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 ]]> G MacGregor http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/68/New-Jersey-Audubon-Earns-Forest-Stewardship-Council-FSC-Group-Certificate.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/68/New-Jersey-Audubon-Earns-Forest-Stewardship-Council-FSC-Group-Certificate.aspx Mon, 21 May 2012 23:49:08 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=68 News from the Sanctuaries Stewardship in Action http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/66/A-Forest-for-the-Future.aspx 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

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!

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. ]]> John Parke http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/64/New-Jersey-American-Water-Partners-with-NJ-Audubon-and-USFWS-to-Improve-Wildlife-Habitat-in-New-Jersey.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/64/New-Jersey-American-Water-Partners-with-NJ-Audubon-and-USFWS-to-Improve-Wildlife-Habitat-in-New-Jersey.aspx Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:12:34 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=64 Stewardship in Action Important Bird Areas http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/62/Cape-May-Residential-Community-Rallies-Together-to-Improve-Wildlife-Habitat.aspx 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.

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.

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.^TM brand – 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. ^TM program, 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. 

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. ]]> John Parke http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/50/Replacing-the-Corporate-Lawn-Look-of-the-20th-Century-One-Corporate-Campus-at-a-Time.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/50/Replacing-the-Corporate-Lawn-Look-of-the-20th-Century-One-Corporate-Campus-at-a-Time.aspx Sun, 06 Nov 2011 03:51:18 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=50 Stewardship in Action http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/49/Nature-Doesn-t-Recognize-Ownership-Boundaries.aspx 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

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 ]]> John Parke http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/44/NJ-Audubon-Helps-School-and-Farmer-Take-Action-to-Provide-Important-Habitat-for-Bird-and-Pollinator-Species.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/44/NJ-Audubon-Helps-School-and-Farmer-Take-Action-to-Provide-Important-Habitat-for-Bird-and-Pollinator-Species.aspx Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:24:00 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=44 Important Bird Areas Stewardship in Action http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/43/Volunteers-Help-Remove-Invasive-Plants-at-the-Cape-Island-Important-Bird-Area.aspx 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.

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.  ]]> Troy Ettel http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/42/S-A-V-E-Sunflower-Update-Eagerly-awaiting-those-fields-of-gold-Stay-tuned-for-upcoming-field-trip-announcements.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/42/S-A-V-E-Sunflower-Update-Eagerly-awaiting-those-fields-of-gold-Stay-tuned-for-upcoming-field-trip-announcements.aspx Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:04:11 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=42 http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/41/The-long-awaited-forest-thinning-project-at-our-Hovnanian-Sanctuary-is-finally-underway.aspx 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.]]> Don Donnelly http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/41/The-long-awaited-forest-thinning-project-at-our-Hovnanian-Sanctuary-is-finally-underway.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/41/The-long-awaited-forest-thinning-project-at-our-Hovnanian-Sanctuary-is-finally-underway.aspx Mon, 27 Jun 2011 22:13:15 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=41 Stewardship in Action http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/40/Salem-River-Wildlife-Management-Area.aspx 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 ]]> Suzanne Treyger http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/40/Salem-River-Wildlife-Management-Area.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/40/Salem-River-Wildlife-Management-Area.aspx Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:22:00 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=40 News from the Sanctuaries http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/39/Things-Are-Hopp-n-At-The-Wattles-Stewardship-Center.aspx 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 ]]> John Parke http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/39/Things-Are-Hopp-n-At-The-Wattles-Stewardship-Center.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/39/Things-Are-Hopp-n-At-The-Wattles-Stewardship-Center.aspx Thu, 16 Jun 2011 22:06:43 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=39 Stewardship in Action http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/38/Reforestation-and-a-Partnership-Grows-at-Drew-University.aspx 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 ]]> John Parke http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/38/Reforestation-and-a-Partnership-Grows-at-Drew-University.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/38/Reforestation-and-a-Partnership-Grows-at-Drew-University.aspx Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:44:00 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=38 Stewardship in Action http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/37/Eagle-Ridge-Golf-Club-Takes-Action-to-Provide-Important-Habitat-for-Bird-and-Pollinator-Species.aspx

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.

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.^TM initiative. 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. ]]> Troy Ettel http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/35/This-Blog-Post-is-for-the-Birds.aspx#Comments http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/35/This-Blog-Post-is-for-the-Birds.aspx Thu, 26 May 2011 23:44:05 GMT 0 http://www.njaudubon.org/DesktopModules/SunBlog/Handlers/Trackback.aspx?id=35 Jersey Grown S.A.V.E. Updates http://www.njaudubon.org/SectionConservation/StewardshipProgam/StewardshipBlog/tabid/2006/entryid/30/Troy-s-First-Post.aspx 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.

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.