Green Knight Newsletter

Rutgers Cooperative Extension - Upcoming Programs and Resources

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 07:30:24 -0500

Upcoming Programs & Resources

Registration is open for the 2023 Environmental Stewards program. Learn about the science behind important environmental issues affecting New Jersey. If you have a passion for the environment, a desire to learn and a willingness to volunteer, then this program is for you! The class runs on Tuesday evenings from 5:30- 8pm starting January 24^th. The class fee is $260.

Homesteading Academy

Rutgers Cooperative Extension introduces the "Homesteading Academy"—a once monthly lunchtime webinar series for anyone curious about home-grown sustenance and self-sufficiency. You are invited to join the webinar on the second Tuesday of each month from noon to 1 p.m., so bring your lunch!

Green Infrastructure Champions Program

Green Infrastructure Champions are key players in implementing green infrastructure as an approach to stormwater management in their own municipality. Classes are online on Friday starting January 13, 10am- noon.

Duke Farms Master Ecologist

This 8-month course provides the basic foundations for understanding ecological processes and concepts, survey methods, and management techniques. Each month will introduce a new field topic and students will participate in an in-person lecture and outdoor field session related to the month’s topic. Classes meet once a month at Duke Farms from 9am- 1pm.

Gardening Education Series: The Science Behind How Things Grow.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is once again offering a 16-week, online educational program for the public on gardening and home horticulture, from February 9 through May 25, 2023. Topics include botany, soils, entomology, plant pathology, pruning, lawn care, vegetables, small fruits, tree fruits, ornamental plants, and composting.

New Rutgers Cooperative Extension “Introduction to Aquaponics” Fact Sheet. Trends indicate that more people are interested in purchasing food and food products that are locally grown through sustainable farming practices. This fact sheet introduces the concepts, practices, benefits, and challenges of aquaponics for those interested in learning more about the subject or potentially starting an aquaponics farm.

Giving A Forest A Head Start On Its Future Climate: Should We Lend A Helping Hand ?

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 14:48:25 -0500

Michele Bakacs, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day newsletter.

Many of us use the winter to plan for the next season’s restoration and planting projects. In the next 100 years New Jersey’s climate is predicted to change dramatically as the northeast is warming faster than other regions of the country. This point was driven home at the October 5, 2022 New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team conference where Dr Evelyn Beaury, current postdoc at Princeton University, presented “Seeding Ecosystems of the Future” based on her research done with the Northeast Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change (RISCC) Management Network. In New Jersey, historically unprecedented warming is projected for the 21st century with average annual temperatures increasing by 4.1 °F to 5.7 °F by 2050 (NJDEP, 2020). The question posed is with rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, reduced chilling degree days, and an increase in growing degree days how can we help our forest ecosystems adapt and how will species adapt to change?

What is assisted migration?

One proposed adaptation technique is the idea of assisted migration. Assisted migration is human assisted migration of species in response to climate change. Many are familiar with wildlife migration, for example annual spring and fall bird migrations, but you may not realize that plants also migrate. Forest plant species that cannot tolerate warming temperatures are naturally shifting their ranges and migrating north. For example, based on the US Forest Service Climate Change Tree Atlas, New Jersey’s forest habitat is predicted to be more suitable to forests just south of us where Loblolly Pine, Sweetgum, Pitch Pine, Post Oak, and White Oak may be the more abundant species. Red maple, while still abundant, is expected to be less so in the future along with Sugar Maple and Red Oak (NJDEP, 2020).

But the climate is warming faster than many of these species can keep up. In addition, we face threats from invasive species that can readily tolerate shorter, milder winters and longer summers. That’s where assisted migration of species comes in, the idea being, to give a forest a head start on its future climate. Can we help our ecosystems adapt by creating resilient landscapes and choosing species that are predicted to be more tolerant of our future climate?

The term assisted migration is a general term used to describe a wide range of activity from moving a population within its historic species range to moving wildlife to where it has never existed before. One example is in Vermont where foresters are introducing a variety of Red Spruce, chosen for its origins in the mountains of West Virginia, which is where Vermont’s predicted climate is headed. Read about additional case studies in the northeast as well as a detailed review of operational scale forest assisted migration in this Ecosphere journal article and on the Climate Change Response Framework demonstration project website.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The assisted migration concept has been debated for over a decade as there are many challenges and opportunities that could arise (Handler et al., 2018).

A few of the challenges include

• new species could become invasive. The example frequently sited is Black Locust which is native south of New Jersey in the Appalachian region. It became invasive in our region as it is popular in the ornamental trade and thrives in a variety of habitats.
• new species could introduce diseases or pests.
• new species could hybridize with local existing species.
• new species may not have genetically diverse seed sources or enough seed may not exist for species with limited ranges.
• assisted migration may be more expensive than traditional regenerative practices.

Opportunities from assisted migration include

• helping maintain ecosystem function where species are declining.
• helping maintain forest productivity under climate change.
• provenance data is already available for many species which could help managers make decisions about performance of seed sources from outside their area.
• “life boating” a species that is at critical risk.
• ensure that a species occurs in many redundant locations across a range of conditions.

These issues have a practical application for forest restoration projects. Historically when choosing plant species for restoration projects the goal has been to source seed and plants from the local provenance of the native species. But with the climate quickly warming, some local genotypes (the genetic makeup of an organism) may not be adapted to future climate conditions. The question then becomes, for land managers, how do we choose appropriate plants for resilient landscapes, and how do we make management decisions?

Luckily, I don’t have to answer that question because there are many resources we can use to help plan for climate change adaptation. Whew!

Resources

One resource is simply using predicted changes in plant hardiness zones to determine what species might be appropriate into the future. The USDA plant hardiness zones are the standard by which we can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. Zones are based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. By 2070, locations in southern New Jersey are predicted to be in zone 8, allowing some southern species that previously could not tolerate our cold winters to thrive.

Another practical tool is the Natural Areas Conservancy Forest Identification and Restoration Selection Tool. This “plant palette” tool for the NY metro area takes you through a dichotomous key to define your forest type and then proposes a restoration plant palette ranked in tiers from highly to less resilient to disturbance and climate change.

Another resource is the Northeast Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change (RISCC) Management Network which aims to reduce the compounding effects of invasive species and climate change. Their “Management Challenges” two-page documents synthesize the current state of knowledge for example, “Nuisance Neo-natives: Guidelines for assessing range shifting species”, and “Gardening with climate smart natives in the Northeast.”

Two resources focused on trees are the USDA Climate Change Tree Atlas and NJ Forest Adapt developed at Rutgers. The Climate Change Tree Atlas can help answer a range of questions concerning current and projected suitable habitat for many tree species in the eastern United States.

NJ Forest Adapt is more specific to New Jersey and provides access to mapped information on the status of New Jersey’s forests, present and future climate and other forest health stressors to aid land managers in adaptation planning.

The Climate Change Resource Cent er is a web-based, national platform that connects land managers and decision makers with usable science to address climate change in natural resources planning and management. The focus is on forests and other ecosystems, and you can spend hours getting lost among the library of tools. Included are 3 self-paced modules “Responses to Climate Change: What You Need to Know” which gives a brief overview of natural resource adaptation options, resistance, resilience, and transition, and how to incorporate them into planning, as well as providing definitions and descriptions of mitigation and restoration.

References and Additional Reading

Handler, S.; Pike, C.; St. Clair, B.; 2018. Assisted Migration. USDA Forest Service Climate Change Resource Center. www.fs.usda.gov/ccrc/topics/assisted-migration

Lenart, Melanie. May 16, 2019 “The Debate About Assisted Migration.” Climate, Forests and Woodlands eXtension Community of Practice. climate-woodlands.extension.org/the-debate-about-assisted-migration/

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 2020. New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change, Version 1.0. (Eds. R. Hill, M.M. Rutkowski, L.A. Lester, H. Genievich, N.A. Procopio). Trenton, NJ. 184 pp. www.nj.gov/dep/climatechange/data.html

Palik, Brian J., Peter W. Clark, Anthony W. D’Amato, Chris Swanston, and Linda Nagel. 2022.“Operationalizing Forest-Assisted Migration in the Context of Climate Change Adaptation: Examples from the Eastern USA.” Ecosphere 13(10): e4260. esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.4260

Weathering The Storm: Increased Resiliency After Superstorm Sandy - October and November 2022

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 15:53:50 -0400

envirostewards.rutgers.edu/earth-day-every-day/

October 17 - Adapting to Climate Change in Your Community with Tanya Rohrbach, NJ Future

October 24 - Living Shorelines in the Decade Since Sandy: Lessons Learned and Implications for Future Design with Jon Miller, Stevens Institute of Technology

November 14 - Strategies To Minimize the Impacts Of Coastal Flooding And Salt Water On Agricultural Lands, with Chris Miller, USDA-NRCS

November 21 - Planning For The Unplanned: Preparing For Marine Debris Response In New Jersey, with Jessica Conway, NOAA Marine Debris Program

Back to School Means Back to Helping the Environment !

