Posts by Bill Lynch

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Unlike smoke, smog, and litter, noise pollution doesn’t leave a visible trace. But uninvited sound seeps into every corner of our lives, disrupting the peace of our homes and parks, and spreading across neighborhoods, even reaching the wild spaces we cherish. Eric Zwerling has spent over…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation The most inspiring conservation efforts often start in the hands of everyday people who care deeply about local wildlife and open spaces. That’s what’s unfolding right now for one of New Jersey’s most vulnerable birds – the American kestrel. The smallest falcon in North America, the…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Every remaining patch of forest in New Jersey matters. From protecting water quality and wildlife to carbon storage and cooler temperatures, trees are absolutely vital to our wellbeing. Despite these values, longtime policies push landowners to cut them down. There’s a better alternative, but most people…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Trail systems are more than just places to recreate. They can transform how people move through their communities and encourage us to connect with nature. That notion of broader benefits is the vision behind the Circuit Trails, one of the nation’s largest trail networks, which will reach…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation A spectacular supermoon will reach peak visibility across the Northern Hemisphere this Tuesday, October 7th. During the celestial event, which occurs a few times a year, the moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, causing it to appear larger and brighter…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Autumn has arrived in the Garden State. The shortening of days and cooler temperatures signal the harvest season – a period of abundance and hard work before the relative quiet of winter. Though many of us think of fall as a time when leaves turn and…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation This state we’re in has some of the most beautiful rivers in the country, including several that are federally recognized under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. From endangered fish like the Atlantic sturgeon to the iconic bald eagle, New Jersey’s rivers are essential to…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Shouldn’t a clean and healthy environment be a guaranteed right, as essential as the right to free speech or voting? That’s the idea behind the Green Amendment – a proposed addition to New Jersey’s state constitution that would guarantee every resident the right to pure water,…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation The Jersey Shore is one of the crown jewels of this state we’re in. Think of the joys of spending a summer day at the beach! But our coastal paradise and the ocean that lies beyond is in peril. Sunday, June 8th is World Ocean Day, and…

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…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Across the forests, riverbanks, and backyards of New Jersey, animals are building shelters that are marvels of engineering and ingenuity. Take a closer look, and you’ll find that some of our most familiar wildlife are master architects. Ever wondered who uses those large round leafy nests…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation This year, we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission – a pioneering model of environmental preservation. Long before conservation was a part of public consciousness, a group of determined citizens banded together to stop the destruction of the Palisades cliffs along the Hudson…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Once there was a superabundance of horseshoe crabs; armadas of females blanketed the beaches of the Delaware Bayshore. Through the 1990s, New Jersey’s horseshoe crab breeding and coinciding red knot shorebird migration was a spectacular natural phenomenon. “On the sand, there were around 50,000 horseshoe crab…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation The second largest New Jersey wildfire in 20 years broke out in Lacey Township, Ocean County on April 22, 2025. Started by an illegal bonfire west of the Garden State Parkway, the Jones Road Fire burned over 15,000 acres of the Pine Barrens, including much of…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation For a brief but magical window in late April and early May, New Jersey becomes a crucial stopover for one of nature’s tiniest travelers: the ruby-throated hummingbird. As the only species of hummingbird that breeds in eastern North America, these dazzling little birds make an incredible…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation As we witness unprecedented efforts at the federal level to rollback regulations protecting our land, water, and air, it’s easy to feel powerless and lose sight of important opportunities to protect New Jersey’s environment through actions here at home. The battle to preserve the largest remaining…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Step outside and listen to the singing birds, admire the blooming flowers, or lean down and take a closer look at buzzing and crawling pollinators. There’s so much to see, hear, and take in – but why is spring such a time of natural abundance? It’s…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Ah, spring – and not a moment too soon. Gardeners major and minor are collectively dusting off their gardening gloves, pulling out rakes and clippers, and starting to dig! From potted plants on balconies to community gardens and backyard spaces, many of us love to get…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation From wave-surfing skates to iridescent shellfish to singing whales, the Atlantic Ocean is part of what makes New Jersey special. The aquatic wilderness that meets our shoreline is home to a cornucopia of incredible animals and plants. Many of our oceanic neighbors rely on one of…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Birds are amazing! From the vibrant colors and calls of songbirds to the majestic flight of eagles, these winged creatures have long been a source of wonder and inspiration. Birds evolved from dinosaurs about 150 million years ago, and have survived the great extinction events of…

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…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation The daughter of a vegetable farmer in upstate New York, Joanna Burger grew up observing killdeer nests and helping her father around the farm. When she got to high school, she found herself bored, which often led to trouble. “I was always being brought back by…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Sean Kane-Holland is on a mission to make parks and trails more accessible for everyone. As Access Nature Disability Advocate at Pineland Preservation Alliance (PPA), he has evaluated dozens of trails throughout the state for barriers to people with disabilities. Sean understands many of these obstacles.…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation To stand on the corner of Doremus Avenue in Elizabeth, New Jersey, is to breathe in some of the most polluted air in the country. Hundreds of vehicles drive to and from the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal and Newark Liberty International Airport every day. Nearby, the…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Planting a city tree that will flourish is no easy feat, but the City of Trenton and nonprofit partners are prepared to rise to the occasion, planting 1,000 trees over the course of the next year. A newly launched partnership, “Trees for Trenton,” is bringing that…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Of the many butterflies, none has captured our collective attention and awe over the years quite like the monarch. Will we finally protect them? Monarch populations in North America have rapidly declined, and in December, federal biologists proposed that the butterfly receive protection as a threatened…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation “Small is beautiful,” economist E.F. Schumacher argued in his notable 1973 collection of essays. That idea often holds true for green spaces in our more compact communities, where small places can make a big difference. Consider the mighty microforest! Forty years ago, botany professor Dr. Akira…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Recognizing the sophisticated nature of plants might just change the way we see the world. Zoë Schlanger, in her recent New York Times best-seller, The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth, wrestles with questions about an emerging and…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation New Jersey is small and densely populated, and the environment in this state we’re in is always in the crosshairs. From a climate perspective, things were pretty bad in 2024 as we experienced the hottest summer on record followed in October with the driest month.  We…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Lions? No. Tigers? None. Bears? Oh, yes! Black bears to be precise. New Jersey is fortunate to have a healthy population of these highly intelligent, impressive creatures that have been fascinating humans for thousands of years. So what are these furry neighbors up to round about…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Mothers and fathers work hard all year round. In the natural world, parents are constantly laboring to keep their young healthy and safe. This time of year in New Jersey, eggs are already on the way for some species of raptors. Great horned owls and bald…

