2007 Winter (Adobe PDF, 1.6 MB) - The Native Plant Society of New

The Native Plant Society of New Jersey
www.npsnj.org
Native Plant Society
Executive Board
PRESIDENT
Antonio Federici
129A Barnett Street
Boonton, NJ 07005
[email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT
Robert L. Swain
Box 400
Clarksburg, NJ 08510
[email protected]
SECRETARY/
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Bunny Jaskot
Milltown NJ 08850
[email protected]
TREASURER, MEMBERSHIP
Peggie Leifeste
Matawan , NJ 07747
(732) 583-2768
Winter 2007 Issue
January Monthly Meeting
e had a lovely monthly
Wmeeting
on Friday, Jan 12 ,
th
at the Dawson office in Jackson. We
were honored by a good chunk of the
“north chapter” coming down to
attend the meeting. In fact, there
were more “northies” than
“centrals”, and we are pleased to see
such devotion to native plants. We
covered a lot of ground, going over
elections of new officers, giving talks
for Earth Day, setting the annual
meeting (it is Mar 24 at Cook College,
R Jennings Keynote speaker!), talking
about possibly opening up new
chapters, discussing the need to
adopt a definition of native species,
doing more touring and speaking
engagements, and helping (the
beleaguered) newsletter editor by
contributing more stories, events,
and articles. (We set a deadline for
every season for submissions). We
also went over our financial status,
and the desire to raise our annual
dues, which have not gone up in
twelve years. As usual, it was fun
and enjoyable.
Attending (photo below): left to
right: Kelly Austin, Jason Austin,
Kathy Salisbury, Mike DeVos, Jackie,
Rob Jennings, Isaac Martin, Tony
Federici, Hubert Ling is sitting in
front and Bill Young took the photo.
RECORDING SECRETARY
Pat Eisemann
Manalapan, NJ 07726
[email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Bill Young
631 Wright DeBow Road
Jackson, NJ 08527
[email protected]
HORTICULTURIST
Hubert Ling, PhD
Bridgewater NJ 08807
[email protected]
You are looking at the best and the brightest for the Native Plant Society of
NJ. These people (and others who normally attend) volunteer countless
hours so that the Society can be a force in protecting, preserving, and
educating the public about native plants.
Warmest regards, Bill Young, Editor
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Page 2
Endangered N.J. Plants In More Trouble
Monday, January 29, 2007 By TODD B. BATES • Gannett New Jersey
The Garden State has more than 300 species of
endangered plants, and they face numerous threats
such as road work, disturbed habitats and development,
according to a new report. “The situation with our
threatened and endangered plants is much, much more
dire” than that of animals and “we need to take action,”
said Russell Juelg, a naturalist and outreach director
for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. Indeed, 15
percent of New Jersey’s plant species are at risk — the
second-highest percentage in the East, behind only
Florida, says the report, prepared for the state
Department of Environmental Protection. Only about
a quarter of New Jersey’s endangered plant species are
on state-owned lands, and the DEP will use the report
as “kind of a jumping off point” for making land-use
decisions and prioritizing land acquisition, said John
S. Watson Jr., deputy DEP commissioner for natural
resources. The report, “Endangered Plant Species
Populations in New Jersey: Health and Threats,” is the
culmination of years of work by the DEP and Rutgers
University staffers. “It’s the first time that we’ve really
had any comprehensive ... review of endangered plant
species in the state,” Watson said. Still, a
comprehensive survey of the entire state has never been
done, the report says. The status of 54 percent of the
populations of endangered plant species is
undetermined — a “very large” percentage that
indicates the need for more survey work, said Gerry
Moore, science director at Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
“The lion’s share of those plants that we’re really
concerned about are on > private lands,” Watson said.
In his State of the State speech this month, Gov.
Corzine said New Jersey needs to protect its open space
and create more urban parks, and voters need to be
asked to renew the Garden State Preservation Trust.
