Legislature`s Inaction Leaves Open Space Fund`s In Jeopardy

Spring 2007
“The mark of a successful person is one that has spent an entire day
on the bank of a river without feeling guilty about it.” ~ Chinese Philosopher
South Jersey Stream
Protection Proposed
The NJ Department of Environmental Protection has proposed new Water Quality Standards for NJ streams
and rivers. Included in the new rules
are reclassifications of parts of three
area streams/rivers, which will give
them additional protection. The
following have been proposed for
Category One designation, based on
exceptional ecological significance:
Oldmans Creek from Harrisonville
Lake to the head of tide at Kings
Highway by Porches Mill, including
all tributaries (Harrisonville Lake
already has Category One status);
Maurice River from below Willow
Grove Lake to the confluence with
Green Branch in Vineland; and
Salem River from the source in Upper Pittsgrove Township to Slabtown Road in Pilesgrove, including
all tributaries, and from Nicholmus
Run to Major Run, including both of
those tributaries.
All New Jersey streams are classified according to their characteristics
and the classifications are connected
to specific water quality standards
that must be met. So, for example,
most of the streams in our area are
classed as freshwater streams that are
Continued on pg. 4
Legislature’s Inaction Leaves Open
Space Fund’s In Jeopardy
State Legislators failed to act to
renew the widely popular and
exceptionally successful but nearly
bankrupt Garden State Preservation
Trust (GSPT). So, the only chance
that GSPT can be renewed this year
requires a special summer session of
the legislature to vote on the bill in
order to give voters the opportunity
in November to renew this popular
program.
The GSPT is one of the most successful programs of its kind, working
to preserve open spaces for ecological and recreational purposes, protecting and restoring New Jersey’s
historical treasures, maintaining and
enhancing the State’s agricultural
heritage, and expanding urban parks
and recreational opportunities.
The focus of the campaign for GSPT
renewal, therefore, will be to urge
the Governor, Speaker Roberts and
Senate President Codey to call a
special summer session to pass the
GSPT renewal legislation.
Here is the timeline we must work
within: ACR 10 and SCR 136 must
be out of committee before the
Legislature leaves for summer break
(June 28th is the last scheduled vot-
ing session. However, if they stay
longer, July 16th is the latest they
can vote on this). Then, in order
to gain a place on the ballot, both
chambers must pass the legislation
by August 6th.
Within South Jersey’s Raccoon
Creek and Oldman’s Creek Green
Acres and Farmland Preservation
Project Area, there are currently over
1,000 acres of habitat and farmland
involved in nonprofit preservation efforts. Out of that acreage, 595 acres
will not be funded for preservation in
the forseeable future if the GSPT is
not renewed through a November 07
ballot question.
The future of this program and preservation efforts across the state are in
question due to a behind closed door
deal struck between Governor CorContinued on pg. 3
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INSIDE
Free Fishing Derby
Farwell to Don Kirchhoffer
Trees Pay Us Back
Nurseries that Support SJLWT
Legislative Update
Upcoming Events
SJLWT News
Officers
Suzanne McCarthy
President
Patrick Mulligan
Vice-President
Carole Brodkin
Vice-President
Richard Thomas
Treasurer
Janet Eisenhauer
Secretary
Trustees
Roger Asselta
Stanley Hershey
Edward Komczyk
Domenic Lanciano
Jay Mounier
Joseph Orlins
Rick Parenteau
Francis Rapa
Robert Scolpino
Wayne C. Streitz
Clay Sutton
Carolyn Toy
Janet Webekind
Staff
Christine Nolan,
Director
Jim Sassi,
Land Preservation Coordinator
Michael Hogan,
Habitat Assessment Coordinator
P.O. Box 233
Glassboro, NJ 08028
(856) 881-2269
www.sjwatersheds.org
Scheduling Storm
Drain Labelings
Great for scouts, church
groups, eco-clubs, and
families
Call Christine 881-2269 or
[email protected]
2
SJLWT Welcomes New
Community Day
Coordinator
SJLWT welcomes CJ Jacques to our
community day booth team. CJ just
completed his junior year at Rowan
working towards a Marketing degree.