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Happy New Year! During this time of rest and reflection, a walk in nature can bring clarity and refresh our spirits for the new year. New Jersey residents are lucky to have a variety of ecosystems to stroll through, and while Mother Nature’s gifts are abundant…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Season’s Greetings! For the last three years, I have served in the unique capacity of Co-Executive Director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation, most recently alongside my colleague Alison Mitchell. This is my final time authoring this column, as I transition from Co-Executive Director at the end…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation This time of year brings fireplace mantles, dinner tables, and storefronts donned with boughs of American Holly. The bright red berries and dark green, waxy leaves are symbols of holiday cheer and the wintery season upon us. We are not the only species that rejoices at…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation It’s no surprise that in many places – especially in a state as developed as New Jersey – animals need to cross highways to find food and mates, escape predators, make seasonal migrations between habitats, and find safe resting or hibernation sites. In recent years, a…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Despite recent precipitation, New Jersey remains under a drought warning. Rain and snowfall statewide have generally helped water supply conditions but the accumulations are not enough. While fire restrictions have been lifted statewide, we still need more precipitation. Since July, New Jersey has experienced well below-average…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation This time of year, the night can feel like it lasts forever. The winter solstice is around the corner (Earth’s shortest day of the year). The lingering nights can be difficult for many people. Luckily, nature’s got us covered — there is always beauty around to…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation November is National Native American Heritage Month – a time to recognize and honor the culture, traditions, and achievements of the original inhabitants of North America. New Jersey, like everywhere in the United States, has a rich and significant Native American history. From the land we…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Being in nature is beneficial to everyone, but it’s especially important for kids. They may prefer to stay on their screens but getting children to spend time outdoors matters. According to the Child Mind Institute, most studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier,…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation. When we look out over rolling fields of farmland in this State We’re In, we often see beauty and bounty but are we looking at something that is actually good for Earth? Conventional farming has been successful as it rose to meet the needs of a…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation “To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering,” said Aldo Leopold, famed American conservationist-philosopher, referred to as “the father of wildlife ecology.” In plain terms, Leopold was telling us that the more we tinker with the natural world – its wild…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Every year, New Jersey is visited by thousands of migrating owls. From Eastern screech-owls to long-eared owls, a variety of strange sounds echo throughout forests around dawn and dusk. In fall, one particular TOOT-TOOT-TOOT whistle excites bird enthusiasts throughout the state: the sound of the Northern…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Across the world, precipitation events are changing our lives and the landscapes around us. The ocean is washing ashore in monumental storm surges and rivers are swallowing up roadways and homes. From Hurricane Helene to Hurricane Milton, we are all watching what happens when storms become…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Twenty years ago, New Jersey made a critical investment in the future by passing the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act (Highlands Act). Governor McGreevey signed the Act into law in 2004, marking a major milestone in our state’s conservation and regional planning efforts. A companion bill at…

Photo: Alfalfa weevils, controlled by European wasps, can significantly reduce crop yield. By Allan Hopkins. By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director This time of year, with a summer’s worth of mosquito bites newly in the rearview, a reprieve from thinking about insects is probably welcome. But not to Marcello Mangano, director of the Phillip Alampi Beneficial…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Mountains, cliffs, ridges, and rises…anyplace that can be climbed or offers a vista can inspire us! There’s way more than meets the eye at New Jersey’s highest points. A fascinating geologic history lies beneath these features. But where can you find them? The New Jersey Geological and Water Survey has…

There are many bragging rights that come with living in this state we’re in — the Jersey Shore, an abundance of diners, perfect tomatoes — but resilience to climate change, unfortunately, is not one of them. New Jersey is warming faster than the rest of the Northeast and the world. Last year, a ranking of…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Birding is generally a low-key activity, but it can have competitive aspects. Many birders keep “life lists” of the species they’ve spotted, and some travel far and wide to add new birds to their tallies. During a “Big Day” of birding, participants race the clock by trying to identify as…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation If you missed the annual Big Tree Hunt put on by the New Jersey Forest Service this spring, the mammoth specimen you thought might be a contender is worth keeping an eye on. The event challenges New Jerseyans to find enormous trees; this year, a 100-foot…

If you’ve never been to an indigenous ceremonial stone landscape, think of it as an outdoor church. But don’t expect a steeple or pews. And don’t think of those who worship there as parishioners. Ceremonial stone landscapes are not cairns, exactly. Nor are they sculptures or effigies, stone rows or rock shelters. But they often…

by Jay Watson Swamp pink, in the lily family, has stunning good looks and a spot on both the federal threatened species list and the state endangered species list. What it does not have is the ability to use those attributes to advocate for itself. And therein lies the problem for the plant and others…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Swing by the Summit or Jersey City farmers markets later this month and, in addition to peaches, you’ll find strawberries for sale. Market regulars might raise an eyebrow at this: the choicest local berries generally start generating hankerings, and herds of buyers, in June. By August,…

