Category: Events

Megan Wren: Founding Director of Bayshore Center at Bivalve Recognized for her Conservation Efforts

By: Lindsay McNamara, Communications Coordinator

As an iconic protector of the Delaware Bay for over 26 years, 2014 Women & Wildlife Leadership Award Winner Meghan Wren has devoted her life to restoring the region through hard work, dedication and leading by example.

At 23 years old, Meghan led a restoration effort for the 1928 oyster schooner A.J. Meerwald. Through a variety of volunteer and community-based fundraising activities, along with major grant support, A.J. Meerwald was brilliantly restored and is now New Jersey’s official Tall Ship, serving as a sailing classroom. Meghan founded Bayshore Center at Bivalve in 1988 to motivate people to take care of the history, culture and environment of the Bayshore region. More than 20 years later, Meghan has continued to transform Bivalve through a number of restoration and conservation projects, as well as, the opening of the Delaware Bay Museum & Folklife Center.

Join us as we honor Meghan and the three other 2014 Women & Wildlife Award Winners this Thursday, October 23rd beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.

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CWF asked Meghan a few questions about what working in wildlife conservation means to her:

What motivates you to get out of bed each morning and go to work?

“I go to work each morning to do what I can to raise the level of concern for and participation in the stewardship of New Jersey’s Bayshore.”

What is your favorite thing about your job?
“My favorite thing about my job is the diversity of opportunities. While focusing on Delaware Bay, I have had the opportunity to learn about a broad range of scientific issues, conduct historic research and collect first hand stories, meet and work with amazing people and experience the magical, seasonal phenomenon of the Bayshore’s flora and fauna.”

Name one thing you can’t live without.

“I can’t live happily without my daily fix of Bayshore vistas across wide expanses of marsh and water.”

Do you have a New Jersey wildlife species that you like best? Why?

“I’ve had a long personal history with Diamondback Terrapins, helping hatchlings find the water for as long as I can remember. I love the first warm days of spring, when I can find them emerging from my garden in search of the water. They are so different from one another in color, tone and markings. I love to see the heads of females pop out of the water unexpectedly as they scan the shoreline for a place to come up to lay their eggs.”

What interests you the most about New Jersey’s wildlife?

“I am particularly interested in learning more about the life cycle and stories of the Bayshore region species.”

Name one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to change the world.

“Perseverance.”

What wildlife “lives” in your office? At your home?

“My office, in Bivalve, on the Maurice River just two bends before Delaware Bay, has daily eagle visits. The historic roof over the wharves entices shorebirds, skimmers and seagulls depending on the season; mute swans, fiddler crabs and occasional otters cavort in the mud and water between the docks. There is a mini-oyster reef just off the dock with oysters, gobys and a plethora of unseen marine life. The 4,000 acres of wetlands contiguous to the property host countless species of birds, mammals and fish.

“My home in Money Island on the Nantuxent Creek also hosts abundant eagles, ospreys and marsh hawks overhead and speedy peregrines over the water. Purple martins, barn and tree swallows, great horned owls often call at night from the surrounding trees and orioles. Wrens and mourning doves nest in the yard. Along the road, I find muskrats, raccoons, opossums, skunk, mink, otters, weasels, rats, meadow voles, coyotes, and an occasional deer. All the usual suspects including raptors, warblers, shorebirds and songbirds in the skies, trees and marshes; and the ever present clapper rails, willets and great blue herons can be heard clacking and squawking from the wetlands.”

What do you find most challenging about your profession?

“I find it very difficult to juggle competing priorities, especially when all of them seem incredibly urgent.”

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working?

“I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, walking along the Bay beaches, kayaking its tributaries and hiking through its woodlands.”

Please join us this Thursday, October 23, 2014, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Trenton Country Club to honor the contributions that Meghan Wren, Brooke Maslo, Cathy Malok and Jeanne McArthur-Heuser have made to wildlife in New Jersey.

