Spring 2009 - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

A Publication of New Jersey Conservation Foundation | Spring 2009
NEW JERSEY
CONSERVATION
Bucolic Liberty Corner
Sisters Carol and Virginia English have preserved a farm in Liberty Corner
that has been in their family for more than 250 years. The nearby Sons
of Liberty Farm has also been preserved as open space.
PLEASE SEE STORY AND MORE PHOTOS ON PAGES 4 AND 5.
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From Our Executive Director
B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s
Tr u s t e e s
L. Keith Reed
President
Kathryn A. Porter
First Vice President
John F. Parker
Second Vice President
Thomas B. Harvey
Treasurer
Robert W. Kent
Secretary
Gordon A. Millspaugh, Jr.
Assistant Secretary
Edward F. Babbott
Nancy H. Becker
Mark W. Biedron
Bradley M. Campbell
Tim Carden
Holly H. Cummings
Peter DeNeufville
Clement L. Fiori
Peter Fontaine
Veronica Goldberg
Wendy Mager
Geraldine F. McManus
David F. Moore
Maureen Ogden
Virginia K. Pierson
Betsy Schnorr
With the arrival of spring, I get excited about the
new growing season in our Garden State. New Jersey’s
farms produce the most delicious fruits and vegetables,
and beautiful native plants and flowers.
That’s one reason we are so pleased to help Bernards
Township preserve the English Farm, a pastoral oasis
in Somerset County. This farm is owned and operated
by the eighth generation of the same family. It’s got
fresh produce at a roadside stand, and offers public tours
so we can learn about our agricultural heritage.
As the English Farm has demonstrated all these years,
there is a strong connection between land, food and
community. Local, fresh foods are becoming more
and more popular. People like to know where their food
comes from, and they appreciate the superior taste
of freshly-picked crops.
But there’s more to New Jersey agriculture than our
famous tomatoes, corn, blueberries and peaches.
Did you know that our farms also have the potential
to help mitigate climate change?
Recent research from the Rodale Institute, a research and
education nonprofit in Pennsylvania, shows that organic
agriculture enhances the biology of our soil. This has two
enormous benefits: soils become vastly more absorbent
and able to diminish the impacts of flooding, and they
pull more carbon dioxide from the air and “sequester” it.
E. Edwin Selover
Robert N. Wilson
H o n o r a r y Tr u s t e e s
Hon. Brendan T. Byrne
Catherine M. Cavanaugh
Hon. Peter H.B. Frelinghuysen
“The beauty is, the soil wants the carbon,” said Timothy
LaSalle of Rodale, noting that an acre of organically
farmed soil can remove 3.5 tons of carbon from the
atmosphere. Rodale favors no-till organic farming,
which would cut out significant emissions from
diesel-burning tractors.
As we preserve farmland here in New Jersey, we
must continue to embrace more sustainable farming
practices, including organic agriculture.
In these difficult economic times, some folks question
whether we can afford to continue preserving
farmland and open space. Let’s turn that around
and ask, “Can we afford not to?”
My friend Rand Wentworth, president of the
Land Trust Alliance, put it most succinctly.
“When the market collapsed, there was one
investment that did not lose any value,” he wrote.
“In good times and bad, conserved land has always
provided a steady return on investment: clean
water, fresh food, natural beauty, places to play.”
Now there’s some food for thought.
MICHELE S. BYERS
Executive Director
Hon. Thomas H. Kean
Emily Ridgway
Advisory Council
We’re Hitting the Big 5-0 next Year!
C. Austin Buck
Christopher J. Daggett
William D. Dana, Jr.
Joan G. Ehrenfeld
John D. Hatch
Susan L. Hullin
C. Lawrence Keller
Blair MacInnes
Scott McVay
Thomas J. Maher
Mary W. Moore
Ingrid Reed
Jamie Kyte Sapoch
2
New Jersey Conservation Foundation will celebrate
50 years of conserving lands in 2010! If you have
photos or special memories about land preservation
to share – for example, stories about saving parks,
forests, farms, mountains, trails or wetlands in your
community – we’d love to hear from you. E-mail
us at info@njconservation or call 1-888-LANDSAVE
(1-888-526-3728) and ask for Sandy.
N E W J E R S E Y C O N S E R VAT I O N
Spring 2009, Volume 7, Issue 1
Conservation Trailblazer: Michael W. Huber
ost of New Jersey’s eight million residents never met Michael W. Huber,
a conservation trailblazer who passed away in January at the age of 82.
But everyone in the state has reaped the benefits of his lifetime love of the outdoors.
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A trustee of New Jersey
Conservation Foundation,
Mike grew up in New York
City but spent weekends
and summers on his
grandfather’s land along
the Navesink River in the
Locust section of Middletown
Township, Monmouth
County. Eventually it became
the family homestead.
Mike loved birding, clam
digging, and sailing with
his wife Caroline. He knew
hundreds of species of
flora and fauna by sight,
sound and sign.
Early on, the family donated
acreage to the Monmouth
County Parks Department,
forming Huber Woods Park.
Michael Huber stands at Huber Woods, a Monmouth County park
“Everybody seemed to agree
and environmental center on land donated by his family.
this was a great thing,” Mike
explained once, “because we all loved the
likely to preserve open space than subdivide it,
place and thought it would be something
and he didn’t feel the urge to put his mark on
that the public would love, too. And they do.”
generous deeds.”
Today, the Huber house serves as an
Mike was instrumental in helping preserve the
environmental education center within
9,400-acre Franklin Parker Preserve in the Pine
the 365-acre park.
Barrens, named for his brother-in-law and
In addition to serving on our board, he was
fellow conservation trailblazer, Franklin Parker.
a trustee of the Monmouth Conservation
In honor of Mike’s love of the Pine Barrens and
Foundation (which he helped found), the
birds, a 1,200-acre New Jersey Conservation
Pinelands Preservation Alliance, the Nature
Foundation property in Woodland Township,
Conservancy and the American Littoral Society.
Burlington County, will be named the Michael
Dery Bennett, director of special projects for
Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve. It is much less
the American Littoral Society, recalls Mike
than the debt we owe him, but a fitting tribute
guiding “with a firm but gentle hand on the
to a man who helped lay the foundation of
tiller. He knew wildlife, especially birds, he
New Jersey’s conservation legacy.
treated the land with great care, he was more
(See Page 12 for more on prairie warblers.)
