Tag: New Jersey Conservation Foundation
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Welcome spring in a county park
By Michele S. Byers In spite of another snowstorm on the first day of spring, it is impossible to ignore that spring is here. And lots of snow-weary New Jerseyans will be heading outdoors to explore new places. Where to go? You could visit state and national parks. But how about following a different path?…
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Ten years of nipping invasive species in the bud
By Michele S. Byers, Do you have Japanese angelica, Siebold’s viburnum or trifolate orange in your yard? If so, they can spell trouble. All three are invasive plants, meaning they are alien to New Jersey and can spread widely. They are not a food source for native wildlife and they will aggressively crowd out native…
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A cleaner, greener New Jersey
By Michele S. Byers What will New Jersey be like in 30 years? If bold recommendations from Gov. Phil Murphy’s Environment and Energy Transition Team become reality, this state we’re in will be cleaner and greener along with more urban parks and protected wildlife habitats. Talk about a breath of fresh air. The year 2050…
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While bats hibernate, scientists hope for survival
By Michele S. Byers As temperatures cool and daylight hours shorten, New Jersey’s non-migrating bats have gone into hibernation. For the last decade, hibernation for New Jersey’s bats has been unusually precarious. A disease known as white-nose syndrome – caused by a fungus – has decimated many bat species by scarring their wings and disrupting…
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The land before time: N.J.’s Kittatinny Ridge and Valley
By Michele S. Byers Do you remember watching “The Land before Time” and wondering if Littlefoot and his cadre of dinosaur friends would succeed in their arduous trek to find the Great Valley? Would they reach the bountiful forests, warm sun and pristine rivers and wetlands in time to save themselves? Littlefoot’s Great Valley may…
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New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure
By Michele S. Byers If you are like most people, you probably do not pay much attention to where your water comes from or where it goes, but according to the Jersey Water Works collaborative, you should. Jersey Water Works was founded in 2015 to raise awareness of the state’s aging water infrastructure –…
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A green agenda for New Jersey’s new governor
By Michele S. Byers With a new governor taking office in January, New Jersey has a great opportunity to regain its national environmental leadership role. On the campaign trail, Governor-elect Phil Murphy pledged strong support for the environment, a “green economy” boosted by clean energy jobs, and a renewed emphasis on climate change. The time…
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Life, liberty … and a clean environment
By Michele S. Byers As Americans, we have the right to free speech, the right to practice our religion of choice and the right to peaceably assemble. These rights are in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and we are entitled to them – period. But what if we had the same constitutional right…
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Extreme hurricanes highlight concerns about climate change
By Michele S. Byers With two months to go, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season has made history as one of the most active and destructive on record. Four major hurricanes – Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria – caused catastrophic impacts to the U.S. mainland and Caribbean islands, and there could be more. The warm ocean…