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 10:37:27 -0400

Amy Rowe, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day news blast

Now that students are back in the classroom and everyone is getting into a routine, we wanted to highlight some programs that are available to connect schools, kids, and the environment. Everyone can do their part to be more sustainable and environmentally-friendly!

Sustainable Jersey for Schools
www.sustainablejerseyschools.com/

Sustainable Jersey for Schools is based on the successful Sustainable Jersey certification program for municipalities. Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a free, voluntary certification program for pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade public schools in New Jersey. The program provides guidance, support, and recognition to schools that implement steps to be sustainable in their operations and proactive in preparing students for the challenges they will face in the future.

Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification actions cover a wide range of topic areas focusing on the three equal, interrelated components of sustainability: 1) People: contribute to a strong civil society that provides opportunity for all, 2) Prosperity: support local economies and wise use of community resources and 3) Planet: practice responsible environmental management and conservation. Some actions are relatively straightforward such as completing an energy audit, while others are more involved such as instituting a district-wide sustainability policy. Only 354 schools across the state are certified!

New Jersey Audubon Eco-Schools
njaudubon.org/eco-schools/

Eco-Schools is a national program through the National Wildlife Federation that is administered by the New Jersey Audubon Society. The program engages students in sustainability education through distance learning and place-based learning in their homes, yards, and neighborhoods. A classroom of students creates action plans together and they each take one action in which to show measurable improvement. Action categories are watersheds, oceans, and wetlands, biodiversity, forests, and schoolyard habitats. The program has many resources available including YouTube videos, indoor and outdoor activities, and Google Docs for teachers. Less than 30 schools statewide have earned their green flag award!

New Jersey Audubon Green Ribbon Schools
njaudubon.org/green-ribbon-schools/

Green Ribbon Schools is a national program through the US Department of Education that is facilitated by the New Jersey Audubon Society. The purpose of the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award is to highlight schools’, districts’, and institutions of higher educations’ cost-saving, health-promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices in three categories, thereby encouraging other schools, districts and IHEs to adopt similarly innovative practices. The focus areas are reduced environmental impact and costs, improved health and wellness, and effective environmental and sustainability education. This program is much more formal and highly competitive compared to some of the others mentioned here. NJ Audubon can assist with the application process.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection State Environmental Education Directory (SEEDS)
www.nj.gov/dep/seeds/index.html

The SEEDS website is a catalog of environmental education resources supported by the DEP. There are classroom materials, field trip opportunities, volunteer programs, and grants and scholarships available. There are also links to publicly-available environmental state data accessible via interactive mapping tools, reports, and search engines. There is also an environmental education news listserv that teachers can join to receive e-blasts with more up-to-date information and events.

Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE)
anjee.org/index.html

ANJEE’s mission is to support and advance environmental education efforts in New Jersey for all people in order to cultivate an environmentally literate population. The organization hosts conferences and other events and has environmental education resources available online broken down into grade level. There are also many members-only benefits.

New Jersey River-Friendly Schools
www.njriverfriendly.org/school

The River-Friendly School Program helps teachers, students and school leaders reduce water pollution while creating new teaching opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and establishing a healthier environment for our children. Certification is offered at several different levels based on points achieved through lessons and hands-on projects in any of the four River-Friendly categories: water quality, water conservation, wildlife habitat and education & outreach. This certification program is offered to both private and public schools.

Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) Student and Educator Resources
pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/educator-and-student-resources/

In addition to a curriculum for teaching students about Pinelands ecology, PPA has a multi-day field science experience for educators to strengthen field-based investigations in their teaching and improve student performance. *South Jersey-focused*

Rutgers Stormwater Management in Your Backyard
njaes.rutgers.edu/environment/rain-garden-manual.php

This manual provides teachers, volunteers, and community groups with the materials needed to take action to combat stormwater, design a rain gardens, and inform others about managing our water resources. It includes lesson plans on the importance of stormwater management and reducing nonpoint source pollution through the “How Are We Going to Clean Up Messy Town?” program for grades 1-7.

Rutgers Science Explorer
sciencebus.rutgers.edu/

This traveling bus provides middle school students the opportunity to explore STEM careers via a variety of standards-based, hands-on activities with Rutgers researchers. By taking the role of scientists and engineers while working on a variety of hands-on activities, students learn key concepts from the school curriculum and get exposed to research practices. Along with the opportunity to have the mobile science lab and scientists visit on-site, the program now offers virtual events and in-person programming on Rutgers’ Busch Campus.

Rutgers 4-H Stem Ambassadors
nj4h.rutgers.edu/join-stem-ambassadors/

The Rutgers 4 H STEM Ambassador Program is an excellent opportunity for teens to learn about STEM, develop as a leader in their community, and prepare for college. Participants gain valuable skills from a year-round, multi-year STEM enrichment program, lead STEM activities for other youth, and get to know like-minded students from across the state. Approximately 60 rising 8-10th graders are accepted into this competitive program each year.

Hopefully some of these resources will spark your interest and lead to new environmentally-based lessons, activities, and achievement programs in your local schools!

(Photos: Wikimedia Commons)

Back to School Means Back to Helping the Environment !

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 10:25:30 -0400

Amy Rowe, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Rutgers Earth Day Every Day News Blast

Sustainable Jersey for Schools
www.sustainablejerseyschools.com/

New Jersey Audubon Eco-Schoolshttps://njaudubon.org/eco-schools/
Eco-Schools is a national program through the National Wildlife Federation that is administered by the New Jersey Audubon Society. The program engages students in sustainability education through distance learning and place-based learning in their homes, yards, and neighborhoods. A classroom of students creates action plans together and they each take one action in which to show measurable improvement. Action categories are watersheds, oceans, and wetlands, biodiversity, forests, and schoolyard habitats. The program has many resources available including YouTube videos, indoor and outdoor activities, and Google Docs for teachers. Less than 30 schools statewide have earned their green flag award!

New Jersey Audubon Green Ribbon Schools https://njaudubon.org/green-ribbon-schools/
Green Ribbon Schools is a national program through the US Department of Education that is facilitated by the New Jersey Audubon Society. The purpose of the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award is to highlight schools’, districts’, and institutions of higher educations’ cost-saving, health-promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices in three categories, thereby encouraging other schools, districts and IHEs to adopt similarly innovative practices. The focus areas are reduced environmental impact and costs, improved health and wellness, and effective environmental and sustainability education. This program is much more formal and highly competitive compared to some of the others mentioned here. NJ Audubon can assist with the application process.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection State Environmental Education Directory (SEEDS) https://www.nj.gov/dep/seeds/index.html
The SEEDS website is a catalog of environmental education resources supported by the DEP. There are classroom materials, field trip opportunities, volunteer programs, and grants and scholarships available. There are also links to publicly-available environmental state data accessible via interactive mapping tools, reports, and search engines. There is also an environmental education news listserv that teachers can join to receive e-blasts with more up-to-date information and events.

Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE) https://anjee.org/index.html
ANJEE’s mission is to support and advance environmental education efforts in New Jersey for all people in order to cultivate an environmentally literate population. The organization hosts conferences and other events and has environmental education resources available online broken down into grade level. There are also many members-only benefits.

New Jersey River-Friendly Schools https://www.njriverfriendly.org/school
The River-Friendly School Program helps teachers, students and school leaders reduce water pollution while creating new teaching opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and establishing a healthier environment for our children. Certification is offered at several different levels based on points achieved through lessons and hands-on projects in any of the four River-Friendly categories: water quality, water conservation, wildlife habitat and education & outreach. This certification program is offered to both private and public schools.

Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) Student and Educator Resources
https://pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/educator-and-student-resources/
In addition to a curriculum for teaching students about Pinelands ecology, PPA has a multi-day field science experience for educators to strengthen field-based investigations in their teaching and improve student performance. *South Jersey-focused*

Rutgers Stormwater Management in Your Backyard https://njaes.rutgers.edu/environment/rain-garden-manual.php
This manual provides teachers, volunteers, and community groups with the materials needed to take action to combat stormwater, design a rain gardens, and inform others about managing our water resources. It includes lesson plans on the importance of stormwater management and reducing nonpoint source pollution through the “How Are We Going to Clean Up Messy Town?” program for grades 1-7.

Rutgers Science Explorer https://sciencebus.rutgers.edu/
This traveling bus provides middle school students the opportunity to explore STEM careers via a variety of standards-based, hands-on activities with Rutgers researchers. By taking the role of scientists and engineers while working on a variety of hands-on activities, students learn key concepts from the school curriculum and get exposed to research practices. Along with the opportunity to have the mobile science lab and scientists visit on-site, the program now offers virtual events and in-person programming on Rutgers’ Busch Campus.

Rutgers 4-H Stem Ambassadors https://nj4h.rutgers.edu/join-stem-ambassadors/
The Rutgers 4 H STEM Ambassador Program is an excellent opportunity for teens to learn about STEM, develop as a leader in their community, and prepare for college. Participants gain valuable skills from a year-round, multi-year STEM enrichment program, lead STEM activities for other youth, and get to know like-minded students from across the state. Approximately 60 rising 8-10th graders are accepted into this competitive program each year.