He has taken several classes in environmental science and is very excited
about working with the organization.
CJ will help raise awareness of the
organization and share information
about stormwater runoff pollution and
other water and land issues with the
general public at the SJLWT booth
during community days.
Paddle Wilson
Lake
An evening of fun for everyone
Bring a dessert
August 23rd ~ 6:00 pm
(Thurs. evening)
Wilson Lake, Scotland Run Park
(Academy Ave. & Fries Mill Rd.,
Clayton)
Canoes & Kayaks will be
provided
Registration Required
856-881-2269
Natural Places of Gloucester County NJ
Now Available
The Gloucester County Nature Club’s recently published book, “Natural
Places of Gloucester County NJ” highlights the
beautiful natural areas in Gloucester County,
New Jersey.
If you haven’t spent much time outdoors in
Gloucester County, you will be amazed at the
possibilities. As a county map shows, protected
areas available to the public exist in most areas
of the county. Some will be in completely
unanticipated places, such as the wildlife area
that has been preserved around Wheelabrator,
the trash-to-steam plant in West Deptford. On
a recent visit to this spot, a bald eagle flew low
overhead and Baltimore orioles sang from the trees. The other extreme is
the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge. This gem of a spot is on the far reaches
of the county and is a private refuge that requires permission before you
visit. When you drive down the dirt road toward the refuge, you will look
around and think, “Can this still be Gloucester County?”
There are birds, flowers, trees, and mammals waiting outside your door.
Those with a deep interest in nature, as well as everyone who needs to
get outdoors and be in the wild every now and then, can appreciate these
parks. Use this guidebook to connect with the natural heritage that has
been preserved for you and your family.
Available to members for $10.00 and $15 for non-members plus $3.25 for
S&H. Contact Christine at 856-881-2269 or [email protected].
SJLWT News
Open Space Fund's In Jeopardy cont...
zine, Senate President Codey, and
Assembly Speaker Roberts who
have actively worked to stop legislation to renew the GSPT (ACR
10 and SCR 136) from reaching
the floor of the Assembly and
Senate, where they would surely
have passed with overwhelming
legislative support. In the last few
months, 58 members of the Assembly and 21 Senators expressed
their support for getting this done
this year by either cosponsoring legislation or signing onto a
letter to the Governor or Speaker
Roberts asking for the bills to be
posted. In addition, 174 municipalities, counties, and environmental and planning commissions
have passed resolutions in support
of its renewal.
Lack of renewal will mean fewer
parks and recreational opportunities for our children and their children, as well as increased property
taxes in communities across the
state.
HOUSEHOLD SPECIAL
WASTE COLLECTION
JULY 14th, 2007
Gloucester County Solid Waste
Complex, South Harrison
MATERIALS ACCEPTED:
Solvents, pesticides, cleaners,
kerosene, herbicide, gasoline,
turpentine, varnish, fertilizers, rat
poisons, auto & floor care products, weed killers, lighter fluid,
photo chemicals, pool chemicals,
propane tanks and gas cylinders.
In addition – paints (latex & oil
based), motor oil, antifreeze, fluorescent tubes & ballasts, lead acid
& ni-cad batteries will be accepted
for recycling.
With overwhelming bipartisan and
bicameral support for ACR 10 and
SCR 136, it is unfortunate that the
political pressure and influence of
party leadership will force Legislators to convene over the summer in order to save New Jersey’s
successful Garden State Preservation Trust. Returning during the
summer is all that can be done to
save this program.
We need your help with the following over the next couple of
weeks: (Please
also reach out to
friends, colleagues
and relevant organizations and ask
for their assistance
Renewal
as well.)
Help Keep
South Jersey Green
Call Governor Corzine, Senate
President Codey, and Assembly
Speaker Roberts and tell them to
hold a summer session to vote on
ACR 10 and SCR 136 and let the
voters decide to renew the Trust
this November. Stop playing
politics with New Jersey’s preservation funding!