Table of Contents
6
Outdoor Science Classroom:
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A Good Walk Extended:
The Dorothy Preserve in Atlantic
County has become a great place for
middle school students to learn
about both nature and technology.
The improved Jones Memorial
Footpath along the scenic
Wickecheoke Creek has been
recognized with a Hunterdon
County planning award.
10 Flocking Together:
We’re working with Ducks Unlimited
to create better wildlife habitat
at former cranberry bogs at the
Franklin Parker Preserve in
Burlington County.
12 Who Needs a Prairie?
The flashy yellow Prairie Warbler
is right at home nesting in the
pitch pine/scrub oak forests of
New Jersey’s Pine Barrens.
New Jersey Conservation Foundation is a private,
non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve
land and natural resources throughout New Jersey
for the benefit of all. We protect strategic lands
through acquisition and stewardship, promote
strong land use policies, and forge partnerships to
achieve conservation goals. Since 1960, we have
worked to protect the state’s farmland, forests, parks,
wetlands, water resources and special places.
For membership information, please call us
at 1-888-LAND-SAVE (1-888-526-3728), e-mail us
at [email protected], or visit our website
at www.njconservation.org. Our mailing address
is 170 Longview Road, Far Hills, NJ, 07931.
New Jersey Conservation is published quarterly and
distributed to members and those with an interest
in conservation. Copyright 2009. This newsletter is
printed on environmentally-friendly eucalyptus
paper using soy-based inks. Please recycle this
newsletter by passing it on to a friend or donating
it to a school, library or business where it might
be read with interest.
3
Two Landmark Liberty Corner Farms Preserved
he historic village of Liberty Corner – a rural pocket in suburban Bernards
Township, Somerset County – will retain its unique charm for generations
to come, thanks to the preservation of two landmark properties.
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New Jersey Conservation Foundation
recently assisted the Bernards Township
Committee in preserving the 81-acre English
Farm, whose fruits and vegetables are sold at
a popular roadside stand; and Sons of Liberty
Farm, a 23-acre property that was formerly
used for maple syrup farming.
“We’re very excited,” said Bernards Township
Committee member Mary Pavlini. “To be
able to preserve the character of Liberty
Corner, and to be able to support farmers
in our community, is a huge accomplishment.
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
navigated the whole process for us.”
“A really historic portion of our town will
remain largely as we see it today,” added
Committeeman John Carpenter, who served
as mayor in 2008. “Instead of having 20
houses on the English Farm, we’ll still have
that lovely vista.”
With New Jersey Conservation Foundation
serving as land preservation consultant,
Bernards Township purchased the development
rights to the English Farm (in the form of an
agricultural easement) and bought Sons of
Liberty Farm outright.
Eighth Generation Farmers
The English Farm is operated by Carol
English – a member of the eighth generation
of her family to farm the property –
and co-owned with her four siblings.
“We all grew up on the farm, so this
is very special to us,” said English.
“We’re very happy it won’t be developed
and will always be a farm.”
Carol English said many area residents are
regulars at her farm stand, which operates
during the summer and fall months. “Some
people will come every day with their kids,”
she said. “I think people really are interested
in supporting local agriculture and knowing
where their food is coming from.”
Bernards Township Historian June Kennedy
noted that the English Farm – located within
the Liberty Corner Historic District – has been
in continuous use for more than 250 years.
“It was settled in 1740, witnessed the
Revolutionary War, hosted the French
Encampment of 1781, served as the first
manse of the Liberty Corner Presbyterian
Church, thrived in its dairy business
with the arrival of the railroad in 1872,
and its almost 70 acres of gently rolling
cultivated fields have remained intact
while Bernards Township developed
around it,” Kennedy wrote.
The English Farm was settled in 1740
and has remained in the same family’s
hands for nearly 270 years. Today,
the farm’s roadside produce stand
and tours make it a popular destination
for local residents.
Cover and inside photos courtesy
of English Farm, P.C. Robinson and
the Bernardsville News.
4
Sons of Liberty Farm, home of the late Irwin Richardt,
will serve as a public natural area alongside The Hills,
a densely-populated housing development.
Sons of Liberty Farm
The Sons of Liberty Farm belonged to
the late maple syrup farmer Irwin Richardt,
a local icon known for his spartan lifestyle
and adherence to the nation’s founding
principals. Before his death in 2006, Richardt
could frequently be seen pedaling his bicycle
around the Somerset Hills area, his white
ponytail swinging behind him. He refused to
buy auto insurance, claiming the Bible was
the only protection he needed.
Sons of Liberty Farm – which contains
sugar maple trees and a large pond dug
by Richardt – will serve as a natural area
alongside The Hills, one of the state’s
most densely-populated developments.
The Hills consists of 1,800 homes in
Bernards and about 3,500 in
neighboring Bedminster.
“Sons of Liberty Farm provides a great
green buffer for Hills residents, and
everybody wins,” commented Pavlini.
The township used its open space and
farmland preservation fund to pay $3 million
for Sons of Liberty Farm.
The easement on the English Farm
was purchased for just under $9.7 million,
with 60 percent of the funding coming
from the township and 40 percent from
Somerset County. The easement legally
requires the owners of the farm – now
and in the future – to maintain it for
agricultural use.
“The preservation of this special farm in
Liberty Corner was a team effort,” said Laura
Szwak, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s
Director of Partnerships & Greenways.
“But future generations will thank us all!”
Agritourism Website Launched in Salem County
With agricultural tourism, or “agritourism,” becoming a major
economic force in the Garden State, New Jersey Conservation
Foundation has teamed up with the Salem County Board of
Agriculture and DiscoverSalemCounty.com to launch a new website
promoting the county’s diverse farm destinations.
The website, SalemCountyAgritourism.com, was funded by
a generous grant from a private foundation.
The website helps boost agritourism in Salem County by providing
visitors with a comprehensive directory of community farmers markets,
roadside farm stands, u-pick farms, wineries, fairs and festivals, nurseries
and garden centers, organic farms, and other places of interest.
5
Dorothy Preserve Becomes Outdoor Science Classroom
Emile DeVito, staff biologist at
New Jersey Conservation
Foundation, gives an ecology lesson
to middle school students from the
Weymouth Township School.
valuable waste product. Carbon, on the other
hand, contributes to global climate change,
so it’s better to keep it within the trees.
