Tag: New Jersey Conservation Foundation
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Nature’s fireworks: the Perseid meteor shower
By Michele S. Byers Long before fireworks were invented, our ancient ancestors watched the night sky for entertainment and inspiration. They saw changing moon phases, imagined animal and human shapes in the stars, and created elaborate myths about the constellations. And they would spot meteors streaking across the sky, and comets with bright tails. All…
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More trees are needed to shade New Jersey’s cities
By Michele S. Byers Stand in the sun on a hot summer afternoon and wilt. Step into the shade and feel instant relief. Now imagine places without shade. Many New Jersey cities have too much pavement and concrete, and not enough trees with leafy canopies. Urban neighborhoods without shade trees can be up to 12…
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Co-existing in New Jersey with wily coyotes
By Michele S. Byers Have you followed the recent coverage of coyote sightings in New Jersey? Have you seen a quick flash of a mysterious canine-like animal moving across the landscape, ducking into the trees or perhaps behind a building? If it was carrying any product marked ACME, or dropping anvils from hot air balloons,…
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Longtime director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation announces retirement
Michele S. Byers, the longtime head of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, has announced she will retire from her role as executive director at the end of the year. Byers, only the third executive director in the nonprofit organization’s 61-year history, has served in the top leadership role since 1999. She began at the New…
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‘Ghost forest’ of New Jersey trees warns of climate change
By Michele S. Byers At a time of year when most parks are green and lush, the centerpiece of Madison Square Park in New York City is a stand of skeletal trees with nary a trace of green. This bleak, gray landscape is completely intentional. The dead Atlantic white cedars are part of a unique…
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Help New Jersey’s beautiful butterflies
By Michele S. Byers New Jersey’s butterflies are some of the most enchanting creatures of summer, with intricate wing patterns and beautiful colors. Even their names are charming. For example, there’s the Silver-bordered fritillary, Baltimore checkerspot, Acadian hairstreak, Sleepy orange, Frosted elfin, Bronze copper, Green comma, and Pepper and salt skipper. Sadly, however, the butterflies…
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Green Acres is the place to be!
By Michele S. Byers Ever wonder what the Green Acres signs are about all over New Jersey? No, they are not an advertisement for a funny old TV show. Green Acres is the name of New Jersey’s hugely successful 60-year-old program of land preservation. You may not know the New Jersey Green Acres Program is…
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Save New Jersey’s bees: Reduce use of ‘neonics’
By Michele S. Byers New Jersey is still the “Garden State,” famous for blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, corn and other delicious fruits and veggies. But these valuable crops will not grow without the services of honeybees, wild bees like bumblebees, and other insect pollinators. Together, they pollinate nearly $200 million worth of produce a year. Bees…
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Working toward ‘nature for all’ in New Jersey
By Michele S. Byers How comfortable are you in the outdoors? Do you feel happy and safe in parks and outdoor spaces, or do you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable? Your answer may depend on the color of your skin. Not everyone feels safe in parks and nature preserves that belong to us all. People of…
