Atlantic White Cedar Restoration Project at Great Swamp NWR (April 3, 2008)
If you have driven down Pleasant Plains Road recently, you may have noticed dozens of green net cages scattered throughout the fields and wondered what they were for. Each cage protects a young Atlantic white cedar tree; the green cages are deer guards.
Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) was, historically, an important part of this area's plant community; core samples taken at Great Swamp contain seed from Atlantic white cedar. However due to logging and drainage of wetlands, the species long ago disappeared. Refuge biologist Craig Bitler is now reintroducing this native species to the Refuge. Last spring, 400 seedlings were planted in the fields along Pleasant Plains Road, each tree encased in a protective green cage. A small number were also planted on Long Hill Road near the Wildlife Observation Center. It's been a learning experience. A mini-drought in July necessitated hand-watering of the seedlings by interns and volunteers. Subsequently, it was discovered that rodents were girdling the young trees, so volunteers are now experimenting with recycled plastic bottles as tree guards. But Atlantic white cedar is a resilient and fast growing species. Some day you may drive by and see what no one has seen in more than 100 years here at Great Swamp—a native Atlantic white cedar forest.
Dennis Branden elected as new President of Friends of Great Swamp! (January 6, 2008)
On Saturday, December 8, 2007, the Friends of Great Swamp held its annual Member Meeting and Pot Luck dinner. Forty-eight members of the Friends of Great Swamp were in attendance and, as always, the pot luck dinner provided just enough of everything from delicious appetizers to mouth–watering desserts. Following dinner, President Judy Schmidt reviewed the Friends accomplishments for 2007; watch for a full listing with photos in the next issue of The Swamp Scene, the Friends quarterly newsletter.
The nominating committee presented the slate of nominees for election to the Friends Board of Directors. The following members were elected by the membership to the board for two year terms: Kathy Woodward, Laurel Gould, Judy Schmidt, Dorothy Smullen, Susan Garretson Friedman, and Karen English. The size of the board was increased to eleven members.
"Retiring board member" Lisa Molinari was presented with a gift in recognition of her service on the Board since January 2000.
The meeting was followed by an informative program presented by Dr. Len Hamilton on the history of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge—and the significant environmental challenges that continue to face this area.
At the Friends board meeting held on December 12, 2007, the following officers were elected by the Board: President: Dennis Branden, Vice President: Laura Nally, Secretary: Kathy Woodward, Treasurer: Laurel Gould. Pat Giaimo was appointed to chair the Volunteer Coordination Committee. The Board thanked outgoing president Judy Schmidt for all her hard work and the significant achievements during her tenure, including being named Friends Group of the Year in 2006!
It's October! Come Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week
and The Big Sit at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (September 22, 2007)
National Wildlife Refuge Week: October 7—October 13, 2007
The days are getting shorter—and cooler—signals that fall migration is getting into full swing at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Each year, during the second full week of October, wildlife refuges across the country celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week—a time to visit and learn about a wildlife refuge near your home.
This year National Wildlife Refuge Week runs from Sunday, October 7 through Saturday, October 13. You can join in the fun and adventure of observing National Wildlife Refuge Week at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and experience the magic of fall migration first-hand! Every evening, the Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge will host a leisurely evening walk into the management area of the refuge, an area normally closed to the public. Watch as flock after flock of ducks and geese descend into the impoundment areas to feed and rest for the night. It's an awesome experience. Visitors should plan to meet at the Friends of Great Swamp Bookstore & Gift Shop, 197 Pleasant Plains Road by 5:45 pm any (or every) evening from October 7 through October 13. It's an easy walk along a refuge service road to the impoundment areas. Walks last about 1.5 hours.
In signing the original National Wildlife Refuge Week proclamation in 1995, former U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Mollie Beattie remarked: "It's a time for all Americans to learn about and celebrate this magnificent collection of lands we as a people have set aside for wildlife." Come celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week at your National Wildlife Refuge!