We are excited to recognize the leadership and inspiration they provide for those working to protect wildlife in New Jersey. Women & Wildlife will also celebrate the timeless and inspiring journeys of wildlife migration in New Jersey and beyond.

Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Coordinator for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

Rutgers Professor Dr. Brooke Maslo Honored for her Contribution to Wildlife Conservation

By: Lindsay McNamara, Communications Coordinator

As a Rutgers University professor, 2014 Women & Wildlife Inspiration Award Winner Dr. Brooke Malso has impacted the lives of many students by demonstrating the value of wildlife conservation. Through her scientific research, she has also uncovered valuable findings that have positively impacted conservation efforts in New Jersey.

In her course “Wildlife Ecology and Conservation,” Brooke creates a first-hand experience in conservation for each of her students by assigning them to work with a wildlife professional to create and execute a management plan for a species of their choice. An avid scientist, Brooke’s current research on beach-nesting bird habitat focuses on the challenges of both protecting breeding habitats to conserve threatened wildlife and protecting coastal infrastructure for severe storm resiliency. Brooke also investigates the role of bats in the control of invasive agricultural insects, encourage New Jersey agriculturalists to provide suitable habitats for the species, and educate New Jersey residents about bats.

Join us to honor Brooke and the three other 2014 Women & Wildlife Award Winners on Thursday, October 23rd beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.

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CWF asked Brooke a few questions about what working in wildlife rehabilitation means to her:

What is your favorite thing about your job?

“My favorite thing about being an academic researcher is that I am constantly learning. Conservation issues are complex and require solid understanding of the mechanisms that drive both the conservation threat, as well as the species’ response. In order to develop strategies to deal with new conservation issues, we must use what is known to explore how we can manage what is poorly understood. That requires a multidisciplinary approach, and it is often daunting to move out of one’s comfort zone to learn another branch of the field. However, arming yourself with the knowledge that can truly combat a conservation threat is incredibly rewarding.”

What do you find most challenging about your profession?

“Time management. Between teaching, advising students, conducting research, and engaging in public outreach, I often find myself staring at my to-do list, unsure of where to begin. When I am home, my mind is usually still on work, and I have to make a conscious effort to focus on relaxing and enjoying recreational time with my family. I succeed in that for the most part, but it is certainly a challenge.”

Do you have a New Jersey wildlife species that you like best? Why?

“That’s a tough question. I conducted my PhD work on piping plovers, which are probably about the cutest birds in the world. They will always hold a special place in my heart! But I am also quite happy working with little brown bats (and find them pretty cute, too!). I think my passion for little browns is driven by just how intelligent, adaptive, and social these animals are! The more I learn about them, the more intrigued I become.”

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working?

“When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family outdoors… boating, swimming, going to sports games, etc. Doing any activity is great if you make it that way!”

Name one thing you can’t live without.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I cannot live without my NY Giants football Sundays. Obsessed might be an understatement.”

Please join us on Thursday, October 23, 2014, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Trenton Country Club to honor the contributions that Brooke Maslo, Cathy Malok, Jeanne McArthur-Heuser, and Meghan Wren have made to wildlife in New Jersey.

We are excited to recognize the leadership and inspiration they provide for those working to protect wildlife in New Jersey. Women & Wildlife will also celebrate the timeless and inspiring journeys of wildlife migration in New Jersey and beyond.

Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Coordinator for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

 

Cathy Malok: Inspiring Others to Care for New Jersey’s Wildlife

By: Lindsay McNamara, Communications Coordinator

Over the last 27 years, 2014 Women & Wildlife Inspiration Award Winner Cathy Malok has made innumerable contributions to wildlife rehabilitation in New Jersey. She has played a role in the rehabilitation of tens of thousands of birds native to the state, shared her knowledge and experience with others, and inspired countless young women to follow a path similar to her own.

