By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Deer are pretty much everywhere in New Jersey. At first glance, their abundance might seem harmless, even welcome. But their numbers are fueling a complex and urgent ecological crisis that threatens our native forests and wildlife, as well as public health and safety. In many places… The post New Jersey’s deer dilemma appeared first on New Jersey Conservation Foundation.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation New Jersey may be one of the smallest states in the nation, but our natural heritage is anything but modest. Tucked between two bustling metropolitan areas is a landscape teeming with life – human and otherwise – a fact that’s echoed in our official state symbols.… The post Symbols of the Garden State appeared first on New Jersey Conservation Foundation.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Have you ever spotted a striking bird with a bright orange-red bill and a loud, laughing call on the beach? That’s the American oystercatcher! A captivating shorebird native to New Jersey, the species was declining for years, but now it seems the population could be making…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation When we imagine local food, we might picture sun-ripened Jersey tomatoes or a table of produce at the weekend farmers market. But what about the bread for our sandwiches, the oats in our granola, or the flour in our Sunday morning pancakes? Grains are the foundation… The post The “Good Grain” movement appeared first on New Jersey Conservation Foundation.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Photo (c) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, NOAA Research Permit # 594-1759 New Jersey’s marine mammals are in the crosshairs. Already struggling under multiple assaults, they are facing another blow. Recent federal budget cuts and rule changes promise to dismantle critical protections, endangering ocean ecosystems…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Summer in New Jersey is a magical time: young birds take their first flight, flowers bloom in profusion, and fireflies light up the evening after long days. It’s a time when we’re outside more, and many of us like to include our pets. They’re like family,… The post Pets and wildlife shouldn’t mix appeared first on New Jersey Conservation Foundation.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Of the hundreds of fantastic outdoor places to visit in New Jersey, some of the prettiest are the state’s waterfalls. This state we’re in is a watery peninsula, surrounded on one side by the Atlantic Ocean and on the other by the Delaware River and Delaware…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation For thousands of years, before climate change started accelerating, New Jersey’s coastal marshes slowly regenerated through a harmonious process that deposited sediment from adjoining waters and kept the marshes elevated. But now, these natural areas are vanishing. Rapidly rising sea levels and erosion are causing marshes… The post Boosting coastal marshes appeared first on New Jersey Conservation Foundation.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation For more than 100 million years, Atlantic sturgeon have navigated the lower reaches of the Delaware River. Now, with fewer than 250 spawning adults left, this population of large, iconic fish is dangerously close to extinction. Sturgeon have a storied history in the region. It may… The post Last call for unique Delaware River Atlantic sturgeon appeared first on New Jersey Conservation Foundation.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Forming one of New Jersey’s longest borders, the Delaware River has connected people and places for thousands of years. From Indigenous settlements and Revolutionary War battles to the rise of American industry, the river has been central to New Jersey’s story. The Delaware River Heritage Trail…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
The mission of New Jersey Conservation Foundation is to preserve land and natural resources throughout New Jersey for the benefit of all.| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Looking to beat the summer heat? How about splashing around in creeks hunting for fossils? Fossiling is a hands-on, watery adventure perfect for friends and families looking to explore nature, get a little messy, and discover ancient treasures together. It turns out this state we’re in…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation You’ve probably noticed your electric bill going up, and wondered what can be done about it. More clean energy like solar and wind could help lower those bills – and help protect the environment – but it’s stuck in line. While New Jersey has been making great strides…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Before many of New Jersey’s forests started being cleared and drained for agriculture some 400 years ago – drastically changing the landscape of this state we’re in – Atlantic white cedar swamps were abundant. In fact, this distinct habitat once occupied half a million acres along…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation
By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Gathered round Martha’s Pond in New Jersey’s iconic Pine Barrens, students in Claude Epstein’s environmental science class were instructed to put down their notebooks and simply observe. Under a big blue sky, amid verdant grasses and patches of lily pads intertwined through soggy ground and rambling…| New Jersey Conservation Foundation