Help Create A Forest Stewardship Plan At The Next Stewardship Roundtable Meeting, April 18, 2012

By
April 13, 2012
forest management, Forest Stewardship Assessment, land ethics, land stewardship policy, meetings

What better way to address some of the philosophical and practical issues facing land managers in New Jersey than collaboratively developing a land management plan for a spectacular property? The next Stewardship Roundtable meeting will be held on April 18, 2012 at Ridge and Valley Conservancy’s Gnome Hollow Preserve.  This will be a “working” meeting where we will help Ridge and Valley Conservancy develop a Forest Stewardship Plan for this gorgeous preserve.   If you haven’t been in the woods in this part of New Jersey, you are in for a treat.  

The meeting will start at 10:30 10:00 and go until 1:30 PM.  We will meet at  Johnsonburg Town Hall (Frelinghuysen Township), Route 661 (Main Street), just west of the intersection with Route 519.  Ridge and Valley will be providing lunch, but you are also welcome to bring your own.

Click here for a link to a Google Map to get directions.  Note that this map also shows the property shapefile, so if you end up late you can meet us there instead.  

Please RSVP to me directly at jon@wagar.me so we know how many people are attending.

This is how Ridge and Valley describes Gnome Hollow  on their website:

…[it] is primarily deciduous hardwood forest, but it contains a small former Christmas tree farm.  Ms. Johansen sold trees and gave the proceeds to charity.  The property has a mix of native hardwoods, including mature oak and black birch, hickory, and emerging sugar maple.  Several vernal pools, which flood in spring then drain in summer, are found throughout the forest. These pools are important habitat for reptiles and amphibians, which can breed in them without having fish, eat their egg. The vernal pools are also important recharge areas for the aquifers.

RVC is in the process of developing a forest stewardship plan for the property to help demonstrate how landowners can manage local woodlands for maximum conservation value and forest health.  Plans call for thinning of the Christmas trees to allow development of individual trees, encouragement of sugar maples on south-facing slopes to develop a “sugar bush,” such as those used in sugar mapling, controlled burns, and reintroduction of native trees, especially near vernal pools.  There is a trailhead on the property at Stillwater Road. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk, but nighttime use is permissible if one notifies RVC.

Here are a set of planning maps that I put together.  Click on the link here or the image below to download them.

Gnome Hollow Map Set 1

Here is the Google map:


View Larger Map

Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course – April 27, 2012

By
April 10, 2012
ecological restoration, meadow management, meetings, warm season grassland restoration, wildlife management areas, workshops

 I attended this course the last time it was offered and it was excellent.   I highly recommend it!

Seats are still available to attend the 

POLLINATOR CONSERVATION PLANNING SHORT COURSE 

Pittstown, New Jersey 

April 27th, 2012

9:00 am to 4:00 pm EDT

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Rutgers University, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are pleased to announce an upcoming Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course in New Jersey. This full day training will provide you with the latest science-based approaches to reversing the trend of pollinator declines, and will equip you with the recipes necessary to protect and manage habitat for these vital insects.

SPECIFIC TRAINING OBJECTIVES:

  • Identify approaches to increase and enhance pollinator diversity on the land
  • Knowledge of current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on pollinators
  • Identify bees and distinguish them from other insects
  • Understand the economics of insect-pollinated crops, and the effects of pollinator decline
  • Knowledge of the current Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions in programs such as WHIP, EQIP, CSP, and CRP
  • Ability to assess pollinator habitat and to identify habitat deficiencies
  • Ability to make recommendations to farmers and land managers that conserve pollinators (including subjects such as tillage, pesticide use, burning, grazing, and cover cropping)
  • Ability to design and implement habitat improvements, such as native plant restoration and nest site enhancements

SHORT COURSE DETAILS:

Location:

Snyder Research & Extension Farm
140 Locust Grove Road

Pittstown, NJ 08867

Date/Time:   

April 27th, 2012    9 am to 4 pm EDT 

Cost:

Thanks to Dr. Rachael Winfree and USDA-NRCS for making this course affordable to the public.

Registration is $45 per person and includes lunch and refreshments.

Registration:

Registration is required for this course. Click here for more information and to register online. For questions, please contact Ashley Minnerath, Pollinator Program Assistant, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, at shortcourses@xerces.org or (855) 232-6639 ext. 102.

For NRCS personnel registration, please contact:

Jolie Goldenetz-Dollar
Pollinator Habitat Restoration Specialist
(609) 465-5901
jolie@xerces.org or

jolie.dollar@nj.usda.gov

Hurry, space is limited!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course is made possible with the support of a USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) awarded to Dr. Rachael Winfree of Rutgers University. Additional support for this training is provided by the following: USDA Northeast Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education (SARE) program, CS Fund, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust, Turner Foundation, Whole Systems Foundation, and Xerces Society members.

Special thanks to Cape-Atlantic Conservation District, North Jersey Resource & Development, New Jersey NRCS, Rutgers University, and USDA-NRCS Cape May Plant Materials Center for helping to make this course possible.