State funding for buying land is dwindling. According
to the new report, Monmouth and Ocean counties had
dozens of endangered plant species. And New Jersey is
home to four endangered plant species known to occur
nowhere else on the planet, Watson said. They are the
Knieskern’s beaked-rush and bog asphodel, both in the
Pine Barrens, the New Jersey blackberry in Cape May
County and the Hammond’s yellow spring beauty in
Sussex County, he said. It is “incredibly important ...
to protect those plants at all cost,” Watson said.
Kathryn Kinney, executive director of the Poricy Park
Conservancy, the nonprofit stewards of the 250-acre
park in Middletown, applauded the new report. “Any
time you can raise public awareness of ... the grave
situation regarding environmental concerns,” such as
plants, runoff and the impact of development, “It’s
outstanding,” said Kinney, of Bridgewater in Somerset
County. If the park did not have a plan to control invasive
plants, they would “overrun everything,” including
endangered plants, she said. The state has “a
surprisingly high concentration of native plant and
animal species” compared with other states, the report
says. It has more than 2,100 plant species, and 339 of
them are endangered. Endangered means a species has
five or fewer populations in the state, Watson said. “An
endangered species requires immediate attention or
extirpation within New Jersey is possible,” the report
says. Extirpation means a plant species is no longer
known to exist in the state. The DEP’s Natural Heritage
Database lists 32 extirpated plant species, the report
says. Monmouth County had 33 endangered plant
species, while Ocean County had 54, the report says.
Following national and global trends, destruction of
habitat has led to most of the extirpations and threats
to endangered plant populations in New Jersey — but
to an even greater degree here than is typical elsewhere,
the report says. The “burgeoning human population”
in the region “has placed severe and chronic pressure
on the ecological communities of the state throughout
its history,” the report says. Juelg, of the Pinelands
Preservation Alliance, called the report “excellent.”
“The state of New Jersey is on the way of becoming a
leader ... in protecting its biodiversity because I think
there is a growing awareness that biodiversity protection
means you have to protect both the animal and the
plant kingdoms,” he said. New Jersey has some
protections for endangered plants, including in the
Pinelands, Highlands and the region covered by the
Coastal Area Facility Review Act, Watson said. Other
protections include federal and wetlands regulations,
he said. The best scenario is for the state or another
preservation entity to own land with endangered plants,
he said. Meanwhile, if New Jersey gets warmer as a
result of global warming, plants now in their
northernmost range might migrate north, among other
concerns, Watson said. Most people think climate
change will be “a challenge to our ecological
communities in a variety of ways,” Juelg said. A much
warmer climate would make it “impossible for some of
our species and communities to persist,” he said.
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Native Grasses for the
Home and Wildlife
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium
scoparius) Andrpogon – The seeds
of bluestem , a 1-4ft. yellow tan
grass is loved by Turkey, Juncos,and
sparrows. This beautiful grass is
also the host plant for Skipper and
Satyr butterflies.
Switchgrass and Little bluestem at a wetland
mitigation on Staten Island.
Ornamental Grasses have become
a favorite in the home landscape
over the last several years, they add
interest and texture to the gardens.
Unfortunately many grasses sold at
nurseries are non-native and are of
little value to wildlife and even
worse can become invasive. The
good news is with a little searching
we can find our native grasses at
your local nursery that will benefit
wildlife and look beautiful in the
home landscape.
Here is a partial list of some
Native grasses and how they can
help the habitat in your own
backyard.
Switch grass (Panicum virgatum)Many Songbirds love the seeds
produced by this beautiful curly leaf
clumping grass including Cardinals,
Grosbeaks, Towhees and numerous
native sparrow species. The
Panicgrass is also a host plant for
many species of Skipper butterflies.
