Archive for August 2025

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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,…