Tag: New Jersey Conservation Foundation
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Pine Barrens plants – the rare, the weird and the wonderful
by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation If you look at the New Jersey Pine Barrens from the road or the air, it may seem to live up to its name – miles upon miles of endless pitch pine forest. But the million-acre-plus region spanning seven counties in South Jersey is not just…
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Reforms needed to protect our public lands
by Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation The chunky woodland sandpiper called the American woodcock is a favorite of spring birdwatchers due to the male’s acrobatic courtship display flights. Making a distinctive buzz call and melodious twittering song, males rise hundreds of feet in the air before making plunging dives earthward. Though woodcocks…
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Delivering environmental justice to help communities breathe easier
by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation New Jersey is known as the Garden State, but not all communities are filled with trees, flowers and fresh breezes. Many of the state’s urban areas host facilities like power plants, trash and medical waste incinerators, landfills, and recycling and scrap metal processors that emit pollutants…
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New Jersey’s native plants need stronger protections
by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation You wouldn’t guess this from its name, but the wild plant called sensitive joint-vetch has beautiful buttery yellow flowers with red centers and veins. Its name comes from its leaves, which fold slightly when touched. American chaffseed is another wild plant whose name gives little clue…
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From city streets to wooded trails, illegal vehicles are a problem
Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation It often seems that cities and rural towns have little in common regarding the problems and nuisances they deal with on a daily basis. But one issue affecting municipalities throughout New Jersey is the increasing illegal use of off-road vehicles – including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and dirt…
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Light pollution erasing views of the stars and planets
By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Have you ever seen the Milky Way? No, not the candy bar – the galaxy we live in! If not, you’re in good company. Due to light pollution, which is especially widespread in urbanized places like New Jersey, most people can’t step outside and experience the…
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Vultures: Nature’s cleanup crew helps ecosystem
by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation To some people, vultures may seem ominous as they search the landscape for dead animals to eat. If those big dark birds are circling above your head or watching you from tree branches, you might be tempted to yell, “Go away, I’m not dead yet!” Wildlife…
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Stronger rules needed to protect New Jersey’s public lands
by Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation New Jersey is the most urbanized and densely-populated state, which is why residents need a top-notch open space preservation program. With the enthusiastic support of voters, the state Green Acres Program has helped protect more than 1.5 million acres since 1961. Billions of taxpayer dollars have…
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Spring is here! What’s happening in nature?
by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation “Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!” – Sitting Bull Now that days are longer and temperatures are warming, many nature lovers share Sitting Bull’s joy.…