DeVito pointed to a small tree. “If this tree
is taken care of by protecting its habitat, just
think of all the carbon it could suck up,”
he told the students. “That’s the job of your
generation, to cover the world with trees.”
The lesson was enlightening for student
Brent Ruga. “They never told us why
photosynthesis is important before,” he said.
o the casual hiker, our Dorothy Preserve in Atlantic County might look
like a pleasant patch of Pine Barrens forest crossed by a sandy nature trail.
But for a group of local middle school students, it’s an outdoor classroom
for learning about biology, natural history and ecology.
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Students from the Weymouth Township
School have visited the 337-acre preserve
frequently this year as part of the school’s
new Nature and Technology Using
Resources for Education (NATURE)
program. Assisted by guest scientists
and naturalists, and using technology
equipment donated by Hewlett Packard,
the students are studying and cataloging
the preserve’s flora and fauna.
The ultimate aim, said School Superintendent
Donna Van Horn, is to teach youngsters
to appreciate nature locally while raising
their overall environmental knowledge.
“There’s certainly a better awareness
now of what’s in their own backyards,”
she commented.
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Dr. Emile DeVito, staff biologist for
New Jersey Conservation Foundation,
pointed out how photosynthesis – a term
most students had heard, even if they
couldn’t explain the process – relates to
efforts to stop global warming.
He reminded students that trees grow
by using carbon dioxide (CO2) from the
atmosphere, along with sunshine and water.
The carbon becomes the tree’s wood, while
oxygen is emitted by leaves as a by-product.
“The forest comes out of the sky!
Does everybody realize that?” asked DeVito.
“From the point of view of a tree, oxygen
is a waste product.”
For humans and other members of the
animal kingdom, oxygen is an infinitely
DeVito also spoke about the Dorothy
Preserve’s natural history – from 500 million
years ago when it was covered by ocean,
to 130 million years ago when it was
roamed by dinosaurs, to pre-colonial days
when massive Atlantic White Cedar trees
towered over the landscape.
While DeVito spoke, students took notes on
a laptop tablet that can convert handwritten
copy into a Word document.
Science teacher Chelsi Crompton said
the NATURE program obtained more
than $30,000 worth of equipment from
Hewlett Packard, including computers,
cameras, software and a poster-size printer.
Photographer Michael Hogan, a Weymouth
resident and active volunteer, helped secure
the grant.
Students will combine their outdoor
learning with the new equipment to create
a DVD slide show and a field guide to the
Dorothy Preserve. It will be available for use
by other schools,” said Van Horn, adding
that the school hopes to post it on a website
for all Dorothy Preserve hikers to use.
Improved Hunterdon County Footpath Wins Award
ew Jersey Conservation Foundation has won an award for its expanded and
improved Jones Memorial Footpath in Delaware Township, a 5.5-mile trail
connecting three Hunterdon County historic landmarks – the Prallsville Mills,
Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge and the Locktown Stone Church.
bicycle racks and roadside automobile
pull-offs, posted trailhead signs and
built an information kiosk. The foundation
received a $23,500 National Recreational
Trails Act grant for the work, matched with
more than $5,000 worth of volunteer labor.
The footpath, which crosses through
preserved land along the scenic Wickecheoke
Creek, was chosen in early March for
one of the Hunterdon County Planning
Board’s 18th Annual Planning and
Design Awards.
Delaware Township Mayor Susan Lockwood
praised the conservation efforts that made the
footpath possible. “We have a township that’s
blessed with natural beauty – and blessed
with people who recognize beauty and the
importance of holding onto it, managing it
and making it available,” she said. “Donald
Jones was one of those people.”
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It is named in honor of Beverley Jones
and her late husband, Donald, conservation
visionaries who helped preserve the Prallsville
Mills, the stone church and New Jersey’s last
remaining covered bridge. Donald Jones,
who died in 1994, was a former New Jersey
Conservation Foundation president.
The Jones Memorial Footpath meanders
on and off quiet country roads, connecting
numerous preserved lands along the
Wickecheoke. It begins near Prallsville
Mills in Stockton and extends northward
to the stone church, passing the covered
bridge about mid-point.
During 2008, New Jersey Conservation
Foundation blazed new trails, installed
Stephanie “Muff” Jones recalled at a
ribbon-cutting ceremony at the kiosk last
fall how her father was moved to preserve
beloved landmarks and landscapes after
lamenting the special places that had been
lost to development.
“My father represents the notion of how
one person can make a difference in their
world,” said Jones, the current president
of the Delaware River
Mill Society. “So this Jones
Walk is also celebrating
the power of individual
action and accountability
for the future.”
Now that spring is here,
the Jones Footpath is
sure to become a popular
destination for those
who enjoy fresh air, exercise,
beautiful scenery and
local history.
Snipping the ribbon to open the expanded Jones Memorial
Footpath along the scenic Wickecheoke Creek last November,
were, from left, Hunterdon County Freeholder Ron Sworen,
Delaware Township Mayor Susan Lockwood, Hunterdon County
Freeholder Matt Holt, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
regional manager Alix Bacon and New Jersey Conservation
Foundation land steward Ray Steingall.
To see printable online
maps, go to
www.njconservation.org/
html/preserves/
wickecheoke.htm.
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Policy
PolicyUpdate
Update
Environmental Leaders Seek Renewed Preservation Funding
Photos by Clement Fiori
Members of the Urban
Trekkers, the student
conservation group at
Urban Promise Academy
of Camden, sign a
poster-sized petition
asking Gov. Jon Corzine
and state legislative
leaders to renew
funding for the Garden
State Preservation Trust.
Inset, Mark Mauriello,
commissioner of the
state Department of
Environmental
Protection, addresses
Rally attendees.
The congressman added that additional
land preservation is needed not just for the
sake of saving beautiful vistas or providing
outdoor recreation. “It’s for Mother Nature
to cleanse herself,” he said. “It’s to counteract
climate change.”
Mark Mauriello, the new commissioner
of the state Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), assured Rally attendees
that Gov. Corzine “is absolutely committed
to the effort” and is trying to get legislators
to agree on a course of action.
He said the “silver lining in the economic
cloud” is that land prices are low due to the
slow real estate market. “There has never
been a better time, really, to go out and buy
land,” Mauriello said.
