Stewardship Blog

Forest restoration after the storm

G MacGregor — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:42:00 GMT

Whether or not you own a one-acre or 200-acre wooded lot, you may have experienced significant forest disturbance as a result of Hurricane Sandy. While catastrophic events such as high winds, ice storms or fire are a natural part of shaping our forests, as a landowner it can be difficult to accept the post-storm forest and the urge to clean up can be overwhelming. To a degree, debris removal, removing partially fallen trees, and filling in big holes in the ground can aid in forest restoration. NJ Audubon suggests considering a combination of clean-up and “hands-off” to achieve a more natural environment that provides new wildlife habitat and encourages vegetation re-growth.

Recommendation 1: Retain Some Coarse Woody Debris

Coarse woody debris (CWD) includes fallen trees and large branches that are on the forest floor as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Some amount of CWD should be left as is in the forest as it has both wildlife and nutritive value in terms of organic matter inputs and energy/nutrient flows. CWD has habitat benefits for a wide variety of wildlife from insects to large mammals by serving as nesting, denning, foraging or cover habitat. Accordingly, CWD of various sizes (diameter and length) and at various stages of decay are an important part of the forest component and supporting a variety of wildlife.

The exact amount of retained woody debris is difficult to quantify and not well understood. In natural landscapes, CWD may be clumped or randomly distributed, typical of forests impacted by a range of events from isolated disease to catastrophic disturbances such as wind throw. Leaving a small amount of CWD in each storm impacted area would be a good way to mimic the natural presentation of CWD in the forest.

Recommendation 2: Retain Some Brush Piles

Where CWD would be individual logs and large branches lying on the forest floor, brush piles would be areas of smaller branches and storm debris that are piled or clumped together. Brush piles are important wildlife habitat providing nesting and cover, particularly to small mammals and birds. In a natural forest environment “brush piles” may be the result of variable sized branches fallen from trees. Like CWD, they may be randomly distributed about the forest. Creating small brush piles creates microhabitat that is not only important to wildlife, but provides some level of protection for new vegetation.

Recommendation 3: Retention of Pit and Mound topography

A hallmark of old, natural forests is the presence of pit and mound topography. This type of typography is the result of uprooted trees, creating both a pit where the root system formerly was, and a mound where the root system is now exposed. Similar to CWD, important wildlife habitat can be created as a result of uprooted trees. The pit, depending on soil conditions, may retain water, creating a vernal pool, ideal for amphibians and macroinvertebrates. Additionally, the mounds are important sites for tree regeneration. Small seedlings may begin to appear on the mound and, given the elevation off the forest floor, these seedlings are somewhat protected from predation thus allowing this new age class of trees to develop in the forest. Rather than cutting all trees such that the root mass falls back, pit and mound topography can be retained in combination with retention of CWD.

Recommendation 4: Replanting with Compatible Native Species

Looking to the benefit of a catastrophic event such as Hurricane Sandy, we now have an opportunity to create some diversity of age classes in the forest. A diverse age class is important not only for overall forest health, but provides a more heterogeneous habitat that can support a wider diversity of wildlife dependent on trees of different densities and sizes. A forest with this structure also encourages growth of native saplings. Perhaps consider increasing forest diversity with compatible native vegetation of various sizes to assist in forest restoration. If planting in small canopy gaps (two or three trees in size) tree species that are at least tolerant of partial shade should be used. Soil and moisture conditions are also important when evaluating what species are appropriate to replant. For example, in small gaps with moist soils, black gum and swamp white oak might be good choices, while hickory and white oak could be planted in drier locations. For larger openings where more light is available, tulip poplar, red oak, black or pin oak might be added into the mix. In addition understory vegetation, such as maple-leaf viburnum, spice bush or witch-hazel may be nice additions to the forest. Plantings can be done in conjunction with retention of CWD, brush piles and pit and mound topography to help provide some level of protection from browse.

Recommendation 5: Maintaining Important Ecological Components

Some of the trees that Sandy affected the most in NJ forests were coniferous, many of which served an important role for a variety of wildlife. In southern New Jersey, pockets of the already rare Atlantic White Cedar (AWC) were toppled during the storm. AWC is considered a globally rare forest type that harbors some very particular wildlife. Ensuring that these forests regenerate with cedar, and not other species such as red maple, will be critical to the continued existence of the animals and insects that depend on AWC for some part of their life cycle. In the hardwood dominated forests of northern New Jersey, hundreds of acres of evergreens were affected by the storm. While the evergreens here only compromise a small percentage of the overall forest, they do provide an element of diversity that would otherwise be lacking. Many of the affected trees are within plantations of non-indigenous species that were established during the days of the Civilian Conservation Corps. While some might argue that a species such as Norway spruce is not native to New Jersey, and is therefore no great loss because it wasn’t supposed to be here, it is important to remember that these evergreens still provide critical habitat for some wildlife species. For example, Norway spruce stands many be the last stronghold for red squirrel populations in north jersey, and many owls prefer nesting in spruce in lieu of nearby hardwoods. Given the fact that for a variety of reasons we continue to see declines in the presence of native conifers that have historically been part of the northern NJ forests, it is extremely important that we work to restore some of these losses. In the case of some non-native plantations blown over in the storm, we are presented with an opportunity to restore them with an evergreen species that is better suited to our area and still maintain that diversity.

Volunteers Restore the Forests at Cape May Point State Park

Kristen Meistrell — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:34:54 GMT

New Jersey Audubon’s Stewardship staff have been working to restore maritime forest in Cape May Point State Park since 2011, and much of the success can be attributed to the hard work of dedicated volunteers. On a cold, rainy Saturday in April, a group of volunteers joined NJ Audubon staff and state park staff in removing garlic mustard and other non-native invasive plants from the Seagrove Avenue restoration site. The group’s hard work, which resulted in a dump truck full of invasive plants, is critical to the restoration of this unique ecosystem.

The Cape May Peninsula is known around the world for its migratory bird concentrations while also providing habitat for many rare species, including the state endangered Cope’s Gray treefrog. Maritime forests found on the peninsula are unique plant communities comprising of coastal dune woodlands and forested uplands, which provide vital resources for the Peninsula’s migrant and resident wildlife. In Cape May, many of these forests have become degraded due to invasive plants that threaten biodiversity and ecosystem structure. For this restoration project, NJ Audubon and Cape May Point State Park aim to improve ecosystem health by removing invasive plants while preserving mature trees and encouraging new native growth. A combination of hand weeding, forestry mowing, and herbicide application has been implemented, a strategy that has shown to be effective in combating invasive plants. This integration of techniques has already shown great success, including regeneration of native black cherry, sassafras, and aster.

For this particular volunteer event, the team focused on hand pulling garlic mustard, a widespread invasive plant that produces abundant seeds in its second year. This plant is also known to change the composition of the soil by interfering with mycorrhizal fungi, or fungi of the root zone, which help many plants uptake essential minerals. These characteristics help garlic mustard out-compete native species, leading to limited plant diversity on the forest floor. Pulling these plants before they go to seed can help decrease garlic mustard and increase native regeneration, biodiversity, and resources for many wildlife species.

Although this is a long-term project that requires careful monitoring and diligence, the positive results seen each year are a testament to the hard work performed by our dedicated volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering for NJ Audubon on this project, please contact Kristen Meistrell at (609) 861-1608 ext. 29 or kristen.meistrell@njaudubon.org. This project has been made possible through funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Atlantic City Electric, and the William Penn Foundation.

Moore's Beach Restoration Underway

G MacGregor — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 00:39:00 GMT

--Written by Jean Lynch, photos by Jean Lynch

Moore's Beach is a classic Delaware Bayshore site-a mile and a half long access road, flanked by salt marsh, leads you to a narrow beach with almost a mile of shoreline. This site is used by native wildlife such as diamondback terrapins, horseshoe crabs, shorebirds, raptors, and laughing gulls; in fact, it used to be one of the Bayshore's most heavily used shorebird stopover sites during spring migration. The land is owned by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and is officially part of Heislerville Wildlife Management Area.

Despite its historical condition, the site is marred by tons of rubble from years ago, a legacy of a community defending itself against storm surges and rising seas. When the land was acquired by the state, the homes and the majority of the infrastructure were removed. Years later the beach still retains a large amount of rubble, including cinder blocks, drain pipes, stone, brick, asphalt, pilings, and other debris. Not only does the debris detract from the experience of visiting Moore’s Beach, but it is also suspected of interfering with the natural dynamics of sand dispersion on the beach, creating obstacles to horseshoe crab movement. Hurricane Sandy eroded the beach further, reducing the amount of quality available nesting and foraging habitat for crabs and birds. The mile and a half-long access road has also become degraded over time, with potholes visible from satellite photos.

View this as the past. For more than a year, NJ Audubon and several partners have been developing the plan to improve this habitat for horseshoe crab spawning and shorebird foraging, and to improve visitor access. Now, thanks in part to attention and resources brought in response to Hurricane Sandy, restoration of the beach is underway.

As of this writing, the road is being patched to allow heavy equipment to reach the beach. Once the road has been adequately prepared, equipment will be brought onto the beach to conduct large-scale rubble removal. We hope to have the rubble removal completed by the end of April, in time for this year’s shorebird migration! Work not completed by that time, including sand replenishment, will be undertaken after the migration and bird breeding season are over. Other improvements we are striving for include interpretive signs, a viewing platform, parking and other enhancements for visitors and wildlife.

Our partners include the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, owners of the site, and LJ Niles Associates LLC. Larry Niles and Dianne Daly deserve special recognition for their key leadership roles on the project. Funding in support of the project has been provided by the DuPont Clear into the Future Program, the State of New Jersey Natural Resource Damages Fund, the Dodge Recovery Fund, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the William Penn Foundation.

Readers should be aware that access to Moore’s Beach is normally restricted from early May to early June to protect migrating shorebirds.

Don't Feed on Me: Foraging and Native Spring Ephemerals

John Parke — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 06:10:14 GMT

As Spring arrives the fields and woodlands begin to wake-up and burst with the emergence of plant life to color the landscape and welcome in the wildlife from the long cold winter. And with the arrival of the new buds, shoots and flowers comes opportunity for us humans to embrace the outdoors and our primal roots and forage!

NJ Audubon believes in the concept of foraging because it is an excellent way to engage the public and educate them about the importance of natural resource protection, habitat and agriculture. Knowing where your food comes from, linking the food to the land, creates better education opportunities for the public to recognize how conservation efforts protect soil, water, wildlife and other natural resources

Where our food comes from and how it is grown (be it on a farm or in nature) has a profound effect on our landscapes, our health, our wildlife and the communities where we live. And how we steward and manage our lands and understand the connections these plants have on an ecosystem is the key to a meaningful, healthy, and enjoyable existence.

However, not all plants may be suitable to forage. Just because it appears in an edible wild plant book, cookbook or website or are being offered for sale for consumption does not always make that plant fair game to forage. Obviously plants that appear in Federal and State Endangered or Threatened species list should not be foraged, but what about other native plants that serve ecological niches in ecosystems. Some of these plants might seem “abundant” in a particular preserve or area that has not yet been disturbed by man but those plants also fill very special functions on the landscape that have direct impact on other species and help maintain ecological balance in the landscape. In particular, I refer to certain native plants called Spring ephemerals.

Spring ephemerals are found throughout the eastern United States and Canada, usually close to the ground in woodlands and floodplains. Examples of spring ephemerals in the Northeast include: Trout lily (Erythronium americanum), Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), Cut-leaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum), and various trilliums (Trillium spp.) to name a few.

Spring ephemerals have a unique growing strategy. They begin to show them themselves above ground during a very small window where the trees do not yet have leaves and they can receiver maximum sunlight. In this short timeframe of a few weeks out of the entire year, the spring ephemeral must grow, leaf-out, flower, be pollinated, produce seeds and die back. By May or June when the trees and shrubs overhead have fully leafed-out and block access to the sunlight the Spring ephemerals have retreated underground until they emerge again the following year.

Spring ephemerals serve many ecological purposes including providing vital early spring food sources for many beneficial insects, when food sources are limited. This is of particular importance to various essential pollinators such as bees, bee flies and butterflies. According to the National Academy of Sciences, close to 75% of the flowering plants on earth rely to some degree on pollinators in order to set seed or fruit. From these plants comes one-third of humankind's food and even greater proportion of the food for much of our wildlife. When you consider how limited early spring food sources are in the landscape for these pollinators, one may re-think foraging for a spring ephemeral, no matter if it just taking a few or many.

Another function spring ephemerals serve is being the main subject of a process called myrmecochory. Myrmecochory is seed dispersal by ants. Spring ephemeral seeds have fatty external appendages called eliaosomes. These elaiosomes attract ants that will carry the seeds back to their nests to feed their young. However once the eliaosmes are eaten the remaining seeds have now been transported to another location to start to germinate to grow another generation of spring ephemeral.

Reports have show that a single ant colony may collect as many as a thousand seeds over a season. However, although many seeds are collected and transported, the transportation of the seed on average in not that far, only on average of about 6 feet. Because offspring remain so local (unlike plants dispersed by wind, larger animals, birds), removal of plants from an area is major threat to the survival of spring ephemerals because once these plants are gone from the forest, it is rare that they return because the seed source is removed

Spring ephemerals are declining in many areas due to development (urbanization and sprawl) climate change, spread of invasive species and deer browse.

Because of their fragile beauty, spring ephemerals are also tempting to being picked for their flowers. Disturbance to these plants, especially digging them out, can severely disturb or kill the slow-growing rootstocks of the ones that remain on the landscape.

So leave these plants and enjoy their fragile beauty in nature where they belong. If you need to pick, then be responsible and choose some lovely but robust invasive plants or noxious weeds which are not as connected to the underlying landscape ecosystem and which are aggressively prolific. Remember, sustainable management of natural resources is essential to make food systems sustainable.

