South Branch Preserve Update 3: Birds and Wildlife

Entrance Gate

     Every time we pay a visit to our South Branch Preserve Restoration Site we keep spotting more species of birds, butterflies and amphibians. I decided to conduct a breeding bird survey inside the 100 acre fence on June 21, 2011. I walked from the entrance gate, down Shop Lane to the end of the cul-de-sac, through the forest, across the main stream and down Yalda Court back to the main gate. I walked this entire loop from 6am to about 7am. As I walked this route I counted all of the birds I saw or heard on the entire walk.

Shop Lane

This route will be completed in the same manner each year. On this first year’s walk I ended up spotting or hearing 30 species of birds and 85 individuals. Catbirds were the most plentiful bird spotted with 11 individuals. There was a three way tie for the second most individuals seen. They were six each of the following species, the beautiful red/orange scarlet tanager, the ground loving ovenbird and a flycatcher called the eastern wood-pewee.

Three uncommon hairy woodpeckers were spotted as well as its larger cousin the pileated woodpecker. One threatened species was seen called a Cooper’s hawk  which may nest on the property or an adjacent property.

     The information from this survey will be used to monitor the changes in the bird populations of the site as restoration of the forest continues. This survey will help us determine what bird species favor the site. We suspect that when the understory re-establishes itself in the future there will be an increase of ground nesting bird species. Right now our ongoing total bird list for this site stands at 51 species.

Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly

     A total of twenty-one species of butterflies, have been identified at South Branch Preserve Restoration Site as of fall of 2011. During the summer & fall they were spotted feeding on the flowering native plants that grew from the many species of wildflower seeds that were planted on the site in the summer of 2010. They were also observed feeding on the native plants that were already growing onsite.

Great Lobelia at the South
Branch Preserve

This site is blessed with an abundance of frogs as evidenced by the frequent visits from the great blue herons. One week after the vernal ponds were created American toads produced their egg masses in several of the vernal ponds. One week later these eggs hatched and thousands of tadpoles were seen swimming around in the shallow waters.

Green frogs and tree frogs are numerous as well and breed onsite. Twice we have spotted box turtles on the site. Three species of snakes have also bee observed, they are garter, water & brown snake. Five species of salamanders were found so far on the site. Many were spotted under the hay bales that are used for erosion control.

Green Frog

     Conventional wisdom suggests that if an amphibian population is thriving, the area is probably clear of pollutants. This is true at our restoration site. A lot of the water starts right on site from seeps and springs and it is near the top of the mountain at around 1000 feet above sea level.

     

Twice a red fox has been spotted inside the fence. Evidence of black bear, (claw marks on a tree and scat) & coyote (scat) has been seen outside of the fence. We are keeping an ongoing list of the wildlife that is seen on the site so our list increases with every season.

                                                                    Dennis Briede

                                                                    Stewardship Manager

South Branch Preserve Update Two - Erosion Control

The restoration of the South Branch Preserve property by The Land Conservancy of New Jersey was started after the purchase of the property in May of 2010. The previous owner had constructed 2 gravel roads, 8 stream crossings, 2 storm water catch basins and was ready to construct 16 new homes there. The Land Conservancy developed a plan to restore the site back to forest by a strict September 30th deadline, as per DEP rules.

 

During the restoration process 14 various sized vernal type ponds were created,

the roads were covered in several inches of soil, 

and the stream crossings were re-created to act like natural stream crossings. 

Soil was spread in the disturbed areas and native warm season grasses and native wildflower seed were planted.

A 100 acre fence was erected to surround this area and keep the deer out.  This fence will help the 1280 various trees, shrubs and perennials that were planted on the site to flourish.  

After a very wet fall, extremely snowy winter (over 80 inches of snow fell), and a wet spring, many of the seeds started to sprout and fill in the areas, with almost all of the trees, shrubs, and perennials surviving the harsh winter. Once the soil really warmed up in late May the grasses, wildflowers and other flora took off in a growing spurt through August.

 

 

This helped to reduce most of the erosion problems that may have occurred during restoration.

On June 28, 2011 the original restoration crew from Paul Steinbeiser Inc. along with several employees at The Land Conservancy worked at the site to minimize the erosion problems, bringing in only light machinery to reduce disturbances to the new plant growth. The machinery was used to reduce some of the erosion that was forming near several of the streams that flow through the preserve. Several areas were raked, re-seeded and covered with a light layer of straw to quickly establish a groundcover.

Over the next two months many of the annual oats grew tall and many of the perennial seeds had sprouted and were in bloom. Luckily the lush growth of these plants greatly reduced the chances for significant erosion that would have been caused by the four intense storms from the period of Mid-August through September. More plans are in the works to continue to monitor and help control any future erosion problems at the site.