The petition signed by Rally attendees
said, “Preserving New Jersey’s open spaces,
working farmland and historic sites is
a critical investment that will stimulate
the economy and stabilize the real estate
market and property values.”
early 350 environmental leaders at a land conservation gathering in New Brunswick
on March 7 urged Gov. Jon Corzine and the state Legislature to secure a long-term, “It will also create jobs through construction
projects that improve parks and restore
stable source of funding to preserve open space, farmland and historic sites.
historic buildings, and generate funds at
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Attendees at the 13th annual New Jersey
Land Conservation Rally signed a
poster-sized petition seeking support
for replenishing the Garden State
Preservation Trust (GSPT).
The Garden State Preservation Trust, a
fund that finances preservation projects
in New Jersey, got its last infusion of money
from a $200 million bond issue approved
by voters in November 2007. Because
most of that money was appropriated for
projects already “in the pipeline,” the
Trust is once again nearly depleted.
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“New Jersey is regularly held up as a model for
the rest of the country,” said Denise Schlener
of the Land Trust Alliance, a national group
representing hundreds of state and regional
land conservation organizations. She pointed
out that through the Trust, New Jersey has
been able to keep 25 percent of the state green
over the past decade.
Congressman Rush Holt (D-12) agreed
that New Jersey has been a model. “We have
to be the best. We are on the front lines
of suburban sprawl,” he said. “We’re more
densely populated than India or Japan –
we have to be good.”
a time when there are tremendous
opportunities to preserve land at a lower
cost as a result of the current real estate
market,” the letter added.
The Land Conservation Rally is the
state’s largest gathering of volunteers and
professionals involved in land preservation.
This year’s event at the Hyatt Regency
New Brunswick attracted about 350
participants. Keynote speaker Charles
Jordan urged participants to help bring
youth and diverse communities to
the conservation movement.
Petty’s Island to Become Nature Preserve
here’s good news about Petty’s Island, a 392-acre island in the Delaware River
that conservationists have been eyeing for years as a nature preserve.
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The state Natural Lands Trust voted in January
to accept the Citgo Petroleum Corporation’s
donation of the island, which is located
between Pennsauken and Philadelphia.
Citgo has offered a conservation easement to
the Natural Lands Trust, an agency within the
Department of Environmental Protection,
and agreed to clean up pollution from former
fuel storage facilities on the island. The
company will also donate $2 million for its
preservation and $1 million for educational
and cultural resources.
The idea of turning Petty’s Island into a
nature preserve was believed dead several years
ago after the administration of former Gov.
James McGreevey backed a development
plan for condos and a convention center.
Michael Catania, chairman of the Natural
Lands Trust and president of the nonprofit
Conservation Resources Inc., called the recent
decision “a win-win situation for everybody.”
One of the largest islands in the Delaware,
Petty’s Island is home to a variety of shorebirds
and was recently adopted by a nesting pair
of bald eagles.
Policy Team Reviews Proposed Power Line
n October 2007, the federal Department of Energy designated National
Interest Electric Transmission Corridors across the country. The Mid-Atlantic
corridor includes all of New Jersey.
I
The first New Jersey project to fall
within this designation is the proposed
Susquehanna-Roseland transmission line
expansion.
PSE&G proposes to replace its existing 90foot towers, each holding five transmission
wires, with towers up to 195 feet tall, each
strung with 20 wires, in an existing right-ofway between Susquehanna, Pa., and
Roseland, N.J. Outside the
right-of-way, a new switching station and
miles of proposed access roads for heavy
construction vehicles are proposed.
The corridor traverses about 42 miles in
New Jersey, 26 miles of which are in the
Highlands region, which was designated
for special protection by the Highlands
Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004.
New Jersey Conservation Foundation is
concerned that the transmission line, as
proposed, may be inconsistent with many of
the goals and purposes of the Highlands Act.
Preserved lands crossed by the existing rightof-way and proposed access roads include the
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail,
the Highlands Millennium Trail, and many
state parks and wildlife management areas.
We are also concerned about the potential
impacts of higher towers and more wires on
neo-tropical migratory birds. Highlands ridges
are internationally significant avian migration
corridors and nesting areas, being located at a
key juncture along the Atlantic flyway and the
eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains.
A ‘Champion for Conservation’
Former Congressman Jim Saxton holds up a framed photograph he received at a
luncheon in his honor last fall in Tuckerton. Saxton, who served in the House of
Representatives for 24 years, was described as a “champion for conservation.”
Surrounding him are many of the state’s environmental leaders, including, from
left, Michael Catania of Conservation Resources Inc., Barbara Brummer of the
Nature Conservancy, Eric Stiles of New Jersey Audubon Society, Tim Dillingham of
the American Littoral Society, Carleton Montgomery of the Pinelands Preservation
Alliance, and Michele Byers of New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
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Flocking Together with Ducks Unlimited to Restore Wetlands
Far left, staff members
from the two organizations
look over plans. Left,
Gregg Bachman, senior
engineering specialist for
Ducks Unlimited, collects
elevation data in one of the
many canals that will be part
of the wetlands restoration.
O
The Natural Resource Conservation Service
is funding the restoration.
An engineering team from Ducks Unlimited
spent three weeks at the 9,400-acre Pine
Barrens preserve last fall, collecting elevation
data across 770 acres of former cranberry
bogs and making recommendations for
restoring the land’s natural hydrology.
In fall 2007, 100 acres of abandoned
cranberry bog – with densely compacted
and flattened soils – were re-contoured
with heavy machinery to form pools and
hummocks of varying sizes. The following
spring and summer, 30,000 native Atlantic
White Cedar seedlings were planted
there, laying the groundwork for a future
cedar swamp. Last fall, another 554 acres
of former agricultural land had its soil
loosened and re-shaped.
ur Franklin Parker Preserve in Burlington County is becoming a better
habitat for ducks – and many other species – thanks to a new partnership
with the international nonprofit Ducks Unlimited.
Ducks Unlimited will develop plans for razing,
fixing or replacing old dikes and structures
that control the flow of several Wading River
tributaries crossing the preserve.
The Ducks Unlimited partnership is part
of a massive, multi-year effort to restore
1,100 acres of freshwater wetlands that
had been in agricultural production for
decades before New Jersey Conservation
Foundation acquired the property in 2003.