The grass may be greener in the other fella’s yard, as the saying goes, but that neighbor is likely wasting a lot of water and applying harmful chemicals to keep it that way. Lush green lawns might be better for the environment than pavement, but their upkeep comes with heavy costs – the non-native species…

by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation For the climate conscious among us, concerns about the coastline in this state we’re in ramp up with the arrival of tropical storm season each August. You don’t have to be a worry wart to wonder how our beloved shore towns will fare in the face of…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation The canopy of trees in this state we’re in is not evenly distributed – the proof is a click away, at American Forests’ Tree Equity Score website, where punching in a ZIP code shows you how tree-abundant your town is compared with other communities. Cities generally…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Where have all the bag trees gone? Next time you’re on a walk through the neighborhood, look up. You probably won’t see flimsy bags with looped handles fluttering against the blue of the midsummer sky the way you used to. Gov. Murphy’s 2020 law banning stores…

by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Ever heard of the State Wildlife Action Plan – or its more common name, “SWAP”? The same way a budgeting app lets you know you’re spending too much and should start saving now so you don’t starve later, a SWAP compels state leaders to compile a…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation If it’s true there are no second acts in American lives, as F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote, ospreys never got the memo. The raptors, once endangered in New Jersey, still perch uneasily on the state’s list of threatened species, but they’ve staged an impressive comeback since…

by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation Anyone who invests a springtime in coaxing flowers, fruits, or vegetables out of the ground in this state we’re in will develop a healthy respect for plants. Despite our efforts to tame what grows in our gardens, plants have a way of advancing their own agendas.…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director People all over this state we’re in look forward to the early days of July. From sand sculpting contests at the shore to Independence Day fireworks high over the Hudson and Delaware, summer celebrations ramp up as June starts to position itself in the rearview. But you could be forgiven…

by Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director On a sunny Monday morning this month, Christine Parauda was up at dawn thinking about spinach. Lots of people eating spinach. What sounds like a first-grader’s nightmare is for Parauda, the LocalShare coordinator at the nonprofit Foodshed Alliance in Hope, NJ, the ideal way to start the day. By 10…

by Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Make a wish before blowing on a dandelion, some say, and the confetti of airborne seeds might give your wish liftoff. Or you might just end up with a new batch of dandelions to wish on later. Neither outcome would be bad. Though the yellow-flowered masters of survival that show…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director In the movie Field of Dreams, a struggling Iowa farmer hears a voice whispering, “If you build it, he will come.” Acting on a vision, he turns a cornfield into a baseball diamond. The ghosts of old baseball players visit, as well as the farmer’s late father. But the film…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director James Still always wanted to become a doctor, but as a Black child in the 1800s, never had the opportunity to go to medical school. Undeterred, he learned to make botanical extracts from native plants, and studied books on anatomy, physiology, botany and medicine. Still became a skilled healer with…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Interested in saving money on home energy bills? How about helping to fight climate change by reducing your carbon footprint? Or ensuring that the New Jersey communities most affected by environmental pollution get justice and help? If so, the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 may have something to…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” according to a Chinese proverb. But in the avian world, journeys can last well over a thousand miles – and begin with a flap rather than a step! Each spring, birds known as “neotropical migrants” make incredible long-distance journeys…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director New Jersey is not only the nation’s most densely populated state, it’s also predicted to be the first to reach full build-out – the point where all land has been either developed or preserved. If current trends continue, full build-out could occur by the middle of this century. Why is…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director If you’re near a pond, stream, or marsh on a warm day, you may notice quick-flying insects skimming across the water or swooping and darting through the air. When they alight, you may be dazzled by their brightly-colored bodies and double sets of lacy wings. They’re dragonflies and damselflies, fierce…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director It’s hard to imagine a world in which the fastest way to move freight between Philadelphia and New York City was having mules tow barges along a 70-mile canal connecting the Delaware and Raritan rivers. But that world existed when the Delaware & Raritan Canal opened in 1834. It was…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director While out walking or driving, did you ever notice trees so covered with ivy that they look like totally different life forms? In a way they are – because if the ivy continues to grow unchecked, the trees themselves might not live much longer. Trees laden with ivy are something…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Most longtime New Jerseyans – especially gardeners and growers – have noticed that winters have gotten milder over the last few decades. Cold weather seems to arrive later, and the Garden State gets fewer days of truly frigid, bone-chilling weather. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has noticed, too, thanks…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director You might think a biologist who’s spent nearly two decades researching bobcats in New Jersey would spot these native wildcats on a regular basis. If so, you’d be wrong! “For me, without cheating (by tracking a bobcat wearing a radio collar), I think I’ve seen a bobcat in the wild…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Ever heard of a “sponge city”? Sponge cities are urban areas with a superior ability to absorb rainfall and prevent flooding, thanks to abundant natural features like trees, lakes, and parks – and good infrastructure design. As climate change brings warmer temperatures, and stronger and more frequent storms, “sponginess” is…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Winter is the northeast’s quiet season, when songbirds go south, many animals hibernate, and people spend more time indoors. On the increasingly rare occasions when a blanket of snow covers the landscape, New Jersey is as silent as it can get, with even our constant drone from traffic muffled! With…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Walk into nearly any grocery store, any time of year, and you’ll likely find fresh blueberries in the produce aisle. Many consider them a perfect fruit … sweet and juicy, delicious fresh or cooked, and packed with health-boosting antioxidants. If you’re among the many who love blueberries, you have a…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director It’s easy to take lands in their natural state for granted. An old forest or beautiful meadow in your town may have “always been there,” but unless the land has been permanently preserved, it may be built upon in the future. New Jerseyans seem to understand the wisdom of preserving…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director As thick snow fell on central New Jersey earlier this week, the bald eagle pair at Duke Farms in Hillsborough showed themselves to be responsible parents-to-be, taking turns keeping the two eggs in their nest warm while the other hunted. When it came time for a shift change, the returning…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director In an ideal New Jersey, all residents would have equal access to the outdoors and nature, with the joy and health benefits they bring. Unfortunately, there are barriers – some real, some perceived – keeping people out, especially in communities of color. One obvious barrier is that many New Jerseyans…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director New Jersey’s largest protected property, Wharton State Forest in the Pine Barrens, covers 195 square miles in Atlantic, Burlington and Camden counties. For perspective, it’s bigger than the entire land mass of Hudson County! Wharton is crossed by hundreds of miles of avenues used by motor vehicles, everything from highways…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director If we say someone’s an “odd duck,” it means they have a quirky personality or unusual habits. The expression comes from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, “The Ugly Duckling,” in which (spoiler alert!) the little duck who doesn’t fit in with the rest of the flock is actually a…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director We all have personal boundaries, the limits and rules we set for our relationships. When others don’t respect our boundaries, there can be trouble! People aren’t the only ones with boundaries. Mother Earth also has boundaries – the complex systems and processes that keep the planet stable and resilient. A…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Spring is months away, but as warmer weather arrives we can expect a familiar sight at garden centers and nurseries in New Jersey: a wide offering of non-native woody plants and perennials from foreign landscapes. These plants may be attractive, with blooms or fall colors that stand out in gardens,…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director No matter where you were in New Jersey in 2023, it was impossible not to notice signs of a changing climate. Wildfires in Canada brought an orange haze to New Jersey’s skies, along with hazardous air quality that triggered breathing problems. Tropical weather systems brought intense rainstorms that caused widespread…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Here in the nation’s most densely populated state, a diversity of wildlife is something that can never be taken for granted. Wildlife habitats face a constant barrage of threats, and many species are seriously imperiled. A combination of vigilance, sound planning and strong actions is needed to maintain the biological…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director If you’re like many New Jerseyans, you probably haven’t given much thought to squirrels, except maybe wondering how to keep them out of your birdfeeders. They’re so common in every New Jersey community – rural, suburban and urban – that a lot of people don’t give them a second glance.…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director ‘Tis the season to deck the halls with boughs of holly, decorate evergreen trees with twinkling lights, make wreaths from sprigs of greenery, and hang mistletoe from the ceiling. These pops of green have a magical way of making a home feel cozy and festive during the shortest days of…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director New Jersey’s cutest seasonal visitors are back – seals from New England and Canada who swim south each winter to follow their food sources. With their big eyes, long whiskers and almost comical resting poses, seals resemble well-fed puppies. In fact, they’re sometimes called “sea dogs.” Harbor seals – the…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director It’s easy to feel discouraged as we face the enormity of climate change and the mounting extinctions of plant and animal species. We may wonder: What can one person possibly do to help avert this unfolding catastrophe? Douglas Tallamy has a powerful message: Don’t give up, because every single person…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director Four years ago, residents of rural Warren County were shocked when a Pennsylvania developer announced plans to build 2.8 million square feet of warehouses on 600 acres of prime farmland in White Township. From the local viewpoint, nothing about the Jaindl Land Co. plan made sense. High quality soils for…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director For the past 20 years, a New Jersey organization not widely known among the general public has been making a big environmental impact through dozens of projects aimed at restoring and enhancing the state’s wetlands – ecosystems that are critical allies in the global fight against climate change. The New…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director It goes almost without saying – but I’ll say it anyway – that all the land in New Jersey once belonged to the Indigenous people who lived here for millennia before European colonization. After 400 years of wars, treaties, forced removals and migrations, and unfair government policies, little land in…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director For a small state, New Jersey is a big producer of fruits and vegetables. We earn our “Garden State” nickname by ranking in the top 10 nationally for many crops, including eggplant, tomatoes, cranberries, spinach, bell peppers, asparagus, squash, peaches, cucumbers, blueberries, and sweet corn. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director “Our whole universe was in a hot, dense state; Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started, wait; The Earth began to cool, the autotrophs began to drool …” If you’re a fan of the Big Bang Theory television series, you probably can sing the rest of the show’s theme…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director From hummingbirds to hawks, and warblers to woodpeckers, New Jersey is home to hundreds of migratory and resident bird species. Our state’s location along the Atlantic Flyway means huge increases in bird traffic during the spring and fall migration seasons. Migrations are inherently risky, as birds undertake journeys of hundreds…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Think of a farm, and you may picture rolling fields with rows of vegetables, orchards of fruit and nut trees, and bucolic pastures with cows and sheep. But farms in the Garden State often include a whole lot more: roadside stands, greenhouses, corn mazes, hay wagon rides, markets selling everything…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director Every passing week, it seems, brings a new reminder of the many ways our climate is changing, and not for the better. Most recently it was a storm fed by tropical moisture that deluged New York City with two months’ worth of rain in 24 hours, causing severe flooding. In…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Every fall, hordes of people head to New England or upstate New York to view the annual spectacle of trees changing color. New Jerseyans know you don’t need to drive hours for great leaf viewing. Thanks to our varied geography – everything from rugged mountains to rolling piedmont to coastal…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation This past July was the hottest month on record globally, with heat impacts especially severe in urban areas lacking a robust green tree canopy. In what’s known as the “urban heat island” effect, asphalt and concrete absorb and retain the sun’s warmth. Even after sunset, there’s…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director There are plenty of great reasons to be interested in solar power: Energy from the sun is plentiful and free, and harnessing it doesn’t pollute the air with greenhouse gases at a time when the impacts of climate change have become a regular threat to our health and safety. But…