Switchgrass and Little bluestem at
a wetland mitigation on Staten
Island. Big Bluestem (Andopogon
gerardii)- The seeds of this almost
8ft. tall grass is us ed by many
songbirds such as finches, juncos
and sparrows and is loved by
turkey, and if you happen to have
a buffalo roaming around your New
Jersey home they would love it
too. The Skippers and Satyr
butterflies will use this as a host
plant also.
Indian grass (Sorgastrum nutans)This tall grass (3-8ft) with it’s
shiny golden brown plumes is
loved by many birds from Cardinals,
pipits to our native sparrows and
of course it is a host plant for
skipper butterflies
Don Torino Education Chairperson
–Bergen County Audubon Society
Editor’s Note: These are the “big
four” native grasses of New Jersey.
Ask your local nurseries to supply
them, and ask for locally-collected
seed if possible.
Global Warming
January 6, 2007, warmest January day on record.
Bill Young has worn his winter coat one time this winter so far. A Japanese
cherry tree in Philadelphia is in flower on Jan 12th! Polar bears are dying
from slushy ice floes that are not able to support them. January 13th, it
finally gets cold.
Page 3
LETTER FROM
YOUR PRESIDENT
It is 10 degrees and I’ve been drinking coffee looking at one of those $14
paperback guides on building ponds,
streams and waterfalls. This is my
pre-planning technique of dreaming
up my fantasy backyard with new
deck. I have about 200 square feet
to work with so I’m thinking cascading fern encrusted rock out crops
with reflecting pool …. My wife and
I bought our first home this past
month so we are blessed and blissed
out and buzzing with ideas. So if
you are stir crazy and glazed over
from Superbowl pre-game shows,
canceled News Years resolutions and
bread making to pass the time, head
on over to the library and start
planning your next project.
Forging on we have got another way
to get into the spirit of spring to
come – the Annual Meeting of the
NPSNJ at the Rutgers Holly House
on March 24th!!!! We look forward
to seeing all the fine faces and
sharing some food and a good talk
from our own Rob Jennings.
Rob will be our speaker and the title
of his presentation will be: “The NJ
Highlands Through the Seasons.”
Very fitting, as he has been leading
the North Jersey Chapter of the
NPSNJ and is based out of Boonton,
NJ. The northern chapter has been
a blessing and has brought in many
new members and a refreshing
energy! Thanks to all these folks for
all they bring to the table. If you
come on out to the Annual Meeting
you’ll get to make some new friends
as our tribe has expanded.
See you then and thank you all for
continuing to support our Society,
Tony
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Page 4
ANOUNCEMENTS
A message from Peggie:
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NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY NJ
ANNUAL MEETING
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The State University of NJ RUTGERS
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31st Annual
Home Gardener’s School Spring Session
March 24, 2007
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March 24, 2007
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Holly House, Cook College
at the Rutgers Gardens
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New Brunswick, NJ
NJ/AES New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
Plant Sales – Book Store - Information Booths
Soil Test Kits – Special Guest
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All are welcome. Refreshments and prizes. Keynote lecture
from Rob Jennings, Morris County Parks.
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Your attendance is requested, as we will have election of
officers. Nominations are open until then (contract Tony
Federici or Bob Swain).
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Register on line and save $5:
WWW.COOKCE.RUTGERS.EDU
$60 REGISTRATION FEE
$65 AT DOOR, $55 ON LINE
Hickman Hall (732) 932-9271
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The Center for Biodiversity and Conservation
at The American Museum of Natural History is
organizing three conservation events in the coming
weeks and months. We hope that you'll join us!
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$12 (Members $10)
Scholars Charles Chester and Jodi Hilty will discuss the
science of "corridor ecology" in conjunction with the
Museum's photography exhibit "Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y)"
and their books on the topic. Details about this lecture,
book signing, and after-hours viewing of the Y2Y exhibit
with the authors are available at http://cbc.amnh.org/center/
features/events/index.html.
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This conference will be held at the Golden Inn on the beach
in beautiful Avalon, NJ. The agenda for this program is
attached. We are limiting registration to 100 and have
received a special room rate for the conference. If interested
we advise registering fairly quickly. If you have any
questions about the conference you may contact Chris
Miller or Bill Skaradek at (609)465-5901.