Another Successful Forest Stewardship Council Audit for NJA

G MacGregor — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:49:59 GMT

On April 9^th, 2012 New Jersey Audubon (NJA) became the first organization in the State of New Jersey to become Forest Stewardship Council certified. Now under supervision of the Rainforest Alliance, NJA can provide FSC certification to qualifying NJ landowners. Lands certified under the Forest Stewardship Council are held to a higher standard of land management. NJA has already certified 13,000 forested acres in New Jersey, including both public and private landowners. For more on FSC qualifications and specifics you can refer to an earlier blog post by Stewardship Project Coordinator Jeremy Caggiano. (http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/68/New-Jersey-Audubon-Earns-Forest-Stewardship-Council-FSC-Group-Certificate.aspx)

In order for us to become FSC certified, the Rainforest Alliance had to perform an extensive five day assessment of all enrolled properties. After a successful completion of that first assessment in 2012, NJA was awarded an FSC Group Certificate. On January 16^th, 2013 we underwent our second annual FSC audit. Over the course of one day, the NJA forestry staff was questioned about both past and future forest management activities to ensure cooperation with all FSC guidelines.

The Rainforest Alliance dispatched an auditor from coastal Maine and we convened at the historic Green Pond office on the Newark Watershed. Being from rural Maine, he had a few remarks about the six lane highways and strip malls he had to endure along the journey from Newark International Airport. However, once he arrived at Green Pond, a 250 year old stone house tucked into tall pines and situated on an expansive wetland, he felt more at home.

One of the main goals of the meeting was to prove we were in compliance with a few minor non-conformities that were addressed at last year’s audit. These minor non-conformities are instances where NJA has not met or adequately documented a standard required by the Forest Stewardship Council. These items need to be addressed and corrected within one year to uphold our FSC group certificate. One non-conformity was the illegal trespass in the form of unauthorized vehicle use on some properties, which we addressed by erecting more signage and gates along access points and woods roads. Another required us to carefully map out power line easements, which pass through FSC certified properties but are excluded from the certification. One interesting non-conformity that was addressed was the fact the several of our properties include pine and spruce plantations, some of which are made up of non-native species, like Norway spruce. The Forest Stewardship Council does not allow management of exotic species under their certificate, but in some locations the native trees are suffering due to pests and climate change. Through discussions we were able to work out a compromise in which we may attempt to re-establish alternate species that is adapted to a warmer climate and can provide similar habitat for wildlife. In places where the native evergreens are dying back, such as Eastern hemlock, this strategy may protect critical habitat. All of our non-conformities from 2012 were addressed and have come back into compliance. No new non-conformities were found this year.

After we wrapped up in the office, we headed out to the field to visit a few of our Forest Stewardship Council certified properties in the area. First we visited a Newark Watershed location in Oak Ridge where a large swath of evergreen plantation had been blown down in Hurricane Sandy. Here we discussed our plan to attempt to salvage the fallen timber, which will reduce the fire hazard as well as allow regeneration of a new forest. We also visited NJA’s Janet Van Gelder Wildlife Sanctuary, a proposed location for an evergreen planting to attempt to reforest an area where Eastern Hemlocks are dying back.

The second audit was completed with great success and was an excellent accomplishment for New Jersey Audubon’s ecological forestry project. All the non-conformances from 2012 were corrected and no new infractions on FSC requirements were found. We will continue to maintain the ecological integrity of New Jersey’s forestlands through stewardship and certification. Those interested in certification are encouraged to contact New Jersey Audubon at Wattles Stewardship Center in Port Murray at (908) 837 – 9570.

By: Liz O’Rourke and Lisa Dunne – New Jersey Audubon Forestry Technicians

American Kestrels Become a New Tenant at Trump Property

John Parke — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:47:16 GMT

As the days get longer and the warmer temperatures begin to appear, so do the many familiar sounds of spring, which include the songs of returning migrant birds from their wintering grounds. With some birds traveling thousands of tiresome miles to reach their destination, it is important to provide these species with a welcoming haven to rest and rejuvenate themselves. It is equally important to provide these species with quality living areas, habitat or homes that they expect to find after their long journeys. When creating and providing homes and habitat superior quality, detail and perfection should be your standards.

These are the standards that the Trump Organization demands throughout its projects and as a recent member of New Jersey Audubon's Corporate Stewardship Council (CSC), these are the standards they are implementing for their habitat restoration project at the Trump National Golf Club located in Bedminster, NJ.

Trump National has been working diligently over the winter months to removal non-native invasive vegetation from the property to prepare for native vegetation seeding and plantings this spring. By establishing these habitat meadows around the course, consisting of native wildflowers and warm-season grasses, as well as planting native trees and shrubs around wetland and other riparian zones on the property, the course’s value to migratory birds and pollinators will be significantly enhanced. "It's pretty exciting to see the variety of migrants already coming through the property", said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. "Ring-necked Ducks and Hooded Merganser have already arrived and are using the on-site water features."

Trump staff, with assistance from NJ Audubon and the USFWS, have placed numerous bird nesting boxes on site in anticipation of the spring migrants. Turning a negative into a positive many of the downed trees felled on site from hurricane Sandy, in particular red cedar, were salvaged by Trump staff and utilized for posts for the kestrel nest boxes that have been placed on site.

The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America and it has recently been placed on NJ's Threatened Species list." said Parke. "One of the main reasons for its decline is the lack of habitat and scarcity of nest sites. Being a secondary cavity nester, it does not excavate its own nest cavity, the kestrel requires a hole in a tree, like an abandoned woodpecker hole." added Parke. "However, this little falcon will readily utilize man-made nest boxes. So with the nest boxes in place overlooking the open areas of the course, as well as the grassland restoration areas, I guess you can say that the American Kestrel will now also experience luxury living at a Trump property."

Photos by John Parke and B. Dalton

Pine Island Cranberry Co. Becomes First Agricultural Entity to Join NJ Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council

John Parke — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:03:00 GMT

Chatsworth, Burlington County, NJ – Pine Island Cranberry Co. (PICC), a leader in cranberry production in NJ, has joined NJ Audubon's Corporate Stewardship Council (CSC), which is a unique group of 18 New Jersey companies united behind a common goal of environmental sustainability and responsibility in NJ. By becoming a member of the Council, PICC has the distinction to be the first agricultural production company member in the Council's five year existence. Not only does PICC bring an agricultural perspective to the Council, but its membership also brings with it the largest stewardship project to date in the Council. Specifically, a 14,000-acre project site involving large scale forest stewardship work in the heart of the New Jersey Pinelands. This project is also the first forest stewardship project to be part of the Council membership.

A 122-year-old family owned cranberry business, Pine Island Cranberry has been managing and performing sustainable forestry practices for several years under a State approved Forest Stewardship Plan (FSP). The FSP emphasizes long-term active forest management on a landscape scale, while enhancing a wide range of forest resources, wildlife habitat, and ecosystem services. The plan, which was developed by NJ State Approved Forester Bob Williams of Land Dimensions Engineering in Glassboro NJ, utilizes a variety of forestry prescriptions and techniques, including prescribed burning, to control invasive vegetation and stimulate native plant growth. The forest stewardship work being conducted at PICC promotes forest regeneration, health, and vigor, while also providing critical habitat for various wildlife species and unique plants.

“We are truly excited to welcome Pine Island Cranberry Company into the Corporate Stewardship Council!" said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. "The work Pine Island Cranberry Company is doing through forest stewardship is exemplary. We commend Pine Island for being a model business that understands that the management of natural resources makes both economic and ecological sense. Thus, they are providing quality forest and farm products which help support the NJ economy, while protecting the future of New Jersey’s critical habitat and farmland. Meaningful and sustainable conservation is difficult to achieve without the knowledge and experience of people, like Bill Haines of Pine Island and his forester Bob Williams, who live and work on the land.” Parke added.

“Pine Island Cranberry is proud to join the NJ Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council. Our pride in growing high-quality, nutritious cranberries is matched by our love and respect for the land and our people. We are honored to be affiliated with an organization that shares our core values.” said Bill Haines, Jr., owner and CEO of Pine Island Cranberry Company. For more information about Pine Island Cranberry Company please visit http://www.picranberry.com/

Jersey Central Power & Light Provides Key Improvement to Critical Habitat Project in New Jersey

John Parke — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:35:33 GMT

South Branch Wildlife Management Area, Somerset/Hunterdon Counties, N.J. – Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) initiated its first habitat restoration project as part of the company’s participation in NJ Audubon's Corporate Stewardship Council (CSC), at the South Branch Wildlife Management Area. Volunteering to remove and recycle nearly a mile of old wire, 18 transformers and 40 utility poles left on site by the former owner, JCP&L provided this key improvement to the critical habitat at this 422-acre site that has been undergoing large scale restoration efforts over the last four years.

Identified as one of the most important in the region for protecting nesting populations of threatened and endangered grassland birds, the South Branch Wildlife Management Area has become a model site for how both wildlife and agriculture can coexist. Working with a local farmer, a unique partnership between the Hunterdon County Department of Parks and Recreation, the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, and New Jersey Audubon was formed in 2006 with a goal of managing the site for grassland habitat and grassland dependent species. Consequently, portions of this site have since been transformed from scrubby invasive plant habitat to native grasses that provide critical habitat for a number of rare species including Bobolinks, Grasshopper Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks, and Savannah Sparrows.

"Grassland birds require large, open treeless areas of grass and sedge meadow. One issue at the South Branch WMA site was that the old utility wires and poles remaining on site were attracting Brown-headed Cowbirds." said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. "Cowbirds were a big concern in that they are nest parasites, laying eggs in other birds’ nests for the hosts to raise as their own. The wires and poles at the South Branch WMA were used by cowbirds as vantage points to observe the activity of host birds and identify locations of the nests of these rare grassland species. Grassland birds typically require large contiguous areas of grassland with few trees or perch sites for species such as cowbirds and hawks. One of the keys to discouraging cowbird parasitism or controlling populations of Brown-headed Cowbirds, is to remove perch sites, especially within or surrounding the grassland habitat. This is exactly what JCP&L has done and it has improved the habitat value at the South Branch WMA immensely! Over the next several breeding seasons we expect to see many more grassland birds successfully raise young. New Jersey Audubon and the other partners involved in the project cannot thank JCP&L enough for this work and their commitment to help steward this habitat." added Parke.

A few utility poles were strategically left standing to allow for nest boxes to be attached to them. JCP&L assisted with the installation of the nest boxes specific for other grassland dependent birds that are also state listed species, specifically American Kestrel and Barn Owl. Both species are cavity nesters and require large expanses of open grassland to forage, which South Branch WMA provides.

“The South Branch Wildlife Management Area provides a much needed grassland habitat and is a model for how partnerships can help protect the environment,” said JCP&L President, Don Lynch. “Removing the poles, wires and transformers will help ensure that the birds have a natural habitat. We are proud to support the New Jersey Audubon Society’s Corporate Stewardship Council and its partners in their efforts in restoring the site and look forward to partnering in other projects.”

Tell Us What You See

G MacGregor — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:20:00 GMT

You read on the Stewardship Blog, about looking at nature differently - now visit our sanctuaries and tell us what you see. Post your photos to our Flickr page. Report your bird observations in NJ eBird too. Winter snows and upcoming spring growth offer excellent opportunities to see a wide variety of wildlife at New Jersey Audubon's wildlife sanctuaries. Visitors such as yourself are critical to helping us record the various species found on site, from grey squirrels to bobcats, to river otters such as the one here, found at our Wattles Stewardship Center on Januray 12, 2013. Visit our sanctuaries page, pick a spot and take a hike. This time of year animals can not only be identified by visual encounters, but by their tracks. Here are some links to get you started. Click on each below and be routed to the site.

NJ Audubon Sanctuaries

NJ eBird

Animal Track Identification

http://www.flickr.com/groups/njas/

Photo by John Parke

The question is not what you look at, but what you see.

John Parke — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:17:00 GMT

I was recently asked by a colleague if I had any photos of birds that appear around feeders this time of year. She was working on a article about feeding the birds in winter. As I surveyed through my photos I came upon a photo I had taken just the previous week of a bobcat that had just killed a cardinal. "Wow!", I thought to myself, remembering the made for TV moment I had witnessed when I took that photo... and then I thought about something. People forget just how important birds are to the food chain. We always talk about feeding the birds, but remember birds are food too and play an enormous role in the survival of other species.

Setting the Stage - Predator and Prey

An arctic like wind swept across the snow covered fields that January day while hunting with a buddy off Old Mine Road in the Delaware Water Gap. The little thermometer dangling from my field jacket said 17°F, but it felt more like 40 below. Suddenly out of nowhere it appeared, a bobcat slowly sneaking through the little bluestem and cedar succession field. This was the first animal we had encountered all morning -there was nothing moving or flying in this bone-chilling cold. Then from about 20-yards away it saw us and froze in its tracks. It looked at us, just for a second, and then got down low and continued to stalk using the tan colored bluestem grass for cover. When it neared the thorny hedgerow it perked up its ears and pounced fast and hard disappearing behind a tuft of snow covered grass. When it looked up from the grass, flashes of red appeared flapping from its mouth! A male cardinal! The cat watched us there for a full minute, holding the cardinal tightly in its mouth, with almost an expression of relief and satisfaction. I quickly snapped off a few photos and then it turned and as stealthy as it came in, the predator slid off into the underbrush without a sound with its now lifeless prey.

To Be or to Be "Eaten", that is Question

I had previously sent this bobcat photo around to a few friends who I knew would appreciate what I had witnessed in the wild. Predator prey interaction captured by the camera, and a State Endangered bobcat too boot! They all agreed it was very cool to have seen a bobcat, bobcats are a beautiful animal and how lucky I was to be in the right place at the right time. These comments were consistent. But then, they would follow with a comment about the bird and its death. These comments varied in tone and content.

Some felt bad or sad for the bird, or asked why couldn't the bobcat have kill a mouse instead. Some were upset by the bobcat's actions of killing the bird. Some even said how they hated that it was a cardinal that was killed and could it have been some other "less showy bird" to fall to the bobcat. Others cheered the bobcat for finding food in 17 degree weather so it would live another day. While some wondered if it caught the cardinal for food for its young to help the next generation of this species survive through winter. The comments provided very different perspectives on a very natural process - the food chain, the very basis of existence.

Insight From a Friend

One of my friends who responded to my bobcat/cardinal photo email sent me the following:

"Up yonder I write a monthly poetry column featuring a seasonal poem by a Vermont writer ...check out: 'Red Removed' http://thenewsfrompoems.com/spring/ ...seeing your picture captures the exhilaration /triumph of the capture, not so much the tragedy of the pretty bird."