Hopefully some of these resources will spark your interest and lead to new environmentally-based lessons, activities, and achievement programs in your local schools!
Opportunities and Upcoming Programs

Forest Gumption – New Jersey Forests Survive Fires and Other Challenges

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:08:03 -0400

Sal Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day newsletter

Our forests are invaluable

New Jersey’s forests are invaluable for the services they provide. These include being a home to valued plants and wildlife, providing recreation opportunities, and supporting ecosystem services like recharging aquifers, improving water quality, and serving as a carbon sink.

Recently, a large wildfire in Wharton State Forest has reminded us of how much we value our forests.

Fire

The recent Mullica River Fire affected nearly 14,000 acres along the Mullica River in Wharton State Forest in Burlington and Atlantic Counties (NJ.com, 2022a). The fire spread along the Mullica River between Atsion and Batsto, and closed roads, hiking trials, recreation areas, campgrounds, and river access. One report was that 50 residents had to be evacuated (NJ.com 2022b). The wildfire may have been started by an illegal campfire (NYT 2022).

Why fire is important to pinelands forests

Wildfires are inherently dangerous because they are uncontrolled. They can threaten homes, wildlife, and mature trees.

However, New Jersey’s pineland forests are adapted to fire, especially surface fires, that move along the ground burning leaf litter and downed wood without reaching the crowns of the trees. Here, fires are natural and relatively frequent. Fire helps break down leaf litter and dead wood, which may not readily compose in the relatively acidic and dry soils.

Some trees are protected from fire by having a thick bark that protects the living tissue inside the trunk. Trees and plants may regrow after damage from fire. Some herbaceous plants have rhizomes, which are underground stems, that can resprout after a fire. Some pitch pines, for example, have serotinous cones, that don’t open until they are affected by the heat of a fire.

The Academy of Natural Sciences (ANS) at Drexel University notes:

“Native bees in the Pine Barrens are usually winners. As strong flying insects, bees can get away from the heat and smoke. And since many nest underground or in dead wood, their young are also better protected. Both traits usually allow for a resurgence after the fire has passed.”

(ANS 2021)

Foresters sometimes conduct prescribed burns to remove accumulated downed wood, which prevents future wildfires from being too intense, and to revitalize the pinelands forest.

Other Forest Threats: insects, diseases, and deer

Our forests face a variety of challenges. Our March news blast discussed the potential for an overpopulation of deer to negatively impact forests by overbrowsing the understory, removing tree seedlings, and eating certain wildflowers (Mangiafico, 2022).

In addition, our forests can be negatively impacted by the presence of invasive plant species, problematic insects, and devastating plant diseases. The New Jersey Forest Service (NJFS) notes:

“While most insects and diseases are part of the natural ecosystem, the NJFS is mainly concerned with forest health threats that are invasive, spread quickly, or can have the ability to affect otherwise healthy trees. Often the pests and diseases of concern are non-native and introduced to our forests accidentally.”

(NJDEP–NJFS 2022b.)

Some current threats include:

Insect pests like the Spotted Lanternfly and Emerald Ash Borer throughout most of the state, and the Southern Pine Beetle in the southern part of the state.
Plant diseases like beech leaf disease in the northern part of the state and Dutch elm disease throughout the state.

See NJDEP–NJFS (2022b) for more potential threats to our forests and information on specific insects and plant diseases.

What can you do?

Fires

Never leave campfires unattended.
Never have campfires at prohibited times or areas.
Put out fires completely.
When there is a high danger of wildfire, be careful with smoking materials and hot vehicle exhausts.

Invasive species, insects, and diseases

Don’t move firewood.
Don’t pack a pest. Clean recreational gear and check outdoor items you transport for unwanted visitors like spotted lanternfly eggs.
Don’t plant invasive or aggressive non-native plants on your property.
If you have a forested area on your property, consider consulting a professional about good woodland management practices.

Forest management at home

Investigate your town’s Natural Resources Inventory to determine forest tracks in need of protection.
Consider serving on your town’s environmental commission or green team.
Consider employing a professional arborist or forester to develop a forest management plan for forested areas you manage.

References

[ANS] Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University. 2021 Jun 28. Fire in the Pine Barrens. www.anspblog.org/fire-in-the-pine-barrens/

Mangiafico, S. 2022 Mar. Will Saint Patrick Lead the Deer Out of New Jersey? salem.njaes.rutgers.edu/2022/03/01/will-saint-patrick-lead-the-deer-out-of-new-jersey/

[NJCF] New Jersey Conservation Foundation. 2020. What’s valuable about New Jersey’s forests? Earth Day Every Day.
www.njconservation.org/whats-valuable-about-new-jerseys-forests/

[NJDEP–NJFS] New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – New Jersey Forest Service. 2022. Forest Health Program in New Jersey. www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/foresthealth/index.html

NJ.com. 2022a Jun 24. Huge Pinelands forest fire ranks among N.J.’s 20 biggest wildfires on record.
www.nj.com/news/2022/06/huge-forest-fire-in-south-jersey-ranks-among-njs-20-biggest-wildfires-on-record.html

NJ.com. 2022b Jun 23. Massive N.J. forest fire grows to 12,000 acres, but fire crews making substantial progress. www.nj.com/news/2022/06/massive-nj-forest-fire-grows-to-12000-acres-but-fire-crews-making-substantial-progress.html

[NYT] New York Times. 2022 Jun 21. Wildfire in New Jersey Could Become the State’s Largest in Years. www.nytimes.com/2022/06/21/us/new-jersey-wildfire.html

Charred leaf litter, undergrowth, and tree trunks in Wharton State Forest near the Mullica River. Photo credit: Sal Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

The wildfire in Wharton State Forest closed hiking trails, rivers, and campgrounds due to possible hazards. Photo credit: Sal Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock... Countdown to Summer Tick Safety

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 10:45:22 -0400

By Steve Yergeau, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally posted on the Earth Day, Every Day News Blast

As the weather warms up and people venture outside more this summer, everyone should be mindful of ticks and the potential of tick-borne diseases. Tick-borne diseases are not spread between two people but rely on ticks for transmission.

If you know you have been bitten by a tick, it is important to watch for symptoms and talk to your health-care provider. Early treatment can be highly effective. For more information on tick-borne diseases, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease and has a high incidence rate in New Jersey (confirmed cases per 100,000 people). Lyme disease is carried by the blacklegged or deer tick and about 50% of deer ticks carry the Lyme bacteria. The nymphs (teenager stage) are more likely to transmit Lyme because people don’t notice them due to their small size. The nymphs are most active from mid-May to early July in New Jersey.

Image from ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Tick-one-pager-2-1-21.pdf

Tick Protection
It is important to take precautions as the weather warms up and ticks that transmit diseases are most active. When outdoors, be sure to cover up; wear long, solid, and light-colored clothes with pants tucked into socks. Also, apply Environmental Protection Agency registered insect/tick repellent on exposed skin and clothing according to the instructions on the product label. Products containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus may be used on skin. Permethrin should only be used on clothing and outdoor gear. Follow all product label instructions.

Tick Removal
After being outside, be sure to check yourself for ticks. This includes checking your clothing and making sure to wash any clothes and checking your hair and any other exposed part of your body. Also, if you have pets, check your pets for any ticks.

If a tick is found, safely remove the tick using tweezers or a tick key. The goal is to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and to pull it up with even pressure. Try to remove the entire tick.

Some Rutgers Cooperative Extension offices provide free tick identification. If you find a tick, place the tick in a sealed bag or container with a moist towel. For more information, visit njaes.rutgers.edu/county/ to contact your local Rutgers Cooperative Extension office about their services and if they can help you get your tick identified.

Resources and Further Reading on Ticks

Rowe, Amy. 2022. ‘Ticks and Lyme Disease’ (video).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAlh5DPk1rE&list=PLKx8NLAujm_lpOimXWyHxPD613H7HjZKd&index=20

Centers for Disease Control. 2021. ‘Ticks’ (website).
www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s ‘Insect Pests, Ticks, and Plant Diseases’ (fact sheet).
httpsextension.umaine.edu/ipm/ipddl/publications/5108e/

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s ‘Prevent Tick Bites: Prevent Lyme Disease’ (fact sheet).
njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.php?pid=FS443

May Native Plants Be With You!

Tue, 31 May 2022 15:03:01 -0400

Michele Bakacs, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day News Blast, May 2022

Native plants are gaining popularity as we saw firsthand during Rutgers Day on Saturday, April 30. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County plant sale nearly sold out with more then 1000 native plants sold.

Native plants are those that occur historically in a certain ecosystem and have gotten there without help from humans. They have evolved as part of the ecosystem and support local food webs. New Jersey has over 2,000 native plants. We are lucky to live in an ecoregion with a diversity of native flowering plant species that, when properly selected, can provide color, habitat, and interest throughout the year. Whether you have a large yard or a few pots on a deck, there are opportunities to celebrate our native species that support pollinators and other wildlife.