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West 77th Street Entrance,
between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
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in cooperation with the
New Jersey Sea Grant Program.
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(Private Exhibition Viewing at 6 pm)
American Museum of Natural History
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Dune Stabilization Conference
March 6-8, 2007
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 7PM
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The Cape May Plant Materials Center
(USDA-NRCS) is hosting a
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Lecture, Book Signing, and Private Exhibition Viewing
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FOR YOUR INFORMATION
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Biodiversity Across Borders:
Conservation Through Corridor Ecology
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Hope to see you there!
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Moa's Ark: Conservation Lessons from New Zealand
Thursday, March 29 at 7pm
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
West 77th Street Entrance, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue • $15 (Members $12)
Author, photographer, and adventurer Neville Peat will discuss conservation efforts focused on the Kiwi, an endangered
emblem of his native New Zealand. More information is available at http://cbc.amnh.org/center/features/events/index.html.
ANNOUNCEMENTS continued on page 3
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
ANOUNCEMENTS continued from pg 4
17TH ANNUAL NATIVE PLANTS IN THE
LANDSCAPE CONFERENCE
A great way to learn about gardening with native plants,
this conference includes speakers on Green Architecture
and Biophilia, A Sustainable Residential Property, Garden
Design Inspired by Plant Communities, and Restoring
Diversity to Your Garden, as well as other topics, field trips,
a native plant sale, and much more, for home gardeners
and professionals who are interested in regionally
appropriate plants and sustainable landscapes.
Registration required. Accommodations available.
June 7-9, 2007
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Global Warming
By The Numbers…
1 Rank of 2006 as hottest year on record in the
continental United States.
1 Rank of America as top global warming polluter,
emitting almost as much as the European Union,
Russia and Japan combined.
20 Percent increase of America’s carbon dioxide
emissions from the burning of fossil fuels since 1990.
15 Percent increase of America’s carbon dioxide
emissions forecasted by 2020 if we do not cap
pollution.
Millersville University
80 Percent decrease in America’s global warming
pollution required by 2050 to prevent the worst
consequences of global warming.
Contact: (717) 872-3030, [email protected]
Website: www.millersvillenativeplants.org
78 Number of days by which the U.S. fire season
has increased over the past 20 years - tied closely to
increased temperatures and earlier snowmelt.
Lancaster County, Millersville, PA 17551
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Small Matters: Microbes and Their
Role in Conservation
A Biodiversity Symposium
Thursday and Friday, April 26 and 27
9 am-5 pm
American Museum of Natural History
West 77th Street Entrance,
between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
$25 for students with ID, $100 for Museum Members and
Seniors, $125 for General Admission (prices go up after
March 30)
This two-day symposium will bring together
microbiologists and conservationists to raise the profile
of microbes--vitally important, yet often overlooked
organisms. Speakers will address the broad questions of
how much microbial diversity exists on the planet; how
this diversity affects other organisms, both positively and
negatively; and how conservation practices take microbial
life into account. CALL FOR POSTERS -- deadline February
1. Poster-submission information, speaker agenda, and
registration discounts available at http://cbc.amnh.org/
symposia/microbes/.
358 Number of U.S. mayors (representing 55 million
Americans) who have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate
Protection Agreement pledging to meet or beat Kyoto
goals in their communities.
1 Number of federal bills passed by Congress to set a
mandatory, economy-wide cap on America’s global
warming pollution.
1 Number of times President Bush has mentioned
Global Warming or climate change in his State of the
Union speeches.
400,000 Square miles of Arctic sea ice that have
melted in the last 30 years (roughly the size of
Texas), threatening polar bear habitats and further
accelerating global
warming worldwide,
according to the Arctic
Climate Impact
Assessment.