"That was a interesting response, very insightful," I thought. So I clicked the link and read the poem - "Red Removed'

Beautiful. Very apropos for what I witnessed that frozen day with the bobcat and the cardinal in the wilds of Warren County, NJ.

"That's the wonder of nature", I thought to myself after reflecting on the poem. "Life and death from different perspectives."

But it's those life and death moments in nature that define species roles in the existence of others. It also magnifies the importance of having quality habitat to provide those critical components to support the existence of a variety of species, ensuring the balance of life remains. A Greek proverb states, "Even a wolf will not stay -Where sounds no bleat to offer of prey."

I am proud to be a part of NJ Audubon because we are a conservation organization focusing our work to conserve the environment and restore critical habitat for the benefits of all NJ's wildlife. How we care for our landscape by stewarding our natural world and simultaneously seeking to engage more people in witnessing the wonders of nature is key to a meaningful, healthy, and enjoyable existence for all species.

Collaboration is the Key to Award Winning Conservation, 2012 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award Winners Announced

John Parke — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 03:21:00 GMT

Collaboration reduced to its simplest definition means "to work together." This simple concept is powerful tool to effect change. By working within collaborative groups, projects are guided by trust and reciprocity, project actions tend to be more highly adaptive and naturally creative. By working with collaborators towards a common goal, ideas are cross-pollinated and information is gathered collectively and more opportunities for innovation and strong strategies for change are achieved. In the case of three winners of the 2012 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards, collaboration is the key to conservation.

On January 28, 2013, the 2012 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards were presented at the New Jersey State Museum. New Jersey Audubon staff were present and is proud to have been part of collaborative efforts for three of the eleven projects honored. Specifically, awards given in the following categories: Healthy and Sustainable Businesses, Healthy Ecosystems, and Land Conservation.

Winners of the awards are judged by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection on the basis of documented environmental benefits, innovation and the long term impact of their projects.

Category Healthy and Sustainable Businesses
Winner: Mannington Mills, Salem

NJ Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council member, Mannington Mills, is a recognized leader of sustainable practices. Their efforts include solar energy implementation, emission reductions, recycling initiatives as well as reducing water use by converting nearly 30 acres of lawn and agricultural lands to native grasslands and shrub lands, providing critical habitat areas for several threatened and endangered species. New Jersey Audubon, along with the USFWS and NRCS assisted with the design, installation and monitoring of this important habitat in the Delaware Bayshore.

Category Healthy Ecosystems
Winner: Drew University, Madison

Drew University transformed its campus and adjacent forest preserve in Madison to restore lost ecosystem services, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity. Most significant is the ecological restoration of 18 acres of the Drew Forest Preserve, in synergistic partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and New Jersey Audubon. By restoring this forest ecosystem and planting native species across the campus, Drew University’s habitat restoration efforts directly address many of New Jersey’s needs for ecosystem services and for protection of natural resources and open space. More specifically, this work addresses explicitly articulated objectives for New Jersey: preservation and enhancement of critical wildlife habitat, reduction of invasive vegetation, preservation of open space, natural resource protection, watershed management, water quality improvement, flood control, reduction of soil erosion, filtering of air pollutants, maintenance of water quality, and enhanced groundwater recharge.

Category Land Conservation
Winner: City of Linden

The City of Linden was recognized for its ongoing development of the Hawk Rise Sanctuary, a 95-acre preserve that reconnects residents to the Rahway River and the Arthur Kill. The Hawk Rise Sanctuary is a blueprint for turning a former landfill into open space and wildlife habitat while providing multiple public uses. New Jersey Audubon has been instrumental in assisting the City with the sanctuary’s new network of trails, viewing stations, interpretive signs and educational programs that connect people with natural areas and wildlife.

“The habitat enhancements and restorations at these project sites are expected to have far-reaching benefits, not just for wildlife, but for their communities as well.” said John Parke, NJ Audubon Northern Stewardship Project Director. "By bringing in talented and passionate collaborators such as NJ Audubon and USFWS and working towards a common goal, these award winners solidified a symbiotic relationship with communities to foster environmental awareness while enhancing wildlife and natural systems. They should be seen as models for recognizing the benefits of collaboration when considering restoration, protection and stewardship of open space and natural resource protection."

NJ Audubon's mission promotes the stewardship of New Jersey's wildlife and habitat and promotes a conservation ethic among citizens of the state seeking to conserve. That said, NJ Audubon would like to congratulate Mannington Mills, Drew University and the City of Linden and say thank you for having NJ Audubon collaborate and share in your vision of achieving environmental excellence for your projects! Your incredible efforts to restore critical habitat for many species of wildlife in New Jersey are greatly appreciated!

NJ Audubon would also like to extend our congratulations to the rest of the 2012 Environmental Excellence Award winners and commend them for their efforts to make New Jersey a better place for people and wildlife!

North Helps South - Red Cedar and Snakes Perfect Together

John Parke — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:29:03 GMT

New Jersey's landscape is forever changed by the impacts of hurricane Sandy, with the state experiencing some of the worst storm surge flooding seen in modern times. However, while the coastal areas have received most of the press coverage associated with the storm, what many outside New Jersey do not realize was how Sandy's extended period of extremely high wind gusts changed the landscape of New Jersey’s interior forests. Tens of thousands of trees were brought down from one end of the state to the other.

Although storms may significantly change the woods, the woods are not "ruined". Despite the potential economic impacts, there are ecological benefits. While initially looking "messy", storms help create the "old-growth like" habitat characteristics often lacking in most forests (e.g., cavity trees, downed dead logs, diverse tree ages and sizes). Additionally, these "gaps" in the forests also cause an explosion of biodiversity as plants seedlings and saplings receive more light and space to grow, which in turn provide new habitat opportunities for a variety of wildlife.

NJ Audubon also saw an opportunity from the impacts of hurricane Sandy, to utilize some of the downed wood from the storm in the northern part of the state, particularly eastern red cedar, to create artificial snake hibernacula (dens) in the southern NJ Pinelands.

Although the snakes of the NJ Pinelands, such as the State Endangered corn snake and State Threatened pine snake, are certainly capable of excavating their own den, habitat loss has created a need for man-made intervention to assist these species. Dens created at strategic locations within the habitat also help to increase the likelihood of intraspecific interactions and accordingly, help promote gene flow across populations.

With logs from storm damaged eastern red cedar trees, donated by Bob and Harriett Druskin of the McMertry Farm in Somerset County, NJ Audubon was able to salvage this wood to utilize in the construction of these artificial snake dens in the southern Jersey Pinelands. Typically, treated wood such as railroad ties or telephone poles are used in the construction of these dens, however with the use of natural rot resistant red cedar there was no need for chemically treated wood for the project.

The artificial den is a solid underground structure that mimics, but will outlast, the natural root cavities of trees. Although artificial in name, the design promotes the natural excavation behavior of the snakes as they dig out their den. As the different layers of soil are removed they are separated so that when back-filling begins, the appropriate material is returned to the right location, providing the natural underground conditions important to a pine snake den. A solid roof prevents cave-in and methodically placed PVC pipes offer ease of ingress and egress.

Beth Ciuzio of US Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and Bob Zappalorti, Executive Director and Founder of Herpetological Associates,Inc. of Jackson, NJ provided assistance to NJA staff in the construction of the pine snake den. The USFWS Partner’s Program donated the machinery used to construct this den. Bob Zappalorti donated not only his time to oversee construction, but also donated supplies to cap it off. The den design is a proven successful model developed by Bob.

NJA Partners with Newark Watershed to Restore Ecologically Valuable Conifer Stands

G MacGregor — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 23:10:21 GMT

Many forestland owners in the mid-Atlantic incurred significant tree loss during Hurricane Sandy. One of New Jersey Audubon’s (NJA) Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified land owners, Newark Watershed, was no exception.

In the 1930’s, under President Roosevelt, the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) was formed to offer employment opportunities to young men between ages 18 and 25 during the Great Depression. Among other things, the CCC worked on forestry projects throughout New Jersey with one of the more common activities being the reforestation of abandoned farmland and other cleared areas. Typically, CCC reforestation efforts consisted of planting various conifer species in relatively small plantations. In Northern New Jersey, red pine, Norway spruce and Japanese larch were often used in plantations even though they were not necessarily native to the region. Now, some 75 years later, the unmanaged plantations have reached an over-stocked stage of development where the overall growth has slowed considerably, and the less dominant trees have become suppressed. Overstocked plantations typically have tall, spindly stems with small live crowns ratios. Additionally, they usually have minimal root system development compared to those growing under less crowded conditions. These structural factors can cause a predisposition to wind throw during storm events.

As a FSC certified forestland owner, the watershed has committed to managing the CCC’s exotic plantations in a way that will allow for a smooth transition back to a natural forest with a native species composition. NJA has partnered with Newark Watershed to assist with mitigating the mortality within these plantations. The objective for management following the hurricane begins with a salvage harvest of the wind thrown trees in an effort to ensure that desirable native trees become established in the storm affected areas. Removing wind thrown trees will afford access to the site in order to manipulate future populations of non-native trees and shrubs that may become established.

The area of the Watershed seemingly hit hardest by the storm is located near Oak Ridge. Here, plantation salvage harvests will be conducted in the most easily accessible areas first. Typically, the storm affected areas requiring treatment range from a few acres up to ten acres in size. Each treatment area will be assessed individually with a restoration prescription being submitted to the NJ Forest Service and respective townships prior to soliciting contractors to complete the work. In all cases, appropriate healthy trees will be retained, as well as snags and course woody debris that will serve as prime habitat for woodpeckers, salamanders, beetles and many other species that thrive after a natural disturbance occurs. Following the treatments natural regeneration response will be closely monitored along with deer browse pressure. Invasive species will be treated as required and non-native regeneration will be inhibited with a method deemed appropriate to the species in question. If necessary, a native mixture of conifers may be planted to ensure this ecologically valuable softwood component is retained in the watershed.

Prior to Hurricane Sandy there was very little age class diversity and early successional upland habitat within Newark Watershed’s forests. This disturbance, if managed correctly, will be appreciated and used by many wildlife species that require young forests to live in. NJA is committed to enhancing the ecological integrity of the FSC certified forestlands that are listed under the Group Certificate. While the forestry team has a lot of work ahead, they envision this disturbance not as a problem but instead an opportunity to improve the overall health of the watershed’s coniferous stands and to improve their habitat suitability for those species that call them home. Gap disturbances, whether natural or man-made, enable regeneration to establish, provide critical early successional habitat and most of all ensure that the forests we value so deeply will be conserved for generations to come.

By: Jeremy Caggiano

New Jersey Audubon Stewardship Project Coordinator / Forester

NJ Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council Member New Jersey American Water Wins Environmental Quality Award for Habitat Restoration Project

John Parke — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:55:24 GMT

NJ Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council (CSC) member New Jersey American Water was recently awarded the New Jersey Business & Industry Association's (NJBIA) Environmental Quality Award for its habitat restoration project in conjunction with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, for its property in the Pottersville section of Tewksbury, Hunterdon County.

With the aid of New Jersey Audubon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) the project was focused on large scale invasive vegetation removal and improving native understory plant communities in a riparian area along the Lamington River (a Category One Waterway - designated as such for its ecological importance). Ultimately this habitat improvement will benefit both resident and migratory birds and other wildlife by providing critical foraging and breeding areas.

"It always gives us great pleasure to recognize the outstanding achievements of our member companies." said NJBIA President Phillip Kirschner. "Each one of our Awards for Excellence winners has a wonderful story that deserves to be told."

A restored ecosystem provides beneficial natural services well beyond property boundaries. Because restoration generally contributes to public wellbeing, NJ Audubon congratulates NJ American Water for receiving this award and for their commitment to restoring NJ's habitat.

Statewide Bee Species Survey Comes to NJ Audubon S.A.V.E.™ Sunflower and Restoration Fields

John Parke — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 01:22:05 GMT

In September Databasing Assistant, Hadel Go, of the American Museum of Natural History - Division of Invertebrate Zoology, visited several NJ Audubon sanctuaries and the nyjer thistle and S.A.V.E.™ sunflower fields of the Liberty Farm of Sandyston, NJ and the Roseline’s Farm & Bakery in Augusta, NJ to survey for bee species.

According to Ms. Go, "The goal of this survey is to comb through NJ and collect bees to supplement the museum and university collections, which comprise the bulk of our data, for our Bees of NJ Checklist. Some specimens from these collections are over a hundred years old; we want to make sure to include all the species that exist in the state today. There are nonnative species creeping in and areas that have not been sampled including several NJ Audubon sites." Currently there is no official reference list for the bees of New Jersey.

Although all bee species are being identified during the survey, it is the wild bees that are of special interest. Wild bees refers to a very large and diverse group that excludes honeybees. There are around 20,000 species of bees in the world and North America is home to some 3,500 species. "The Bees of NJ Checklist so far includes over 300 species," said Ms. Go.

Ms. Go's survey has collected a wide variety of bees, including two NJ state records and some that are not common for this region. "It was exciting to learn that I had collected bees never found in NJ before.” said Ms. Go. “Dr. John S. Ascher, Melittologist and AMNH research scientist, identifies all the bees I collect. He has accumulated most of the data we have and I am assisting him in finalizing this checklist. Dr. Jerry Rozen, Curator of the AMNH bee collection who resides in Bergen County, has also tremendously contributed to our data with over 60 years of collecting in NJ."

"All elements of an ecosystem are important to the function of that ecosystem. If one element of the system is removed, the system makes adjustments. However you may not know what the effect of that adjustment is until after it has happened. That's why finding out exactly what native bee species are present in NJ is so important to the work NJ Audubon is doing, especially with the type of habitat restoration we work on in the agricultural communities of the state," said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director of NJA. "Native bees and other pollinators are essential building blocks of our food system, as well as keeping ecological balance in the landscape. NJ Audubon applauds native bee research that provides missing information on these beneficial insects."

According to the USDA's Farm Management for Native Bees, “Over 100 crop species in North America require insect pollination to be productive. Populations of managed non-native honey bees have declined in recent years. While honey bees are still very important pollinators, encouraging populations of native bees can provide 'pollination insurance' during times when honey bees are not available or are experiencing population decline. At the same time, native bees can increase yields for many crops."

