To many green lawns and road sides that were not there 100 years ago and not enough predators and hunters
Exploding Deer Population
- Thread starter dragoncjo
- Start date
To many green lawns and road sides that were not there 100 years ago and not enough predators and hunters
Atlantic White Cedar BTC
Here is a ancient cedar that that dislodged from the mud in the Del Bay
Its at the end of Strawberry Ave in Port Norris.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/forest/njfs_awc_initiative.html
Current Situation - In New Jersey, Atlantic white-cedar forests are located principally in the Pinelands region in Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Atlantic white-cedar forests were once widely distributed across the state, with major stands in the Pine Barrens, the Hackensack Meadowlands and Sandy Hook. Lack of proper management, loss of wetland habitat, theft and illegal harvesting, wildfire, deer browsing, a rise in sea level and other natural factors have contributed to its steady decline.
In a study of Atlantic white-cedar stands in Bass River State Forest, it was determined that the average age of an Atlantic white-cedar stand is 40 to 60 years old. Depending on habitat conditions, as cedar stands get older they tend to break down and begin to convert to hardwood forest. The study revealed that currently there are no young cedar stands growing in Bass River State Forest. Deer browsing has had a negative impact statewide on cedar regeneration.
About 15,000 acres of Atlantic white-cedar stands in the state have begun to convert to hardwood forest, with the dominant species being red maple. If conservation and restoration efforts are not begun soon, the costly regeneration of these stands will become more difficult and require increasingly greater funding in the future.
Course of Action - In July of 1995, the NJ Forest Service formed an Atlantic White-cedar Steering Committee that began the Atlantic White-Cedar Initiative (AWCI). The committee comprises representatives of the NJ Forest Service, Rutgers University, Stockton State College, New Jersey Pinelands Commission, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, and the NJ Forestry Association, as well as private resource management consultants.
Goals and objectives of the AWCI include:
- Facilitating communication and encouraging cooperation among agencies, researchers, private landowners and the public;
- Exploring and demonstrating approaches for restoration and sustainability, and increasing the acreage of Atlantic white-cedar;
- Providing a management model for the Atlantic white-cedar resource;
- Increasing Atlantic white-cedar seedling or rooted cuttings production;
- Developed Best Management Practices for Atlantic white-cedar.
you mean the unmaintained roadsides, so we can protect the plants that would not be there if it were not for the road.
No, I mean the roadsides that are planted with non native, cool season grasses that are green and deer food for for 10 months out of the year. As opposed to the native plants
That one was way more than 120 inches in circumference, I tried to measure it.
The biggest live one I found was 92 inches in Peaslee WMA.
That is a monster also! Any pictures?
I would like to get down to the Peaslee area some day.
Chris
Great pic! Having done quite a bit of work on trees above ground, I was always fascinated by the accounts of the old shingle miners. I can’t fathom the amount of work it must have taken to raise these huge logs by today’s standards from the muck. Those were the days when men were men!
Hey, lets not forget about the Mutha. PL, I brought George Zimmerman out to see it shortly after I brought PBX out to see it. He was very impressed.
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/get-togethers-events-trip-reports/2227-mutha-all-cedars.html?highlight=mutha
Jeff
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/get-togethers-events-trip-reports/2227-mutha-all-cedars.html?highlight=mutha
Jeff
There is a very nice cedar swamp off a dirt road off of Hesstown Road.
I'll make you a map if you would like.
Coyotes
The info as regards the dead coyotes with their heads cut off caught my attention...About a month or so ago, I was driving up 46 E in NWNJ, just around the corner from where I live, and I saw a dead animal on the side of the road. It was pretty big and looked like a tan dog. I drove around the corner to look at it again, and when I slowed down, I thought it was a coyote. It stayed there for a day or two, and the next time I noticed it, it was headless. Pretty strange.
Then the next day, it was gone. Wondering if anyone can tell me more about this? Just curious. I used to hear the coyotes howling in the woods, but haven't in quite some time.
The info as regards the dead coyotes with their heads cut off caught my attention...About a month or so ago, I was driving up 46 E in NWNJ, just around the corner from where I live, and I saw a dead animal on the side of the road. It was pretty big and looked like a tan dog. I drove around the corner to look at it again, and when I slowed down, I thought it was a coyote. It stayed there for a day or two, and the next time I noticed it, it was headless. Pretty strange.
Then the next day, it was gone. Wondering if anyone can tell me more about this? Just curious. I used to hear the coyotes howling in the woods, but haven't in quite some time.
I would have to say the ones that are headless, are headless because the skull was saved, boiled clean and bleached to make a european style mounts.
Chris
Glad that I was able to spark some discussion of cedars vs. deer. Some very good info here in this thread. I thought this might have just been my own "pet peeve", but clearly it's a serious concern. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like any solution is in sight.
For your Peaslee explorations see: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/272/
For your Peaslee explorations see: http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/272/