At the Rutgers Day plant sale, we received a lot of questions from the public about native plants. Below is a summary of frequently asked questions.

Are these native plants perennial? Most of the native plants that can be purchased are perennial species, meaning they come back year after year. This is good news for your pocketbook as you won’t have to spend money on new plants every year.

Where can I put native plants? The possibilities are endless. Instead of buying annuals for pots and garden borders, think about incorporating flowering herbaceous perennials. Choose a variety of species with different bloom times throughout the year. Instead of buying annual fall mums, plant late flowering Asters or Goldenrods that flower from September into November. You’ll be supporting pollinators late into the season. If you look forward to crocuses coming up in the spring, consider planting early spring ephemerals like Virgina Bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucularilla), or Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum). Use native plants as a groundcover, for example Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) or Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense). Use native shrubs as a hedge, for example Blackhaw Viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium).

Can I grow them in a pot? Yes! For ideas about growing native plants in pots check out “Container Gardening with Native Plants” from the Missouri Botanical Garden or this “Balcony or patio DIY native plant garden” resource from NJ Audubon. Note that Missouri is outside of our ecoregion and not all their native plants will be native to New Jersey.

I have a lot of shade on my property. How do I know if they will grow well there? Many native plants will do well in the shade. Understanding the light, soil, and wetness requirements of the species is key to whether the plant will survive where you plant it. Native plant databases and lists are included at the end of this article so you can compare the species requirements to your site conditions. Remember “Right plant, right place!”.

I’m trying to attract butterflies to my yard. Which native plants would attract butterflies? This is the fun part! Seeing all the species that your native plants will attract. Many different species will attract butterflies. It’s important to have both adult nectar plants and caterpillar host plants. Check out the Penn State Cooperative Extension publication “Gardening for Butterflies” to learn about butterfly life cycles and how to attract butterflies.

I’ve heard native plants are low maintenance. Do I have to water these plants? Yes, initially any new planting will need to be watered when they are first getting established and are most vulnerable. Once the plants are established, they will need to be watered only during times of drought .

Where can I get more native plants? Why aren’t they sold at big box stores? A few native plants are available at big box stores. Many are native cultivars, meaning they’ve been selected for unique traits like brighter colored flowers. For example, shrubs in the Ericaceae family such as Rhododendron sp., herbaceous perennials like Phlox, Columbine (Aquilegia sp.), and Coneflower (Echinacea sp.), to name a few. Historically, there hasn’t been popular demand for native plants. The public is becoming more aware of their importance of supporting biodiversity and sustainable/ eco-friendly gardening is becoming more popular. The NJ Native Plant Society lists nurseries that sell a wider variety of native plants than what you’ll find at big box stores. Call ahead to confirm. In addition, many organizations have seasonal native plant sales.

Which native plants are toxic to dogs? The ASPCA has a comprehensive list of toxic and non-toxic plants for dogs. Note that this list does not focus on native plants, although some are listed.

Visit our Earth Day, Every Day website for on-demand recordings on incorporating native plants into your yard and propagating from seed, as well as removing invasive species.

Photos: Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). Photo credit: Michele Bakacs

Resources

“Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape” Rutgers Cooperative Extension fact sheet FS1140
NJ Native Plant Society
Jersey Friendly Yards Native Plant Database
Xerces Society Pollinator Friendly Native Plants List
National Wildlife Foundation Native Plant Finder

Will Saint Patrick Lead the Deer Out of New Jersey?

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 09:40:33 -0400

Sal Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day News Blast, March 2022

Introduction

White-tailed deer are a native species to our area. Their population was relatively low in the early 20th century, but increased markedly during the last 100 years (NJDEP, 2021). Likely, the lack of large predators like wolves has contributed to the increase in deer densities in New Jersey. However, our changing landscapes also make New Jersey more hospitable to deer. They are likely attracted to our “mixed” landscape: residential areas with lawns, landscape plants, and vegetable gardens mixed with forested areas or farm fields.

Why Would We Trade St. Patrick Some Deer for Some Snakes?

High densities of deer can be harmful to forests

One primary issue is that deer in high numbers can overbrowse the understory of our forests, removing tree seedlings and gobbling certain wildflowers like trillium and orchids (IDP, 2021). Often the understory that is left is composed of ferns or sedges—vegetation that deer don’t prefer. The upshot is that a forest may not be able to replace aging and dying trees if deer overbrowse tree seedlings. Some sensitive tree species affected by deer browse include Eastern white pine and other conifers, maples, and birch.

The difference that deer make on forest health can be seen in the results of exclosure studies where deer are fenced out of an area of the forest. Typically, areas with high deer densities tend to have a lower diversity in plant age and sometime lower plant diversity or different species composition when compared with fenced-off areas. Ecological disturbance by deer browse can lead to increased populations of invasive plant species as well as decreasing desirable plants like native wildflowers. One estimate is that densities as low as 10 deer per square mile can be problematic for forests to regrow (IDP, 2021).

Active forest management often includes significant costs to mitigate the effects of deer browsing. These may include replanting trees, installing exclusion fences, or capping the terminal bud of the sensitive tree species to protect them.

Deer are a vector for Lyme disease

While Lyme disease is transmitted to people and pets by the deer tick, or black-legged tick, white-tailed deer often serve as a primary host for these ticks (CDC, 2022). There has been some evidence that areas with higher deer densities may have higher rates of Lyme disease in people (Kilpatrick and others, 2014).

Car collisions with deer are common

These collisions can be expensive, potentially dangerous, and potentially traumatizing. Collisions with deer are particularly common in the fall, when mating season begins, and particularly in the early morning and around sunset. Motorists are advised to drive with caution, slow down when a deer is seen or when in an area where deer are prevalent, and when traveling at dusk and dawn (Kiefer, 2017; Moura, 2021).

Deer can cause significant damage to landscape and garden plants

A list of deer-resistant landscape plants can be found at njaes.rutgers.edu/deer-resistant-plants/ (NJAES, 2022). But be aware that hungry deer may be driven to eat a wider variety of plants when their favorites aren’t available. Deer can also devastate vegetable gardens.

Deer can cause significant damage to crops on farms

A report on case studies in New Jersey described direct damage to crops including everything from grains to vegetables to berries to ornamental nursery crops (Paulin and others, 2022). In addition, farmers reported indirect costs like losses from abandoning fields or crops, choosing alternate crops that may be less profitable, and investing in deer fencing. Also, farmers reported emotional costs such as frustration and depression if a crop is lost to deer damage.

Can deer serve as a reservoir for animal and human diseases?

It’s been reported recently that the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus or antibodies for it are commonly found in white-tailed deer populations (APHIS, 2021; Anthes and Imbler, 2022). Fears include the potential that deer could serve as a reservoir for the virus that could lead to novel variants or that the virus could be passed from deer to people. APHIS (2021) notes that there is no evidence that deer or other non-human animals are playing a significant role in the spread of the virus to people. APHIS (2021) also notes that there were no reports of clinical illness associated with the virus in surveyed deer populations.

With some animal diseases, there is a fear that they could be passed from deer to ungulate domestic animals like cattle. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and chronic wasting disease (CWD) have been studied for this potential. It is not clear, however, that this potential method of transmission is of large practical importance.

As preventative methods, APHIS (2021) recommends taking practical measures such as not allowing contact between wildlife and domestic animals, not harvesting deer that appear sick or are found dead, and using person protective equipment (PPE) and avoiding brains and spinal tissue when processing deer.

Management

A high density of deer might be indicated by certain signs like a browse line in the forest, below which leaves have been stripped from trees; antler rubs on tree trunks; and a limited forest understory, or an understory dominated by few types of plants, like ferns and sedges.

For homeowners, there are limited opportunities to manage deer. Repellents like coyote urine may be effective but may need to be re-applied. Protecting young trees with bud capping in the fall or using tree tubes may be helpful. Keeping gardens or valued landscape plants away from wooded areas may be useful, as may be fencing out deer from gardens or valued landscape areas.

In a state like New Jersey, with mixed landscapes of residential communities, farms, and forests, large-scale effective management measures will likely involve statewide incentives or regulations. Hunting is an effective deer management tool but may not be possible in landscapes dominated by residential areas. Funding for deer fencing for farms and distribution of free tree seedlings may be helpful to protect crops or help replenish forests. There is a potential for sterilization of deer or other non-lethal approaches, though many of these face significant practical, financial, or political barriers.

Webinar

Get more information by watching the Earth Day Every Day webinar on deer management here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousIt8yBDvE&list=PLKx8NLAujm_lpOimXWyHxPD613H7HjZKd&index=30

References

Anthes, E., and Imbler, S. 2022 Feb. 7. Is the Coronavirus in Your Backyard? New York Times.

[APHIS] USDA–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. 2021. Results of Study on SARS-CoV-2 in White-Tailed Deer. www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/one_health/downloads/qa-covid-white-tailed-deer-study.pdf.