Job Opportunity: Natural Resources Management Program Supervisor with Morris County Parks

By
April 4, 2012
Jobs

Mahlon Dickerson Reservation

Here is a great job opportunity for people with experience in land management and stewardship:

Job Title: Natural Resources Management Program Supervisor
Agency: Morris County Park Commission
Location: Morris County, NJ
Last Date to Apply: April 27, 2012
Salary: $46,523 and an excellent benefit package

Position Description:

Under the general direction of the Director of Horticulture and Natural Resources, and the direct
supervision of the Superintendent of Natural Resources Management, the Natural Resources
Management Program Supervisor will assume a lead role in researching, planning, developing,
and implementing natural resources programs for the Park Commission. The primary objectives
of the position are to protect and restore park lands, to evaluate and monitor environmental
conditions, and to foster a sense of stewardship in Park Commission staff and the public. On an
ongoing basis the Program Supervisor will be directed to work as the working field supervisor on
programs and projects addressing natural resources management issues such as wildlife
management, vegetation management, soil and water conservation, habitat enhancement, stream
bank stabilization, riparian buffers, environmental pollution, and other related areas as necessary
throughout the park system. The Program Supervisor will also assist in the development of
natural resources management policies, practices and procedures.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • Assistance in the development and implementation of wildlife management programs,invasive species management programs, environmental restoration and enhancement projects, and other natural resources programs as necessary.
  • Completion of field assignments including project management and data collection.
  • Preparation of written reports and oral presentations.
  • Coordination and working supervision of Park Commission staff, interns and volunteers to implement natural resources management plans and programs.
  • Development of a viable volunteer base to carry out objectives.
  • Assistance with the development and on-going review of best management practices and stewardship plans for Park Commission conservation areas, meadows, forests, and other areas as needed.
  • Application of herbicides, insecticides, and/or other pesticides, animal repellants and other agricultural chemicals in the execution of assignments and maintenance of proper records of such.
  • Utilization of mechanical equipment and heavy machinery as necessary to accomplish objectives.
  • Utilization of GIS to conduct natural resources analyses and prepare maps for reports, presentations, field work, and effective communication with staff.
  • Utilization of GPS units to perform field analyses and collect data.
  • Assistance in the development and presentation of environmental education programs.
  • Acquisition of permits for the implementation of natural resources programs.
  • Assistance with the preparation of applications for and the implementation of grants to support natural resources programs.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • B.S. degree from a college of recognized standing in Wildlife Biology, Natural Resources Management or a closely related field. Significant related work experience may be substituted for formal educational degree qualifications.
  • A minimum of four years demonstrated experience in executing natural resources management programs in areas of concern to the Park Commission.
  • One year experience with ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop (9.x, 10.x)
  • Proficiency with GPS technology.
  • Thorough working knowledge of MS Office software programs including Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint.
  • Knowledge of and ability to identify flora and fauna of northern NJ.
  • Possession of a driver’s license valid in the State of New Jersey.
  • NJ Pesticide Applicator license or the ability to obtain and maintain one.
  • Ability to work flexible hours including evenings, holidays, and weekends as needed.
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in written form.
  • Ability to work in the field independently and with others.
  • Ability to maintain an attendance level adequate to perform the essential functions of the position.

How to Apply:

Please mail a resume and cover letter to Kelli Kovacevic, Superintendent of Natural Resources
Management at:

P.O. Box 1295
Morristown, NJ 07962-1295

No phone calls please. When applications are reviewed, we will only respond to candidates
whom we are contacting for an interview.
M/F EOE

2012 Prescribed Burning Season

By
February 29, 2012
forest management, meadow management, prescribed burning
2 Comments

The NJ Forest Fire Service Conducting a Prescribed Burn at Schiff Nature Preserve, 2/27/2012

It is prescribed burning season again!  The Daily Record did a nice article on the prescribed burning work we are doing at Schiff Nature Preserve.  Click here to read the article.  

We burned about 35 acres on Monday and hope to do another 65 or so by the end of March.  About 30 acres consisted of mature, eastern hardwood forest while the remaining 5 acres we burned was a portion of a larger warm season grass meadow.

Prescribed burning is a critical tool for forest stewardship and ecological restoration.  Not only does it  reduce wildfire risk, it is probably the only practical and cost-effective way to control widespread non-native invasive plants.  It is pretty obvious that the non-native invasive plants that are so prevalent in many parts of New Jersey are not palatable to deer, while native plants are.   This gives non-native invasives a competitive advantage; where overabundant white tailed deer are chomping away on natives, the invasives grow instead. 

At the same time we aggressively reduce deer densities at Schiff, the prescribed burning we do reduces non-native invasive plants and therefore opens up growing space for regenerating trees and native understory plants.  There are several species of native trees, including Northern red oak (New Jersey’s state tree!), that are dependent on fire or other disturbance for regeneration.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is the state agency that conducts prescribed burns for us.  Unfortunately, they are under the same budgetary pressures as the rest of DEP.  We need to figure out a way to get more resources to these land management agencies if we are going to address the major conservation threats we face today in New Jersey.

Society for Ecological Restoration Mid-Atlantic Chapter 2012 Conference

By
February 2, 2012
meetings, workshops

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration is holding their annual conference at Brooklyn College on March 23 to 24, 2012.  If the line-up is anything like last year, it could be very worthwhile to attend as many of the presentations were focused on issues that we face while managing our preserved lands in New Jersey.  Let me know if you are thinking of attending and perhaps we can carpool.