Bog turtle hatchling. Photo by Andy Scarpulla.  By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director When strolling through your local park this summer, you may have noticed turtles sunning themselves on logs or poking their heads up in lakes and ponds. Chances are they’re painted turtles or red-eared sliders, two of the most common species in New Jersey.…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director When you think of “mighty” animals, a few that may come to mind are lions, tigers and bears (oh my!). The oyster is probably at the bottom of the list. But did you know that one adult oyster can clean 50 gallons of contaminated water a day? And that colonies…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director It sounded like the setup for a joke: “Pinelands to become beachfront property?” But the question posed by Heidi Yeh, policy director for the nonprofit Pinelands Preservation Alliance, is no laughing matter. A new study is predicting the collapse of a system of Atlantic Ocean currents, which could raise sea…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Ever since he was a boy growing up in Somers Point, Atlantic County, in the 1970s – fishing and crabbing in the bay, exploring the meadows and marshes – Allen Crawford has loved nature and all living things. But nature struggled during his childhood years. Due to environmental contaminants, especially…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director The timing was coincidental, but could not have been more poignant. On July 16, Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to widespread flash flooding, landslides, and downed trees from severe thunderstorms that swept through the state. The next day, new state regulations to protect people and property…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director The completion of a six-year, $300 million renovation of New Jersey’s historic State House in Trenton was cause for celebration this spring, but there was something important missing: a green oasis worthy of this magnificent building and the capital city’s residents and visitors. Thanks to a vigorous campaign by park…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director The news these days is full of suggestions for how to live a longer life. You may be doing just that if you live near a green space like a park, community garden or nature preserve. A just-published study by researchers at Northwestern University found that people who live near…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director If ever there were creatures with the power to make a summer night magical, it would be fireflies – also known as lightning bugs. Watching fireflies twinkling amongst the backdrop of wildflowers, shrubs, and trees on a warm summer night is a mesmerizing and awe-inspiring experience. These bioluminescent beetles use…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director As real estate people often say, the three things that matter most about a property are location, location, location. And if you’re an organization dedicated to helping birds and marine life, there’s no better location in New Jersey than the tip of the Cape May peninsula. That’s why the future…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Even in the nation’s most densely populated state, most people have tales of close encounters with wildlife – often while behind the wheel. Maybe they noticed an interesting creature passing through their neighborhood or backyard, or they stopped to help a turtle cross the road, slammed on the brakes to…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director Among the things that many New Jerseyans tend to take for granted are blue skies and the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities. We rarely think twice about going outside for a run, a walk, a bike ride or other physical activities for fear of sore throats, burning eyes, asthma attacks…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Ever since Liberty State Park was established in 1976 along the Jersey City waterfront, the guiding vision has been to preserve it as a “people’s park” in the style of New York’s Central Park – free, non-commercial, and open to everyone. It’s a fitting vision, as the Statue of Liberty…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of beach season at the Jersey shore. As if a switch has been flipped, beaches along the ocean and bays go from quiet and deserted to buzzing with human activity. The season does not begin as suddenly for migratory shorebirds that make New…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director The chunky woodland sandpiper called the American woodcock is a favorite of spring birdwatchers due to the male’s acrobatic courtship display flights. Making a distinctive buzz call and melodious twittering song, males rise hundreds of feet in the air before making plunging dives earthward. Though woodcocks are part of the…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director If you look at the New Jersey Pine Barrens from the road or the air, it may seem to live up to its name – miles upon miles of endless pitch pine forest. But the million-acre-plus region spanning seven counties in South Jersey is not just pines … and it’s…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director New Jersey is known as the Garden State, but not all communities are filled with trees, flowers and fresh breezes. Many of the state’s urban areas host facilities like power plants, trash and medical waste incinerators, landfills, and recycling and scrap metal processors that emit pollutants into the air. Constant…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director You wouldn’t guess this from its name, but the wild plant called sensitive joint-vetch has beautiful buttery yellow flowers with red centers and veins. Its name comes from its leaves, which fold slightly when touched. American chaffseed is another wild plant whose name gives little clue about its attractive blossoms…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Have you ever seen the Milky Way? No, not the candy bar – the galaxy we live in! If not, you’re in good company. Due to light pollution, which is especially widespread in urbanized places like New Jersey, most people can’t step outside and experience the true wonder of the…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director To some people, vultures may seem ominous as they search the landscape for dead animals to eat. If those big dark birds are circling above your head or watching you from tree branches, you might be tempted to yell, “Go away, I’m not dead yet!” Wildlife educators believe vultures have…

“Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!”  – Sitting Bull Now that days are longer and temperatures are warming, many nature lovers share Sitting Bull’s joy. It’s time to get outdoors and enjoy this marvelous…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director As organic growers and educators, Newark residents Akirah and Mancoba Hlatshwako are on a mission to provide healthy foods for their community, teach others how to grow their own food, and create green jobs. But when they looked for land to start their own farm and educational nonprofit, they learned…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director New Jersey is the most densely populated and developed state, with an average of more than 1,200 residents per square mile. It’s the only state in which every county is deemed “urban” by the U.S. Census Bureau. Yet, 40 percent of this state we’re in – about 2 million acres…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Do you enjoy spending time outdoors at New Jersey’s parks, nature preserves, recreation areas, beaches and other open-air places? If so, how can your experience be improved? If you don’t get outside much, what can be done to make outdoor recreation more accessible and appealing? The New Jersey Department of…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director If you watch sports on television, including the Super Bowl, you’ve probably noticed the commercials for four-wheel-drive vehicles. With heart-pounding music playing, they show rugged vehicles climbing hills, splashing through streams and flinging mud from spinning tires. To some, it must look like fun. But what the commercials don’t show…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director When you think about farmers in the Garden State, you might picture them planting seeds, milking cows, raising poultry, harvesting crops, and delivering fresh, healthy foods to market. Without a doubt, farmers feed the world. As the old saying goes, “No farmers, no food.” Did you know that as farmers…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director “New Jersey is the Garden State. We’re known for our blueberries, we’re known for our corn, we’re known for our peaches. But we’re not known for the slaves that were here tilling the soil, we’re not known for the whole history of slavery right here, and how slavery was the…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director New Jersey isn’t nearly as famous as Vermont for maple syrup, though native sugar maple trees grow in our state’s north and central counties and many small farms tap trees for syrup. South Jersey? Not so much. Sugar maples are extremely rare in the region, and those few that do…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director From large forests to tree-lined city streets, from wooded wetlands to coastal salt marshes, green landscapes are some of humanity’s best allies in addressing threats posed by a warming climate. Trees, seagrasses and other plants act as the Earth’s lungs, pulling carbon dioxide from the air and emitting oxygen through…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in New Jersey yards and gardens often can’t be contained – especially when non-native plants are present. When species from other regions of the world are introduced, they can spread aggressively and create ecological havoc. “Invasive species” is the…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director New Jersey was quite frigid in December, but temperatures warmed as the new year arrived. So what’s happening in our forests and streams between these cold nights and mild days? Endangered tiger salamanders might be breeding while you read this! These large amphibians are in a group called mole salamanders,…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director The year 2022 will go down in history as one defined by many challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic dragged into its third year, the war in Ukraine destabilized world security and finances, and record heat, droughts and storms again brought home the reality of a changing climate. New Jersey, like everywhere…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Each year at Christmas, New Jerseyans are reminded of our state’s key role in the American Revolution as historic reenactors pile into wooden rowboats on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River and paddle toward our shore. The re-enactment commemorates General George Washington’s bold Christmas night 1776 crossing of the…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to get outside and exercise more, here’s a great way to start 2023 on the right foot: Join a “First Day” hike on Jan. 1. Across New Jersey, guided New Year’s Day hikes are being organized to help residents get a jump…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Long before the rise of interstate highways, railroads were king. During the golden age of rail transportation in the late 1800s and early 1900s, passengers and freight relied on trains to get everywhere from the next town to distant locations. But as cars and tractor-trailers took over, many rail enterprises…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director “They paved paradise, put up a parking lot,” sang Joni Mitchell in her 1970 song “Big Yellow Taxi,” a commentary on nature’s beauty being lost to development. Mitchell didn’t write the song about New Jersey – but it might seem that way, considering how much green in the Garden State…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director There’s been a lot of talk about who voted “red” or “blue” during the Nov. 8 midterm elections. But at least one issue on many ballots was nonpartisan “green” – open space preservation. Across the country, voters of all demographics and political parties overwhelmingly supported ballot questions aimed at creating…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director In stories of the first Thanksgiving more than 400 years ago, Native Americans are often portrayed as skilled hunter-gatherers who also grew crops like corn and squash. Native plant expert Jared Rosenbaum believes this view doesn’t recognize the sophistication of Indigenous people’s land management. Recent archaeological studies, he said, suggest…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director If you’re out this fall enjoying your yard, strolling through neighborhood streets or city parks, or hiking along wooded trails, you may have spotted lots of acorns, hickory nuts or beech nuts on the ground. Or maybe you noticed the opposite – a lack of acorns and other nuts in…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director You don’t have to be a space geek or even a casual Star Trek fan to be mesmerized by the images recently released by NASA. The stunning images of star clusters and other celestial phenomena were made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which launched on Christmas Day…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director Before being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009, Karen Richards was an athlete. She could hike for miles on rugged mountain trails, and she regularly swam distance laps in a pool. Having multiple sclerosis changed all that for Karen, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s director of finance and administration. She now…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director In the most urban area of the nation’s most densely populated state, there’s a small peninsula along the Hudson River where it widens into Upper New York Bay. It’s an amazing haven for nature and wildlife. Migrating shorebirds, including ospreys and American oystercatchers, stop at Caven Point in Jersey City…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director If you love fall’s spectacular colors but not raking leaves, here’s some good news: You can stop! By leaving your leaves alone, you’ll help your lawn, local wildlife and the environment. Leaves falling from trees shouldn’t be seen as trash to be collected and hauled away. Decomposing leaves are nature’s…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director Nearly everyone who lived in New Jersey 10 years ago has vivid – and possibly traumatic – memories of Superstorm Sandy slamming this state we’re in. Thirty-eight lives were lost. More than 300,000 homes were either completely destroyed or so badly damaged as to be uninhabitable. About 2.7 million people…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director The pristine wilderness of the New Jersey Pine Barrens may seem worlds apart from the state’s polluted industrial sites in need of cleanup and restoration. But one thing they had in common was James Florio in their corner. Florio – a former Governor, Congressman, Assemblyman and chair of the state…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director For four centuries, the Black community in New Jersey has been helping shape the state’s history, culture, arts, sciences, government, educational and religious institutions, and business and industry. For just as long, Black residents have been seeking equality, justice and an end to racism. From north to south, this state…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director The year was 2011 and former Assemblywoman Maureen Ogden was worried about the future of open space in New Jersey. The nation was in an economic downturn, but she wanted New Jerseyans to understand the need to create a permanent, dedicated source of funding to preserve large swaths of the…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director At nearly 125,000 acres, or 194 square miles, Wharton State Forest is by far the largest tract of land within New Jersey’s state park system. It’s bigger than Essex and Hudson counties put together, and attracts over 800,000 visitors a year! Located in the heart of the Pine Barrens, Wharton…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director The mighty Delaware River flows for 330 miles, from its source in the Catskill Mountains of New York to its mouth in the Delaware Bay between New Jersey and Delaware. It provides drinking water for 13 million people, abundant scenic beauty, a corridor for trade and commerce, and habitat for…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Like many New Jersey summers in recent years, this one has been a scorcher. For five consecutive days in Newark in late July, temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit, setting new heatwave records for the city. Other cities throughout this state we’re in sizzled as well. In the midst of the…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director For those who love fresh produce – delicious Jersey tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, corn and much more – it’s the most wonderful time of the year. New Jersey’s farm stands and farmers markets are packed with just-picked fruits, veggies and herbs – the mouth-watering stuff we can only dream of in…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Many New Jersey residents are lucky enough to live in places where they can breathe clean air and drink clean, healthy water. But many others are not, especially those in low-income and minority neighborhoods, which have more than their fair share of polluting industries like incinerators and power generating plants.…