Governor Corzine:
609-292-6000 x3
Senate Pres. Codey:
973-731-6770
Speaker Roberts:
856-742-7600
Water Quality Management Planning
Regulation Update Seminar
THURSDAY, June 21st
10am - Noon
Gloucester County Bldg., Delsea Drive - Clayton
RSVP: [email protected]
This seminar is FREE -- Must RSVP to attend
Hosted By: SJLWT& Stonybrook Millstone WA
NJDEP is proposing new water quality management
planning rules that will reassign wastewater management planning responsibility to the County Freeholders; will withdraw and
re-designate general wastewater service areas where there is no approved Wastewater Management Plan; will require municipalities to pass
an ordinance designed to assure septic maintenance; and will require
updated WMPs to address septic density in a manner that demonstrates
compliance with a 2 mg/L (ppm) nitrate planning target.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
Whether you are an elected official, municipal board member, municipal
engineer or planner, a member of a local watershed association or a concerned citizen, this workshop will help you understand the many complex
components involved in these new water quality rules. This is your opportunity to learn from and ask questions of NJDEP staff on these newly
proposed regulations.
3
Land Preservation
Legislative Update
Dredging of the Delaware River
to deepen the channel to 45 feet
from its current 40 feet has been
under discussion since 1990 and is
opposed by SJLWT.
You may have been following in
the news the tactics used by Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania to
obtain approval from New Jersey
for the deepening, which have
prevented the Delaware River Port
Authority from holding a meeting
for over a year. Recently, Governor Corzine agreed, in essence, to
Delaware River Deepening Update
hand the matter over to Pennsylvania. There are some protective
caveats: no dredge spoils can be
deposited in New Jersey, costs
must be largely borne by PA, another environmental impact study
must be conducted, New Jersey
must issue permits according to
its rules, and the like. However, it
is disappointing that this project,
which has no real economic merit
according to the last federal General Accounting Office analysis,
and does have real environmental
risks, is on the rise again.
There is still strong opposition
to the deepening by the state of
Delaware, Congressman Andrews,
and others. A true analysis of the
effects of dredging the river bottom and releasing contaminants
into the river is also needed. Previous environmental studies were
wholly inadequate. SJLWT is part
of the Dump the Dredging group,
spearheaded by the Delaware
Riverkeeper Network, and will
stay closely involved with this issue to keep you informed. See the
SJLWT website for more info.
South Jersey Stream Protection Proposed continued
non-trout producing (FW2 –NT),
or as Pineland waters (PL). In
addition, each waterway is given
an antidegradation designation
which determines if any lowering
of existing water quality may be
allowed (although not to a level
below the standards).
to these waters, and that any other
discharges for which permits are
needed must generate no change
in water quality. The buffer requirement prevents development
or site disturbance of over an acre
The proposed change in definition
that allows these stream segments
to become “C1” is important, not
only for their protection, but be-
These rules are only “proposed.”
They have not yet been adopted. The comment period on them is
currently open and letters giving opinions,
suggestions, and support can be sent to
NJ DEP until July 20, 2007.
Category One designation is a
level of antidegradation protection that can be assigned to
specific waterways. It mandates
that these waters are protected
within 300 feet of the stream.
from measurable changes in water
quality characteristics because of
The recent proposal of Category
their clarity, color, scenic setting,
One designation for the three
steams listed above is due to a reaesthetic value, exceptional ecological significance, exceptional
definition of “exceptional ecologirecreational
cal significance”
signifibased on
The buffer requirement prevents
cance,
development or site disturbance of over an acre the documented
excepwithin 300 feet of the stream.
tional
presence
water supply
of endangered or
significance, or exceptional fisherthreatened species, including sevies resources. The designation
eral rare freshwater mussels and/
or bog turtles. Oldmans Creek has
means that buffers along these
waters must be 300 feet from
both populations; Maurice River
stream bank on each side, that
has mussels; Salem River has bog
stormwater cannot be discharged
turtles. These stream segments
4
are now classed as FW2-NT (C1).
cause more stream segments may
be found to meet the new definitions, as more water monitoring is
conducted. SJLWT is one of the
groups that first proposed Oldmans Creek and other streams for C1
designation, back in 2002. Due
to specific work by the Rutgers
Law Clinic, Environment New
Jersey, and others, these particular
redesignations were formulated by
NJ DEP. We hope this is just the
beginning!