Cathy is currently the Vice President of the New Jersey Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators(NJAWR) and also serves on its Board of Directors. NJAWR, a recognized non-profit organization since 1991, has become an invaluable resource for information and educational opportunities for wildlife rehabilitators throughout the state. Cathy passionately serves as the Infirmary Manager of The Raptor Trust, one of the premier wild bird rehabilitation centers in the country, which treats nearly 3,000 injured birds with state-of-the-art medical facilities each year.

Through her rehabilitation efforts, Cathy has not only made outstanding contributions to wildlife conservation, but has also educated and inspired others to become involved. She is truly an inspirational leader, giving assistance and advice to local wildlife professionals daily with enthusiasm, compassion and skill.

Join us to honor Cathy and the three other 2014 Women & Wildlife Award Winners on Thursday, October 23rd beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.

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CWF asked Cathy a few questions about what working in wildlife rehabilitation means to her:

What motivates you to get out of bed each morning and go to work?

“The dozens or sometimes hundreds of animals that we care for at the Center; they need our help.”

What is your favorite thing about your job?

“There is always something new to learn.”

Name one thing you can’t live without.

“Time in the woods.”

Do you have a New Jersey wildlife species that you like best? Why?

“Peregrine Falcon. They are incredible; to watch them fly is amazing.”

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t working?
“Hiking.”

Please join us on Thursday, October 23, 2014, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Trenton Country Club to honor the contributions that Cathy Malok, Jeanne McArthur-Heuser, Brooke Maslo, and Meghan Wren have made to wildlife in New Jersey.

Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Coordinator for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

Jeanne McArthur-Heuser’s Long-lasting Beach-Nesting Bird Legacy

By: Lindsay McNamara, Communications Coordinator

2014 Women & Wildlife Legacy Award Winner Jeanne McArthur-Heuser has dedicated herself to protecting Sandy Hook’s natural resources and the species that call the area home for over 30 years.

When Jeanne began her career at Gateway National Recreation Area three decades ago, Sandy Hook was home to few pairs of breeding Piping Plovers. By 2012, there was a record high of 50 pairs, which is currently the largest population of breeding Piping Plovers in New Jersey. Jeanne’s conservation efforts on Sandy Hook have benefitted the entire ecosystem, causing increases in the populations of Osprey, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Black Skimmers in the most densely populated state in the country.

Join us to honor Jeanne and the three other 2014 Women & Wildlife Award Winners on Thursday, October 23rd beginning at 6pm. Purchase events tickets and find more information.

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CWF asked Jeanne a few questions about what working in wildlife conservation means to her:

What motivates you to get out of bed and go to work?

“I have the best job in the world with the National Park Service. I do not consider what I do work. I have been working for the NPS for over 30 years. It never gets boring.”

What is your favorite thing about work?

“Every day is different and I love what I do. I get to mentor High School kids and share my knowledge with Student Conservation Association interns. I truly try to make a difference every day.”

What is your favorite thing to do when you are not working?

“I love going to auctions and bidding on antiques. It’s all about finding treasures and getting a good deal.”

What wildlife lives in your office?

“I have many animals that pass through my office. I have a holding cage for tagging box turtles and hognose snakes. I have transported an immature bald eagle, ospreys, great horned owls, baby raccoons, baby skunks, and baby opossums. I have not had a cat that could reproduce in 40 years but every year I find a litter of kittens. It is a running joke in the office that if I am carrying a box you should run otherwise you will become the proud owner of kitten.”

Do you have a wildlife species you like best and why?

“I have dedicated most of my career to improving the habitat and increasing the productivity of piping plovers. When I first started working at Sandy Hook, we only had 7 pair. Today my highest number of Piping Plover is 50. I hope someday they will be delisted.”

Please join us on Thursday, October 23, 2014, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Trenton Country Club to honor the contributions that Jeanne McArthur-Heuser, Cathy Malok, Brooke Maslo, and Meghan Wren have made to wildlife in New Jersey.

We are excited to recognize the leadership and inspiration they provide for those working to protect wildlife in New Jersey. Women & Wildlife will also celebrate the timeless and inspiring journeys of wildlife migration in New Jersey and beyond.