Studies in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware indicate, "Native bees will often visits flowers in wet or cold conditions, when honey bees remain in the hive; many native bees forage earlier or later in the day than non-native honey bees, and native bees pollinate several fruit crops, such as apples, cherries, blueberries, cranberries and tomatoes, far more effectively than non-native honey bees on a bee-per-bee basis."

"Anyone can contribute to the Bees of New Jersey survey data by photographing bees (no honeybees please) and posting pictures on www.bugguide.net or sending them to Ms. Go at hgo@amnh.org; clear close-up images that can be identified to species will be useful to the study. If you have a Flickr account, you can join the study's Bees of NJ group and add your photos. You can also contact Ms. Go if interested in collecting from your backyard or school." Said Ms. Go, "It's essential to know what bees we have. With that baseline information, we can begin monitoring populations, locate and protect important nesting sites, provide food plants, and most importantly appreciate these amazing and beautiful creatures."

Trump National Golf Club Signs 10-Year Agreement for Wildlife Conservation on its Bedminster, NJ Course

John Parke — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 20:22:57 GMT

Trump National Golf Club (Trump National), has entered into a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the New Jersey Audubon (NJA) to partake in a habitat restoration project on their Bedminster, Somerset County, NJ facility. Through the USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, Trump National, NJA and the USFWS, will be restoring natural wildlife communities, that will create important habitat for migratory birds as well as for various pollinator species.

"The Trump National site represents a large tract of open space with a mix of early successional grasslands, scrub-shrub and edge habitat. Foraging and nesting habitat are available on the course to a variety of migratory birds, including bobolink, savannah sparrow, purple martin, eastern bluebird, and eastern kingbird." said Brian Marsh, Private Lands Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The USFWS commends Trump National's interest in creating and restoring wildlife habitat on their property.”

A recent member to New Jersey Audubon's Corporate Stewardship Council (CSC), Trump National, with assistance from NJ Audubon and USWFS, will be implementing the first phase of the restoration plan by performing invasive non-native vegetation removal and control this fall and next spring in designated habitat areas. "The introduction of non-native plants, whether intentional or not, has affected native animals both indirectly and directly." said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. "Invasive non-native plant species destroy habitat by crowding out the native plants that have evolved with the native animals, replacing them with vegetation that is inferior foraging and nesting opportunities, hence one reason for species declines. Given the landscape type at Trump National, seeing what is currently on-site and knowing what surrounds the property in terms of critical habitat potential, this project will ultimately provide significant ecological uplift to the region's native species, including some of NJ's rarest, the grassland dependent birds."

After invasive vegetation controls are completed the next phase of the project will be to enhance the course’s value to migratory birds and pollinators by establishing meadows consisting of native wildflowers, warm-season grasses, as well as planting native trees and shrubs around wetland and other riparian zones on the course. Bird nesting boxes will also be placed throughout the property, with a focus to attract North America's smallest falcon, the American kestrel. The large open expanses at the property, offer excellent foraging areas for this raptor species (which was recently designated a State Threatened species).

"I take great pride that the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NJ Audubon recognizes and validates the environmental contribution we have made with the original design of our two world class golf courses in Bedminster. They currently provide for over 200 acres of habitat for indigenous and migratory grassland birds. With this partnership we look forward to their professional guidance in further improving and expanding the habitat at this wonderful property." said course owner Donald J Trump.

"Trump National is demonstrating an outstanding commitment to sustaining native wildlife populations." said Eric Stiles, President for New Jersey Audubon. "They are solidifying a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding community to foster environmental awareness and a conservation ethic while enhancing wildlife and natural systems in New Jersey."

Wildlife Gardens Get a Much Needed Boost

Suzanne Treyger — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 00:12:33 GMT

Starting in mid-July, the wildlife gardens at NJ Audubon’s Center for Research and Education (CRE) have been receiving much needed attention from NJ Audubon Stewardship Assistant, Alfonso Castro. Alfonso has been removing a number of invasive species and rescuing important host plants for butterflies and other insects that provide food for birds and other wildlife. The once overgrown wildlife gardens are now looking healthy and restored!

Alfonso is not alone in this important effort- he has been receiving assistance from dedicated volunteers who enjoy gardening and improving habitat for wildlife. On August 4^th, a volunteer event was held with the goal of removing invasive species from our wildlife gardens- a tough job, but everyone had fun while they worked! Volunteers are essential to the continued success of the wildlife gardens at CRE and we are so grateful to have their help and expertise! If you are interested in helping with the wildlife gardens at New Jersey Audubon’s Center for Research and Education, please contact Alfonso at alfonso.castro@njaudubon.org.

Written by: Alfonso Castro

Volunteers Help Restore Maritime Forest at Cape May Point State Park

Suzanne Treyger — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:29:31 GMT

Volunteers came to Cape May Point State Park (CMPSP) in May and June to help hand pull and weed invasive plants like garlic mustard and sweet autumn clematis within the maritime forest restoration site. It’s not easy work, but the dedicated volunteers take pride in knowing they are helping to improve habitat for local wildlife and migrating birds. Many are battling the same invasive plants in their own backyards and bring their expertise in identifying and combating invasives to the restoration site.

This restoration project is especially important since maritime forest, a rare ecological plant community that includes both maritime dune woodlands and maritime uplands, is critical habitat for migrating birds and resident wildlife. The restoration is in its second year, and native plant regeneration can already be seen. Native asters and black cherry and sassafras seedlings are growing in areas once covered in invasive vines. The success we are seeing with native plant regeneration and a reduction in invasive plant growth is due to the hard work and dedication of volunteers who assist with weeding, pulling, and sniping invasive plants.

Hand weeding and pulling invasive plants is an effective control strategy to reduce invasive plant populations, especially when combined with other methods, like mowing and herbicide application. This combination of control treatments is being used by NJ Audubon and CMPSP staff, who are collaborating on the five-acre maritime forest restoration project. At CMPSP, maritime forests are degraded due to numerous invasive plants that dominate these areas, including several invasive vines that threaten the survival of mature trees and impair native plant regeneration. The goal of this restoration project is to reduce invasive plants in the forest understory while leaving mature trees to provide habitat and a seed source to help native regeneration occur. To help increase native plant diversity, deer fencing will be erected to minimize deer browse of native plant species. This is a long-term restoration project that requires careful monitoring of plants and animals to help us achieve our goal of providing healthy maritime forest habitat for migrating and resident wildlife.

If you are interested in volunteering for NJ Audubon on this project or other projects, please contact Suzanne Treyger at 609-861-1608 x 23 or suzanne.treyger@njaudubon.org. This project is made possible through funding from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Atlantic City Electric.

Cruising with the Techs: Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area

G MacGregor — Thu, 31 May 2012 17:35:00 GMT

The Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area is comprised of 3,282 acres in Sussex and Morris counties. The WMA is owned by the State of NJ and is open to the public for hunting and passive recreation. Nestled in the heart of the WMA is the 349 acre NJ Audubon Sparta Preserve. The Sparta Mountain WMA has a rich history. The Edison Mines in the heart of the WMA were built by Thomas Edison in the early part of the 20^th century to extract iron. Because of the development surrounding the mines, the area was one of the first in the world to have electricity. Many of the mines are still open and are partially fenced in to prevent accidents. While working the WMA we have stumbled upon several mines as well as ruins from processing buildings, home sites, roads, and railroads.

NJ Audubon Stewardship Team has partnered with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife to inventory the forests of the Sparta WMA. The NJA Forestry team is comprised of Project Director Don Donnelly, Project Coordinator Jeremy Caggiano, and Forest Technicians Lisa Dunne and Liz O’Rourke. The goal of conducting forest inventory is to find what species comprise the WMA with the goal of eventually creating management plans that will drive sustainable decision making for the next ten years. Inventory is conducted according to Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) national standards. This process involves creating a grid of points where data will be collected and compiled into a database. At each plot, a series of over-story and understory measurements were taken. Plots were laid out in a 5x10 chain (330’x660’) grid, or one plot every 5 acres for a total of over 600 plots. All of our points were loaded into a handheld Garmin GPS. Once arrived at the point, a plot center is established in which all of the measurements are based around. In each plot, trees were selected based on their diameter at breast height (DBH) and distance from plot center using a 15 basal area factor prism. Basal area is a term that refers to the surface area that a tree takes up on the forest floor. Tree height, DBH, and percent living crown were measured. In addition, each tree was assigned a most valuable timber product. This includes sawlogs, firewood, and even cull (leave behind). Understory was also taken into consideration. A 1/100 acre plot was laid out (12 ft radius from plot center) and all woody vegetation was identified. Height class and DBH as well as plant origin were recorded. Once the WMA is broken up into discrete forest stands, we will revisit plots to observe and collect data on the herbaceous layer, or the non-woody plants that make up the forest floor. This includes everything from wildlflowers, rushes, grasses, and invasive plants such as Japanese barberry and multiflora rose.

The data we have collected will be analyzed using NED2- Northeast Ecosystem Decision Modeling software. The WMA will be stratified into individual forest stands that are distinguished by their species composition. This software is also able to model forest growth into the future. NJA will use the analysis to develop forest management plans specific to Sparta Mountain WMA and the goals of NJDEP.

One of the best perks of the job of a forest technician is the wildlife and plants that we encounter. We spotted a North American Porcupine in our early days at Sparta WMA. It was climbing up a steep ridge just east of the Edison area while we were scrambling down. It waddled away as quickly as it could and climbed an eastern hemlock. Our plot was just a few yards from his perch and he stared down at us while we tallied trees. After a few minutes we realized all the American beeches in the vicinity had had their bark stripped. They no doubt fell victim to this innocent looking bark eater.

Pink and yellow lady slipper orchids have been spotted this spring at Sparta WMA. Pink lady slippers are coming up in the timber harvest area, while we stumbled upon the smaller yellow variety deep in the swamps in the heart of the WMA. Black bears have been quite active since the arrival of spring to New Jersey. Usually we only catch a glimpse of a bear or hear it crashing through the brush while it’s high-tailing it in the opposite direction. But a few bears have been curious about what two girls are doing deep in their woods and wandered close, possibly catching a whiff of our packed peanut butter and jellies.

Forest inventory will wrap up this week but work will continue as we run the data through NED2. We will also be back out in the WMA collecting data on the herbaceous layer in the coming months.

Co-authored by: Lisa Dunne and Liz O’Rourke -- Photos by: Lisa Dunne

Have you seen these purple bags?

G MacGregor — Tue, 29 May 2012 20:54:00 GMT

In an effort to monitor the emerald ash borer (EAB), the US Department of Agriculture has placed EAB traps at NJA’s Deerpath Sanctuary, the Turkey Hill Preserve section, in Hunterdon County. The EAB is an invasive pest of ash trees that has become established in the central United States and has caused the destruction of millions of ash trees throughout the US. The EAB has been detected in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland – very close to, but not yet in, New Jersey. Do your part to help protect NJ: Do not move firewood – buy local/burn local; Inspect your trees for any sign of EAB; Spread the word to neighbors and friends about EAB; Know local State and Federal Regulations; Ask Questions. A couple of the web links below can help you help New Jersey. http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/ http://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/community/Emerald_Ash_Borer.htm

New Jersey Audubon Earns Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Group Certificate

G MacGregor — Mon, 21 May 2012 23:49:08 GMT

On April 9^th, 2012 New Jersey Audubon (NJA) became the first and only organization in the state certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Under the auspices of the Rainforest Alliance, NJA’s Ecological Forestry Project is now officially certified to supply qualifying forest land owners, in New Jersey, FSC Certification.

Late in the 1980s, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest certification movement was initiated as a result of European consumers boycotting the use of imported hardwoods in light of tropical deforestation concerns. The boycott was intended to reduce the demand for products harvested in an exploitive manner, however, the boycott also had a negative effect on responsible enterprises. This spurred members of European environmental organizations and the forest industry to meet and discuss standards of practice for harvesting tropical hardwoods in a non-destructive way. In 1993, in Switzerland, the World Wide Fund for Nature, now the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), along with other conservation organizations, helped to form the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC was tasked with developing a set of Principles and Criteria which could be applied to the management of forestland throughout the world and also with developing a process for an independent third party to evaluate these Principles and Criteria.

The ten FSC Principles of Forest Stewardship are summarized below, and a full copy is available from the FSC or NJA. Criteria subtend each Principle and provide direction for its implementation. The ten Principles address the following:

Compliance with laws;
The legal right to own and produce timber;
Recognition and respect for the rights of indigenous peoples;
Economic and social well-being of local communities;
Conservation of the forest's economic resources;
Protection of biological biodiversity;
A written management plan;
Regular monitoring;
Conservation of primary forests and well-developed secondary forests;
Management of plantations to alleviate pressures on natural forests.

The forestlands of our region can be categorized into three groups: private industrial ownerships, government ownerships, and non-industrial private forests (NIPFs). Timber harvests on government lands have been decreasing over the past decade as more land is classified as wilderness, or reserved forest. On small, private woodlots the amount of wood available for harvest is increasing and these lands will become more important to our nation's overall wood supply.

This inadvertent, increased pressure on NIPFs can be used in two, very alternative ways: as an economic driving force to allow good forestry to be realized or as a shortsighted opportunity to harvest timber in ways that leave only low-quality trees in the forest. This is the question many forestland owners are presently facing. At NJA we believe forest owners should choose to pursue certified forestry and make a commitment to be part of an on-the-ground movement to advance high quality, responsible forest management.

Through certification, there are two general benefits derived by the forestland owner as well as their surrounding community. First, participation in third party certification will hold forest management activities on the property to a higher standard, in turn by setting positive example. This will have an impact on how forestry is practiced on other private woodlands. A second benefit is that the forest products harvested from certified lands will displace some non-FSC-certified wood from the marketplace. An increased consumer demand for FSC-certified wood products, in a finite economy, will put pressure on owners of non-FSC-certified lands to get certified in turn enhancing the environmental integrity of private forestlands both throughout New Jersey and nationwide.