Small Donations Have Big Impact
on Forked River Mountains
hen it comes to land preservation,
every little bit helps! New Jersey
Conservation Foundation’s efforts in the
Forked River Mountains of Ocean
County have been enhanced by the
donations of four small parcels that
help provide connections between
existing pieces of preserved land.
The parcels are remnants of
old residential subdivisions that
were created on paper many
years ago but never built. In
the 1960s, hundreds of acres of
land in Lacey Township were
subdivided into small building
lots in anticipation of a new
city and international airport
that were proposed but
ultimately defeated.
The parcels, each less than an acre in size, were
donated by Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Moore,
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cornforth, Ms. Frances
Holden and the estate of Clara Hetyei.
New Jersey Conservation
Foundation owns more than
3,000 acres in the Forked River
Mountain Preserve, with
another 614 under contract.
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Amateur Naturalist Leaves Conservation Legacy
he late Warren P. Cooper loved nature,
the outdoors and the rural lifestyle.
He was an avid birder who took hundreds
of photographic slides during his frequent
travels and always put feeders and
birdhouses in his backyard. He combined
two other loves – gardening and cooking –
by preparing gourmet meals for friends
using his homegrown vegetables and herbs.
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Warren P. Cooper, above, left his Hunterdon County farmhouse to New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
“He had a great interest in nature and a
great appreciation for nature,” recalled Bob
McBrien, a longtime friend. “He knew the
names of all the trees, all the bushes, all the
plants.” And all of the birds, of course.
Mr. Cooper left his estate – including his
1870s farmhouse in Delaware Township,
Hunterdon County, where he had lived
with his partner, Jerald Stowell – to the
Foundation. The property has been used
for growing bonsai trees, a shared passion.
After recently taking title, we are placing
a conservation easement on the 13-acre
property to ensure that it will never be
subdivided. The house and land will be sold,
and the proceeds used to support land
preservation projects.
“It was incredibly generous of Mr. Cooper to
leave his property to New Jersey Conservation
Foundation,” said Michele S. Byers,
executive director. “He was a person who
truly appreciated the value of preserving our
forests and farmlands, and he knew his
bequest would help us do just that.”
Mr. Cooper, who passed away in 2004 at the
age of 75, was a graduate of Yale University,
a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War,
a former chief actuary for the State of New
Jersey, and a principal in Ernst & Young.
But McBrien will always remember
Mr. Cooper foremost as an enthusiastic
amateur naturalist and keen observer of
wildlife: “As a businessman he used to travel
quite a bit, and the first thing he always
packed was his binoculars.”
Easement Protects 10 Additional Acres in Jackson Township
en wooded acres have been added
to a preserved property in Jackson
Township, Ocean County, increasing
the size of a protected habitat for
migratory songbirds and other wildlife.
T
Since 1982, New Jersey Conservation
Foundation has held a conservation easement
on a 22-acre tract owned by the Black
Knight Bowbenders, a group that operates
an archery range and holds tournaments on
the site. The easement restricts the property
to outdoor recreation uses.
In 2002, the Bowbenders acquired an
adjoining 10-acre parcel, expanding their
holdings to 32 acres. Last November,
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
purchased a conservation easement on
the 10 acres, ensuring that it can never be
developed. In addition, the old easement
was combined with the new, resulting in
a legal document with clearer language
spelling out what can and cannot be done
on the property.
The property is predominantly a mixed
forest of pitch pine and oak, with lowbush
blueberry, mountain laurel and bayberry
growing beneath. Narrow dirt trails and
archery lanes run throughout.
Since New Jersey Conservation Foundation
has been monitoring the property, there have
been many wildlife sightings, demonstrating
the compatibility of the archery club’s use
and conservation values. Migratory birds like
the ovenbird and scarlet tanager, as well as
reptiles like the fence lizard, have been
observed there at various times of the year.
11
By Emile D. DeVito, Ph.D.,
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Manager of Science & Stewardship
The Ecology College:
Warbler Wings its Way from
West Indies to Rare Scrub Oak Forests
he New Jersey Pine Barrens is a nesting stronghold for the Prairie Warbler,
Dendroica discolor. The globally-rare pitch pine/scrub oak forest that
dominates the central Pinelands is a key source of the northeastern United States
population. In fact, “Scrub Oak Warbler,” or even “Fire Barrens Warbler”
would be a more accurate name for this flashy yellow jewel!
T
Prairie Warblers, though declining, are still
fairly common birds. Their preferred habitat
is dry forest dominated by plants that bounce
back in the wake of wildfire. They also utilize
thickets of abandoned farmland.
Prairie Warblers are “neotropical migrants,”
spending the winter in the new world tropics.
Nearly all Prairie Warblers winter in the
islands of the West Indies, a small land
mass where habitat loss for agriculture and
tourism could devastate the U.S. breeding
populations. The Prairie Warbler is on the
Partners-in-Flight “Watch List” for regional
concern, and is a priority conservation
bird in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Historically, wildfires in the Pine Barrens
have promoted the low, densely-scrubby
after the fire, yet it is the wildfire that
creates habitat. After one winter, scrub
oaks re-sprout from their unburned roots
and become thick and dense once again.
The effect of wildfires is vastly different
from that of controlled or prescribed burns.
Controlled fires are set purposely during
winter to make forests safe for people and
their homes, “sweeping” the forest floor of
dead leaves, pine needles and woody shrubs
while allowing tall trees to survive. Wildfires
kill tall trees – pines and tree oaks.
Although keeping all the tall trees alive might
sound like a good thing, it’s not – at least for
the Prairie Warbler. With controlled burns
instead of wildfires, sun-loving scrub oaks
slowly die from shading. The Pine Barrens
If you visit the Pygmy Pines (also called pine plains) of Warren Grove, you’ll see
that Prairie Warblers are one of the dominant species. At New Jersey Conservation
Foundation’s newly-renamed Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve in Burlington
County, the “green trail” winds through excellent Prairie Warbler habitat.
deciduous growth essential to these birds’
nesting and foraging. April is the most likely
time for wildfires, because tree leaves have
not yet emerged to shade fallen pine needles
and oak leaves. Amazingly, the springtime
sun may be more effective at drying the
sandy forest floor than a hot August day!
A habitat burned in an April wildfire is not
useful for Prairie Warblers until a full year
12
without scrub oaks is no Pine Barrens at all!