Lindsay McNamara is the Communications Coordinator for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation (CWF) and the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) are proud to announce the arrival of their free downloadable e-book, “Bald Eagles in the Meadowlands & Beyond” with a book launch event on Wednesday, September 10, at 8 p.m. in the Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park, the home of the NJMC.

Biologist Kathy Clark of the State’s Endangered and Nongame Species Program will discuss her experience with bald eagles across New Jersey, with a special focus on the Meadowlands Region. The NJMC’s Jim Wright, who edited the book, and CWF Executive Director David Wheeler, who wrote the foreword, will also speak at the event. Several photographers will also talk about their photos showcased in the book.

The talk is sponsored by the Bergen County Audubon Society (BCAS) and will begin at the conclusion of the BCAS’ monthly business meeting. Light refreshments will follow.

• To download the e-book, click here.
• The Meadowlands Environment Center is located at 2 DeKorte Park Plaza in
  Lyndhurst. For directions to DeKorte Park, click here.

By Dan Silvernail, Eagle Scout Candidate and Conserve Wildlife Foundation Volunteer

Bats don’t get enough credit. They fly around at night devouring thousands of mosquitoes and other unwanted insects. They reduce our need to use pesticides to protect crops and trees. Their droppings, or guano, can even be used as garden fertilizer.

Aside from their nightly all-you-can-eat buffet, they don’t have the easiest life. People needlessly fear them, believing myths that they all have rabies or want to fly into your hair! Over six million bats have been wiped out by a disease called White-nose Syndrome which attacks them while they are hibernating. Their natural forest habitat is often destroyed. When they find a nice building in which to live, they often get kicked out, leaving them in need of a tight, warm place to give birth and raise their young.

That’s where we can help. We can build these flying mammals nice summer homes where they can hang out with their babies. By creating narrow spaces inside the house, painting the outside a dark color and caulking up the sides to retain the heat, and roughening up the wood to make it easier for the bats to climb in, we give something back to the bats for sparing us hundreds more mosquito bites and playing an important role in our ecosystem.

That’s why I chose to put together bat house kits for my Eagle Scout Project and why you and your family can come to this weekend’s New Jersey Wild Outdoor Expo to help build them.

• When: Saturday, September 13 & Sunday, September 14, Noon and 2:00 PM
• Where: Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area, Jackson Township, New Jersey
• What: The workshops are free. Materials are available on a first come, first served basis.
• Children can do a lot of the work to build the house, so families are encouraged to do the project together.

The bat houses will be donated to Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey to put up before bats are evicted from attics, eaves, and buildings, so they can easily find a new place to roost. Stop by CWF’s table in the Conservation Tent to learn more about bats and other imperiled wildlife species. You can always pick up plans to buy materials and make bat houses on your own.

Please come show New Jersey bats some appreciation!

 

If you are looking for some great outdoors activities that can help fulfill Girl & Boy Scout Badges, join us this weekend at the New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo! Tons of great activities will be offered, all for FREE!

On Saturday and Sunday this weekend, September 13 & 14, the New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo is offering unique blend of conservation information, education and hands-on opportunities to learn outdoor skills and activities. Numerous environmental and conservation exhibits, demonstrations and seminars are planned for the weekend. Visitors can learn about, and try, a wide array of activities including fishing, hiking, shooting sports, kayaking, camping skills, rock climbing, wildlife watching and much more.

Many of these free activities can be help fulfill Girl and Boy Scout badge requirements. CWF will be providing handouts of these activities at the Expo, but they are also provided here on our website. Badge counselors will not be present at the Expo.

Some of the badges that can be fulfilled at the Expo include:

• Birds badges
• Naturalist badges
• Photography badges
• Camping and hiking badges
• Forester badges
• Outdoorsman badges
• And many more!

For more information, or to be added to the scout mailing list, please contact Stephanie Feigin at 609-984-0621 or sfeigin@conservewildlifenj.org

Looking for some outdoors activities this weekend? The New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo gives you virtually every possible option in one place – and its FREE!