To date, NJA has already certified approximately 13,000 acres of working forest land under its Group Certificate: RA-FM/COC-005879. The property owners are both private and public alike, some of which are also under conservation easement. Through NJA, NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife has successfully earned the certification of roughly 3,000 acres of woodland, in the Skylands Region, better known as Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Also, just about 9,000 acres of the Pequannock Watershed, owned by The City of Newark, has been FSC certified by NJA with the goal of certifying 14,000 additional acres within two years. NJA (as the FSC Group Entity), these properties as well as six others, and all associated NJ Forest Stewardship Plans, had to undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a team of internationally recognized eco-investigators.

Land owners interested in FSC certification can be rest assured that NJA will assist in the following ways. The marketing of FSC-certified wood from small woodlots presents a complex problem. NJA is working with landowners and other organizations to develop strategies to promote New Jersey grown wood harvested from FSC-certified forests. We will independently produce or provide guidance and support to the public, landowners, and consulting foresters in the development of Forest Stewardship Plans that lead to FSC certification. Our Ecological Forestry Project will manage the FSC certification process and maintain records of pertinent information with particular attention paid to meeting the requirements of annual Rainforest Alliance audits and five year comprehensive assessments. We will also provide ongoing monitoring to assure that forestland owners, already having received FSC certification, remain conformant with their respective management plans and the ten guiding FSC Principals.

NJA is committed to maintaining the ecological integrity of New Jersey’s forestlands through certification and beyond. Those interested in certification are encouraged to contact a NJA Forester at Wattles Stewardship Center in Port Murray at (908) 837 – 9570.

By: Jeremy Caggiano, NJA Stewardship Project Coordinator

A Forest for the Future

Suzanne Treyger — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:10:47 GMT

New Jersey Audubon, teachers from the Toms River School District, and more than eight hundred middle school and high school students have just planted a new, 13-acre Atlantic white cedar stand at our Hovnanian Sanctuary in Berkeley Township.

We’ve written about work at our 513-acre sanctuary before, but the creation of the Atlantic white cedar forest is an event we’re extra pleased with. Atlantic white cedar forests have declined in New Jersey and throughout the Eastern Seaboard, with only an estimated 20 to 25 percent of their original extent remaining. These forests grow in wet areas and provide excellent habitat for a number of rare and endangered plant and animal species, including Pine Barrens treefrog, Hessel’s hairstreak, barred owls, curly-grass fern, and swamp pink. It is essential to manage and restore Atlantic white cedar systems to ensure the stability of these species.

In a collaboration between NJ Audubon and the Toms River School District, eight hundred students from grades 6 through 8, participated in the four-day event, planting more than 10,000 seedlings. They received help from Toms River High School advanced placement science students who have been studying Atlantic white cedar throughout the school year. These seedlings, most less than a foot tall, will take decades to develop into a mature forest. We hope that the students who helped us plant them will visit the site over the years to check on their progress, and that they will bring their own children to visit the forest someday.

During the four-day event, in addition to planting trees, the students spent time in the field learning about Pinelands flora, fauna, soils, and hydrology. They also were able to learn about careers in conservation from NJ DEP Commissioner Bob Martin, Brian Corvinus and Greg McLaughlin from the NJ Forest Fire Service, Eric Schrading from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Jim Dunne and Courtney Compton from the NJ Division of Forestry.

Funding for the restoration project has been provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service, New Jersey DEP’s Critical Habitat fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the William Penn Foundation. The education portion the project was funded by The National Park Foundation and the Trust for Public Land with support from the Toms River Regional School district.

Thanks to all of our many partners and volunteers for helping us complete this restoration effort!

Written by Jean Lynch

Conservation is a Collaborative Effort

John Parke — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:21:00 GMT

Earlier this Spring NJ Audubon Conservation Department staff along with staff of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Trout Unlimited participated in the re-vegetation of a stream corridor as part of a Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) project. Several hundred native willows, donated by Pinelands Nursery & Supply of Columbus, NJ and shrub dogwoods, supplied by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), were planted along a 0.37 mile (~2,000 feet) stretch of the Pohatcong Creek for bank stabilization and habitat purposes. This section of the Pohatcong is a Category One Trout Maintenance Water, meaning this waterbody has been designed by NJDEP as having exceptional water quality that is important to all residents, particularly to the many communities that depend upon surface waters for drinking water supplies and fish production. In particular, New Jersey's only native trout, the brook trout (the NJ State Fish), use these waters for breeding and other parts of their life cycle.

What makes this particular project such an outstanding example of "conservation in action" was the persistency of NRCS to rectify a resource that was in peril for years, the level of commitment to implement the project by the new landowner, Dr. Calvin Shen, and immediate support from numerous agencies' staff, volunteers and conservation organizations to come out and lend a hand when needed.

Several years ago the site was the location of what was known as the Willever Lake Dam site. Prior to Dr. Shen's obtaining the property, NRCS had attempted numerous times to enroll the property into a conservation program because extreme siltation had occurred at the dam structure, which impeded fish passage and lead to degraded water quality. Specifically, the siltation lead to water levels to become shallow, which then lead to water temperatures becoming elevated. With that, native wetland and aquatic plants were then soon outcompeted by the non-native invasive Chinese water chestnut. The influx of water chestnut lead to decreases in dissolved oxygen in the water, thus the area provided little to no biodiversity or suitable habitat for fish and other wildlife. For a site that was listed as being a Category One Waterway, the dam structure in its previous condition was putting the water resource in a state of extreme peril.

After Dr. Shen became the new owner of the property, NRCS again reached out to offer assistance and education to the new landowner about the detriments that the dam was having on the water quality, wildlife habitat as well as NJDEP Dam Safety compliance. Through NRCS and a commitment from Dr. Shen, restoration funding was secured, the site was entered into WHIP and engineering plans were designed by the RBA Group to breach the dam, provide better soil erosion and sediment controls, address the invasive vegetation and habitat restoration plans were implemented. The news of this project spread quickly through the environmental community with members of Trout Unlimited and New Jersey Audubon immediately responding to NRCS' request to help with the re-vegetation of the newly exposed stream corridor. Almost immediately the wildlife returned to the site with sightings of brook trout and small-mouth bass found in the creek during restoration activities, as well as great blue heron and belted kingfisher. With the breach of the dam, approximately 8 acres of low quality standing water was now exposed, creating a floodplain which now could again provide critical habitat, as well as flood-storage area during storm events as it once did before the installation of the dam structure.

NJ Audubon's mission specifically promotes preservation of New Jersey's valuable habitat and it also promotes a conservation ethic among our citizens and protects all wildlife, not just the birds. That said, NJ Audubon would like to congratulate and say thank you to Dr. Shen, NRCS, USFWS, NJDEP, RBA Group, Pinelands Nursery & Supply and the members of Trout Unlimited for their incredible efforts to restore a very special stretch of the Pohatcong Creek which now has added critical habitat and valuable water quality improvements to the region!

NJ Audubon is very proud to have assisted with the project and it was such an inspiration to see a project of this scope and size bring a wide array of people out to the field and work together for a common goal - conservation of NJ's natural resources!

New Jersey American Water Partners with NJ Audubon and USFWS to Improve Wildlife Habitat in New Jersey

John Parke — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:12:34 GMT

New Jersey American Water initiated its first habitat restoration project as part of their participation in NJ Audubon's Corporate Stewardship Council. This spectacular event took place on New Jersey American Water property in the Pottersville section of Tewksbury, Hunterdon County. The habitat restoration was focused on improving native understory plant communities in a riparian area along the Lamington River (a Category One Waterway - designated as such for its ecological importance). Ultimately this habitat improvement will benefit migratory birds and other wildlife by providing critical foraging and breeding areas.

Late in 2011 New Jersey American Water entered into a contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and New Jersey Audubon through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program and performed extensive invasive non-native vegetation removal and control at the site. Prior to the invasive controls, the site was overrun with non-native invasive vegetation that included common reed, mutiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle, tartarian honeysuckle and Japanese barberry. These types of non-native vegetation outcompete native plants and in many cases shade out new growth providing little to no benefit to wildlife. On April 12, 2012, over 800 native trees and shrubs were planted at the site by NJ American Water employees, volunteers, and staff from USFWS and NJ Audubon just in time for the spring migration of birds and other wildlife.

"The most significant improvement of the property comes as a result of the removal of invasive vegetation allowing the soils at the site to be exposed to the sun for the first time in years. This has lead to an explosion of growth by native herbaceous plants seeds lying dormant in the soil.", said NJ Audubon Stewardship Project Director John Parke. "Skunk cabbage, spring beauty, trout lily, dog-tooth violets and cut-leaf toothwort were just some of the native plants we found to be growing on the site where they were not noted the year before. Having these native wildflowers back on the landscape will provide early pollen sources for beneficial insects."

"This project provides a great example of how a corporate landowner can take the initiative to improve wildlife habitat through relatively simple voluntary restoration measures and through partnering.," said Brian Marsh, Private Lands Biologist with USFWS. "The USFWS commends NJ American Water for their interest in partnering to restore wildlife habitat and hopes their efforts will motivate other landowners to perform similar measures."

The habitat restoration at the Pottersville facility is also the same location that was recognized by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2011 for New Jersey American Water's voluntary and proactive measures taken to go beyond compliance in an effort to improve the environment and ensure a sustainable future, which included a $3 million upgrade of the wastewater facility. “We are committed to delivering innovative and environmental friendly solutions to better serve our customers - whether it is the treatment of wastewater or restoring an environmentally sensitive site. The work we’ve done with NJ Audubon and USFWS at our Pottersville Wastewater Treatment Plant is an example of such commitment,” said Suzanne Chiavari, Vice President of Engineering at New Jersey American Water.

Cape May Residential Community Rallies Together to Improve Wildlife Habitat

Suzanne Treyger — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:21:27 GMT

The Meadows at Cape Island condominium development is located right next to Cape Island Creek – a tidal creek and marsh that provides important habitat for our migratory and resident birds and other wildlife. Occupying about 13 acres within the Cape Island Important Bird Area, this development has several natural areas on the property, including important buffers between the condos and the marsh. These buffers, made up of a variety of grasses, shrubs, and trees, serve a key function to the marsh and creek by helping to filter water runoff that may contain pollutants.

While residents here enjoy the natural surroundings of this development, they were concerned with the growing number of non-native invasive plant species that were smothering the native plants. Invasive plants at the Meadows include privet species, porcelain berry, Japanese honeysuckle, English ivy, multiflora rose, Norway maple, and Phragmites.

Concerned with what might happen to the diverse mix of native plants that provide great habitat for wildlife, the residents at the Meadows decided to take action by contacting NJ Audubon’s Cape Island Habitat Restoration Task Force (CIHRTF) for technical assistance. After a site visit or two we decided to focus invasive plant control efforts in two key locations and saw an opportunity to create wildlife habitat at another location – a drainage basin that holds standing water throughout much of the year. This drainage basin can support a number of native wetland plants and can provide valuable wildlife habitat. This site can also be considered a rain garden or a wet meadow, and provides an additional buffer between homes and the marsh.

CIHRTF and the residents at the Meadows partnered with the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, who generously supported these habitat projects by providing native grasses and shrubs for the wet meadow planting and will also provide technical assistance and additional native plants for future plantings. A large volunteer planting day was held in fall 2011 in the wet meadow habitat site with many residents from the Meadows coming out to help. In addition to planting native grasses and shrubs within the wet meadow, volunteers also planted beach plum plants in upland areas in the development and helped to remove invasive vines from native shrubs and trees.

Besides planting native species and removing invasive plants at the Meadows, residents have also put up a bat house and a kestrel box near the Cape Island Creek marsh, hoping to entice some new wildlife occupants. Residents at the Meadows hope to eventually certify their property as wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. This year we are planning several more volunteer days aimed at reducing invasive plants and providing better habitat for wildlife.

No Management is not Best Management

John Parke — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:00:10 GMT

The New Jersey Audubon Society supports S1954/A4358 which establishes a much-needed forest harvest program on State-owned land. Science has shown that the health of NJ forests is declining. It is vital that we actively manage our forests in order to protect them and the species that reside within. If we are to appropriately manage all of our hundreds of thousands of acres of public forested land with declining Department of Environmental Protection staff and budgets, we need to look to new funding methods to support appropriate management while continuing to focus on restoration and stewardship that is protective of habitat and species. We believe this legislation is a step in the right direction to change the paradigm of the current "hands-off" approach to our forests.

NJ Audubon fully understands that the issue of forest management is a polarizing one and that there are, and always will be (as there is in every region of the world that performs forest management), obstacles to the best laid management/stewardship plans. Deer herbivory and invasive species are two of the challenges that will always be a concern in New Jersey but, recognized as such, can be addressed in a quality forest stewardship plan before practice implementation begins. As stated in the 2002 paper entitled "The Illusion of Preservation -A Global Environmental Argument for the Local Production of Natural Resources", prepared by Harvard University (Harvard Forest paper No. 26, Berlik, Kittredge and Foster), "the most crucial change is undoubtedly one of philosophy and practice. Mainstream environmentalist ideology must embrace multiple uses of the forest including harvesting-and local citizens must consider the use of resources in their own backyard while maintaining a keen awareness of the global environment."

Decline of Forests: Healthy forests provide numerous benefits including a variety of habitat for species, water protection, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, wood products, and much more. Today’s forests are faced with numerous human-induced impacts that our historical, pre-settlement forests never evolved to deal with. For example, climate change and the globalization of commerce have allowed for the introduction of exotic plants, insects, and diseases from other countries. If we do not take active measures to counter these stressors and make our forests more resilient, we will continue to see results similar to the devastating effects of the chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease, gypsy moth, and more. Additionally, studies from the Grant F. Walton Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis at Rutgers University predict that the forests of northern New Jersey will cease to be a net carbon sink in approximately 20 years. Forests in the NJ Pinelands will cease to function as a net carbon sink 10-20 years thereafter.

