to Educational Opportunities in the United States and Canada

 

PBS Teacher Materials for Earth Day

PBS IN EDUCATION has teacher materials to help celebrate Earth Day.

PBS Teachers offers an Earth Day Activity Pack http://www.pbs.org/teachers/activitypacks/science/earthday/ for educators to use in the classroom or to post on their classroom, school or favorite social networking Web sites.

The Activity Pack is designed for multiple grade levels and contains links to Earth Day-themed education resources and activities from PBS to support environmental awareness.

Also check out the PBS Teachers STEM Education Resource Center http://www.pbs.org/teachers/stem/, which contains science, technology, engineering and math educator resources including an online video collection that explores some of their iconic STEM related content for preK-12 educators.

Green Schools and Environmental Education

Earth Day Network's successful history of working with teachers, PTAs, students and school administrators has led them to develop a long term, national campaign on green schools.

The National GREEN Schools Campaign, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and The Clinton Foundation, aims to green all of America's K-12 schools within a generation.

A school becomes “green” through a variety of means.  By having more sustainable, energy-efficient, low-resource-using school buildings and school yards, our nation saves energy, reduces carbon emissions, and saves money.

Earth Day Network sees environmental education as a core of its mission and is a globally recognized leader in the fields of environmental education and green schools. Their education programs carry a successful history of providing educators, students and the general public with resources and solutions to create a healthier, more sustainable planet.

The online Educators’ Network is a free tool connecting over 25,000 educators with hundreds of environmental education curricula and resources. The newest curriculum unit, released for the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, is a comprehensive study of the history of the environmental movement, complete with standards-based lesson plans and multimedia resources.

Our Education grant programs are changing the face of environmental education on a global scale. Schools involved in our grant programs are saving money, reducing pollution and improving their communities – proving our potential to help prepare students for the 21st century learning environment.


Earth Day Network's Environmental Education Program is one of the most innovative and successful in the U.S., providing tools to educators and students for integrating environmental issues into core curriculum across disciplines and grade levels, in and out of the classroom.

A variety of lesson plans are available online in the themed areas of:

• Sustainability
• Climate
• Natural Resources and Wildlife
• Energy
• Civics Education
• Thoreau
• Organics and Food
• Other
• Monthly Lesson Plans

Endangered Species Teaching Units

There are 5 lessons on Endangered Species available from Ithaca College. All materials are classroom-ready, including: teacher guides, student handouts, overviews, and assessments

Lesson 1: History of Endangered Species
Lesson 2: Case Study -- Human/Animal Relations (Video)
Lesson 3: Case Study -- Northern Rockies Grey Wolf (Print)
Lesson 4: Case Study -- Rainforest Biodiversity (Video)
Lesson 5: Case Study -- Frogs and Atrazine (Print)

http://www.ithaca.edu/looksharp

Teaching Endangered Species - Including Plants

Last week, I received an email from a New Jersey teacher asking for information about endangered plant species. I get a few emails each month from teachers. Usually, I can direct them to sites or resources. Sometimes they ask tough questions about specific species that really require a response from one of the sate biologists.

Although I post occasionally on the site about plants, endangered plants in NJ, the focus is more about animal species.

I am a volunteer in the state's endangered species program and the speaker's bureau but the focus there is also fish and wildlife.

Searching online and in this blog's archive turned up some resources which I passed on to the teacher.

These sites are the official NJ ones for plants, but I'm not sure how appropriate the info will be for younger students (the teacher was in grades 1-3), but knowing teachers, she will probably be able to adapt for those grades.

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/natural/endplants.html

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/spplant.html

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/plant/ (For information regarding this site, they list as a contact Terri.Tucker@dep.state.nj.u)

You might be able to use the plants list http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/feb2009plantlist.pdf and then research specific species.

You also might find some useful posts in the education category of this blog or the education category.

It's great to see how many teachers are using endangered and threatened species in their classrooms.

Here's a slide presentation I found online from one teacher "wea33".

The home page for education from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection is a good starting place at all levels - from a NJ wildlife coloring book to fishing education classes at the Pequest Hatchery.