There will be a public hearing on the
propsed standards on June 28 at the
Rutgers EcoComplex in Burlington
County. Go to sjlandwater.org for
details of the hearing.
Special Recognition
SJLWT Says Farwell to Don Kirchhoffer
Don Kirchhoffer has been one of
New Jersey leading environmental
activists for the past 20 years, but
recently we lost him to Pennsylvania. Don Kirchhoffer, a Board
member of SJLWT and a staff
member of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, decided to
retire fully in late 2006 and he and
his wife, Patsy, moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to family.
He is greatly missed by everyone
who worked with him, from the
farmers in Salem and Gloucester
counties to the community groups
he helped launch, to the staff and
board members of the organizations he inspired.
We are all sorry to see Don leave
the area but feel his retirement
is well deserved. Actually, this
was Don’s second retirement, or
perhaps it should be called his
third. Born in California in
1922, Don grew up in Alabama,
served in the navy during World
War II, and graduated from Columbia. He worked in industrial
and labor relations for various
companies in Ohio and New
Jersey, primarily for RCA, and
retired from the business world
in 1985. He then embarked on
a second career by serving as
a volunteer at NJ Audubon’s
Rancocas Nature Center, as
a campaigner with Burlington
County’s United Way program,
and in various capacities related to
housing and job finding as part of
his long-term commitment to affordable housing. He also started
writing a monthly nature column
for the Burlington Times, along
with articles for the Philadelphia
Inquirer and for a weekly newspaper in Medford.
Don’s life as a reporter led to cov-
ering the Pinelands Commission
on a regular basis and to a third
career. He was one of the founders of the Pinelands Preservation
Alliance and, when PPA’s first
Executive Director was hired, Don
became her first employee. At the
Pinelands Commission meetings
he also met Michelle Byers, Executive Director of NJCF, and in
1997 he moved to NJCF to serve
as their South Jersey Project Manager, concentrating on support to
groups that were trying to preserve land, protect environmental
resources, and control sprawl.
Don has had a profound impact on
an enormous number of people,
especially in the environmental
world. He says, however, that the
environment and working to pro
tect it has had a profound effect
on him and changed his life. Back
in his RCA days, he didn’t know
what the word “environment”
really meant. Of course, it wasn’t
well understood by the society at
large in those days. Don’s “retirement” activities led him in many
interesting directions but it was
environmental protection that
became his passion and where he
has made major contributions to
our world. His clear grasp of the
important issues, his concentration
on accomplishing real, measurable
goals, his wry sense of humor, and
his wealth of experience provided
a model we could all follow and
endeared him to all of us personally. We hope Don and Patsy are
enjoying “retirement”. We do
know that New Jersey’s loss of
Don Kirchhoffer is bound to be
Pennsylvania’s gain!
Free Kids Fishing Derby
Family Event
Saturday, June 23, 2007 9am-1pm
(Rain Date: Sunday June 24th, 2007)
Glen Lake in Woodbury Heights
Contest Open for Kids ages 5-15
(over 16 yrs old must have a valid fishing license)
Registration: 9:00 to 9:45am Glen Lake (required)
Instruction & Fishing Time: 10:00 to 12:00
Food, Awards, & Prizes: 12:00 to 1:00
Bring A Fishing Rod If You Have One!
Sponsored by:
NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife
AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador Program
South Jersey Land & Water Trust
Gloucester County Soil Conservation District
5
Belinda's Corner
Of all the benefits that trees
provide, those that are economic
in nature are least understood.
People naturally recognize the
benefits they can see and feel. For
instance, we love the visual appeal of leafy neighborhoods. And
it does not take a Ph.D. to know
that trees make it cooler. Seats
in the shade are invaluable on a
blisteringly hot day. What people
do not see or feel is that trees do
so much more. Trees toil 24-7,
invisibly multitasking to improve
the bottom line of households,
businesses and communities
every day.