George Washington slept under one. Lenape chiefs met with New Jersey’s first governor under another. Barefoot country folk pulled on shoes in the shade of yet another before entering church. Famous New Jersey poet Joyce Kilmer was inspired by one. Another is named after movie character Forrest Gump. You guessed it – they’re all large,…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director According to an old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Similarly, one should always “look before you leap.” In essence, plan ahead! That’s exactly the advice being given to New Jersey municipalities to help them deal with an onslaught of warehouse proposals. The State Planning…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director When outside exploring nature, many people are drawn to the animal kingdom. Animals have observable behaviors, not to mention a pair of eyes staring at you – the owl in a tree, the fawn in a clearing, the frog on a lily pad or the squirrel in the grass. The…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director From High Point State Park at the “top” of the state to Cape May Point State Park at the southern tip, New Jersey has an incredible variety of public lands. Mountains, lakes, ocean beaches, bays, deciduous forests, pine barrens, beautiful rivers and streams, historic sites – we’ve got it all!…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director Parks go a long way toward improving quality of life in New Jersey, especially in cities where asphalt and concrete dominate. Parks offer something for everyone: playgrounds and splash pads for kids, ballfields and trails for those who want exercise, community spaces for events like concerts and farmers markets, as…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director When it’s time to “hit the trail,” where do you like to go? For many people, trails are a recreational amenity – great places to hike, bike, walk their dogs, observe nature and admire scenic views. For others, urban and suburban trails provide a way to commute to work or…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director From tiny hummingbirds sipping nectar from blossoms to majestic bald eagles soaring high in the sky, birds are endlessly fascinating and can inspire a deep love of nature. But not everyone has equal exposure to the outdoors – especially people of color living in urban areas – and many do…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director In the fight against climate change, it’s clear that New Jersey needs a full toolbox of strategies to address both the causes and impacts – from reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels through clean energy and electrification, to nature-based solutions like preserving mature forests and converting flood-prone residential lands…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Ever had a “bad mood” day when you felt stressed, anxious or gloomy – only to have your spirits lifted just by going outside and spending time in the fresh air and sunshine? If so, you’re not alone! Nature can be a powerful mood booster, as a multitude of studies…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Since the Covid-19 pandemic began two years ago, many people have rediscovered the joy of spending time in the great outdoors. Not only is being in the sunshine and fresh air good for physical and mental health, it’s a great way to gather with friends when socializing indoors isn’t safe.…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director No matter where you live in New Jersey, blue recycling bins with their triangular-arrow logo are a familiar sight along rural, suburban and city streets. It’s been 35 years since a mandatory recycling law was signed by former Governor Tom Kean to reduce the amount of metal, glass, plastics, paper…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director New York’s world-famous Central Park is a place of tranquil beauty, 843 acres of rolling terrain, winding paths, scenic woodlands, sweeping lawns, wide lakes, meandering streams and areas set aside for active recreation. It would be easy for visitors to assume that this pastoral landscape came courtesy of Mother Nature,…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director There’s a new virus going around – one that people should be aware of but not necessarily worried about catching. No, it’s not another Covid-19 variant! New Jersey wildlife and agriculture officials are keeping their eyes on an outbreak of a bird flu that’s affecting both wild and domestic birds…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director Whether tumbling down roads, tangled in tree branches, floating in rivers or washed up on beaches, plastic shopping bags seem to be everywhere. They’re among the most frequently found pieces of litter by volunteers cleaning up beaches, rivers and streams in New Jersey. Single-use plastic bags are harmful to wildlife.…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Like a caterpillar that becomes a beautiful butterfly, a contaminated property along the Delaware River in Camden has been transformed into a vibrant city park where people and nature can once again thrive. This is the first spring for the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park, a 62-acre urban oasis completed last…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director It may seem like a tall order: Make changes to your home to lower your energy bills, remove harmful pollutants from the air you breathe, and help in the global fight against climate change. But it’s not as hard as it might sound! According to a new report commissioned by…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Imagine going out on a damp winter night, wearing waders and a headlamp, in search of a large, elusive salamander that spends most of its life underground. I was lucky enough to do exactly that more than a decade ago when working at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director New Jersey has always been a busy intersection – and not just where major highways cross! This state we’re in is also a major intersection for wild things! New Jersey is the northern tip of the geographic range for many “southern” species, and the southern tip for many “northern” species.…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Harriet Tubman is legendary for her intelligence, sense of justice and – above all – extreme courage in repeatedly risking her life to help some 70 people escape slavery. What else did it take for Tubman to lead her charges hundreds of miles to freedom in the 1850s while eluding…