[CDC] Centers for Disease Control. 2022. Lyme Disease. www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html.

[IDP] In Defense of Plants. 2021 May 2. “Deer & Forest Health,” Ep. 315. www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2021/5/2/ep-315-deer-amp-forest-health.

Kiefer, E. 2017. “Deer Mating Season In NJ Underway (9 Tips To Avoid A Car Crash).” Patch. patch.com/new-jersey/montclair/deer-mating-season-nj-underway-9-tips-avoid-car-crash.

Kilpatrick, H.J., Labonte, A.M., Stafford, K.C. 2014. The Relationship Between Deer Density, Tick Abundance, and Human Cases of Lyme Disease in a Residential Community. Journal of Medical Entomology, 51 (4):777–784.

Moura, C. 2021. “NJ Deer Collisions With Motorists Increase In 2021.” Patch. patch.com/new-jersey/holmdel-hazlet/chances-deer-collisions-while-driving-new-jersey.

[NJAES] New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. 2022. New Landscape Plants Rated by Deer Resistance. njaes.rutgers.edu/deer-resistant-plants/.

[NJDEP] New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 2021. White-tailed Deer in New Jersey. www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/deer.htm.

Paulin, J.B., Arbab, N.N., and B.J. Schilling. 2022. White-Tailed Deer and the Hidden Costs to Farmers’ Livelihoods: A Case Study of New Jersey Stories. Rutgers Cooperative Extension. New Brunswick. njaes.rutgers.edu/deer-costs-farmers-livelihoods/pdfs/deer-costs-farmers-livelihoods-full-report.pdf.

Image credits

Showy Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium reginae). Photo by Charles Peirce. USDA. www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/cypripedium_reginae.shtml.

White Tailed Deer, Raleigh, NC. Photo by Clay Heaton. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White_Tailed_Deer.jpg.

Trillium grandiflorum blooming in the Squaw Run valley, Fox Chapel Photo by Cbaile19. Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trillium_grandiflorum,_2020-05-03,_Trillium_Trail,_03.jpg.

The Rutgers Environmental Stewards Program: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 14:07:12 -0500

Amy Rowe, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day News Blast, December 2021

Are you looking for a gift for your favorite eco-friendly person? Or do you want to give back to your community in a meaningful way, but don’t know where to start?

The Rutgers Environmental Stewards program educates volunteers about current environmental issues so they can help tackle problems in their communities. If you have a passion for the natural world, and a desire to learn and volunteer in your community then this program is for you!

The program is designed for anyone who wants to learn about the science underlying key environmental issues in New Jersey. University experts are joined by colleagues from government and the non-profit sector who provide a crash course in New Jersey natural resource protection. Topics covered include climate change, solid waste and recycling, soil health, energy conservation, water resource protection, land use policy, wildlife ecology, habitat conservation, among others.

To become a Certified Rutgers Environmental Steward, participants must complete a 60-hour internship of their choosing. The internship exposes the Stewards to real-world environmental issues in their communities.

The 2022 class will run from January 25th through May 17th on Tuesdays from 5:30-8:00 PM. This year’s class will be a hybrid of Zoom sessions, in-person instruction, field trips, and on-demand electives. Classes will convene as a statewide group from 5:30-7:30 PM with a content expert who will cover that week’s topic. From 7:30-8:00 PM, classes will break out into regions for the last 30 minutes to cover local issues and meet with their coordinator for further discussion and activities.

More information about the class and registration can be found on the web at envirostewards.rutgers.edu/county-classes/. For questions, contact your regional coordinator:

Region 1 – Hudson, Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Morris, and Sussex Counties. Coordinator: Amy Rowe, rowe@njaes.rutgers.edu 908-235-1168
Region 2 – Union, Middlesex, Somerset, and Monmouth Counties. Coordinator: Michele Bakacs, bakacs@njaes.rutgers.edu 732-398-5274
Region 3 – Mercer, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties. Coordinator: Mercer Coordinator: Meredith Melendez, 609-989-6830. NOTE: Region 3 registration is pending. If you register, you will be put on a waiting list and will be emailed once we know if the program will run in this region.
Region 4 – Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem Counties. Coordinator: Mike Haberland, mike.haberland@rutgers.edu 856-216-7130 x3
Region 5 – Atlantic, Ocean, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties. Coordinator: Amy Menzel, amenzel@acua.com 609-272-6934

Resolve to Use Less Salt in the New Year

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 15:51:08 -0500

Steve Yergeau, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day, Every Day News Blast, January 2022

Roads in New Jersey will become slipperier as winter brings colder temperatures and snowstorms. Road salts and deicers are used to clear ice-covered streets, improve traffic conditions, and reduce accidents. While making our roads safer to drive on, road salts also have been shown to affect water quality by raising the salinity (‘saltiness’) of freshwater rivers, streams, and groundwater (Kaushal et al. 2018). Large rivers, such as the Passaic River (Ophori et al. 2019), and even coastal waters like the Barnegat Bay (Goodrow et al. 2017) are seeing increased salinity.

Increasing amounts of salts in the environment can have many effects on our day-to-day lives. Human health can be impacted as drinking water supplies become unusable. Pets and wildlife can have their paws burnt by excess deicers on sidewalks and driveways or become sick from ingesting salts. Roadside vegetation and landscape plants can experience leaf burn. Many commercially important shellfish, like oysters and clams, can only spawn and grow in a lower range of salinity and may become scarce due to increased salinity. Soils may become too salty for certain native plants to grow, allowing invasive vegetation to take over natural areas.

There are many things you can do to use less salt this winter:

1. Shovel Early and Often – Snow is easier to shovel before temperatures drop and it freezes to ice. The more snow you remove manually means less salt that you need to use. This also makes salt more effective at melting any ice that does form. Remove the slush that deicers and ice melts create before temperatures drop. This will help to keep your property ice free.

2. Give the Salt Some Space – Most people use more salt than needed, wasting money along with wasting extra salt. Salt works best when scattered with space between the grains (about 1”-2” is good). A coffee cup of road salt can cover up to 20 feet of driveway or 10 sidewalk squares of pavement.

3. Take Your Temperature – Salt deicers don’t work if the pavement is below 15 degrees F. At lower temperatures, use sand for traction or switch to a low temperature ice melt.

4. Sweep, Save, and Scatter Again – You can clean up any leftover salt, sand, or ice melt and reuse in future storms.

5. Plant Salt Loving Plants – Create buffer zones between your paved areas and yards by planting salt tolerant plants. These plants will also help to reduce runoff from your property and protect local waterways and wildlife.

6. Get Involved – Become a part of the New Jersey Watershed Watch Network’s corps of volunteers monitoring the impact of salts on local fresh waters. To participate in this community science project, pick an accessible spot on a freshwater stream or lake near you. You will return to this spot six times before the end of March to measure how chloride levels change in response to road salting events. Testing takes about 10 minutes, including the time it takes to post your results to the online data portal. More information can be found at njwatershedwatch.org/road-salt/.

Resources and Further Reading on Road Salts/Deicers

Stretz, Erin. 2021. ‘Let’s Stop As-Salt-ing Our Streams: The Impacts of Road Salt on Freshwater’ (Video).
rutgers.zoom.us/rec/share/mPlJyEksM1yXQYxfT73V-51Uq-w4GVSQnq8YluyrMY1PB6E5DlqjrP6iyhhP29ij.7_jMvqkf2HdLu7km

Rutgers Cooperative Extension – Plant & Pest Advisory: Impact of Road Salt on Adjacent Vegetation
plant-pest-advisory.rutgers.edu/impact-of-road-salt-on-adjacent-vegetation/
Lists plants that are tolerant of salt and those that are sensitive.

Cornell Cooperative Extension – Road Salts & Deicers
chautauqua.cce.cornell.edu/environment/road-salts-and-deicers

Cornell Cooperative Extension – Road Salts in Our Watersheds (2-page PDF)
s3.amazonaws.com/assets.cce.cornell.edu/attachments/43377/Road_Salts_in_Our_Watersheds-BMPs.pdf?1585335384
Provides ways to reduce salt use at home and in your communities.

References

Goodrow, SM et al. 2017. ‘Long-Term Temporal Water-Quality Trends within the Barnegat Bay Watershed, New Jersey’. Journal of Coastal Research.
meridian.allenpress.com/jcr/article/doi/10.2112/SI78-003.1/204316/Long-Term-Temporal-Water-Quality-Trends-within-the

Kaushal, SS et al. 2018. ‘Freshwater salinization syndrome on a continental scale’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
www.pnas.org/content/115/4/E574

Ophori, D. 2019. ‘Impact of road deicing salts on the Upper Passaic River Basin, New Jersey: a geochemical analysis of the major ions in groundwater’. Environmental Earth Sciences.
faculty.uml.edu/nelson_eby/89.315/Professional%20Papers/Ophori2019_Article_ImpactOfRoadDeicingSaltsOnTheU.pdf

Beekeeping 101 - February 10, 2022 - Virtual via Zoom

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 14:34:14 -0500

Thursday
February 10, 2022
10:30 am

Presented by Mike Haberland, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

Registration required.