Trees Pay Us Back
new street tree boosted sale prices
10 to 15 percent, or approximately $3,500 per house. That
single new street tree also lifted
the values of other row houses
within 50 feet. Amazingly, a $500
investment in one new street tree
resulted in a combined propertyvalue gain of over $20,000.
Boosting Property Values
The American dream house may
or may not be a single-family
home with a white-picket fence,
but it definitely sits on a tree-lined
street. Anton Neelsen and Associates, who pioneered the use
of Visual Preference Surveys for
community visioning, queried
residents across the country about
how their community should look.
Consistently, one of the highest-ranked community scenes
was the “cathedral street,” or a
street where tree canopies form a
green ceiling and create a sense
of complete enclosure. When 250
residents of Detroit were interviewed concerning their preference of trees in urban areas, eight
out of 10 respondents stated that
trees would have an influence on
their choice of a place to live.
One of the most astonishing studies comes from researchers at
the University of Pennsylvania’s
Wharton School. They found
that trees have a huge impact on
sale prices in modest row-house
neighborhoods with low tree
cover. The presence of just one
6
Saving Energy
With energy costs rising sharply,
people are increasingly looking
for ways to save. Trees conserve
energy through direct shading and
evapotranspiration (the release
of cooling moisture through their
leaves). According to the U.S.
Forest Service, three or more
large trees planted on the southwest side of a house can reduce
air-conditioning costs as much as
30 percent. Just shading an air
conditioning unit can capture a
10-percent savings. And in some
locations, winter heating costs
can be reduced 5 percent by using
evergreen trees to buffer prevailing winds and severe cold.
Other Bottom-line Benefits
Public works budgets can also
achieve big savings with trees.
The Center for Urban Forestry recently reported that streets shaded
by trees need less maintenance.
For example, shaded asphalt requires only two-and-a-half slurry
seals over 30 years, slashing
resealing costs by 60 percent.
Stormwater Reduction
Because trees intercept rainfall,
investing in them, or preserving
existing trees, can preclude the
need for costly stormwater systems. A 2003 American Forests
study of the Delaware Valley
estimated that the existing tree
cover in the nine-county region
detained 53 million cubic feet
of stormwater. Without trees,
the region would have had
to spend over $105 million to
build retention ponds and other
engineered systems to intercept
this water.
Pollutant Removal
Trees improve air quality by
removing nitrogen dioxide (NO2),
sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon
monoxide (CO), ozone(O3), and
particulate matter 10 microns or
less (PM10) in size. The Delaware Valley study calculated that,
in 2000, the Delaware Valley
region’s trees removed 73 million
lbs. valued at $167 million. Trees
help clean the air by storing and
sequestering carbon in the wood.
Total storage and the rate at which
carbon is stored (sequestration)
can be measured. In 2000, the
Philadelphia region’s urban forest
stored 26.8 million tons of carbon
and sequestered 8,585 tons per
year. Carbon reduction is key to
reducing the global greenhouse
effect and global warming. Maintaining and planting trees is vital
to that effort.
This is a modified version of an
article by Patrice Carroll, Project
Director, TreeVitalize.
Thank
You
SJLWT would like to Thank the
2007 Generous Donors
The following nurseries donate to our
Annual plant auctions held at Washington Twp. Earth Day and WaterFest. Be
sure to tell the nursery staff that you
learned about them from SJLWT.
Arrowwood Native Plant Nursery
961 Clark Ave.
Franklin Twp. 697-6044
SJLWT Thanks
Dougherty’s Home & Garden Center
3086 Delsea Dr.
Franklinville 694-1216
Michael’s Greenhouses
305 Pitman-Downer Rd.
Washington Twp 881-0009
Exley’s Landscape Service
1535 Tanyard Rd.
Mantua 468-5949
Piney Hollow Nursery
3653 Dutch Mill Rd.
Franklin Twp 697-4959
Fazzio’s Garden Center
541 Bridgeton Pike
Mullica Hill 478-6298
Platt’s Farm Market
70 Cohawkin Rd.
Clarksboro 423-7995
Ferrucci Nurseries
1745 Piney Hollow Rd.
Franklin Twp 697-1950
Prickett Nursery
Mantua Blvd.