The Big Sit: October 14, 2007
The Big Sit is coming to Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, sponsored by the Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. This fun, free, sedentary event is being held this year on many national wildlife refuges across the country to collect data, to encourage people to bird in the refuges, to connect birders, and just to have fun. The Great Swamp Circle, a 17 foot diameter circle, is being set up at the Overlook on Pleasant Plains Road from midnight to midnight on Sunday October 14. All birds seen or heard from within this circle will be tallied and the total number of species recorded and sent to the host, Bird Watchers Digest, for state or national "braggin' rights". All birds counted have to be observed (or heard) from inside the circle but if identification is difficult then a person can leave the circle to determine the species.
The Big Sit was started in 1992 by the New Haven (Connecticut) Bird Club and has since grown to include 164 circles in 36 states and 9 other countries. This year a special effort is being made to have national wildlife refuges participate in order to encourage their growing birding and "children and nature" efforts.
If you want to join the Great Swamp Circle, just stop by during daylight hours. Participants may join or leave the Circle at any time. Reservations are required for the night shifts when the refuge is closed. E-mail webmaster@friendsofgreatswamp.org to sign up for the nighttime hours (Sunday early morning and Sunday late evening). Bring a chair, food or drink, binoculars and maybe even bug spray!
Rediscover a Sense of Wonder (September 22, 2007)
This month we continue our focus on Rachel Carson, a gifted and influential writer, conservationist and former employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The 100th anniversary of her birth will take place on May 27th, 2007.
One of her many legacies was to introduce young children to nature. In 1956, she wrote an article entitled Help Your Child to Wonder, which appeared in the Women's Home Companion. Rachel Carson knew of the essential need to educate future generations about our national wildlife refuges. People of all ages, but especially young people, need to understand habitat components, and how they affect each and every one of us on this earth. Carson knew that we lose our natural sense of wonder as we age. She tried to show us how to gain it back, or at least slow the loss with trips into natural places like refuges. To see wonder in every place and appreciate it should be a goal for each of us. At the time of her death, she was working to expand the "wonder" article into a book. She died before she could complete it. Today, a reissue of her text, with stunning color photographs, is available; look for The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson, photographs by Nick Kelsh, HarperCollins Publishers, 1998.
New Visitor Center at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
Named in Honor of Helen C. Fenske (August 10, 2007)
The new visitor center tentatively scheduled to open in the fall of 2008 at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Harding Township, N.J., will be named in honor of late conservationist Helen C. Fenske of Green Village, N.J., according to Refuge Manager Bill Koch.
View the complete press release
Raptors Have Rachel Carson To Thank! (April 26, 2007)
Sunday, May 27, 2007 will mark the 100th anniversary of Rachel Carson's birth. Considered by many to be one of the most influential Americans of the 20th century and the inspiration for the modern environmental movement, Carson is best known for her book Silent Spring, which brought the risks of the misuse of chemical pesticides to the attention of the American public. The book helped lead to an eventual ban on DDT in the United States, a renewed awareness of conservation issues, and subsequent recovery of such species as the peregrine falcon and the bald eagle.
Prior to the publication of Silent Spring, Carson was an employee of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. In 1932 she started her 15-year career in public service as a part time radio script writer working for the Service's precursor, the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries. In 1936 she became the Bureau's second full-time female biologist. She also wrote several books about the sea: Under the Sea Wind (1941), The Sea Around Us (1951), and The Edge of the Sea (1956).
While working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Carson created a series of public information brochures titled Conservation in Action about opportunities for the public to learn about and appreciate wildlife and ecology on national wildlife refuges. Carson wrote about national wildlife refuges as places of sanctuary for both wildlife and people, creating perfect harmony for the well-being of the landscape. In this same spirit, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service continues to develop and deliver educational and interpretive programs, informative communications, and recreational opportunities at national wildlife refuges all over the country, sparking a sense of wonder in millions of visitors every year.
Look for these Signs of Spring at Great Swamp (March 5, 2007)
As the length of daylight grows longer, one begins to see and hear welcome signs of spring. Each of us delights in a sign that gives us warm memories of the approaching season. What are some of the signs you might see at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge?