Have you ever wanted to know more about beekeeping? Is beekeeping is for you?

Have you ever wanted to know more about honey bees? Have you ever wondered if beekeeping is for you? Would you like to learn about honey bee biology and discover what it takes to become a beekeeper?

Mike Haberland will provide us with an introduction to the unique biology of the honey bee, how they organize their colony and make honey and what tools beekeepers use to manage the bee’s hives.

Registration closes at noon on February 9.

Upcoming Events in September and October: Water Quality in Cumberland County, Kayaking the Cohansey, Bridgeton City Park Cleanup, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Homesteading Academy, Propagating Native Plants, Earth Day Every Day webinar series

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 16:02:57 -0400

Water Quality in Eight Lakes in Western Cumberland County

Join Sal Mangiafico from Rutgers Cooperative Extension and the Cohansey Area Watershed Association for a discussion of water quality in eight lakes with public access and frequent recreational use in western Cumberland County, NJ. Aspects discussed will include E. coli bacteria, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, and phosphorus.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021
7:00 – 8:00 pm
Online
Please register: https://go.rutgers.edu/idmz31ii
For up-to-the-minute information, visit the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1273063696461001/

Thursday, September 23, 2021
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Online
Please register: https://go.rutgers.edu/37h676lu
For up-to-the-minute information, visit the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/382146286850001/
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Lower Cohansey Kayaking - For Experienced Paddlers

Join the Cohansey Area Watershed Association for a kayak trip down the lower Cohansey River from Bridgeton to Fairfield. This trip is recommended for experienced paddlers. Meet at the public boat dock on the Cohansey River in Bridgeton, on the corner of Broad St. (Rt. 49) and South Laurel St. Participants must be members, but you can join at the time of the event. The approximate length of the trip is three miles.

Saturday, September 25, 2021
1 pm – 3:00 pm

For up-to-the-minute information, visit the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/161763776035351/
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Bridgeton City Park Waterways Cleanup

Help the Cohansey Area Watershed Association clean up Bridgeton City Park. Meet at the Nail House near the Salvation Army building. Remember to prepare for the weather, the possibility of getting dirty, and meeting some biting insects. This event is part of the annual county-wide waterways cleanup event.

When:
Saturday, October 2, 2021
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Meet at the Nail House Museum, near the Salvation Army building in Bridgeton City Park. 1 Mayor Aitken Dr, Bridgeton, NJ 08302.

For up-to-the-minute information, visit the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/220863350091006/
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Earth Day Every Day webinar series

Mondays at 6:30 PM - Join Rutgers Cooperative Extension and friends for information and tips for living more sustainably at home. This season’s topics are: Rain Gardens, Plastic Pollution Reduction, Citizen Science, Safe Soils, Combined Sewer Overflows, Urban Wildlife, and Road Salt. Visit https://envirostewards.rutgers.edu/earth-day.html to register for the free series.
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Propagating Native Plants with Seeds: Sow Much to Know!

Tuesday, 9/21, 6:30 PM - Join Rutgers Master Gardener Coordinator Angela Monaghan to learn how to sow native seeds that will be ready for your garden in the spring. We will plant seeds together in seed boxes and attendees will take them home for overwintering. This hybrid event is in-person but you can also attend online via Zoom. The in-person event will be held at Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, 42 Riva Ave. in South Brunswick. Call 732-398-5262 to register.
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Rutgers Cooperative Extension Homesteading Academy
• Rutgers Cooperative Extension introduces the “Homesteading Academy” – a new, once monthly lunchtime webinar series for anyone curious about home-grown sustenance and self-sufficiency. Space is limited and pre-registration at https://go.rutgers.edu/homesteading is required to receive the Zoom link to attend.
o 10/12, 12 PM - Getting Started with Backyard Poultry
o 11/9, 12 PM - Joy of Growing Mushrooms
o 12/14, 12 PM - What To Do To Get Started Keeping Bees on Your Property

Stomp Out Spotted Lanternfly

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 09:43:29 -0400

By Amy Rowe, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day News Blast

Now that we’re in September, you may have noticed an increase in sightings of some interesting, flashy-looking insects hanging out in trees or maybe on your doors or windows. Spotted lanternfly is an invasive plant hopper from Asia that can be seen in its adult form below. Spotted lanternfly feeds on the sap of many agricultural crops and hardwood trees but is not harmful to people or animals. (See image below).

The insect was first discovered in the US in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and has spread to multiple states, including New Jersey (confirmed in 2018). Sightings have been reported in every New Jersey county and quarantine restrictions have been put in place in 13 counties (Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Salem, Somerset, Union, Warren). In quarantine counties, certain materials must be inspected, and precautions taken prior to transport to another county (firewood, landscaping waste, etc.). Spotted lanternfly sightings do not need to be reported for quarantine counties. Sightings in other counties can be reported here: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/pests-diseases/spotted-lanternfly/#reporting-tool

The spotted lanternfly has various life stages that can be managed via different techniques, but the adults are the ones you should be looking out for in the fall. The NJ Department of Agriculture recommends killing any spotted lanternflies that you see. These insects are strong hoppers and can fly, as well, so getting them on the ground and stepping on them is an effective strategy for killing them, hence the state’s “Stomp Out Spotted Lanternfly” Campaign.

The females will begin to lay egg masses in September, also, so look for a gray or mud-like flat mass on trees 10 feet off the ground or higher (see image below). The egg masses are usually found on trees, but the insects may lay on any outdoor surface such as trash cans, rocks, vehicles, or lawn furniture. In order to remove and kill the egg masses, scrape them off the surface with hard plastic or a putty knife into a plastic bag. The egg masses should be soaked in hand sanitizer/rubbing alcohol and thrown away. Females generally lay the masses from September until December and each female can lay up to two egg masses, so keep scouting!

Spotted lanternflies do not seem to be picky and will feed on the sap of a variety of host plants including trees, vegetables, and vines. Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), is the preferred, possibly required, host of spotted lanternfly (See image below). Tree of heaven is an invasive deciduous tree from Asia that was prized for its fast growth and shade provision in the landscape (below). Unfortunately, the tree has an expansive root system and is a prolific sprouter of suckers, both of which make it difficult to control. The removal of tree of heaven from a property may also result in fewer spotted lanternflies.

Bottom line for spotted lanternfly management in the fall:
• Kill as many as you can
• Scrape and destroy egg masses
• Remove tree of heaven, if possible

Help us stomp out spotted lanternfly!

Resources:

New Jersey expansion of quarantine counties article
www.nj.com/news/2021/08/spotted-lanternfly-quarantine-expands-to-5-more-nj-counties-brings-total-to-13.html

New Jersey Department of Agriculture
www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/pests-diseases/spotted-lanternfly/
Includes general information about spotted lanternfly and resources for both homeowners and businesses.

Penn State Extension
extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly
Provides fact sheets and videos for homeowners and agriculture/green industry professionals.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension
njaes.rutgers.edu/spotted-lanternfly/
Gives an overview of spotted lanternfly, FAQs, and management techniques.

George Hamilton webinar video
Addresses the spotted lanternfly issue in New Jersey as well as management strategies. Presented in September 2021 for Rutgers Cooperative Extension Earth Day at Home webinar series.
Recording link: youtu.be/BecmsIkaKEQ

Nature Replaces Laughter as the Best Medicine

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 20:50:12 -0400

By Michele Bakacs, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day News Blast

The COVID-19 pandemic was an especially stressful period for everyone and many found themselves looking for solace in nature during the quarantine. Stress levels skyrocketed in my house with 2 young boys doing virtual school, my husband doing telemedicine at home, and me suddenly having to be an expert in online learning. We’ve always been an outdoorsy family, but I took for granted the benefits we came away with.. and how long they lasted after being in nature. Faced with extraordinary stress, I started to pay attention to how much better we felt after having been in the woods or after wading in a stream or pond. Since then, I have been exploring the benefits of “ecotherapy”.

According to the website WebMD® “Nature therapy, also called ecotherapy, is the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing, especially mental health. You might also hear it called green care, green exercise, green therapy, or horticulture therapy” (Laguaite, 2021).

There are endless studies on the health benefits from ecotherapy related techniques for treating hypertension, obesity, post-surgical recovery, depression, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder. When it comes to stress, one review article from the journal “Complementary Therapies in Medicine” examined 12 studies and concluded that nature exposure has been widely shown to have a positive effect in reducing stress, both perceived and physiologic, such as a reduction in blood pressure (Shuda et al., 2020).

Another review article from the journal “Landscape and Urban Planning” examined 40 peer reviewed publications focused on forest exposure and indicated that spending time in a forest for 2 hours lowers blood pressure, but the effect could be seen with as little as 30 minutes, although not to as great an extent (Cheng, et al., 2021). This is important, as stress is the common risk factor in 75-90% of diseases, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, and cancer (Cohen et al. 2007).