Need for Management: Our forests do not comprise a stand-alone system but, rather, a human-ecological system under numerous other pressures. The suburbanization of New Jersey over the past few decades has had profound consequences on what would have otherwise been normal forest growth. Fire exclusion, fragmentation, and excessive deer populations have left most of New Jersey’s forested land in the mid-successional stage of development; a stage when forests tend to have the least biological diversity and their corresponding growth and vigor begin to slow down as well. This severely reduces the natural resilience that is essential to combat negative stressors that have become common ailments in our forests. Such a situation compels active and responsible management for a sustainable future. Many scientists agree that thinning and cutting are some of the proper management tools that can help restore the health of our forest ecosystems. For example, the technical report Southern Pine Beetle II (Coulson, R. N.; Klepzig, Kier, 2011) describes thinning treatments in dense forest stands as an effective means to control outbreaks of the southern pine beetle that would otherwise decimate entire forests. What science and research clearly show is that, in some instances, we need to cut trees in order to grow healthy, carbon-absorbing forests in New Jersey.

NJ Audubon’s experiences in Forest Management: NJ Audubon promotes sustainable forest management and actively manages tracts of forested land throughout the State. We also confront the challenges associated with paying for that management. For example, in an effort to offset the restoration costs of a 300-acre habitat project that would serve as a model for local and State management while managing for ecological benefits including for threatened and endangered species (e.g. northern pine snake, red-headed woodpecker, sickle-leaved golden aster), we offered the wood by-product generated during the project as a commodity to the contractor. Most contractors had no use for the wood and the bids to complete the project were in excess of $1,000 per acre. After two years of outreach, we connected with a company with a small out-of-state market for mulch that was able to complete our project for $300 per acre. Without the reduced costs made possible by selling forest products, these types of projects will neither be possible nor replicable on a larger scale as is needed across the State.

Protecting Natural Resources: For a forest harvest to be approved in NJ, a minimum set of requirements must be met to address threatened and endangered species, water quality, wetlands and riparian areas, soil erosion, wildlife, and forest resources. To ensure that management strategies fully meet these requirements, S1954/A4358 requires a Forest Stewardship Plan for every public forest before any management practices including cutting is performed. There are many different variables that go into deciding what course of action is appropriate for each forest because each is unique. A Forest Stewardship Plan is crucial to the bill because it ensures consideration of many key variables and that each forest is treated individually as an irreplaceable component of the environment worthy of conservation and stewardship, not as a commodity to be exploited.

The Forest Stewardship program was started by the Federal Government in the 1990's - these are revised as of 2009. Each state forest service administers the federal program within their respective state. The state forest service reviews the content in reference to the standards. See http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/library/fsp_standards&guidelines.pdf#xml=http://www.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/texis/searchallsites/search.allsites/xml.txt?query=forest+stewardship&db=allsites&id=4d8a91680 . In New Jersey the guideline of a forest stewardship plan are modeled after the federal standards. See http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/forest/stw_inc_prog.html.

While we anxiously await the forest stewardship rules required by the Forest Stewardship Act of 2009, we believe that current requirements in place are sufficiently protective of habitat, water, and forest resources. Many states throughout the country practice responsible forestry. In so doing, they are improving the overall health of forested ecosystems, diversifying the local economy, and creating quality job opportunities for thousands of citizens in the forest products industry. NJ Audubon recognizes that our forests contain value well beyond timber and, because of this, we support this type of program. This landmark legislation clearly recognizes the importance of nurturing New Jersey's forests through active management and acknowledges that forest lands are not being managed effectively in New Jersey.

This legislation starts the process we desperately need to properly manage our forest resources and we urge your support for S1954/A4358. The dire state of our forests compels active and responsible management for a sustainable future which comes at some significant financial cost. We believe this legislation forms a foundation for a means to offset the costs to manage our forests by harvesting the by-products and returning those proceeds to help offset the cost of much-needed stewardship.

New Jersey Audubon’s “Jersey Grown” S.A.V.E.TM Initiative Earns 2011 New Jersey Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for Land Conservation

John Parke — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:13:00 GMT

December 2011 – The New Jersey Audubon Society’s “Jersey Grown” S.A.V.E.^TMSupport Agricultural Viability and the Environment) initiative promoting the production of agricultural products that are economically and ecologically sustainable, has earned a 2011 New Jersey Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award.

The program was chosen from among numerous entries for the Land Conservation Award, which requires that the selected applicant demonstrate a commitment to and experience in the preservation of open space that protects land from future development.

“This initiative extended across all departments here at NJA and I’d like to personally acknowledge and thank everyone for their great work with S.A.V.E.^TM Together with our partners and supporters, we’re investing in local economies, preserving agricultural landscapes, reducing the carbon footprint, and growing endangered species,” said Tom Gilmore, President of New Jersey Audubon.

“Jersey Grown” sunflower birdseed – the first product marketed under New Jersey Audubon’s S.A.V.E.^TMbrand – is now in its fourth year, and has continually grown in scope during its tenure. 260 acres of sunflowers seeds were planted this season – almost double the 140 acres planted last year. The state Department of Agriculture has been instrumental in the growth of the S.A.V.E.^TM project, approving the use of the “Jersey Grown” label on birdseed and designating a new label, ‘Made with Jersey Grown Wood,’ for related S.A.V.E.^TM birdfeeder and bird house products.

Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher congratulated the NJA ,stating, “The Department of Agriculture is pleased to have participated at so many levels with this initiative and looks forward to continued partnering to further the interests of agriculture and the environment for all New Jersey residents.”

The sunflowers, from which the birdseed is being harvested, have been planted by New Jersey farmers who are cooperating with New Jersey Audubon to produce the certified “Jersey Grown” sunflower birdseed. The growth in sunflower acres planted for harvesting by 120 acres illustrates the seed’s significance to the farmers’ revenue stream, as it provides direct access to a local niche market for a crop that offers them a greater price per acre than traditional grain crops, most notably corn and soybeans. However, it is equally, if not more, significant to the birds and New Jersey Audubon’s conservation mission. For every 5 acres planted for birdseed, New Jersey Audubon manages and maintains 1-acre of grassland habitat for threatened and endangered birds.

New Jersey Audubon has seen strong benefits to grasslands it is managing as part of the project at the South Branch Wildlife Management Area in Raritan and Hillsborough Townships. State-listed species such as Eastern Meadowlark, American Kestrel, Bobolinks and Grasshopper Sparrows have all been recorded onsite using the restoration fields.

The S.A.VE.^TM program’s innovative partnerships are evident in the work with the agricultural community and commercial seed retailers, as well as in other key supporters of the program. The project benefitted from the early support and vision of Gurdon and Kathy Wattles, as well as won a competitive Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

“NRCS is proud to have provided support to this initiative through the CIG program,” said State Conservationist Donald J. Pettit of NRCS. “The SAVE initiative combines conservation objectives with agricultural viability and clearly meets the goal of our grant program to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches.”

The program benefits consumers due to the growth in the availability of the green, sustainable sunflower birdseed that further benefits New Jersey’s agricultural community and the environment. Because it is grown locally, S.A.V.E.^TM birdseed eliminates the need for extensive use of fossil fuels in transit, thus reducing its carbon footprint.

Jean Lynch, Southern Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon and coordinator of the S.A.V.E.^TMprogram, stated,. “This recognition is a tribute to everyone who has worked on the S.A.V.E.^TM program and to our many supporters. It will help us build momentum as we continue to strengthen and expand the program.”

“I cannot thank the farmers that participated in S.A.V.E.^TM enough for their help, guidance, insight, and most of all, their commitment and participation in the project for making it a great model for finding common ground with agricultural producers and the conservation community!” said John Parke, Northern Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon and recent graduate of the New Jersey Agricultural Leadership Development Program. “It is this type of innovative, progressive open-mindedness that these farmers demonstrate that will keep farming and natural resource protection sustainable in the New Jersey landscape.” Parke added. “Working with the farmers, in particular, current S.A.V.E.^TM farmers Mark Kirby, Jim Laine, Tom Zeng, Brant Gibbs, Raj Sinha, Jeff Angel, Buddy Shimp, as well as previous S.A.V.E.^TM farmers Rodger Woolf and Phil Brodhecker, on this project that has really helped us have a greater understanding on how certain conservation initiatives can impact NJ agriculture and we now have a better focus on how we can better recognize the connections between all types of farming while still preserving the integrity of natural ecosystems in New Jersey.”

New Jersey Audubon would like to additionally thank the following people and entities (not named above) for their help, guidance, participation and support in the S.A.V.E.^TM initiative: The fine staff at NRCS, especially Tim Dunne and Janice Reid, the NJ Jersey Department of Agriculture, especially Sec. Douglas Fisher and the excellent staff at the Jersey Fresh/Jersey Grown Program, the MBA Team Consulting Program at the Rutgers School of Business, New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife, Hunterdon County Parks Department, Conservation Resources Inc. and Duke Farms, the King/Wesley Family Charitable Trust, Suasion Communications Group, all those who attended the 2011 S.A.V.E. Event at Restaurant Daniel NYC, Union Green, Ms. Judith Bland, the Citizen Science Program and it's wonderful volunteers, the membership of NJ Audubon and the retailers and general public that supported the initiative by purchasing this locally grown product to benefit NJ agriculture and wildlife; and the Staff of New Jersey Audubon, especially Troy Ettel!

New Jersey Audubon’s award-winning Jersey Grown S.A.V.E.^TM sunflower birdseed is readily available and being sold in 10- and 20-pound bags this season for easy transport from store to home. For pricing, please check with the NJ Audubon Center or S.A.V.E.^TM birdseed retailer nearest you.

For more information about participating NJ Audubon Centers, retailers and farmers or to place an online order for S.A.V.E.^TM Birdseed, please visit www.njaudubon.org.

Replacing the Corporate Lawn Look of the 20th Century, One Corporate Campus at a Time

John Parke — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:51:18 GMT

NJ Audubon Corporate Stewardship Council Member Verizon takes on Second Major Project

to Benefit Wildlife

With the success of their habitat restoration efforts on their Basking Ridge, NJ campus that earned Verizon the Governor's Environmental Excellence award in 2007 and their involvement with NJ Audubon's Corporate Stewardship Council, Verizon has once again partnered with New Jersey Audubon and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to transform another one of its corporate campuses into an area beneficial to wildlife and to the community at large.

Early successional habitat restoration was the main focus on Verizon’s 22-acre central utility plant in Freehold, with NJ Audubon and USFWS assisting in invasive non-native vegetation removals, installation of nesting boxes and more than 1,000 native trees and shrubs planted in riparian areas. The project also included the conversion of the 'corporate lawn' into a wildflower and native grassland meadow to benefit bird and pollinator species. By encouraging the growth of native vegetation, the property draws pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which in turn helps local agriculture so this habitat is benefitting neighboring farms. In addition the plantings help to improve water quality by providing a buffer between the roads and the waterways on site to help filter run-off.

Early successional habitat (grasslands and shrublands) is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the United States, and they also contain higher proportions of state-listed butterflies and moths than other natural community types. It is important that landowners take an active role in managing these habitats for the variety of plants and animals that inhabit them. The vegetative make up of early successional habitat is variable and dynamic depending on the length of time since abandonment, management history, and other factors that can affect the long-term stability and composition of plants that occupy the site. The management of the restoration areas at Verizon will be the use of management mowing techniques to increase the longevity of the habitat patch so to increase the length of time that early-successional wildlife species will occupy the area.

“Corporate giants like Verizon don’t have to leave enormous footprints on our environment,” said Samuel Delgado, vice president of external affairs for Verizon New Jersey. “In fact, Verizon’s goal is to make the least possible environmental impact and to thoughtfully recreate a natural habitat at our facilities for native vegetation and animal species.”

“The New Jersey Audubon Society applauds Verizon as a national leader showcasing real, meaningful wildlife conservation on private lands,” said Eric Stiles, President Elect of New Jersey Audubon. “Native grasslands and monarchs are replacing the industrial chemical cocktail lawns of the 20th century. We hope other companies take notice and follow suit on their corporate campuses. It would be good for the environment and healthier for their communities. It also lowers their operation costs and its fun for their employees,” Stiles said.

Nature Doesn’t Recognize Ownership Boundaries

Suzanne Treyger — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:05:00 GMT

On October 1, 2011, NJ Audubon and our wonderful volunteers completed the final steps in a multi-year habitat restoration project on 110 acres of private land in Elsinboro Township, Salem County.

Through this exciting project we were able to work with three neighboring large landowners to restore 110 acres of brackish marsh that had been taken over with invasive Phragmites australis, a very common, tall invasive grass. The Phragmites had converted a diverse native brackish marsh into a monoculture of dense, non-native vegetation with reduced wildlife habitat quality. We spent several years working on getting control of the Phragmites, monitoring regrowth of native plants, and planting thousands of native wetland plants to reestablish diversity within the marsh.

New Jersey Audubon developed and organized the project, which was completed in two phases. Sixty acres were restored in the first phase and 50 in the second. Funding and on-the-ground help were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildife Service’s Coastal Program and Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, and the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) provided further funding and technical assistance for improving water quality by taking some of the wetland buffer out of crops and planting it in native vegetation. The William Penn Foundation provided essential financial support.

Nature doesn’t recognize ownership boundaries, and that is one reason why NJ Audubon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S.D.A. all support and encourage private landowners who wish to be great stewards of their land. We appreciate the landowners who work with us and the many volunteers who have helped us with restoration work on private land. When a private landowner improves habitat for fish and wildlife, we all benefit, whether from stronger fish and wildlife populations, cleaner water, increased biological diversity, or other benefits.

Written by: Jean Lynch, Stewardship Project Director, South Region

NJ Audubon Helps School and Farmer Take Action to Provide Important Habitat for Bird and Pollinator Species

John Parke — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:24:00 GMT

Allamuchy, NJ – A unique collaboration between the Allamuchy Elementary School, a neighboring farmer, the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), NJ Audubon Society (NJAS) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has formed to established critical habitat for native wildlife species on the school's ground that also retains agriculture, provides the community with ecological resource benefits, as well as an "outdoor" class room for students.

The Allamuchy Township Elementary School property is located within an ecological and agricultural area of significance in the Highlands region of Warren county. Working with NJ Audubon, the school and the neighboring farmer, Larry Freeborn of Tranquility Farms, enrolled a portion of an agricultural field on the school's property that according to Mr. Freeborn was a "wet" field that had marginal production, into the USDA-Farm Service Agency's State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (S.A.F.E.) Program. SAFE is a voluntary sign-up program through USDA that provide cost share funding for specific conservation practices on land to improve, connect or create higher-quality habitat to promote healthier ecosystems in areas identified as essential to effective management of high-priority species. With the enrollment into the SAFE program, the school then entered into an agreement with the USFWS under their Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program to obtain, for no cost, all native warm-season grass and wildflower seed for the project, as well as several bird nest boxes and native trees and shrubs for installation on the grounds.