Teachers should also consider the Division of Fish and Wildlife's e-mail "mailing lists" that will update you about important news, events, rule changes or other matters related to wildlife in the categories of:
Freshwater Fishing
Marine Fisheries
Shellfish
Hunting
Endangered Species
General Wildlife
Fish and Wildlife Education
NJ Outdoors 


And there are plenty of books that teachers can purchase of get from libraries to use.

• The Atlas of Endangered Species
• Witness: Endangered Species of North America
• Endangered: Wildlife on the Brink of Extinction
• The Endangered Species Act: History, Conservation Biology and Public Policy
• Endangered Species (Helping Children Learn)
• Endangered Species (Saving Our World)
• Save the Endangered Species Series

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/

The New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program

The New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program is a community-oriented AmeriCorps environmental program coordinated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and is designed to raise awareness about watersheds in New Jersey.

Through this program, AmeriCorps members are placed in watershed management areas across the state to serve the educational water-related interests of their local communities. The program invited all ages of citizens to improve the quality of New Jersey's waterways and water quality.

Watershed Ambassadors monitor the rivers of New Jersey through volunteer monitoring programs and train community volunteers to use monitoring techniques in order to assess the health of waterways within their communities.

Ambassadors also make presentations to schools and community organizations for free. These interactive presentations explore water quality and watershed related topics in New Jersey, provide information about water and watershed issues, and hopefully empower residents to get involved in their own watershed.

The Project Learning Tree Curriculum

Project Learning Tree is a nationally recognized environmental education curriculum supplement that provides educators with tools for increasing student environmental awareness.

Using the forest as a "window" into exploration of local and global environments, students of PLT are made aware of the ecological, historical, cultural, and economical perspectives of resource management. Through this awareness we are able to make wise decisions concerning the conservation and stewardship of our natural resources.

Pre-K-8 Activity Guide
Correlated to New Jersey's standards, the Project Learning Tree Pre-K-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide includes nearly 100 activities in a story-line technique covering themes of diversity, interrelationships, systems, structure and scale, and patterns of change. View a sample activity

PLT PreK-8 Workshops
•Receive a PreK-8 PLT Activity Guide
•Learn about trees and forest ecology through hands-on activities
•Earn professional development

View the workshop schedule

Secondary Modules
The Secondary Modules, a series of supplement guides filled with lessons, engage students in exercises that bring awareness of current issues to knowledge and positive action. The hands-on, interdisciplinary lessons use cooperative learning, problem solving, and assessments. Each module provides detailed background information on the subject and suggestions for action within your school's community.

Modules available:
Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Forests
The Changing Forest: Forest Ecology
Exploring Environmental Issues: Municipal Solid Waste
Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Risk
Global Connections: Forests of the World
Exploring Environmental Issues: Places We Live
Exploring Environmental Issues: Biodiversity

School Yard Habitats

The New Jersey Coalition for School Yard Habitats has helped dozens of schools throughout New Jersey develop and maintain on-site outdoor classrooms that are used by students.

These habitats can be used across disciplines - not just in science, but in social studies, language arts, mathematics and art.

Imagine students being actively engaged in learning while using outdoor trails, butterfly and flower gardens, man-made ponds and wetlands, observation decks, bird blinds, amphitheaters and diverse wooded areas. Such sites are both popular as well as possible on most school properties, including very built urban and suburban environments.

The New Jersey Coalition for Schoolyard Habitats is dedicated to training, networking and promoting the development or enhancement of schoolyard habitat projects for educational purposes. NJDEP's Division of Fish & Wildlife workshops (WILD School Sites) are open to any teacher or environmental resource person interested in establishing, maintaining, and effectively using this type of learning environment.

The coalition is an affiliate of the Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE). Staff within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection helped develop the coalition and assist with coordinating its activities.

The NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife offers certification and a sign proclaiming certified "Wild School Site" status for schools that meet the criteria for certification. They also offer mentoring to teachers who need help getting started and can facilitate training opportunities among coalition members.

Teaching NJ's Herptile Wildlife Species

Southern leopard frog
seen in Double Trouble State Park,
Lacey & Berkeley Townships, NJ.
Originally uploaded by Brett NJ

The Division of Fish and Wildlife has a educational materials focusing on the state's amphibian and reptile (herptile) wildlife species.

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey has assembled a resource package to help teachers educate students about New Jersey's reptiles and amphibians.