Sewell 468-0654
Four Seasons Garden
(Rte. 45) Mullica Hill 478-6956
Pump House Gardens
1730 Glassboro Rd.
Mantua 468-6603
Bellone’s Nursery
491 Harding Hwy (Rte. 40)
Franklin Twp 697-4351
Garden Road Greenhouse
402 Garden Rd.
Pittsgrove Twp. 358-3032
Bloomers Home & Garden Center
Hurffville Cross Keys & Fish Pond Rd.
Washington Twp 589-0200
Green Planet Nursery
1022 Monroeville Rd.
South Harrison Twp. 789-8010
Bunker Hill Middle School Greenhouse
372 Pitman-Downer Rd.
Washington Twp 881-7007
Groff ’s Mill Pond Nurseries
1350 Delsea Dr.
Glassboro 589-9600
Cousins Garden Center
355 Center St.
Mantua 468-8241
Hillcrest Farm & Nursery
123 Thies Rd.
Sewell 589-5696
D’Angelo’s
405 Richwood Rd.
Ewan 881-6039
Jones Harvey Nursery
4223 Black Horse Pike
Cecil 629-7160
Danny Jr’s. Garden Center
664 Berlin-Cross Keys Rd
Sicklerville 629-0016
McCloskey’s Nursery
419 East High Street
Williamstown 307-9652
Additional Online Tree Resources
To calculate your own personal carbon footprint and the number of new
trees that would offset that impact, go to the CO2 Calculator at
www.americanforests.org/resources/ccc/
New Jersey Tree Foundation: www.newjerseytreefoundation.org
U.S. Forest Service, Trees Pay Us Back Program:
www.na.fs.fed.us/Urban/TreesPayUsBack
Puglia’s Farm Market
381 Fries Mill Rd
Sewell 881-0619
Rosie’s Farm Market
317 Swedesboro Rd.
Elk Twp 223-2952
Strecher’s Garden Market
1024 Township Line Rd.
Woolwich Twp. 467-2208
Triple Oaks Nursery
2359 Delsea Dr
Franklinville 694-4272
Visconti Nursery
1459 Centerton Rd.
Elmer 358-6644
Walker’s Farm Market
105 Porchtown Rd.
Pittsgrove Twp. 358-1318
Windy Top Nursery
240 Harrisonville Rd.
Richwood 478-2127
Zimmerman Country Market
425 Salina Rd.
Mantua 468-1611
Center for Urban Forest Research: www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr
Tree Benefit Estimator: www.AppaNet.org/Treeben/Calculate.asp
7
SJLWT Watershed Assessment
Volunteer Programs
We are pleased to report that the SJLWT Stream Assessment and South Jersey Vernal Pool projects are
producing real results. Forty volunteers attended the recent vernal pool training workshop at Rowan University with NJ Department of Environmental Protection biologist Brian Zarate on March 31. They learned
about the areas amphibians, their calls, and what time of year they use the pools. Trainees viewed a number of vernal pools during the field trip to Ceres Park in Mantua. Brian pointed out aspects of the pools
and gave advice and tips about recording data.
Habitat and Volunteer Coordinator Michael Hogan has
been meeting volunteers in the field to get new folks started and he
continues to meet up with stream assessment volunteers, as well as
conducting vernal pool and stream assessments himself. Data collected by everyone is sent into the office to Christine Nolan at sjwatersheds.org and is then forwarded in two directions. Vernal Pool
data goes to Brian Zarate at the Vernal Pool project of DEP’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP). ENSP staff will then
determine the certification status of the pool, often doing a follow up
visit. Stream Assessment data goes to Greg Rusciano at the Rutgers
Water Resources Program where it is entered into the Rutgers Visual
Stream Assessment Protocol website, on the page for SJLWT.
Michael Hogan
Stream Assessments
Results
Staff and volunteers have completed 147 stream
assessments to date. These have occurred in every watershed in Gloucester County (Big Timber
Creek, Woodbury Creek, Mantua Creek, Repaupo
Creek, Raccoon Creek, Oldmans Creek, Great
Egg Harbor River, and Maurice River). Sections
of the Big Timber Creek in Camden County, the
Great Egg Harbor River in Atlantic County, and
the Maurice River in Salem County were also assessed. In addition to filling in the Stream Visual
Assessment Protocol (SVAP) data form, sites are
also photographed.