The main portion of the project consists of planting a 2-acre native meadow consisting of native wildflowers and warm-season grasses, adjacent to Farmer Freeborn's production fields on the school grounds. With the addition of native wildflowers into the meadow planting, the constructed meadow area becomes an important refuge for native pollinators which provide immeasurable value to agriculture, as well as, keeping local plant communities healthy and productive.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, close to 75% of the flowering plants on earth rely to some degree on pollinators in order to set seed or fruit. From these plants comes one-third of humankind's food and even greater proportion of the food for much of our wildlife. Yet now pollinators are in risk due to loss of habitat. Types of habitat that they need, such as early successional grasslands, also are habitats for many other species that are in decline -like the Bobolink.

“This project is a wonderful compliment to our educational philosophy in Allamuchy – to get students involved in authentic, experiential learning projects that they will remember for the rest of their lives. These projects combine all the best principles of environmental education and stewardship and help our students understand and appreciate the very special environment in which we live. Special thanks go to the Larry Freeborn, USDA, the USFWS, and especially to the NJ Audubon Society for working together to make this happen.” said Timothy Frederiks, Superintendent of Allamuchy School District.

"The Allamuchy School District and Larry Freeborn of Tranquility Farms are demonstrating an exceptional commitment to protecting natural resources in the region." said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. "I am fully confident that this project will help the students, and the community, better realize how important both habitat and agriculture are to the region. The fates of farming and habitat in New Jersey are inseparable. So if they are to survive here, the farming and conservation community must work together to develop innovative strategies to promote economically viable farm communities and conservation goals. This project is a outstanding example of this concept".

Photos by John Parke

Volunteers Help Remove Invasive Plants at the Cape Island Important Bird Area

Suzanne Treyger — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 01:22:00 GMT

Two volunteer workdays took place last week at the Cape Island Important Bird Area (IBA) - both aimed at reducing invasive plants that are overtaking habitat. Located at the very tip of NJ, the Cape Island IBA is about 15,000 acres in size and includes a variety of habitat types. This IBA serves as a major migratory stopover site- millions of birds utilize Cape Island during spring and fall migration. Controlling invasive plants to increase and enhance suitable habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife on Cape Island is a stewardship priority for NJ Audubon.

On Thursday, volunteers removed invasive vines like porcelain berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata), sweet-autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) and field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) from young, native trees at a maritime forest restoration site at Cape May Point State Park. This restoration project is a cooperative effort led by NJ Audubon and NJ DEP Division of Parks and Forestry to control invasive plants and support the growth and regeneration of native vegetation.

The focus for Friday: purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata) at the Nature Conservancy’s South Cape May Meadows. Volunteers carefully snipped and bagged the flower heads of purple loosestrife plants before they develop seeds and spread further, while folks with thicker gloves snipped and pulled mile-a-minute, which has a prickly, thorny stem. Mile-a-minute is an emerging invasive plant in Cape Island, which means it is not yet established and widespread, and is found in small patches in the area. In addition to mile-a-minute, kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) is another emerging invasive plant found on Cape Island. We employ an Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) strategy to eliminate the emerging plants immediately to lessen the likelihood that they will become widespread and established.

Cape Island has its fair share of both emerging and widespread invasive plants, and Cape May County has the highest number of reported invasive species in the state- 365 total. To address this growing threat to migratory bird habitat, NJ Audubon organized the Cape Island Habitat Restoration Task Force (CIHRTF). CIHRTF is a newly formed Coordinated Weed Management Area (CWMA), and our partners include NJ state chapter of the Nature Conservancy (TNC), NJ DEP Bureau of Land Management, the NJ DEP Division of Parks and Forestry, and the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team (NJISST). The mission of CIHRTF is to identify, control and monitor invasive plants, restore and improve wildlife habitat, and provide outreach and education to the community of Cape Island. CIHRTF will be hosting more volunteer events and educational workshops throughout the year- please check our webpage for the latest information!

These projects are made possible through the support from: the William Penn Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Atlantic City Electric.

S.A.V.E. Sunflower Update: Eagerly awaiting those fields of gold! Stay tuned for upcoming field trip announcements!

Troy Ettel — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:04:11 GMT

It is now July and the sunflower plants are on the rise! Fueled by excellent spring and summer rains, the young plants are growing beautifully – and quite quickly - across the state and expectations are high for a great harvest. Nine farmers are participating in the program across the state this year, with over 200 acres planted in Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, and Cumberland Counties.

Checking in with the farmers this week, Buddy Shimp from Shiloh in Cumberland County tells me that his plants are nearing bloom with heads “the size of mason jars.” Recent rains have allowed the crop planted by Brant Gibbs, from Allamuchy in Warren County, to grow over a foot in the past 10 days. The heads of his sunflowers are “the size of softballs” and should be in full bloom in the next two weeks. Jim Laine and Mark Kirby in Hillsborough are coming along. Tom Zeng’s fields off along Amwell Road in East Amwell are just starting to show their color. Elsewhere, at Duke Farms and at Liberty Farm in Sandyston, plants are nearing a foot in height and will provide a reliable late crop – and extend the viewing season well into late summer.

The bright yellow heads aren’t quite out yet but keep an eye out as you drive around because they should be out soon. This year we have nine farmers participating across Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset and Cumberland County. With 200 acres planted, it is sure to be a beautiful sight!

Interested in seeing some of these farms for yourself? Well, you’re in luck! NJ Audubon will be organizing field trips to participating farms starting in late July and going through August and September. Keep an eye on our Blog for dates and registration information.

For those interested in partaking of this wonderful, Jersey Grown product that Supports Agricultural Viability and the Environment (the name of our brand, S.A.V.E.), it is now conveniently available at over 40 locations throughout the state. To find one near you and learn more about participating farmers please visit us at www.njaudubon.org.

The long awaited forest thinning project at our Hovnanian Sanctuary is finally underway.

Don Donnelly — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:13:15 GMT

Sunny skies and warm temperatures provided a near perfect day on Wednesday June 22^nd, for NJ Audubon staff members to guide a tour of the forest restoration project that is now underway at the Hovnanian Sanctuary. Attending the tour were representatives from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, local residents and reporters. The activity is clearly obvious right from the roadside of Davenport Road in Berkeley Township, so we didn’t need to walk very far before the discussion began.

This stewardship project aims to restore approximately 300 acres of pineland forest to a more typical, fire-adapted savannah type ecosystem. The pinelands forest evolved as an ecosystem that was historically subject to frequent forest fires. As such, the plants and animals native to this area are specialized at surviving in this unique environment, and in fact, their numbers begin to decline when fire is excluded from the region. Our restoration project will provide better habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered species known to exist in the area, but whose populations have declined as a result of the changing environment.

The Hovnanian Sanctuary hasn’t seen forest fires or any other type of active management in at least 30 years. Fire has been excluded from the property due to its proximity to nearby homes. Simply reintroducing fire at this point is not an option due to the excessively high levels of fuel (vegetation) within the forest, and if a fire were to break out now, it might be uncontrollable and catastrophic to the local residents. Therefore, the first step in the process is to mechanically reduce the amount vegetation by selectively removing the less vigorous trees. This is similar to weeding a garden. The process improves spacing among the residual trees and allows sunlight to reach the forest floor. The increased light will stimulate a more diverse herbaceous and shrub layer. Once the fuel load is reduced to a safe level, prescribed burning can be employed to really restore the site to a pinelands fire-adapted ecosystem. The photo at the right shows treatment area on the left vs. untreated on the right. Note how dense the vegetation has become in the absence of fire or other management. Overall, the project will take several years to fully implement.

Thinning contractor John deRouville uses a large feller to cut and bundle low quality trees. The trees are chipped onsite and trucked to a facility to be converted into mulch. A recent study was conducted at the University of Chicago using mulch produced from a NJ pinelands thinning project similar to ours. The results indicated that the pine mulch was comparable to peat moss as a soil amendment or growing medium. We think that this is exciting news since the pine mulch is a much more environmentally friendly option than peat moss, which is mined from bogs and considered a non-renewable resource. While it is exciting that we are producing a renewable resource as a byproduct of achieving our restoration goals, it certainly does not generate anywhere near enough revenue to offset the costs associated with completing the project. In fact, without the generous support of our partners, this project would not be feasible. Our partners include; Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, and USDA Forest Service.

We’ll have more updates as the project progresses.

Photos taken by Don Donnelly at the Hovnanian Sanctuary.

Salem River Wildlife Management Area

Suzanne Treyger — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:22:00 GMT

Suzanne and I left Cape May County well before sunrise for our bird surveys at Salem River Wildlife Management Area. We’re working at three sites with funding from a number of sources, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Corporate Wetland Restoration Program, and the Wildlife Management Institute, and DuPont. Of course, the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife is our main partner on these projects.

Stop 1 (or stop 2, if you count Wawa) was the former dairy site right beside the Salem River in Pilesgrove Township. Shortly after we arrived, we flushed a female turkey and her young—one of whom flew up and landed, looking confused, in a tree. There’s a big kingbird hangout up the hill, near the entrance to the large open field, and we see lots of Fowler’s toads and plenty of mammal scat, too.

We’ve seen a lot of the major grassland birds in the large field—kestrels, grasshopper sparrows, meadowlarks, and more. This site already has a nice grassland component, but we’re working with NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife to expand the size of the grassland. Many grassland species require very large grassland areas to nest, and here we have an opportunity to manage more than 80 acres for grassland-dependent wildlife. Bobwhite quail should benefit from this project as well.

Stop 2 was a former commercial tree nursery that is now part of the WMA. I love this spot because it’s so strange—creeping junipers, ornamental cherries, arborvitae, and a whole mishmash of native landscaping trees or their cultivars keep company with species they wouldn’t normally hang out with. This is one natural area where the normal plant associations do not apply, and as long as the plants in question are not invasive, that can make a site visit different and fun.

Of course, some of them are highly invasive, and for those ones we’re working on reining them in. We just did an enormous job removing about 15 acres of autumn olive from the fields, and now we’re following up to keep the autumn olive and honeysuckle from taking the fields right back. My favorite part of this stop this week was watching six monarch caterpillars do a number on a cluster of 14 milkweed plants. Some of the plants had been completely stripped of leaves and some leaves were just half-eaten. These were very hungry caterpillars.

We made a couple more stops that day—to another WMA site that we are converting to native grassland, and to a large riparian buffer project on private property. All the sites look good, all will have more work done to them, and their habitat value will just keep getting better and better.

All photos taken at the Salem River Wildlife Management Area by Jean Lynch.

Posted by Jean Lynch, Stewardship Project Director, South Region

Things Are “Hopp’n” At The Wattles Stewardship Center

John Parke — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:06:43 GMT

American toads by the thousands are emerging from the newly constructed vernal pool at the Wattles Stewardship Center in Port Murray, NJ! The young toads are the first of many amphibians species emerging from the newly constructed habitat feature, which is also supporting other amphibians (adults and young) such as green frog, wood frog, spring peeper, Northern gray tree frog, and spotted salamander.

In 2010, NJ Audubon implemented the construction of this vernal pool utilizing funding from USFWS Coastal Program, USFWS Partners in Fish & Wildlife, Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, PSE&G and a donation of plant materials from Pinelands Nursery of Columbus, NJ. NJ Audubon was able to take an existing (but dilapidated) defunct in-ground swimming pool that was left on site when Audubon took title of the property and convert it into a functional vernal pool. This converted pool is serving not only as prime suitable breeding habitat for amphibian species, but it also is used for educational purposes to promote the importance and ecological significance of vernal pools.

NJ Audubon believes it essential to bring public awareness to vernal pools because, even though the NJ Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act has been in place since 1989, it has done little to protect vernal pools because wetlands smaller than 1 acre (most vernal pools in NJ are less than 0.25 acre) were exempt from the regulatory protection and many were filled. Fortunately, we can re-establish vernal ponds that look and function like their natural counterparts, thus, restoring an important component of the landscape. Incentives to restore or establish seasonal wetlands are plentiful - to prevent flooding by holding rainwater; to have a place for specific species to utilize as part of their lifecycle. Not only do vernal pools provide suitable breeding habitat to various species but they also provide foraging grounds for various wading birds and reptiles. Replacing this vanishing part of our landscape is as rewarding to us as it is essential to the health of the environment.

Also confirmed utilizing the pool are many mico-invertebrates such as dragonfly larvae, water-boatman, water strider, and diving beetles. Additionally great blue heron, mallard duck and snapping turtle have been noted foraging in pool, not to mention several dragonfly, butterfly and songbird species also utilizing the area.

All photos taken at Wattles Stewardship Center by John Parke

Reforestation and a Partnership Grows at Drew University

John Parke — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:44:00 GMT

On April 15, 2011 the last piece of a four year long forest restoration project was completed on the campus of Drew University in Madison with the installation of over 1,100 native trees and shrubs by Drew students, faculty, community volunteers, volunteers from Pfizer (a member of NJA's Corporate Stewardship Council), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and New Jersey Audubon staff. The project was the vision of Drew Professor of Biology Dr. Sara Webb, who recognized, while conducting classes and research in the 80-acre forest preserve, that the forest conditions were degrading rapidly, thanks to overabundant deer in the preserve.

With no method of deer control little native undergrowth/regeneration remained to collect runoff and prevent erosion; or provide suitable habitat for forest interior species. To add insult to injury, invasive wisteria and Asiatic bittersweet vines were thriving in these conditions choking and toppling dozens of native trees each year which in turn lead to forest gap openings that were only being filled by other non-native invasive vegetation that the deer would not browse. Only with intervention would this ecosystem regain the structure and diversity that could again provided suitable habitat for native species and maximize groundwater replenishment, minimize sedimentation of receiving surface waters. (NOTE: the Drew Forest Preserve, which includes the Zuck Arboretum and the recently named Christine Hepburn Forest Restoration Area, is critically important for groundwater recharge and runoff reduction within the Passaic River watershed and the Buried Valley aquifer area.)