One article examined the use of forest therapy as an approach to managing stress in middle-aged working women- research subjects with whom many can relate (Rajoo, 2020). This study examined Malaysian working women who participated in a 3 hour forest therapy session. After the session, their blood pressure was significantly reduced and this result was sustained for 3 days.

In addition to stress reduction, spending time outdoors may also help boost your immune system. Although nature-based therapy may be new in western societies, Japan has understood the benefits of “forest bathing” or shinrin-yoku for decades.

Forest bathing means taking in the forest through your senses (Li, 2018). One study in Japan examined the notion of forest bathing as a mechanism for boosting the immune system with “natural killer cells” that have been reported to kill tumors or virus-infected cells. The study showed that the mean values of natural killer (NK) activity on forest bathing days were significantly higher than those on non-forest bathing days. In addition, the NK activity lasted 30 days after the trip. The authors noted that phytoncides (airborne chemicals that plants give off to protect themselves from insects) released from trees, and the decreased production of stress hormones, may partially contribute to the increased NK activity.

Many studies show that ecotherapy health benefits last many days and in some cases weeks! That’s good news for those who work full time and may be stuck in an office.

If you are looking to take advantage of the health benefits nature has to offer, make scheduling time in nature a priority. Put it on your calendar… and stop reading this article! Put down your phone or tablet and go outside. Visit an urban park with a forest or stream or, if you have the time, explore some of our beautiful state and county parks. Pick one that has passive recreation with trails.

When you come back, Joanne Kinsey, Associate Professor and FCHS Educator with Ocean and Atlantic Counties, gave some great advice on the role of nature and the outdoors in creating mindfulness in her April 5th Earth Day, Every Day session titled “Infusing Ecotherapy Into Your Life” available here- https://envirostewards.rutgers.edu/Earth-Day.html.

Remember that making every day, Earth Day also means practicing self-care, so engage in ecotherapy by immersing yourself in nature and breathing in the phytoncides!

References and Additional Resources
“Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health” NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Accessed June, 2021 https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/90720.html

Cohen, S., D. Janicki-Deverts, G.E. Miller (2007) “Psychological stress and disease” JAMA, 298 (14): 1685-1687, 10.1001/jama.298.14.1685

Keeren Sundara Rajoo, Daljit Singh Karam, Nor-Fadilah Wook, Mohd-Zaki Abdullah (2020) “Forest Therapy: An environmental approach to managing stress in middle-aged working women”. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 55: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126853.

Laguaite, Madeline (2021) “Do you need a nature prescription?” WebMB Accessed, June, 2021 https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/nature-therapy-ecotherapy

Li, Qing (2018) “Forest bathing is great for your health. Here’s how to do it.” Time Magazine Accessed June, 2021. https://time.com/5259602/japanese-forest-bathing/

Quincy Shuda, Michael E. Bougoulias, Rebecca Kass, (2020) “Effect of nature exposure on perceived and physiologic stress: A systematic review”. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 53: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102514

Xiaoqin Cheng, Junxiu Liu, Hongwen Liu, Shasha Lu (2021) “A systematic review of evidence of additional health benefits from forest exposure”, Landscape and Urban Planning, 212: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104123

April Showers Bring Flood Waters

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:35:47 -0400

Steven Yergeau, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day newsletter.

Rain, Rain Go Away …

Stormwater is any form of water that begins as precipitation. This includes rain, sleet, snow, and the water from melting snow, even if the melting occurs long after the snowstorm had passed. Stormwater can cause flooding and erosion in streams. Stormwater runoff quickly causes the water levels of streams and rivers to rise and flow rapidly during and after precipitation. This can cause flooding downstream, which may include threats to people and property. The increased flow of water (speed and volume) can also cause stream bank erosion, with the potential of undercutting banks, exposing roots, and potentially toppling streamside trees. That scouring increases sediments in the streams, harming aquatic systems.

Stormwater runoff also degrades soils and water quality, especially when vegetation is sparse in an area. The soil eroded by stormwater runoff may end up in a local waterbody where it could degrade habitat for fish and other wildlife. This sedimentation can also cause lakes and ponds to fill in, making them less usable for swimming or boating.

… Come Again Another Day

There are many things you can do to help reduce your chances of getting flooded out by stormwater.

Accept Change – Our natural environment changes over time and our behaviors need to adapt to these changes.
Know Your FEMA Flood Zone – After you accept that the environment is changing, you should think about your property’s risk for flooding. You can visit https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home to map your property and find your flooding risk.
Understand Your Flood Risk – More information on your property’s flood risk can be found at https://www.njfloodmapper.org/. Enter your address or zip code in the search box at the top of the page, and then choose Flood Hazards, and then FEMA Flood Zones, and +Add from the left menu.
Consider Flood Insurance – If your property is at risk for flooding, you may want to think about getting flood insurance (either a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program at https://www.floodsmart.gov/).
Prepare Yourself – Being prepared for any flooding that may happen is a good way to reduce any damages or losses to your home and property. Sign up for local emergency alerts for your town, know your flood evacuation route, make an emergency evacuation plan, and consider preparing an emergency go bag kit (https://www.ready.gov/kit).
Prepare Your Home – Store valuables at higher elevations, clean gutters to ensure rain water is carried away from your home’s foundation, take photos of valuables, obtain and maintain a sump pump, and landscape your property appropriately.
Follow Building Regulations – If your property is in a flood zone, make sure you are following the rules on what can and cannot be built on the property to protect your home and your neighbor’s property.
Let the Rain Sink In – Reduce the impervious surfaces (i.e., concrete, asphalt, compacted lawns) on your property and increase permeable surfaces that allow for rain water to get absorbed into the soil. More info can be found at Jersey-Friendly Yards (https://www.jerseyyards.org/) or the Rutgers Water Resources Program (http://water.rutgers.edu/).
Be a Good Neighbor – Some neighbors in your community may not have the resources to be prepared for flooding, so help those who do not have the ability by being responsible on your own property, by building an emergency kit for those who are unable, or by sharing resources on flood mapping or insurance.
Get Involved – Become a part of a community organization that works to reduce flooding or volunteer for projects to create living shorelines, plant along dunes and floodplains, and build and install rain barrels and rain gardens at home.

By taking a few simple actions, you can prevent rain from ruining your parade!

Resources and Further Reading on Flooding and Stormwater

Bakacs, Michele. 2021. From Rain Gardens to Rain Barrels; Protecting Watersheds at Home (video). https://rutgers.zoom.us/rec/share/DFOQWew5z8Aywwu9cQx8tiD1j21yewVkHGH5uERaAiC4va9_caRCQfxZJAiqubM.0DlWTr4Y5FIbL753

Dornisch, Vanessa. 2020. Ten Ways to Adapt to Coastal Flooding (video). https://rutgers.webex.com/rutgers/lsr.php?RCID=ff07f0141fb74558a5e28314884c61bc
Password: EarthDay2020

Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program
http://water.rutgers.edu/

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Publications on Stormwater
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/search.php?searchstring=stormwater&cat=9999&go=Go%21

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
https://njstormwater.org/
https://www.nj.gov/dep/gi/

Cicadapalooza: 17-year Cicadas Return to New Jersey in 2021

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:20:30 -0400

Sal Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day newsletter.

Some parts of New Jersey may be see large numbers of adult 17-year cicadas emerge this spring, with their distinctive dark bodies, red eyes, and noisy habits. After 17 years in the soil as immature nymphs, living on the sap of tree roots, the insects emerge from the soil together, find a tree or similar object to climb up, split their skins, and emerge as adults. They usually don’t cause substantial harm to trees, but the deposition of eggs can kill the twig in which the eggs are laid. For more information on periodical cicadas, see Rutgers Factsheet FS220, “Periodical Cicadas”, https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs220/, or watch the short video “Periodical Cicadas Overrun the Forest” from the BBC’s Planet Earth, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWr8fzUz-Yw.

Photo: 17-year cicada from Brood X. Photo by Veracious Rey, 2004. Wikimedia Commons. GNU Free Documentation License.

March Madness: Get Mad about Invasive Species

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:00:22 -0400

Amy Rowe, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day newsletter.

With spring on the horizon, it’s time to think about invasive species.

First and Second Rounds: The basics

An invasive species is one that is not native to an area that causes ecological and/or economic damage or harm to human health. Many people associate invasive species only with plants, but there are also invasive wildlife, insects, and diseases. The US Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that the economic damages associated with invasive species in the United States is approximately $120 billion/year (2012).

Invasive species are destructive for several reasons. Since they are not native to a particular ecosystem, there are no biological controls that have evolved over thousands of years to manage them such as natural predators and diseases. Without these controls, the invasives can outcompete the native species for resources and space.

Sweet Sixteen: How do invasive species move?

There are both natural and human-accelerated spread mechanisms.