15-37 Amount (in
percent) of plant and
animal species that
global warming could
wipe out by 2050.
Statistics by
environmental defense,
2007.
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Greetings!
This message from McDonald & Woodward Publishing
Company announces the December 15, 2006 release
of our newest title, which will be of interest to
botanists and herbalists, gardeners, naturalists and
conservationists, educators, interpreters, junior
gardeners, and others interested in gardening and
landscaping.
This message also describes substantial discounts—
part of M&W’s standard new-book launch process—
that apply to the purchase of new and forthcoming
titles or to the bulk purchase of any of M&W’s books
by agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit
organizations.
Pitcher Plants of the Americas by Stewart
McPherson presents a substantive overview of the
systematics, biology, ecology, biogeography, and
conservation of these wetland-dwelling plants — five
genera of American pitcher
plants (s.l.), including three
genera
of
true
pitcher
plants (Darlingtonia,
Heliamphora, and Sarracenia) and
two genera of carnivorous tank
bromeliads
(Brocchinia
a n d Catopsis) . H e re is information about the American
pitcher plant genera, species and
lower taxa, hybrids, and cultivars,
consolidated and presented in detail, along with more
than 250 spectacular color photographs, including
the first and only images of some taxa in their
natural habitats.
This book is more fully described at
www.mwpubco.com/PitcherPlants.htm; it lists at
$34.95 sewn softcover (0-939923-74-2) and $44.95
hardcover (0-93992375-0).
Orders for this title are now being accepted through
the publisher! During our new-title launch process,
we are offering this new book at a 30% discount
through March 31, 2007. The discounted price of
the title is $24.47 softcover and $31.47 hardcover.
Released in October!
The Teeth of the Lion—The Story of
the Beloved and Despised Dandelion
by Anita Sanchez describes the natural and cultural
history of a plant known to everyone!
Written in an engaging style and cadence for a broad
audience, Sanchez presents clear, simple, interesting,
and memorable messages about this plant of many
Page 6
virtues in a collection of essays that focus on a great breadth
of subject matter—natural, philosophical, and dispersal
history; biology, ecology and taxonomy; medicinal and
nutritional use; use in magic and ritual; its role in inspiring
the excessive use of pesticides; and
its positive management through the
use of organic lawn management.
This book provides a positive view of
an unappreciated plant that has been
important in human history and is a
great educational resource for
parents, teachers, and interpreters to
draw upon when engaging children
and other adults in both classroom
and outdoor educational settings.
Handbook for Wetlands
Conservation and
Sustainability
Clear and comprehensive, limited
supply remaining.
Fully described at
www.mwpubco.com/
IWLAwetlands.htm.
Forests in Peril: Tracking Deciduous Trees from
Ice-Age Refuges into the Greenhouse World
Preserving today’s forests to protect tomorrow’s watersheds.
Fully described at www.mwpubco.com/Forests.htm.
Alphabetical Botanicals in Color
Beautifully illustrated ABC book for children Fully described
at www.mwpubco.com AlphabeticalBirdsandBeasts.htm
The Discounts!
It is M&W’s policy to allow a discount
of 30% on the purchase of any new
and forthcoming title, in any quantity,
during the pre-publication period and for
90 days following the release of the title.
Accordingly, Pitcher Plants of the
Americas is discounted as described
above.
In addition, any title that is published or
distributed by M&W and is listed on our
web site, if ordered at the same time as one of our new
titles, also may be purchased, in any quantity, at the same
30% discount. Bulk orders by educational entities,
organizations, or agencies of any of M&W’s titles, in any
quantities or mix of titles, are entitled to discounts ranging
from 20% for as few as 5 units to 50% for 50 or more
units. Please contact our office for further details or with
questions.
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Orders will be accepted by mail, telephone, fax, or secure
on-line submission from our web site. M&W accepts
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and personal
checks. Please call if you have any questions. A standard
shipping and handling charge of $5.50 for the first copy
and $0.75 for each additional copy will be applied to all
orders.We would be grateful if, after review and as
appropriate, you were to forward this information to
others in your network, including newsletter editors
within your organization, who might have an interest in
knowing about the availability of these resources,
especially at the terms under which they are currently
available.