Keeping humans and their need for
permanent structures out of the core Pine
Barrens forests is critical, because wildfire
ecology created and will perpetuate the Pine
Barrens. Of course, for safety, random
wildfires cannot be the management tool of
choice along any urban-wild land interface.
But the Pine Barrens cannot become so
peppered with development that there is no
Photo by Frank Shufelt
significant core of wild land – places where
wildfires pose no threat to people or property.
Forestry will play a role in managing the edges
of civilization for safety, and for micromanaging the habitat of some rare Pine
Barrens species like Red-Headed Woodpeckers
and Pine Snakes. But natural ecological
processes must remain significant elements of
Pine Barrens ecology. If suburban sprawl forces
us to use only forestry and controlled winter
fires, we will be left with a species-poor area.
The pitch pine/scrub oak forest is the
ecological signature of the New Jersey Pine
Barrens, and provides ideal breeding habitat
for New Jersey’s “signature” forest bird. There
is no better place to go in May to see and
hear Prairie Warblers!
Watch warbles glean insects amidst the scrub
oak leaves; listen for the males’ buzzy,
ascending song: “zee-zee-zee-zee-zee-ZEEEE.”
You’ll witness one of the ecological signatures
of the New Jersey Pine Barrens and its
fire-scarred natural heritage!
Calendar of Events
Lauren Butcher of the Raptor Trust at
a program in March about birds of prey.
2009 Step Into Nature
New Jersey Conservation Foundation Walks, Talks and Hikes
nless otherwise specified,
contact Carol Banhart
at [email protected]
or 908-234-1225 for information
and reservations.
U
Saturday, May 23
9 – 11 a.m.
SPRING BLOSSOMING WALK IN TRENTON
Join New Jersey Conservation Foundation
staff biologist Emile DeVito on a hike
through John A. Roebling Park in Trenton,
Mercer County, to discover plants and
animals in the midst of springtime activity.
Learn about the rich variety of plants
and animals in our state’s capital. Free,
advance registration requested.
Saturday, May 23
beginning at 7 p.m.
“STAR WATCH,” FRANKLIN PARKER
PRESERVE, CHATSWORTH
Come to one of New Jersey’s foremost “dark
sky” areas of the Pine Barrens and experience
the majesty of the night sky not seen in cities
and suburbs! This exploration of the heavens
is led by astronomers from the Willingboro
Astronomical Society. Free, advance
reservations requested. Contact Chris Jage at
[email protected] or 609-567-2112.
Sunday, May 31
1 – 3 p.m.
OLDMAN’S CREEK, HARRISONVILLE LAKE
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
Join us at the Harrisonville Lake Wildlife
Management Area in Pilesgrove Township,
Salem County, for a leisurely springtime
walk through the woods. Bring your walking
shoes and water. Free, advance reservations
requested. Contact Janet at 609-624-1989
or [email protected], or Fran at
856-769-0816 or [email protected].
Saturday, June 6
9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY AT APSHAWA
Celebrate National Trails Day with a
moderately strenuous hike over rugged
terrain to a picturesque reservoir in the heart
of the New Jersey Highlands. This hike at the
Apshawa Preserve in West Milford, Passaic
County, features rocky outcrops, a tumbling
brook and dazzling views. Wear hiking shoes,
bring water and don’t forget your camera!
Free, advance registration requested.
Tuesday, June 9
9 a.m. – Noon
INVASIVE SPECIES – BAMBOO BROOK
What are invasive species, and why are
they a threat to our native wildlife? Find
out at this presentation and walk around
Bamboo Brook in Chester Township with
Tim Morris, Stewardship Director at New
Jersey Conservation Foundation. Free,
advance registration required.
Saturday, June 27
9 a.m. – Noon
3RD ANNUAL KIDS DAY – SUMMER FUN!
Children of all ages are invited to kick off
summer with games and activities! Activities
include rock painting, clay pot designs,
a nature-themed scavenger hunt and 4th
of July fireworks pictures. Kids Day will
be held at the Bamboo Brook Outdoor
Education Center in Chester Township.
Free for members, $5 fee per child for
non-member families. Registration required.
Thursday, September 17
9 a.m. – Noon
DWIGHT HISCANO – FALL PHOTOGRAPHY
WORKSHOP AT BAMBOO BROOK
Professional nature photographer Dwight
Hiscano will share tips for taking beautiful
outdoor photographs. After discussing
equipment and techniques, Hiscano will lead
participants through the gardens of Bamboo
Brook in Chester Township for an hour
of field work. Registration and advanced
payment required, limit of 20 people. Cost:
$15 or members, $20 for non-members.
EarthShare Anniversary Celebrated
New Jersey Conservation Foundation was among the founding organizations
celebrating the 15th anniversary of EarthShare New Jersey, which supports
environmental causes through workplace giving and other programs.
Plaques were awarded to representatives from New Jersey Conservation
Foundation and other groups. EarthShare raises funds through workplace
contributions, electronics recycling, car donations, and internet commerce
and search engines. To learn more, visit www.earthsharenj.org.
13
NJCF Thanks
Members & Donors |
New Members
Ms. Robin Ashby
Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Becker
Ms. Marie Benson
Mr. William Bodine
Mr. Paul Borgen, Jr.
