May's speaker is Lynn Stiles, PhD, Professor of Physics and Coordinator of Energy Studies at Richard Stockton State College. His leadership and research at Stockton in the field of energy-efficient construction has resulted in Stockton's employing current conservation and alternative energy generation technologies that not only more than pay for themselves, but also benefit the environment.
Briefs
The Flood of 2007 -"Flooding and Storms" were the words this April. A good number of our members had flooded yards and cellars. Our thoughts were with you as photo after photo was received by us via e-mail. Roadway dams were indistinguishable from the rivers that passed over them. Yards with ducks in both back and front yards, floating mattresses, and flooding in areas where we monitor rare plants species were just a few of the results of the storm. Al and Sam's Canoe reported that it was the first time their barn was underwater and old-timers told us it was worse then the record storm of 1940. You name it, it was wet. The thing that amazed us most was how good-natured our members were during it all.
The Nor'easter took place primarily on April 16 and cumulative waters caused the most wide-spread flooding on the following day. At one point from Route 40 to Route 49 the only passable bridges were on Route 40, Garden Road and those of downtown Millville. On Landis Ave. at Rainbow Lake the roadway was washed out altogether and Weymouth Rd. is still in questionable shape. CU notified our e-mail hotline, allowing likely thousands of people to know of the emergency situation. We thank the Cumberland County Emergency Management folks for informing us of the access problems.
People were not the only ones affected. The Nor'easter took down Maurice River Township's calendar girl's nest - the osprey nest, that is! Yes, the nest of the pin-up girl on the township's April calendar page came crashing to the ground, leaving two ospreys homeless. Apparently tough-on-the-seas Captain George Kumor was tender-hearted on the land and called Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc. (CU) President Jane Morton Galetto, asking about putting up an emergency nesting platform. Mayor Riggins, Kumor and the Maurice River Township Road crew went into high gear, picking up a CU nest and erecting it alongside the fallen nest on Thompson's Beach Rd. We salute them for their concern. If the bird was already on eggs she is unlikely to reclutch, but time will tell.
Connie Jost Memorial Art Scholarship Winner - This year Maxfield River Diehl of Cumberland Regional HS has been selected as the recipient of the Jost Scholarship. Not only is he an accomplished two-dimensional artist but he has a strong academic record and participates in the School Counts Program. In addition to his high school art department involvements, Max has attended the River Renaissance Center for the Arts programs in Millville. Max has volunteered at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center and the RRCA. His recreational pursuits include canoeing, fishing and hiking. Max is the son of artists Eric and Aileen Diehl of Newport, NJ. Congratulations Max!
Planning Workshops - The trustees and officers are continuing their workshops to explore the path for CU's future. We have been working on a plan of goals and actions.
Grant Reviews - Renee Scagnelli and Jane Morton Galetto have been meeting with grantors National Park Service and The Watershed Institute on grant reporting procedures and funding opportunities.
Update on Garden State Preservation Trust - Assemblyman Doug Fisher has taken the lead in introducing a bill to get the Garden State Preservation plan on November's ballot. On March 26th Jane Morton Galetto attended a press event in Trenton held by Assemblyman Fisher, Albano, and Van Drew in order to show support for the bill. The GSPT has been the funding vehicle for open space acquisition through programs like Green Acres and Farmland Preservation. It is anticipated that this year the Trust's cupboard will be out of the green stuff - dollars that is! The citizens of NJ must act now or we will be unable to create any new recreational areas or preserve natural and historic areas. Please contact your legislators thanking them for working to get the question on the ballot.
Assemblyman Doug Fisher
14 East Commerce St.
3rd Floor
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
455-1011
Assemblyman Van Drew
223 East Main St.
Millville, NJ 08332
293-8353
Assemblyman Albano
223 East Main St.
Millville, NJ 08332
293-8353
Pinelands Historic Preservation Summit - On March 16 Renee attended the first Pinelands Historic Preservation Summit, sponsored by the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. Future meetings are planned. Renee has agreed to serve as a liaison between the groups participating and the South Jersey Bayshore Coalition (SJBC). CU is a member of the SJBC.
Pinelands Short Course - On March 3, Renee Scagnelli and CU members Leslie & Tony Ficcaglia, Sue & Dave Fenili, Ethan Aronoff, and Fred Akers attended the Pinelands Short Course. Some of the topics presented included Native Fish, Hydrology of Forested Wetlands, Turtles of the Pinelands, Geology of the Pinelands, and Butterflies of the Pinelands, and many more.