By Alison Mitchell, Co-Executive Director In the two years since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States, many people have taken solace in nature and developed a deeper appreciation for wildlife. One bright side to spending more time isolating at home has been the chance to observe more birds in our own backyards and neighborhoods.…

By Tom Gilbert, Co-Executive Director In the fight against climate change, some of New Jersey’s most powerful weapons are tall, green and leafy. Trees, through their natural process of photosynthesis, pull harmful carbon dioxide from the air and emit oxygen. Carbon gets stored in the wood, roots and surrounding soil – keeping it out of…

By Jay Watson, Co-Executive Director Everyone has to eat. But not everyone in New Jersey has equal access to fresh, healthy, nutritious foods. This state we’re in has many “food deserts,” or communities without places to buy groceries. Food deserts exist mostly in cities where supermarkets are scarce and lower-income households don’t have transportation to…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director 1999-2021 This is my last weekly column as executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the nonprofit where I’ve loved working for nearly 40 years. In my years at New Jersey Conservation, I’ve made the Garden State my home and have grown to love it like a native. I’ve…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director 1999-2021 Early every winter, anticipation builds among lovers of rare birds in New Jersey. It’s time once again for the arrival of magnificent snowy owls from the north! These striking white owls with bright yellow eyes spend their breeding season north of the Arctic circle in Canada, hunting lemmings…

By Michele S. Byer, Executive Director 1999-2021 You may have noticed New Jerseyans doing a strange “dance” before the weather turned cold. It’s the Spotted Lanternfly Stomp, and it was performed in a variety of outdoor settings, including sidewalks, public parks, private yards, farms and orchards. The purpose of the Stomp was to help eradicate…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director 1999-2021 You may think of farmers’ markets as summer events, with tables laden with fresh-picked seasonal crops like Jersey tomatoes, sweet corn, peaches, melons and blueberries – and a wonderful sense of community. But winter doesn’t mean the end of healthy foods and local farm products, or even gathering…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director 1999-2021 On paper, the Munsee Three Sisters Medicinal Farm in Sussex County looks like a start-up business. But at its heart, it’s a charity with the goal of feeding, healing and sustaining members of the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lenape Nation. This Native American tribe historically lived in…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 New Jerseyans love preserved land! Over the past 60 years, voters overwhelmingly passed every statewide ballot question on funding to protect open space, farmland and historic sites. This state we’re in may be the nation’s most densely populated, but we’ve worked hard to permanently preserve about a third…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 Many people don’t know about the highly complex and technical steps required to preserve land! It may seem that suddenly a sign goes up on a farm or forest indicating the land is now preserved. But how did it happen? Well, one of the most knowledgeable and respected…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 A few weeks ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made headlines by announcing the removal of 23 species from its endangered list. But this was not good news.  These species are not recovering, they are extinct and gone forever. The announcement was a belated obituary for these…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 Step into a mature stand of Atlantic white cedar trees on a hot day and you’ll instantly feel cooler. These towering native evergreens grow so dense that they shade out sunlight and create forest floor habitat for ferns, sphagnum moss, liverworts, insect-eating plants, rare orchids and swamp pinks.…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 If long-tailed salamanders, Northern long-eared bats, and the other creatures of forests, fields and marshes could throw a party, they’d be celebrating this week! They just won a permanent reprieve from an unneeded and unwanted gas pipeline that would have slashed a huge swath through open space, farms,…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 “Think globally, act locally” is a motto used for years to encourage local action on environmental problems. Seventeen-year-old Sonja Michaluk has been thinking globally and acting locally since she was a six-year-old monitoring streams for water quality in her hometown of Hopewell Township. And the Carnegie Mellon University…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 New Jersey experienced its worst flooding in years on Sept. 1, when the remnants of Hurricane Ida dumped up to 11 inches of rainfall on a landscape already saturated from previous storms, including Hurricane Henri just 10 days earlier. Heavy rainfall was expected, but the torrential downpour and…