Ms. Marlene J. Boyd
Ms. Nancy Boye
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Broder
Mr. and Mrs. Alan C. Brown
Ms. Valerie Brown
Mr. Bill Buccine
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Buchanan
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Buchanan
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory G. Burnham
Ms. Judy E. Buttle
Ms. Heather Cafferty
Mr. Christopher A. Castiano
Mr. and Mrs. James E. Chaplin
Ms. Lynne T. Combs
Mr. and Mrs. Tim Correll
Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Costello
Mr. Douglas A. Craig
Mr. John A. Cramer
Mr. Kevin Creamer
Mr. Bill Crouthamel
Mr. Doug Cruickshank
Mr. J. D’Agostino
Mr. Daniel J Dattilio
Mr. and Mrs. Donald D. Davidson
Mr. Andrew Dereka
Ms. Jignasa Desai
Mr. Anthony J. Di Matteo
Ms. Joan Dorato
Ms. Kristin DuFosse
Ms. Berna G. Eich
Mr. William A. Elias
Mr. and Mrs. Franklyn R. Ellis
Mr. Mortimer Ellis
Ms. Mary R. Erfle
Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Eskate
Ms. Lynette Farley
Mr. John J Ferris
Ms. Nancy L Field
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Filardi
Hon. Douglas H. Palmer
and Mrs. Chris Foglio
Ms. Anne M. Forbes
Ms. Patricia Fowler
Mr. Keith Freehauf
Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Furstner
Mr. Steven H. Gifis
Ms. Helen Ginzburg
Ms. Janet Goehner-Jacobs
Ms. Kelly Grace
Ms. Joan Hahn
Ms. Patricia Hargrave
Mr. and Mrs. Edward V. Harkey
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Harris
Mr. John D.S. Hatch
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hazard
14
October 2008 through January 2009
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Hedli
Mr. Frederic C. Hood
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Huey
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald L. Huffman
Mr. Mark R. Hurwich
Mr. P.J. Iapalucci and
Ms. J.A. Iapalucci
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Justis
Ms. Melanie Kavanaugh
Mr. Jim Kelly
Mr. Charles King
Mr. and Mrs. Ken Kinkela
Mr. James H Klein
Mr. and Mrs. David Eric Klein
Mrs. Arnold H. Lang
Mr. and Mrs. John A. Langley
Ms. Terri Layton
Mr. and Mrs. E. Scott Lemmon
Mr. Harold B. Levin
Ms. Kim Lewis
Ms. Margaret Liddle
Ms. Catherine Luborsky
Mr. Gary Scott Maltz
Mr. and Mrs. Rolf Margenau
Ms. Mary L. Marsh
Mr. Kenneth B. Marsh
Mr. and Mrs. Albert L. Mc Nomee
Mr. and Mrs. John T. McConnell
Mr. William R. McGlone, Jr.
Ms. Rebecca Meacham
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Merwin
Mr. Charles Meyers
Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Miller, III
Mr. Mark F. Morris
Mr. Tim J. Morris
Ms. Katherine Moser
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Murphy
Djafar K. Mynbaev
Ms. Andrea L. Natalie
Mr. Duncan Ndirangu
Mr. John S. Nemeth
Mr. William R. Newland
Mr. Allen Nicholson
Mr. Christopher O’Neill
Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Opdyke
Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Parsekian
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Perry
Ms. Cathy Petrakis
Mr. Graham Petto
Ms. Dorothy E. Pietrowski
Ms. Elyse Pivnick
Mr. and Mrs. Edward A. Ponzini
Ms. Rachel Porter
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Probasco
Mrs. Christa Racine
Mr. David T. Ralston
Ms. Nadine M. Rant
Ms. Marjorie Reed
Mr. and Mrs. John Respass
Ms. Kimberly Rizk
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Rosen
Ms. Jacqueline Royce
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Russell
Mr. Phillip A. Saperia
and Mr. James Golden
Mr. Robert Schmidt
Mr. and Mrs. Kenton Seydell
Mr. and Mrs. Yitzhak J. Sharon
Ms. Victoria Shurtleff
Dr. Frederick C Skvara
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Snow
Ms. Jan Summers
Ms. Jeannette S. Tabler
Mr. and Mrs. John F. Thornton
Ms. Jeanne Sarah Tregidgo
Ms. Judith S. Vogel
Mr. David Volk
Mr. John Wade
Mr. Melvin C. Weiss
Ms. Sarah J. Winmill
Ms. Judith Wist
Mr. Jay Wood
Mr. John D. Zondag
Ms. Wendy Mager
and Mr. Eric Monberg
Robert D. McLean
Mr. and Mrs. Scott McVay
Mrs. Betsy S. Michel
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon A.
Millspaugh, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. David F. Moore
Mr. Nelson Obus and
Ms. Eve Coulson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Ogden
Mr. and Mrs. John F. Parker
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Porter
Mrs. William C. Ridgway
Mr. and Mrs. John P. Rielly
Mr. and Mrs. R. Edwin Selover
Mr. Michael Bredt Stanley
Mr. and Mrs. Alan M. Willemsen
Mr. H. Steve Yanai
Victoria Foundation, Inc.
James and Virginia Welch Foundation
Corporate Donors
Basking Ridge Garden Club
Bound Brook Garden Club
Daughters of the
American Revolution
Garden Club of Long Valley
Garden Club of Westfield
Genesis Farm
Harry A. Sprague Library
Morris County Library
Plainfield Garden Club
Rumson Garden Club
Town and Country Garden Club
Walnut Conservation Group
Woodbridge Garden Club
Ava Shypula Consulting, Inc.
Church and Dwight Co., Inc.
The Cobb Patton Group LLC
Fruitwood Apiaries, Inc.
Conservation Circle
KSS Architects LLP
(Gifts of $1,000 and above)
Peter B. Cannell and Co., Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. Edward F. Babbott
PSEG
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Winslow Biedron
Withumsmith+Brown
Mr. Pat B. Black and
Ms. Carol W. English
Foundation Donors
Ms. Ellen Blumenkrantz
Bassett Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. George T. Boyer
The Howard Bayne Fund
Mr. and Mrs. C. Austin Buck
The Charles E. and
Mr. John R. Bulger
Edna T. Brundage Foundation
Mr. Bradley M. Campbell
Larry and Judy Cohen
and Ms. Katherine Hackl
Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Eleanor S. Campbell
CTW Foundation, Inc.
Dr. Ogden B. Carter, Jr.
Daffy’s Foundation, Inc.
Mrs. Catherine A. M. Cavanaugh
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
Beryl R. Collins, Ph.D.
EarthShare of New Jersey
Dr. Peter H. Craig
Frelinghuysen Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. William D. Dana, Jr.
The Goldring Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. John P. Duffy
E.J. Grassmann Trust
Ms. Rachel J. Finkle
The Burton G. and Anne C.
and Mr. Sven Helmer
Greenblatt Foundation , Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Austin T. Fragomen, Jr.
The Griffin-Cole Fund
Mr. and Mrs. James G. Gilbert
The Homestead Foundation, Inc.
Ms. Veronica Goldberg
The Richard R. Howe Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Gordon
Johanette Wallerstein Institute
Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Graber
J. Seward Johnson, Sr.
Mr. John Douglas Hankin
1963 Charitable Trusts
and Ms. Samantha Rothman
F. M. Kirby Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Harvey, Jr.
The Koven Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Herbst
The Luckow Family Foundation, Inc.