The package includes the Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of NJ and Calls of NJ Frogs and Toads CD, the Field Guide to Salamanders, Frogs and Toads of New Jersey's Vernal Pools and a teacher's guide full of activities and lesson plans for grades 5-9.

The activities are correlated to the state's Core Curriculum Content Standards.

Resource Package Flyer and Order Form (pdf, 50kb)

Below are links to pages concerning New Jersey's herp populations.

Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of NJ and related CD
Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of NJ and Related CD Order Form
Herp Atlas Project

Environmental Field Trips In and Out of the Classroom

One of the favorite days for any student is a field trip. These days, field trips for classes are far fewer than the once were due to the costs and paperwork involved for teachers.

Still, there are lots of opportunities in NJ for field trips by classes OR for students to take with their families on weekends and vacations.

New Jersey's residents can appreciate the state's rich natural heritage - wetlands, beaches, rivers, lakes, pinelands, forests, plateaus and numerous species of plants and wildlife.

How did residents live long ago? How does the state serve as steward to the forests, wildlife and waterways under its protection? What critical environmental issues are the DEP and other environmental organizations concerned with?

Students visit the "Sugar Shack" at the Forest Resource Education Center (FREC),
operated by the New Jersey Forest Service,
located in Jackson Township in northern Ocean County.

The FREC property contains 660 acres of forested uplands and hardwood swamps bordering the headwaters of the Toms River. The New Jersey Forest Tree Nursery utilizes 45 acres of the site for the propagation and production of more than 300,000 seedlings annually for reforestation and community forestry programs throughout the state.

The experienced staff at the new Interpretive Center provides comprehensive interactive programs for schools, scout and civic groups on the 5.5-mile Project Learning Trail. Outdoor Learning Stations with informational kiosks and "talking trees" are located along the trails.

Programs are designed for families, individuals, classes, youth groups and organizations. Some locations also offer outreach and in-class programs.

There are printable (pdf) documents for many trips, such as:

• Lost in the Woods - Child Survival Program
• Monmouth Battlefield State Park
• Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center
• Save Water! Outreach & Education Resources
• Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center
• Smokey Bear Forest Fire Prevention Program
• Speakers Program
• Teachers' Guide to Educational Programs with New Jersey State Parks, Forests, Recreation Areas, Historic Sites and the Forest Resource Education Center
• Adopt-A-Species
• Air Quality Education
• Allaire State Park
• Be Bear Aware: "Know the Bear Facts" Program

Education Links from NJ DEP

We would be remiss if we did not talk this week about the NJ Department of Environmental Protection's own Fish and Wildlife education resources page.

The Division of Fish and Wildlife conducts a variety of educational programs for beginning hunters, anglers, teachers and the general public. Take advantage of these opportunities to increase your knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of the outdoors and New Jersey's rich fish and wildlife resources.

A good starting place is DEP's State Environmental Education Directory (SEEDS) website which was designed, and is maintained by, the Environmental Education Program in the Constituent Services Office, part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The site is updated on a regular basis. Its comprehensiveness and currency are made possible through the ongoing cooperation of numerous department programs and staff.

SEEDS promotes environmental education information and resources that are directly supported by DEP, either through its programs or through formal and ongoing alliances and partnerships, and educates the public about the field of environmental education, including its purpose, goals and role in the DEP.

The availability of the resources, expertise and materials listed varies from program to program. In most cases the materials are free of copyright restrictions and can be freely reproduced.

Users of these materials, projects and programs should note that they usually can be adapted to many instructional settings and audiences beyond what is recommended at this site.

The field of environmental education (EE), directed towards youth, families and individuals, has been a component of statewide programming supported by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) since the early 1980s. It complements their regulatory and enforcement efforts.

DEP's conservation, natural resource education and interpretive efforts serve to educate people of all ages while providing opportunity for experiential education, recreation, management and planning exercises, research and outdoor study.

Environmental education is critical because complex environmental challenges require a well trained and environmentally aware workforce and an educated public who have the knowledge and skills to participate in solving these problems. Environmental education is also relevant because it helps to ensure the health and welfare of New Jersey by protecting human health; advancing quality education; expanding employment opportunities; promoting sustainable development; best practices and practical uses of technology; applying the latest scientific data, information and practices to New Jersey issues and places; and protecting the state's natural heritage.