Animals can spread invasive species as birds disperse seeds and other plants and parasites can attach themselves to migrating wildlife.
Deer play a role in spreading invasive plants because they do not eat them. Rather, they eat the native plants which allows invasive exotics the opportunity to spread.
Natural disasters such as forest fires can also lead to the spread of invasive species.
Humans have greatly increased the ease, speed, and movement of invasion.
Some species have been introduced on purpose, as explorers found an interesting plant or animal and brought it back to their homeland.
Other species have been introduced inadvertently via “hitchhiking” in shipping containers or on vehicles.

Elite Eight: Beating the competition

How do invasive species outcompete native species so well? There are some common traits that make them more prolific (Kolar, 2001):

Rapid reproduction
Fast growth
Tolerance of a variety of environmental conditions
High dispersal ability - wind, animals, birds, etc.
Association with humans - if humans placed them or cultivated them

Final Four: Some NJ invasive species

There are lots of invasive species that can be found in New Jersey, but here are a few examples:

Japanese barberry - this popular landscape shrub is widespread and has invaded many of NJ’s forests. It has also been shown to harbor deer ticks, which are carriers of Lyme disease (Williams, et al., 2017).
Spotted lanternfly - this plant hopper insect originally from Asia can feed on more than 70 plant species including cultivated and wild grapes, fruit trees, and hardwood trees common in woodlots and as landscape plantings (NJAES, 2019).
European starling - this prolific bird was introduced in Central Park in the late 1890s and has flourished at the expense of native woodpeckers, great-crested flycatchers, common flickers, bluebirds and other cavity-nesting species (NJDEP, 2003).
Snakehead fish - these adaptable were once imported live as an ornamental species and as food for people. They are voracious eaters and will feed on any fish that will fit in their disproportionately large mouths (NJDEP, 2016).

Championship: What can we do to defeat invasive species?

A few suggestions for reducing invasive plant species from Michele Bakacs’ “Plant This, Not That” webinar:

Support the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team and help control invasive species. (www.fohvos.info/invasive-species-strike-team/)
Understand that invasive plants don’t know boundaries. They may behave on your property while quietly invading a nearby forest.
Identify and remove invasive plants from your property. Don’t remove until you have a replacement.
Choose natives plants and talk to your nursery about offering native plant selections.
Support local ordinances and eventually statewide bans.
Resources and further reading can be found after the Upcoming Events.

Resources and Further Reading

Bakacs, Michele. 2020. Plant This, Not That. (Video) rutgers.webex.com/rutgers/lsr.php?RCID=13b11be4969474066f1e67a12de40413 . Passcode: EarthDay2020.

Kolar, C.S. (2001). “Progress in invasion biology: predicting invaders”. Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 16 (4): 199–204.

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (2019). njaes.rutgers.edu/spotted-lanternfly/

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2004).
www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/njcrp/starlings.pdf

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2004). www.nj.gov/dep/njisc/pdf.htm

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2016). www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/aquatic_invasives.htm

New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team. www.fohvos.info/invasive-species-strike-team/

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2012. The cost of invasive species. www.fws.gov/verobeach/PythonPDF/CostofInvasivesFactSheet.pdf

Williams, S.C., Linske, M.A., Ward, J.A. (2017). Long-Term Effects of Berberis thunbergii (Ranunculales: Berberidaceae) Management on Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Abundance and Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) Prevalence in Connecticut, USA, Environmental Entomology, Volume 46, Issue 6, Pages 1329–1338, doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvx146

Breaking Up with Plastics in February?

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 07:31:09 -0500

Sal Mangiafico, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Originally published in the Earth Day Every Day newsletter.

With Valentine’s Day past us, maybe it’s time we rethink our relationship with plastics?

Can I have your digits?

The United States both produces and uses a lot of plastic products. We often think of single-use plastics like bottles, cups, plastic shopping bags, and drinking straws as being wasteful. Maybe with a modest effort, we can avoid using many of these. But our plastic use also includes more durable goods like furniture, phones, and cars. And we might think of less durable products that range from shower curtains to toothbrushes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that, in 2018, almost 36 million tons of plastic waste entered the U.S. municipal solid waste stream (USEPA). This represented just over 12% of municipal solid waste. About 9% was recycled, and 16% were burned for energy. This left about 76% needing to be landfilled.

For how these figures have changed since 1960, see the figure below.

It has been noted that New Jersey has a higher rate of incinerating plastics, with 28% burned and 58% landfilled in 2014 (Guran).

My achy-breaky heart

With plastic products, we are often tempted to look to recycling to change our discarded plastics into something useful again. But there are limitations to this potential approach.

One issue we’re all familiar with is that only some household plastics are commonly recycled. We squint at our seltzer bottles and almond butter jars to see if they are #1 (PETE), #2 (HDPE), or another number, and then compare that to the guidelines from our local waste authority.
Plastic food containers often need to be relatively clean, and single-stream recycling needs to be free of trash. Particularly difficult for U.S. post-consumer recyclables was when China largely began rejecting all but the least-contaminated recyclables in 2018 (Guran).
Even when plastics are recycled, the resultant products are often of a lower quality than the original product (Guran). This is sometimes called cascaded recycling. These new products may end up in the trash rather being able to be recycled again.

A few other thoughts to swipe left on:

The production of plastic itself has an environmental impact. This includes the use petroleum oil, natural gas, water, and the generation of greenhouse gasses (Guran).
Plastics commonly make their way into the environment by bypassing the municipal solid waste stream. This may be the result of intentional littering of disposable products or of lighter items being carried from a recycling bin by wind or lost during transportation.

It’s the little things that count

The video webinar by Casey Lippincott, linked below, discusses the issue of microplastics. Some microplastics, like fibers on clothing or microbeads in cosmetics, are produced to be small plastics particles. Others come from the degradation of plastics. When these make their way to waterways or oceans, they can be inadvertently ingested by wildlife and then move through the food chain.

Who’s my new beau?

We’re all familiar with the motto Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

But in the video below, Casey Lippincott suggests that there are three R’s we should start with first: Refuse, Repair, Rethink.

That is,

Refuse to use single-use plastics like straws or disposable shopping bags.
Try to repair items instead of disposing of them. Perhaps you can educate yourself and others on how household items can be repaired. Maybe use social media marketplaces to rehome products you no longer want.
In general, rethink the products you buy. Is there a non-disposable alternative that serves the same function?

A few suggestions from Casey Lippincott:

Make an assessment of the consumable products you use. How much waste do you produce in disposable coffee cups, takeout packaging, paper products, and packaging?
Replace disposable products with more durable products: reusable water bottles, reusable coffee cups, eating utensils to take with you when eating out, reusable food storage containers that can replace takeout containers, and reusable straws.
Also, using cotton hand towels rather than paper towels, and investigating reusable shopping bags, reusable storage bags, bees wax food wrap, and even reusable produce bags for grocery shopping.

Amounts in tons of plastics entering the municipal solid waste stream. While a greater amount of plastic is being recycled or burned for energy in recent years, the total amount of plastic being landfilled continues to increase. Note that these figures do not include “leakage”, that is the amount of plastics that get into the environment without being sent through the municipal solid waste stream.

Resources and further reading

Guan, Serpil. 2019. Plastic Waste as a Feedstock for Circular Carbon Economy. cues.rutgers.edu/2019-microplastics-conference/pdfs/1_Guran_Plastic-Waste-as-A-Feedstock.pdf .

Lippincott, Casey. 2020. Reducing Plastic Waste. (Video.) rutgers.webex.com/rutgers/lsr.php?RCID=ddf78f636fc1a2399021e99a0f556bec . Passcode: EarthDay2020.

nj.gov. 2020. Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Banning Single-Use Paper and Plastic Bags in New Jersey. www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562020/20201104a.shtml .

USEPA. 2021. Plastics: Material-Specific Data. www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plastics-material-specific-data .

Earth Day Every Day webinar series - March and April, 2021, online

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 14:04:49 -0500

Rutgers Cooperative Extension’s “Earth Day, Every Day” educational webinar series is back this spring. Open to the public, these sessions focus on steps everyone can take to protect the environment. We can all do our part to take actions that make our homes more sustainable, from environmentally-friendly lawn care, to recycling, to conducting a home energy audit. These actions, more than ever, start at home.

Join us every Monday starting March 8^th online at 6:30 PM to learn and ask questions of the experts at Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Every week we will cover a different topic and leave you with small actions that, together, will reduce negative impacts on the environment. The spring lineup will cover eight topics, from starting a native plant garden to understanding food systems and climate change.

Each live webinar will be one hour and will be presented via Zoom. To join in you need either a computer, tablet, or smartphone with speakers. More information about these free sessions and a link to registration can be found here: https://envirostewards.rutgers.edu/Earth-Day.html

3/8/21

Starting a Native Plant Garden

3/15/21

Responsible Stewardship of New Jersey’s Marine Resources

3/22/21

Deer Management in New Jersey: Let’s Discuss Healthy Deer Populations

3/29/21

What To Do When You Find Baby Animals

4/5/21

Infusing EcoTherapy Into Your Life

4/12/21

From Rain Gardens to Rain Barrels; Protecting Watersheds at Home

4/19/21

Food Systems and Climate Change

4/26/21

Trees, Wonderful Trees