Mr. Samuel G. Huber
Helen and William Mazer Foundation
Susan and Tod Hullin
The Curtis W. McGraw Foundation
Mr. Peter W. Jewell
The William Penn Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. C. Lawrence Keller
Roxiticus Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Peter R. Kellogg
SAD Foundation
Mr. John L. Kemmerer, III
Schnur Family Philanthropic Fund
Mr. Arthur Kontos
The John Tyler Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Kopp
Matching Gift Donors
Arch Reinsurance Company
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, Inc.
Eisai Corporate
Matching Gifts Program
ExxonMobil Foundation
IBM International Foundation
New York Times
Company Foundation
Nissan North America, Inc.
The William Penn Foundation
Matching Gifts
Pfizer Foundation
Prudential Foundation
Matching Gifts
Organization Donors
Tributes
(In honor of)
Mr. and Mrs. Russell C. Buchanan
Ms. Katherine Moser
Mike, Kim, Evan and Nolan Knox
Carol K. Banhart
Nick, Hollie, Anna and Kayla Matteo
Carol K. Banhart
Memorials
(In memory of)
Mr. Frank Berkowitz
Ms. Kelly Grace
Mr. Michael W. Huber
Mr. and Mrs. Howard P. Aronson
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Broder
Mr. Frederic C. Hood
Mr. Charles King
Peter B. Cannell and Co. Inc.
Ms. Jacqueline Royce
Withumsmith + Brown
Thaw Malin, Jr.
Mrs. Marion J. Kingsford
Ms. Mary L. Marsh
Ms. Victoria Shurtleff
Ms. Judith S. Vogel
Monument in
State Forest
Honors
David Moore
Staff
ike along the sandy trails in the
Cedar Swamp Natural Area of
the sprawling Brendan Byrne State
Forest in Burlington County, and you
may happen upon a beautiful clearing
with a monument in the center.
Carol Banhart – Sr. Coordinator,
Development & Outreach
Michele S. Byers – Executive Director
Russell Adams – Associate Land Steward
Kraig Adams – Associate Land Steward
Erica Arles – Administrative Assistant,
Land & Stewardship
Alix Bacon – Regional Manager,
Western Piedmont
H
Louis Cantafio, Ph.D. – Sr. Land Steward
Aria (Beth) Davisson – Project Manager,
Black River Greenway
Emile D. DeVito, Ph.D. – Manager, Science
& Stewardship
David and Mary Moore pose by “his” rock in
Brendan Byrne State Forest.
Janet Eisenhauer – Project Manager,
Delaware Bay Watershed
Wilma E. Frey – Sr. Policy Manager
Amy Hansen – Policy Analyst
That monument – a plaque mounted
on a large rock – was placed there last fall to
honor David F. Moore, former New Jersey
Conservation Foundation executive director
and outgoing Trustee.
There was no grand unveiling, but about
40 of Moore’s friends and colleagues from New
Jersey Conservation Foundation and Pinelands
Preservation Alliance threw a surprise reception
at the monument on a freezing November day.
The monument recognizes Moore’s
preservation work in the Pine Barrens during
the 1960s. It dedicates the natural area
to him, “in recognition of his countless efforts
protecting natural areas and open space.”
While the gang of 40 quietly crouched
in the woods, DeVito led Moore and his
wife, Mary, for what was supposed to
be a hike to see the monument. Even as
the crowd came into view, Moore believed
it was a group of campers. Until, that is,
the “campers” jumped up and began
shouting their congratulations.
Sharp-eyed observers will notice that the
plaque is dated 1999, suggesting that the
monument has been there for a decade. Not so!
The plaque was dedicated to Moore at a small
ceremony that year, but it languished in a park
office until Emile DeVito, our manager of
science and stewardship, talked officials into
making it into a permanent monument.
Tongue in cheek, Moore expressed his
gratitude in an e-mail to staff members.
“Not only am I here to enjoy the honor,
but I don’t have to worry about a grave
stone any longer,” he quipped.
Maria Hauser – Executive Assistant/
Personnel Manager
Pat Huizing– Director of Development & Outreach
Steve Jack – Associate Land Steward
Chris Jage – Assistant Director, South Jersey
Peter Kroll, Ph.D. – Project Manager, Camden
Lisa MacCollum – Assistant Director, Acquisition
Alison E. Mitchell – Director of Policy
Tim Morris – Director of Stewardship
Sieglinde Mueller – Easement Steward
Marie K. Newell – Project Coordinator, Acquisition
Tanya Nolte – GIS Manager
Sandy Stuart Perry – Communications Manager
Susan Quitzau – Office Manager
Lauren Ramos – Development &
Outreach Coordinator
Francis Rapa – Regional Manager,
Delaware Bay Watershed
Karen Richards, CPA – Director of Finance
& Administration
Greg Romano – Assistant Director &
Director of Statewide Land Acquisition
Raymond Steingall – Land Steward
Susan Schmidt– Administrative
Assistant/Receptionist
Welcome Back!
Laura Szwak – Director of Partnerships
& Greenways
In December, our Board of Trustees welcomed
back John A. Scully of Bernardsville, a
former trustee who had been off the board
for several years. A financial consultant,
John was formerly the managing director
of JP Morgan & Co. Inc. – Morgan Guaranty
Trust of New York until 1991. He currently
serves as an honorary trustee of the Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution, a
corporate member of the Quebec Labrador
Foundation, a member of the Advisory
Council of Atlantic Salmon Federation,
and a director of The Anglers’ Club of
New York. He holds both a B.A. degree
and a master’s degree in international
relations from Yale University.
Ingrid B. Vandegaer – Regional Manager,
Highlands
Visit us today!
www.njconservation.org
15
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NEW JERSEY
CONSERVATION
Wine and Chocolates Pair Perfectly for Conservation
Volunteers Lindsey Scharf of Long Valley and Laura Hall of Berkeley
Heights check out the selection of chocolates – and a cocoa bean
pod at our Wine and Chocolate fundraiser in Gladstone in February.
Visit New Jersey Conservation Foundation online at:
www.njconservation.org
Tad Van Leer, right, owner of J. Emanuel Chocolatier of Chester,
shows Cindie and Eric Svenson the delicious goodies his business
provided for the event.