By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director, 1999-2021 Are you ready to get out and hike this fall? New Jersey has hundreds of miles of public trails: long and short, rural and urban, pedestrian and multi-use. Many are scenic, with especially stunning views and fall colors. Other trails double as transportation routes for walking or biking…

Sit outside on a summer evening around sunset and look up. If you’re in an open area with nearby woods, you may be treated to a dazzling aerial display of bats hunting for flying insects. “They’re endlessly fascinating,” said Ethan Gilardi, a bat biologist with the nonprofit Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. “They’re fun…

Farmers starting out in the Garden State face a conundrum.  On one hand, New Jersey has preserved 33 percent of its farmland and secured the protection of thousands of acres of fertile farms and soil. Yet, this state we’re in has the nation’s second most expensive farmland, putting land ownership out of reach for many…

It doesn’t take a hurricane or tropical storm to flood out streets in New Jersey’s coastal towns. “Sunny day flooding,” associated with high tides rather than storms, has become common in the past two decades due to sea level rise caused by climate change. And it will get worse in the coming years. How bad…

Long before fireworks were invented, our ancient ancestors watched the night sky for entertainment and inspiration. They saw changing moon phases, imagined animal and human shapes in the stars, and created elaborate myths about the constellations. And they’d spot meteors streaking across the sky, and comets with bright tails. All these millennia later, the night…

Stand in the sun on a hot summer afternoon and wilt.  Step into the shade and feel instant relief. Now imagine places without shade. Many New Jersey cities have too much pavement and concrete, and not enough trees with leafy canopies. Urban neighborhoods without shade trees can be up to 12 degrees hotter than nearby…

Essex and Hudson counties make up the most densely populated corner of the nation’s most densely populated state: a place with lots of people and pavement but precious little open space. But a proposal to turn nearly nine miles of abandoned railroad corridor into a 100-foot-wide linear park with a hiking and biking path, benches,…

At a time of year when most parks are green and lush, the centerpiece of Madison Square Park in New York City is a stand of skeletal trees with nary a trace of green. This bleak, gray landscape is completely intentional. The dead Atlantic white cedars are part of a unique art installation, “Ghost Forest,”…

Passion for the environment, talent for absorbing and analyzing information, strong work ethic, desire to share knowledge, and determination to make a difference. Combine these qualities with a big smile and a dose of humility and you get Abigail Fair! Abbie co-founded the Great Swamp Watershed Association, was instrumental in the passage of the New…

Ever wonder what the Green Acres signs are about all over New Jersey?  No, they’re not an advertisement for a funny old TV show! Green Acres is the name of New Jersey’s hugely successful 60-year-old program of land preservation.  You may not know that the New Jersey Green Acres Program is a national leader in…

New Jersey’s butterflies are some of the most enchanting creatures of summer, with intricate wing patterns and beautiful colors. Even their names are charming! For example, there’s the Silver-bordered fritillary, Baltimore checkerspot, Acadian hairstreak, Sleepy orange, Frosted elfin, Bronze copper, Green comma, and Pepper and salt skipper. Sadly, however, the butterflies just mentioned are either…

New Jersey is still the “Garden State,” famous for blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, corn and other delicious fruits and veggies. But these valuable crops will not grow without the services of honeybees, wild bees like bumblebees, and other insect pollinators. Together, they pollinate nearly $200 million worth of produce a year. Bees are disappearing at an…

How comfortable are you in the outdoors? Do you feel happy and safe in parks and outdoor spaces, or do you feel unwelcome or uncomfortable? Your answer may depend on the color of your skin. Not everyone feels safe in parks and nature preserves that belong to us all. People of color may feel out…

In the effort to slow climate change, forests are a powerful ally. Trees naturally remove harmful carbon dioxide from the air and store, or “sequester,” it in their roots, branches and wood. But future generations of giant canopy trees must be able to reproduce. As individual trees are lost to storms, drought, or disease, new…

After 17 years of socially distancing underground, billions of “magic” insects are about to come out for a party spreading across swaths of the northeastern United States, including New Jersey. If they’re in your neighborhood, it will get noisy! These flying insects, periodical cicadas of the genus Magicicada, are known for their bright red eyes…

Imagine if invasive plants like phragmites – the thick beds of reeds found in marshes – could be transformed into a work of art in the city of Camden? Or if a sculpture made up of straw bales in a formerly industrial Trenton neighborhood could grow food and become a beautiful gathering place for the…

Spring is here and many folks are itching to boost their health and fitness.  But with more than a year into the Covid-19 pandemic, too many of us are still stuck at computer screens: working from home, socializing online, exercising in virtual classes and even supervising children’s virtual schoolwork. Health professionals are increasingly urging people…

Take a walk in the woods this month and check out the forest floor. There in the dappled sunlight, popping up through last year’s leaves, you may spot the short-lived flowers of native perennials known as “spring ephemerals.” Spring ephemerals are native woodland wildflowers that bloom during the brief window of time between snowmelt and…

When Mark Canright’s father, John, opened his organic farm in Somerset County in 1974, many customers didn’t know what “organic” meant or why it was important. “Farmer John’s Organic Produce was the first farm in New Jersey that called itself ‘organic.’ We spent a lot of time explaining to people what it was,” recalled Mark,…

The days are longer and warmer, an unmistakable cue to New Jersey’s hibernating amphibians – frogs, salamanders and toads – that it’s time to leave their winter hideaways and start mating. The first warm, rainy nights of spring produce a frenzy of amphibian activity, as spotted salamanders, Jefferson salamanders, wood frogs and spring peepers emerge…

With spring around the corner, we’ll soon get to enjoy seeing a multitude of animals as they migrate back to New Jersey, come out of hibernation, mate and have babies, and raise their families. Animal behaviors are fascinating: How do they know how to do everything from hunting for food to avoiding danger to taking…