Cedar Planting

[bobpbx]

NJCF will be planting 25,500(very small) cedar trees at the Franklin Parker Preserve (FPP) starting on Monday, September 15th. We will be planting every day for at least 10 days, including Saturday, September 20th and Sunday September 21st. We will be on site from 7:00am – 5:00pm each day.

NJCF would be happy to accommodate any volunteers that are interested!

Please bring rubber boots…we will supply tools. FPP is 3 miles south of the town of Chatsworth in Woodland Township, Burlington County.

For additional information… please call Louis at 908-642-4789.

Thank you!

Erica Arles

Administrative Assistant

Land Acquisition & Stewardship

New Jersey Conservation Foundation

170 Longview Road

Far Hills, NJ 07931

Ph: 908-234-1225

Fax: 908-234-1189

www.njconservation.org

 

[Teegate]

You going Bob?

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

You going Bob?

Guy

I don't know Guy. My plant hobby is in high gear this time of year.

 

[Teegate]

They have 25,000 plants. What more do you want?

Guy

 

[bobpbx]

They have 25,000 plants. What more do you want?

Guy

I wanna save my back!

We should all get dressed up like the Italian Cranberry workers from yesteryear in Whitesbog and go on out there. I'll put on a wool suit with a white shirt and tie. Jess can get one of those big aprons and a headscarf and stuff her shirt with 2 watermelons.

 

[MarkBNJ]

Haha, that's a great idea. You need to get someone with an old Ford flatbed and ride up on that.

 

[freerider]

Why can't they hire persons without employment to do this?

Why seek volunteers? When they have plenty of money in their accounts?

Why participate in improving the area and then be kept out of it?

 

[dragoncjo]

Freerider, I would suggest you do your homework before criticizing what NJCF is doing and how they are doing it. The preserve is open to the public and has always been. The bogs they are restoring are fenced in because of deer eating up the white cedars. If your bent out of shape because NJCF doesn't allow access via off road vehicles, and are unable to understand how atv traffic destroys environments then drive you car out to any bog in any forest and look at the tire tracks through it......they don't want that happening out there.....there has already been dead endangered snakes and wildlife run over out there from illegal orv use.....maybe its the case of a few bad apples ruining oppurtunity for othere riders...but if you can't understand that a organization dedicated to PRESERVING land wouldn't want orv use then you really need to get out there and look at the abuse orv traffic has done......I can point you to at least 12 ponds if need be, at least three around apple pie hill. As for the volunteers, NJCF relies alot on volunteer support. The preserve was given a grant of money to manage the land, such as buying atlantic wide cedars, equipment to manage the land etc. It would be a waste to use all the money for employees and then have nothing left over to aid in managing the property.....that would make no sense. I'm sure we've all seen what happens when a organization purchases property then doesn't manage it. Next thing you know inavisive crap is growing in, wildlife collecting happens, beer cans get strewn everywhere, the land gets abused etc. At least this organization is taking steps to improve the land which was abused by agriculture.....give them a pat on the back not a slap in the face.

As for this tree planting, I may be out there at some point but like Bob M. not sure if my back will let me.

 

[dragoncjo]

Actually to add to this, your question of "Why participate in improving the area and then be kept out of it? Your so off base on this its unbelievable.....in fact I've been volunteering with this organization and have been given equipment(snake telemtry equipment, hats, shirts, food, etc). I'm wonder were your basing any of this ideas quite honestly?

 

[uh60chick]

At least this organization is taking steps to improve the land which was abused by agriculture.....

It's interesting how land that was so "abused" also, according to the NJCF website, "provides critical habitat to more than 50 rare, threatened or endangered species."

Those 50 species did not miraculously appear in the 5 years since NJCF purchased the property.

I am happy to hear they will be planting more Atlantic white cedar, and I heartily applaud the volunteers who are making the effort possible.

 

[dragoncjo]

I would say that 90% of the 50 species falls outside of the area that was used as agriculture. The cranberry bogs is what I was referring to and in their current state hold little wildlife or at least not as much as they should....which is why they are restoring them. Most of the soil inside the bogs is like concrete and provides little usable habitat to anything. The edges of the bogs do contain some animals but not as much as they would if left in their previous state which was either a atlantic white cedar swamp or forest....

 

[dragoncjo]

I should note that the word 'abused' might be poor.....I respect the cranberry growers there hard workers and a big part of the barrens.

 

[freerider]

Don't the signs around the NJCF properties say "access by permission only" ?

 

[Teegate]

Don't the signs around the NJCF properties say "access by permission only" ?

Those are old signs that were there when they first purchased it. When PBX wanted to do a hike in the preserve back then we were given permission and we went. Since then they have allowed all foot traffic by anyone.


Guy

 

[freerider]

I see old signs. Thanks !

Seems I touched a nerve with dragoncjo

 

[dragoncjo]

Sorry man, I get passionate about some things and this is one of them......NJCF is a good outfit....I get a little defensive when it comes to that stuff....

 

[freerider]

Well your zeal is appreciated !

 

[TEEJ]

Actually to add to this, your question of "Why participate in improving the area and then be kept out of it? Your so off base on this its unbelievable.....in fact I've been volunteering with this organization and have been given equipment(snake telemtry equipment, hats, shirts, food, etc). I'm wonder were your basing any of this ideas quite honestly?

Hi - this caught my eye. Herpetology is one of my hobbies....and, I like hiking around in the Pine Barrens. I also off road (Trucks, not atv's..) in the Pines, but am extremely protective of the flora and fauna.

Snakes tend to sun on trails a lot, and, I'm always relocating them to the sides to avoid injury, etc.

If there is any way that I can help out in tracking or observation, etc...what ever it is you are doing to advance our knowledge of the wildlife, etc...I'd love to help out.

The tree planting would normally be cool, but I have a torn rotator cuff, and 3 herniated disks in my neck at the moment, so may be not.

Mapping out snake territory, that's easier. For me at least.

Please, let me know.

 

[woodjin]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sure Dragoncjo will be in touch with you (perhaps by PM). There are certainly some beautiful reptiles in the pines. Sadly, because of poachers, many of the specifics can't be disscussed on a publically accessable forum. I hope your back/shoulder heal nicely.

Jeff

 

[dragoncjo]

Teej, as for what you can do to help I would suggest reporting what you see to the state, or land organization who own the land your within, NJCF, nature conservancy etc. As for tracking and other snake stuff it is a hard thing to get into as secrecy is always of high priority. Poaching is a problem in the pines and for that reason volunteer oppurtunities can be hard to come by. The best way to get involved is to particpate in the herp atlas, frog calling surveys, vernal pool surveys that the state offer.....as Trust is earned more oppurtunities will pop up. It is ashame that volunteer oppurtunities are like ths but many collectors poachers have given good hearted people with good intentions a bad rap.

Here is the form to fill out if a T or E species is found,
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/pdf/rptform.pdf

Thanks
Chris