Though the USWFS' Partners in Fish and Wildlife Program, Drew, NJ Audubon and USFWS entered into an agreement to remove invasive vegetation and reforest the area. But it wasn't until a generous gift from former Madison residents and NJ Audubon Life Members, Christine Hepburn and her husband Ken Martin, that the project really came together with the installation of fencing around the entire 17-acre restoration area, thus excluding deer but allowing for movement of other wildlife though the small openings of the fence material.

"I am so excited; this is a long-held dream come true." said Christine Hepburn about the project. "For many years, the Drew woods provided me with Pileated Woodpeckers, Wood Thrushes, and other delights. This patch of woods brought me peace and joy but also sadness and frustration from seeing virtually all of the native understory mowed down by the deer again and again. I'm anxious to see how wonderful these woods become now that so many different new plants will be able to grow."

Brain Marsh of USFWS echoed Hepburn's remarks, "This project will reverse serious degradation of the Drew University Forest Preserve, thereby improving the forest’s capacity for hydrologic stabilization while also enhancing habitat for the native flora and fauna, including migratory birds and aquatic habitat species associated with the preserves' ponds and vernal pools.

"It is thrilling see ecological integrity and biodiversity returning to these woods. The rescue of this forest required intensive intervention that could not have happened without support and expertise of New Jersey Audubon, USFWS and environmentalist Chris Hepburn. My hope is that this project will inspire our university students and to inform the broader community about the value and complexity of natural ecosystems." said Professor Webb.

All photos taken at Drew University Project site. Photos by Lynne Delade and John Parke

Eagle Ridge Golf Club Takes Action to Provide Important Habitat for Bird and Pollinator Species

John Parke — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:43:00 GMT

Eagle Ridge Golf Club (Eagle Ridge), assisted by the New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS), has entered into a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to partake in a habitat restoration project on their Lakewood, Ocean County, NJ facility. Through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, Eagle Ridge, NJAS and the USFWS, will be restoring natural wildlife communities, that will create important habitat for migratory birds as well as for various pollinators, such a butterfly species.

"The golf course lies within the Service’s Atlantic Coastal Bay focus area of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program. The golf course represents a large tract of open space with a mix of early successional and edge habitat. Foraging and nesting habitat are available on the course to a variety of migratory birds, including purple martin, eastern bluebird, and eastern kingbird." said Brian Marsh, Private Lands Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “The USFWS commends Eagle Ridge's interest in creating and restoring wildlife habitat on their property.”

Earlier this spring Eagle Ridge and USFWS installed numerous nest boxes throughout the property for purple martin, bluebird and American kestrel, all of which became fully occupied by mid May. "My love of wildlife, in particular birds, has caused me to really focus my attention on the environment. I am encouraging nesting for the native wildlife at Eagle Ridge in hopes of increasing species populations, and I believe it is working. Golfers are coming up to me saying they have never seen so much wildlife here at Eagle Ridge compared to other courses. It is a labor of love for me." said Jerry Kokes, President of Eagle Ridge.

The site is very interesting in that it’s not your typical golf course -care was given to protect and support a diverse array of native plant life. An example of this is the abundance of the native wildflower species Pink Lady's Slipper orchid at the site. However, as with all areas in NJ, Eagle Ridge and USFWS still had to implement removal/controls of invasive non-native herbaceous vegetation that included, non-native grasses, spotted knapweed, and mugwort, from areas of the property. Non-native invasive vegetation invade areas, shading out and killing off existing native plants thus creating a simplified ecosystem that will not support a diverse set of native animal. In an effort to enhance the course’s value to migratory birds and pollinators the partners are establishing a native meadow consisting of native wildflowers and warm-season grasses on the several acres that received the invasive vegetation removals. Warm-season grasses are ideal cover for land managers and wildlife because they do not require fertilization or irrigation, provide erosion control, are drought tolerant, grow mostly in the middle of the summer when other grasses are dormant, add color and texture to the landscape, remain upright during winter, and provide foraging and nesting cover to migratory birds. Additionally their extensive root systems soak up excess nutrients, thus aiding in water filtration as well as allow them to absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it underground. Warm season grasses are highly effective carbon “sinks” — they are, in fact, called “C4” grasses because they absorb an extra molecule of carbon while cool season grasses are labeled “C3.”

"Eagle Ridge is demonstrating an outstanding commitment to sustaining native wildlife populations." said John Parke, Stewardship Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. “What is really exciting is the amount of grassland dependent bird species that are using the restoration areas, like grasshopper sparrow and meadowlark. Congratulations to Eagle Ridge for solidifying a symbiotic relationship with the surrounding community to foster environmental awareness and a conservation ethic while enhancing wildlife systems in New Jersey."

All photos shown here were taken at Eagle Ridge Golf Club.

This Blog Post is for the Birds!

Troy Ettel — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:44:05 GMT

In April, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation invited New Jersey Audubon’s Director of Conservation and Stewardship, Troy Ettel as guest columnist on their blog. We are reproducing those posts here to kick-off New Jersey Audubon’s new Stewardship Blog which will feature weekly updates on New Jersey Audubon projects throughout the year, posted by its professional stewardship staff. This is the second of two installments run on the Dodge blog in late April 2011.

In this space last week, I discussed how our work at New Jersey Audubon developing and implementing large-scale habitat management projects has brought home the importance of economic realities to the sustainability of conservation. The reality that the quality of life and opportunities for people that live in the regions that we are striving to protect are an incredibly important part of the equation first became apparent to us while working directly with New Jersey farmers.

Annually, over the past three years we have hosted what we have called “Farmer Forums”. Often, we have been joined by other conservation partners and a growing assortment of farmers interested in participating in NJ Audubon’s S.A.V.E.^TMinitiative. Making use of the USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grant program, we are connecting farmers, forest owners, and local operators to niche markets, launching our own brand, S.A.V.E., that stands for Support Agricultural Viability and the Environment. The goals of the project are to help revitalize local economies of the region while sustaining ecological restoration and preserving landscapes at the same time.

The Forums are not just an opportunity for NJ Audubon to vet new ideas; some of the best new ideas and problem solving continues to come from the farmers. Over time, the need for NJ Audubon to reiterate the ecological component of the project has faded; today the farmers often make the point for us. At a Forum in 2010, when a new farmer asked what would happen if a participant in the program was not interested in the conservation side of the project, another farmer was the one to jump in and emphatically state, “we would kick them out of the program.”

Partially as a result of the economic downturn, many of the government subsides that have fueled natural resource stewardship for decades are receiving less funding or have been eliminated altogether. The conservation community faces a time of change and adaptation to this new paradigm that parallels our colleagues in the agricultural sector. Looking around the table at the Forums, change and adaptation are clearly becoming the new “normal” for farmers. Brant Gibbs formerly operated a prominent dairy farm in Warren County, Buddy Shimp from Salem County got started in the business as a potato farmer, and Raj Sinha is a first generation farmer from Sussex County who, among other ventures, is producing his own Jersey Grown salsa label. Today, all are growing working on growing birdseed with NJ Audubon.

Ultimately the Forum and discussions are all about connections – how farmers, conservation groups and retailers can collaborate to meet their varied individual objectives better than working apart. Thus far the results have been very positive. Jersey Grown Birdseed was the first product marketed under the S.A.V.E. initiative. Three farmers, Mark Kirby and Jim Laine of Hillsborough and Tom Zeng of Ringoes started growing black-oil sunflower in 2008 for the initiative. With a loyal customer base built over the past 20 years to purchase birdseed, NJ Audubon offered something that the farmers did not have – direct access to a niche market. This helped remove some of the project’s risk. In turn the farmers could give NJ Audubon something that it wanted, a local, Jersey Grown seed as an alternative to what was available in the marketplace – seed trucked from the Upper Midwest.

A business plan designed in collaboration with Rutgers MBA Consulting Program helped keep the birdseed project on target. Start-up funding from the Conservation Innovation Program, allowed the farmers and NJ Audubon to further focus on a greener product, allowing establish of test plots experimenting with small bits of charcoal or bio-char, to look at opportunities to fix carbon in the soil within agricultural systems. At the same time, NJ Audubon uses revenue from the program to manage habitat for rare grassland birds and – equally important – used the expertise of the farmers to help manage the habitats. Sales have increased by 96% in its third year, 2011, exceeding 60 tons and being sold in nearly 30 locations statewide and now with 11 farmers involved. The success has allowed NJ Audubon to eclipse its modest initial goal of 40 acres managed for grassland birds and hopefully move in a direction that ensures future sustainability.

One of the highlights of the project has been the ability to increase traffic and attention to local farms participating in the project with NJ Audubon. This has included developing eco- and agritourism opportunities to further connect farmers and farms with the people living in New Jersey’s cities and suburbs. One of the orgininal farmers, Mark Kirby said, “One of the best things about working with NJ Audubon is that they have 22,000 members and now I am getting calls from people asking me what else I sell.” That sentiment has laid the perfect foundation for discussion in Forums. The project is ultimately about connections – connections for people to the land as food and as a natural part of their environment. The farmers are now bringing their ideas forward to talk about the next products for the label and some have had independent conversations with retailers carrying the seed about collaborating on other ways.

One of the greatest connections behind this project is the direct ability to connect consumers with the origin of their products. Any consumer who wants to know where their birdseed is grown or any of their other products comes from can join NJ Audubon for a trip to see the fields, meet the farmers, and see the habitat being created. You can check it out yourself. Just visit www.njaudubon.org this summer to sign up for trips, find retail locations, and look for those new S.A.V.E. products – cold-pressed sunflower oil and native pine mulch - coming to market in 2011.

Support for this project has been provided by the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service through its Conservation Innovation Grant program, Conservation Resources, Inc., and the King/Weseley Family Charitable Foundation.

Expanding Jersey Grown with Birdhouses and Feeders “Made from Jersey Grown Wood”

NJAS Administrator — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:59:19 GMT

Over the past seven years at NJ Audubon, our work to develop stewardship plans throughout New Jersey, whether in Highlands forests, South Jersey pines, or within the agricultural landscapes that define the Garden State, has really brought home the importance of economic realities to the sustainability of conservation. In particular, the quality of life and opportunities for people that live in the regions that we are striving to protect are an incredibly important part of the equation. We’ve seen that there are direct parallels with the “Buy Fresh/Buy Local” initiative for fresh, local food to cultivate similar unique opportunities that connect local consumers with local producers for an even wider range of products.

Seeing the connection and importance of local producers playing a role in the implementation of conservation projects, NJ Audubon decided to become more directly involved in connecting agricultural producers with consumer markets. NJA trademarked its own brand - S.A.V.E.^TM - which stands for Support Agricultural Viability and the Environment. After decades in the trenches fighting against the types of land uses that we do not like, we felt it was time to start highlighting those that we do. Thus, the emergence of S.A.V.E. – a brand that connects farmers to consumers with a conscience – those interested not only in the origins of their products but also in knowing that supporting the environment is as easy as purchasing a product. In 2008, we started with Jersey Grown birdseed which I will talk more about next week. Now the brand is broadening.

On April 19, 2011 at a press conference in Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County, NJ, Douglas Fisher the NJ Secretary of Agriculture joined NJ Audubon and Lynn Fleming, NJ State Forester in announcing an expansion of the Department’s highly successful Jersey Grown/Jersey Fresh program to allow, for the first time, products made from 100% NJ wood to be labeled “Made with Jersey Grown Wood.” The first products to be certified under this label expansion are birdhouses and birdfeeders offered by NJ Audubon.

"Consumers who see the ‘Made with Jersey Grown Wood’ logo on products will immediately know they are supporting New Jersey businesses," said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher. "We are happy to partner with NJ Audubon on the expansion of the Jersey Grown program to first, sunflower birdseed, and now, wood. We urge everyone to ask for Jersey Grown at participating nurseries, garden centers, feed stores and specialty shops."

NJ Audubon’s birdhouses and feeders are made of Atlantic white cedar sustainably harvested under forest stewardship plans approved by the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection. The lumber is sawn at Schairer Brothers Sawmill in Egg Harbor City. Founded in 1936, Schairer Brothers is one of the few sawmills left in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, providing lumber to local markets mostly within a 50-mile radius. Owner Paul Schairer is a third generation mill operator, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who first began milling wood in the 1920s and operated the family mill while his sons served in World War II. Paul sees a place for his small, family-owned sawmill both to preserve New Jersey’s forests and to serve the local market. He mentions that he used to provide wood to a local furniture-making business, but lost the contract when the furniture maker began buying lumber sourced from China. He also is frustrated by the lack of management around him that is contributing to a decline in the region’s forests – from invading insects such as the southern pine beetle and gypsy moth, to a poorly understood decline in Atlantic white cedar. “We need management on some parcels,” Paul says. “The woods are not healthy. Without management we have stressed trees.”

Atlantic white cedar is an important, native ecosystem that harbors many rare plants and animals in New Jersey – but despite the presence of tens of thousands of acres of cedar forests on public land it is declining. Restoration of cedar is one of the highest conservation priorities in South Jersey; it is also has one of the highest per acre restoration costs. To date, cedar restoration has been funded almost entirely by grants from the federal government. However, considering the current debate surrounding the national debt and severe cuts to many of the programs that have been allowing this important work to occur, we should be deeply concerned about the sustainability of government-dependent conservation. If an economic incentive existed to properly manage and maintain not only white cedar forests, but forests throughout the state, implantation of approved Forest Stewardship Plans would allow sustainable harvest while also helping achieve goals for forest restoration and management.

State Forester Lynn Fleming, who oversees the NJ State Forest Service, the agency within NJ DEP responsible for approving Forest Stewardship Plans, agrees, "The 'Made with Jersey Grown Wood' label advocates quality products produced by our state's local forests. Fortuitously, the introduction of the label coincides with the International Year of Forests, which celebrates sustainable forestry all over the world."

NJ Audubon agrees, and supports local, family-owned businesses that provide forest and farm products for local use, support the local economies of New Jersey’s communities, and help secure the future of New Jersey’s forests and farmland. When preservation of natural resources makes economic as well as ecological sense, our job is a lot easier.

For more information about the program or to find a list of participating retailers that sell S.A.V.E. products please visit NJ Audubon’s Jersey Grown website.