Thank you for your consideration! We look forward to
hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Trish Newcomb
McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company
431-B East College Street, Granville, Ohio 43023
1-800-233-8787 (voice) • 1-740-321-1141 (fax)
www.mwpubco.com
This book is fully described at www.mwpubco.com/
dandelions.htm. The list price of this title is $14.95 for
softcover (0-939923-22-X). (Discounted to $10.47, if
purchased with Pitcher Plants of the Americas. Also,
see “The Discounts” below.)
Other Recent Releases!
A Handbook for Stream Enhancement &
Stewardship, prepared by The Izaak Walton League,
provides a consolidation of much otherwise-dispersed
information into a well organized and clearly written
single volume. This handbook is a basic resource for
individuals, classes, organizations, volunteer groups, or
communities— and for those who mentor them —
wishing to carry out environmentally sound, costeffective stream corridor assessment, enhancement,
and stewardship programs.
Page 7
Also new in 2006 is Birds of Shenandoah National
Park, Blue Ridge Parkway,
and Great Smoky Mountains
National Park. This guide covers
the bird life of one of the most
beautiful and biologically rich
regions of eastern North America.
Birds… is a compact, current, easyto-use field guide that identifies all
336 species of birds that have
been reported in and near the Blue
Ridge of North Carolina and
Virginia and the Great Smoky
Mountains. It includes only those
species that will be found in the region, and it can be
used with comfort, confidence, and pleasure by casual
and beginning observers, as well as those with more
extensive experience. This book is more fully described
at www.mwpubco.com/Birds.htm.
It retails for $19.95. (Discounted to $13.97, if
purchased with Pitcher Plants of the Americas.
See “The Discounts” below.)
Other Titles of Interest!
A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates
of North America
The guide of choice for identifying most commonly
occurring invertebrates;
100 original, high-quality color plates—described at
www.mwpubco.com/inverts.htm.
Vernal Pools: Natural History and Conservation
The most comprehensive and substantive book
available described on the subject.
www.mwpubco.com/vernalpools.htm.
This resource is of great value to readers who want to
acquire a solid grasp of the fundamentals of assessing
the physical condition and ecological well-being of
streams, of what might be done to improve the stability
and ecological health of stream corridors, and of
implementing effective stream enhancement and
stewardship programs in their communities.
This title is more fully described at www.mwpubco.com/
stream.htm; it lists for $34.95 (sewn binding, softcover;
0-939923-98-X ) . (Discounted to $24.47, if
purchased with Pitcher Plants of the Americas. S e e
“The Discounts” below.)
Bill Young and Tony Federici gave a lecture on
raingardens at the recent ASLA convention down in
Atlantic City.
WINTER 2007
Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Good News for Native Plants:Record
Election for Conservation
On November 7th, 2006, voters in states and communities again reached
into their pockets in support of conservation. Of 130 conservation funding
measures on ballots nationwide, 104 passed —80 percent—creating more
than $6.4 billion in new conservation funding. The Trust for Public Land
and its campaign affiliate, The Conservation Campaign, worked in active
support of 46 of these measures, of which 40 passed — an approval rate
of 87%. The election broke two conservation funding records: new funding
was the most ever raised for conservation in a November election, and it
made 2006 the nation’s most lucrative year ever for state and local
conservation finance.
TPL Updates
The Native Plant Society of New Jersey
Cook College • 102 Ryders Lane
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8519
Page 8
Native Plant Society
Executive Board 2006
Members at Large
RUSTY BELL
Wall, N.J. • [email protected]
MILLIE LING, Webmaster
[email protected]
LIZ JACKSON
NJ DEP Fish & Wildlife
Raingarden Workshop Coordinator