The Wildlife Observation Center is a great place to look for woodland birds. You might hear the loud song of the Tufted Titmouse, "peter, peter, peter", beginning to establish its territory or hear the change in the Chickadee's call. Pairs of raptors may begin nest building. Many ducks are passing through heading north, and there are frequently good sightings of Ring-necked Ducks and Hooded Mergansers on the pond at the end of Pleasant Plains Road, just past the Overlook. March brings the "peent" of the male Woodcock and its incredible courtship flights in the fields along Pleasant Plains Road. Red-wing Blackbirds return with their familiar gargling sound. Certainly one of the favorite signs is the evening sound of Spring Peepers, tiny male tree frogs calling for mates.
One of the earliest plant signs is the bloom of the Skunk Cabbage. The flower actually generates some heat and attracts early flies to its odor. The flies are warmed inside the covering spathe or "hood". The flies will pollinate the fleshy sexual parts on the club-like spadix as they move around. Look for Skunk Cabbage flowers in wet areas along the boardwalk trail. Red Maple branches take on a rusty glow as the flower buds swell and open. Certain willow twigs look more golden yellow in the sun. In the woods along the boardwalk trails can you find the yellow Trout Lily, the pink and white Spring Beauty, or the early Rue Anemone in bloom? Did you ever notice the yellow blooms of Coltsfoot that come out before the plant's leaves? You may see them long before Dandelion flowers, especially along the edges of Pleasant Plains Road.
An early butterfly is the Mourning Cloak. It winters as an adult under tree bark. Also, keep an eye out for the tiny butterfly called Spring Azure (as blue as their name), as they dart around in the sun. Take an early spring walk in the refuge, and let us know your favorites. Check the sightings board at the Wildlife Observation Center and talk to the volunteers on duty there from Thursday through Saturday, beginning March 17. Or stop by the Friends Bookstore any weekend and report your sightings. There are also a variety of Refuge wildlife and plant checklists available. Enjoy spring in the swamp...it's an exciting time of year.
Endangered & Threatened Species of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
(February 10, 2007)
It was the second Sunday of January, and once again, the Friends of Great Swamp sponsored their monthly Second Sunday program. Colin Osborn, from the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge staff, presented a fascinating program on Endangered & Threatened Species of the Refuge.
There are 24 threatened and endangered species at Great Swamp—some on the Federal list and some on the New Jersey state list. Colin took the captivated audience through the species, one by one, illustrating each with spectacular photos, most of which he had taken himself on the Refuge.
The endangered Indiana bat is the only mammal at Great Swamp which is on the list, discovered here only two years ago. Among the other threatened and endangered species found at Great Swamp are one amphibian (blue-spotted salamander), two reptiles and 20 species of birds. There are many factors which contribute to a species' decline including pollution, hunting, use of pesticides, invasive species encroachment, and illegal collecting, but it was obvious, as Colin explained why each species had been identified as threatened or endangered, that the primary and most serious factor is loss of habitat.
With the outlawing of the pesticide DDT and the passage of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as well as the establishment of state programs, such as the Endangered and Nongame Species Program in New Jersey, some species are now recovering. The American Bald Eagle is one such success story and is now being considered for delisting. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is responsible for listing and delisting species under the Endangered Species Act.
National Wildlife Refuges provide, and often intentionally create, important habitats for specific species. Here at Great Swamp, habitat management plans focus on bog turtles, wood turtles, and the Indiana bat, among other species.
The Refuge does a number of things to help these endangered and threatened species:
Colin closed by identifying some of the ways the public can help these endangered and threatened species.
Be informed and become educated—and then educate others. Become a volunteer and help with some of the Refuge projects. Join the Friends of Great Swamp, an organization which provides support to the Refuge in many ways.
Following the program, the group joined Colin in a guided walk into the management area of the Refuge to get a close-up look at some of the habitat management practices currently being used at Great Swamp.