Dennis Briede

Stewardship Manager

South Branch Preserve Update One - Invasive Species Removal

In New Jersey as well as the rest of the United States the influx of non-native plants & invasive non-native plants has significantly increased in the past two centuries. Non-native plants are plants that were not originally found in the United States but are now established here. Most of these plants arrived here by airborne pollen, machinery, animals, humans, or other means; often originating from Europe or Asia.

Of the hundreds of non-native plants there are close to 200 invasive non-native plants in New Jersey alone. These invasive non-native plants are very aggressive in their colonization and since they have no natural insect enemies will spread quickly and profusely. When ignored, these plants will aggressively spread throughout large areas and will dominate over the native species reducing their populations. Efforts have been made to help reduce the impact that these plants have on the native flora and fauna.

We have found many of these plants at our restoration site in Mount Olive. Due to the high diversity of native plant species at this site it is very important to reduce the invasive plant population. A thorough mapping of these non-native invasive plants was performed by plant expert Michael VanClef from Ecological Solutions, LLC.

On May 31st plans were made to start the eradication of some of these plants before they spread throughout the preserve. Mike VanClef, three Land Conservancy of NJ interns and Stewardship Manager Dennis Briede went to the site and selectively applied an herbicide designed to eliminate these plants. Since then they have eliminated two of the species, Japanese Aurelia & Chinese silvergrass & reduced the Japanese barberry, ailanthus, mugwort, winged euonymus & autumn olive from some of the areas.



Keep an eye out for invasive non-native plants in your yard:



Japanese barberry,

autumn olive,

multiflora rose,

phragmites,

Chinese silvergrass,

and Japanese Aurelia

These plants, along with many others have spread throughout many parts of New Jersey as well as other areas of the United States.

see the website below for more information, on how to identify them and their native look-alikes:
http://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf

Pedal for Preservation on June 3rd!

Don’t just ride…pedal to preserve the best of New Jersey!

Get your heart pumping and feet pedaling for a great cause on Sunday, June 3rd as The Land Conservancy of New Jersey (TLC-NJ) hosts its first Pedal for Preservation Bike Event. Participants will ride on the Columbia Trail, a Rail to Trail route that is known as one of the most beautiful rides in New Jersey. Riders will start and finish at West Morris Central High School, 259 Bartley Rd, Chester, NJ.

Registration for the event is now open. Sign up by 4/30/12 and take advantage of the early registration discount!

“This family friendly off-road biking experience is geared towards riders of all biking abilities. The day will feature good food, a great ride, and fun for everyone, says Conservancy President David Epstein. “Best of all, riders will be pedaling to preserve the best of New Jersey -- the beautiful natural lands that are so special to us all!” Proceeds from Pedal for Preservation will help fund The Land Conservancy of New Jersey’s land preservation work.

Become a Champion for Open Space and team up with TLC-NJ by participating as a rider, team member, sponsor, donor or volunteer. Pay a flat registration fee or help fundraise by getting friends and family to sponsor your ride. Registration on the day of the event begins at 8am.
To register online:http://www.active.com/cycling/chester-nj/the-land-conservancy-of-new-jerseys-pedal-for-preservation-the-columbia-trail-2012

For mail-in registration or to learn more visit www.TLC-NJ.org

Volunteers are also needed. To volunteer contact Rosalie Lavinthal at rlavinthal@tlc-nj.org and to make a donation http://www.active.com/donate/tlc-nj.

Don’t just ride…Pedal for Preservation!!

113 Acres Added to Trout Brook Wildlife Management Area

Stillwater Township:

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is pleased to announce the preservation of 113 acres in the heart of Stillwater Township in Sussex County. Purchased through the State of New Jersey Green Acres program, this scenic and completely forested property has been added to the State’s Trout Brook Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Land Conservancy of New Jersey assisted with this acquisition.

“It is amazing what has been accomplished based upon The Land Conservancy’s partnership with Stillwater Township and the Green Acres program,” explains Sandy Urgo, Land Preservation Director with The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. “The landscape of Stillwater Township has been permanently improved, forest fragmentation has been reduced, wildlife habitat has been protected, and space for resource-based recreation has been provided. The results of the Township’s commitment to this conservation program will be enjoyed by residents of Stillwater and future generations, in perpetuity. The Township’s Environmental Commission has been dedicated to land preservation and has worked hard for years to enable the success of the Township’s open space program and we thank them for their partnership and support.”

In working with Stillwater Township, The Land Conservancy has placed a priority on increasing the size of the Trout Brook WMA. With this closing, 785 acres of forest in Stillwater Township have been preserved and added to Trout Brook WMA with assistance from The Land Conservancy. The State has protected more than 329,000 acres within the 121 Wildlife Management Areas. These open lands are managed for wildlife habitat and public recreational access and programs for hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts. Trout Brook WMA is now more than 1,700 acres in Stillwater Township.

This newest addition to the WMA contains existing trails and stunning specimen trees. Located along the western edge of Sussex County and bordering the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Stillwater Township is a historic farming community and former vacation spot for visitors from Brooklyn, New York. Approximately 28.5 square miles in size, it is located 50 miles from New York City. This 113 acre property is located on Stillwater Road, in the center of the Township.