This weekend, September 13 and 14, the fifth annual New Jersey WILD Outdoor Expo will be held at the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area in Jackson Township from 10am-5pm both Saturday and Sunday. Admission and parking are free. Food will also be available from a variety of vendors, or you can bring your own if you prefer!

The Expo celebrates the state’s natural resources and outdoor heritage, while connecting residents with education and hands-on opportunities to learn outdoor skills.

Participants of all ages can try a wide variety of free activities including everything from fishing, kayaking and camping skills to rock climbing, wildlife watching or shooting sports, as well as part environmental and conservation exhibits, demonstrations and seminars.

Visitors can also participate in turkey calling, get an introduction to archery, learn trap shooting, learn about local bats, get a primer on the Barnegat Bay watershed, hone their bird and tree identification skills, take in a hunting dog retrieval demonstration, get a close-up look at some quail and raptors, or participate in nature photography workshops, plus many other activities.

Families can also have plenty of hands-on fun – including insect safari shows, an inflatable soil tunnel, WILD crafts, and demonstrations on birds of prey and snakes of New Jersey.

More than 100 conservation, environmental and recreation exhibits will be at the Expo with demonstrations and seminars about the state’s air, water, soil, flora and fauna, and history. Numerous experts can provide information on an array of topics from hunting to bird watching to scuba diving and forestry stewardship in New Jersey. An outdoor equipment flea market will enable visitors to purchase gear needed for outdoor recreation or other environmental-related products.

CWF helps sponsor this event as well as the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, State Forest Service and State Parks Service. It is partly financed by a grant from the USSAF Trailblazer Adventure Program and funding from the New Jersey Sportsmen’s Wildlife Foundation and the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance.

Click here for more information

By Juliann Fiorentino, CWF Intern

With the sun shining, everyone set out on a beautiful short boat ride from Island Beach State Park in Seaside, New Jersey to Sedge Island, a small island in the brackish waters (a mixture of salt and fresh water) of Barnegat Bay. There, the winners, proud parents and teachers from the Species on the Edge Art and Essay Contest learned about the island and the Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center. After the tour of the house and island, the group set off on a fascinating two hour-long kayak journey into the bay.

After paddling through a very narrow water channel, the group stopped at the first man-made Peregrine Falcon nest in New Jersey. This nest was the first hacking site for the once critically endangered Peregrine Falcons, ultimately leading to the rise Peregrine Falcon population in the late 1970’s. Hacking is an old falconer’s term for a process that provides captive-bred youngsters with a sheltered experience, giving them the advantage of a “soft release” into the wild.

As the group paddled on, we traveled through the different areas of the bay including the grassy areas where we learned about the different grasses that could grow in this brackish water, and which ones were edible.

Next we reached an area referred to as the Bahamas because of its shallow clear, calm water. We  all got out of our kayaks and walked around to search for animals and plants on the sandy floor. We could see hundreds of fish, mud snails, and sea hermit crabs. Even a green crab made an appearance and the Sedge tour guide lifted him up from under the water to teach everyone about its unique body.

 

After returning to the island, the group then got to experience the thrill of clamming in the bay, and learned about the efforts of the biologists on Sedge Island to protect the Diamondback Terrapin population that breeds on the island. This was my first time at Sedge Island, along with many others. It was very interesting to learn about the history of this island, and the many wildlife species that inhabit the area. The trip to Sedge Island was a wonderfully breath taking experience – an experience I will never forget.

Today at 8 pm, CWF’s habitat program manager Ben Wurst will speak on Northern Diamondback Terrapins during the Bass River State Forest’s “2014 Lectures at the Lake.” Wurst’s “Terrapins and Tires” program will discuss the history of terrapins and CWF’s efforts to protect them. For more information or to read the full article, click here.

• To learn more about CWF’s efforts to protect Diamondback Terrapins along the New Jersey coast, click here.
• To read our five part Terrapin Week blog series, here!