Many populations of the invasive plant Japanese
knotweed and of Phragmites (the common reed
with the brushy top that is so abundant around
marshes) have also been documented and added
to the SJL&WT database of invasive species locations. The latter information is not documented
Photo by Carole Brodkin: Oldmans Creek
well on the SVAP form but is important to the SJLWT database, because these populations are spreading and their removal and remediation has been an
SJLWT goal for some time. SJLWT is in the process of trying to organize some modest removal projects
of these populations and will be letting you know about the need for help on them.
Vernal Pools Results
So far staff and volunteers have documented and recorded data for 57 possible vernal
pools locations in Gloucester and Atlantic
Counties. Many pools were listed on the
State’s Vernal Pool database, such as the
large documented vernal pool in the Wharton State Forest area of Waterford Township assessed by volunteer Jim Lampl. Others are pools that are not on the database,
such as two undocumented pools along the
New Jersey Turnpike in Deptford Township
and two in the Wenonah Woods area identified and assessed by Vernal pool volunteer
Pete Speth. Michael Hogan identified and
collected data to certify four undocumented
vernal pools in the Dorothy section of Weymouth Township where he lives.
Photo by Mike Hogan: Bull Frog
Mike Hogan also did a vernal pool/ amphibians
presentation for the Weymouth Twp. Elementary School, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students on March 26. In the course of doing surveys, other situations
are often spotted. For example, a site of illegal dumping of
used oil containers at the state Wildlife Management Area
in Franklin Township was photographed and reported to
the Department of Environmental Protection.
Please document your pool’s characteristics and photograph them, if possible. Sometimes that can lead to disappointment. Let’s just hope you don’t encounter what Sandy
M. found. She reports, “The vernal pool that I have been
monitoring since Jan 2007, by taking pictures 2 x a month,
does not classify as a vernal pool. It fell short two days in
April when it dried up.”
Mike Hogan reports that Northern gray tree frogs, carpenter frogs, green frogs, bull frogs, pickerel frogs, Southern
Photo by Mike Hogan: Gray Tree Frog
leopard frogs
and Fowler’s toad are active now and encourages all volunteers to go out and check on the pools they are interested in. If you have a tape recorder, take it with you and
record what you hear. Any questions can be resolved by
bringing that in to the office. If you do not have a recorder,
SJWLT now has one you can borrow.
Save the Date
Stream Assessment Training
Saturday
September 29, 2007
9-1pm
Photo by Mike Hogan: Assessment Volunteers
Save the Date
Water Quality Management Planning Regulation Update Seminar
Thursday, June 21st ~ 10am - Noon
Gloucester County Bldg., Delsea Drive - Clayton
This seminar is FREE -- Must RSVP to attend 856-881-2269 or [email protected]
Kids Fishing Derby - Free
Saturday, June 23 ~ 9am-1pm (Rain Date: Sunday June 24th)
Glen Lake in Woodbury Heights
Registration Required at Lake
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Gloucester County 4-H Fair & Peach Festival
Thursday July 26th – Sunday 29th, 4-H Fair grounds Mullica Hill
Come out and enjoy the Festival & make sure to stop by the SJLWT booth.
P.O. Box 233
Glassboro, NJ 08028
(856) 881-2269
www.sjwatersheds.org
Paddle Wilson Lake & Tasty Treats ~ An evening of fun
Thurs., August 23rd ~ 6:00 pm Scotland Run Nature Center
Canoes & Kayaks will be provided
Registration Required 856-881-2269 or [email protected]
Stream Assessment Training - Sat., Sept. 29th 9-1pm Details TBA
To preserve and protect the land and water resources of Southern New Jersey – maintaining and enhancing the natural, cultural, and historic
heritage of the region.
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED1
P.O. Box 233
Glassboro, NJ 08028
SJLWT
NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PITMAN, NJ
PERMIT NO. 38