World Series of Birding

29th Annual World Series of BirdingMay 12, 2012

The "Highlands Hawks," the Conservancy’s birding team led by Captain Dennis Briede, will participate in the 29th Annual World Series of Birding on Saturday, May 12th. Armed with binoculars and spotting scopes, the team will have one objective in mind: identifying as many species of birds as possible in a 24-hour period.

This celebrated, annual event focuses world attention on New Jersey’s wealth of natural resources and its strategic importance to migrating birds. Sponsored by the New Jersey Audubon Society, it also helps organizations like the Conservancy raise funds to protect natural habitat. You can help sponsor our team -- with a pledge (pledge online here) of $1 or $2 or even .25 cents a bird.

The more birds our team identifies, the more dollars they raise toward our land preservation goals. For more information please contact Barbara McCloskey at bmccloskey@tlc-nj.org or (973) 541-1010 x14.

Fourth Phase of Pompton Riverwalk Project Complete

The Township of Pequannock and The Land Conservancy of New Jersey are pleased to announce the completion of the fourth phase of the Pompton Riverwalk. 16 homes have now been purchased in the floodway, 14 of which have been removed to make way for the Riverwalk - a public walking path along the Pompton River.

This novel concept of removing people and property from harm’s way and replacing them with public recreation opportunities has been recognized by Morris County, which is rearranging its Open Space Preservation Trust to encourage more projects like Pequannock’s Pompton Riverwalk.The addition of over two acres of preserved land to the project brings the multi-phase floodplain protection and land preservation project one step closer to completion. This open space and flood mitigation project protects residents and provides flood storage, open space, and public access to the Pompton River for future generations.

The Weir property (0.3 acres) on Pequannock Avenue was purchased in December 2011, making it the final property in Phase IV. Other properties include the former Gidi property on North Pequannock Avenue (0.3 acres), the Shudtz property on Riverside Drive (0.3 acres), the Berkshire property on Harrison Road (0.6 acres), the Hunt property on Riverside Drive (0.3 acres), and the Soldatenkov property on Pequannock Avenue (0.2 acres).

With the acquisition of the last home on one street in Pequannock, the Township no longer has to send boats in to rescue and evacuate residents during floods. This program has been extremely well received by desperate and flood weary residents on some of Pequannock’s hardest hit streets. “This is another step of the larger Riverwalk buyouts projects,” explained Frank Spizzirri, Chairman of the Pequannock Township Open Space Advisory Committee and lead advocate for this project.

“This program has also provided homeowners the opportunity to be removed from the floodway, which just recently had waters in excess of 10 feet high on the property. Hurricane Irene caused the worst flooding in town since 1902, even worse than 1984. The owner's are very excited about the buyout and are searching for a new place in town to settle out of the flood area.”

The Pompton Riverwalk is a multi-phase project which began six years ago under the leadership of Pequannock Township and the Pequannock Township Open Space Advisory Committee, with the expert assistance and consultation of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. Homes around the banks of the Pompton River, as well as the riparian corridor have long suffered from flooding. Rather than continuing in the old model of flood, rescue and rebuild, Pequannock Township officials and the Open Space Advisory Committee decided to pursue a different and extremely beneficial flood protection strategy.

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is working with the Township of Pequannock in the development and expansion of this Blueway program to provide flood protection for severely impacted residences and private property, while creating new public recreation opportunities in the community. This program targets the most flood prone homes and streets in the municipality.

“Pequannock Township, with the assistance of Morris County and the State, has been at the forefront of preserving flood prone properties as open space in New Jersey,” explained Gregory Collins, Land Preservation Specialist with The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. “The success of the Pompton Riverwalk project is the result of a well-planned strategy to convert these flood prone residences to an interconnected park system along the river for the enjoyment of current and future Township residents, and will also reduce the Township’s emergency and cleanup costs following future major flooding in the area.”

The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, with the support of the County Open Space Committee, has funded Pequannock Township’s annual requests for grant funds for the Pompton Riverwalk project. The Township and Conservancy are now entering Phase V of the Riverwalk. Since its initial grant request for this project, the Township has received $1,837,900 in grant funding from Morris County for the Riverwalk project and has matched this with funds provided through Green Acres totaling $1,743,600.

Since 2003 The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has permanently protected 1,519 acres in towns located in the floodplain of the Passaic River. Much of this land is now owned and managed by the State of New Jersey, and it functions as it was meant to – to hold waters from severe storms and provide protection to neighboring residents from floods.

The January 2011 report to the Governor from the Passaic River Basin Flood Advisory Commission identified goals which included expanding and expediting property buyouts and preservation of the flood storage area, among the fifteen recommendations provided to the Governor. By working with The Land Conservancy, the Township accelerated the success of its conservation and flood protection program.