Osprey Work Days - On Saturday, March 24 an osprey work crew replaced nine guards and made six platform tops. The tops were fabricated in anticipation of the NJ Emergency Management folks needing platforms on top of pilings that are put at the entrance of creeks to hold oil retention booms. Hopefully, the booms will never be necessary, but the dual function helps out osprey. You can see some of these structures already in place with CU tops at Nantuxent Creek on the DE Bay. If Emergency Management doesn't need them, we're sure an opportunity will arise for utilizing them elsewhere. That Sunday a number of crew members returned to finish up work at Union Lake. The following people braved the elements to make the two days a success: Claire and Rich Andrus, Robert and Donna Dailey, Ed DiPalma, Gordon Engel, Peter Galetto, Dick Goldstine, Frank Kammerer, Bette and Jack McCarron, Kenny Pacitto, Tom Shephard, and Stan and Janis Traas - a special thanks to all!
Cool Cities workshop - Renee attended the New Jersey Cool Cities workshop. A number of speakers and panelists discussed various aspects of local approaches to global warming, such as building green communities, energy use, etc. New Jersey Cool Cities initiative is a nationwide effort to address global warming through local action.
Annual Dinner Wetlands Institute - On Friday, March 30 over 50 persons at the Wetlands Institute enjoyed our power point show Eggs to Flight at their Annual Osprey Celebration Dinner. The audience was very engaged by the presentation.
The South Jersey Bayshore Coalition (SJBC) - Jane and Renee attended a SJBC meeting on April 14. Both the South Jersey Bayshore Inventory and the Millville Build-Out Study are nearly complete. We hope this will prove an excellent tool for the Millville Planning office.
Presentation A cozy group faced the aftermath of the Nor'easter to attend a presentation at the American University Women's group at Cumberland County College to hear Eggs to Flight, which groups request with regularity. Thanks to those women who made it on April 16th!
Stockton State College Guest Lecture April 19 - Professor Sue Canale, at the request of her students, asked that Jane Morton Galetto address her Stockton class in wildlife management. The topic was how nongovernment organizations can assist wildlife biologists. A number of students commented that it was the class's best presentation to date.
New T&E Regulations - On April 24, 2007 Galetto attended a meeting at the DEP for an oral presentation of the newly drafted regulations regarding Threatened and Endangered Species. Presently T&E species' habitat is only protected in Coastal Zones, wetlands and Pinelands. These rules seek to give a greater amount of protection in all areas deemed as "critical habitat" on Endangered and Nongame Species Program maps. There are numerous ways in which to meet permit requirements but the most logical appears to be "regional habitat conservation plans."
Maurice River Historical Recollections Campfire - April 26 By the time this newsletter goes out, we will have held our second Maurice River Historical Recollections Campfire, this one is at Parvin State Park. Our first campfire, held at the Burcham Farm, was a huge success, and we expect this event will be equally well-received.
Upcoming events: For more information please contact Renee at 856-305-3238 or rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com
Want to help out with RD Wood School's boat construction project? It's not too late! If you are interested in helping out please contact Gladis McGraw at 856-293-2245 during the school day.
May 8, Tuesday, “Frog Slog” 7:00 p.m. til 9 p.m.
Join Fred Akers and Renee Scagnelli for a “frog slog” to some local vernal pools to discover the secret life of frogs on this night excursion. Learn where and when to find different frogs and toads and how to distinguish one frog “song” from another. Come with a flashlight and be prepared for wet, frog-slog conditions.
Pre-registration required. Contact Renee Scagnelli at rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com or 856-305-3238.
May 12, Saturday Eco-Fair at Wheaton Arts: Green Living for Your Home and Garden. We are still looking for volunteers to man the CU booth. Please contact Renee at rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com or 856-305-3238.
June 9 & 10 Saturday and Sunday is the Bay Days Festival. We have committed to the CU Paint a Landscape Activity, our information booth and some boat tours. We hope that many members will help with the event. Please contact Renee at rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com or 856-305-3238.
The World Series of Birding is on Saturday, May 12, 2007. If you haven't had a chance to pledge team support, please call Jane Morton Galetto at 856-327-1161.
May 19 Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Celebrate Fortescue Festival - Featuring nature walks about the horseshoe crabs, antiques, home cooking and plenty of local art. 157 New Jersey Ave., Fortescue. For more information contact 447-4249.
Steve Eisenhauer, of Natural Lands Trust, has generously offered our membership the opportunity to attend a number of canoe and kayak trips at no charge throughout this year. Please see the calendar below for more information. Our thanks to NLT for this opportunity, as well as for the Bear Swamp hike. Registration is limited to first come, first served.
Calendar of Upcoming Events:
*Note: For all “NLT” trips, please contact Steve Eisenhauer eisenhauer@natlands.org. Otherwise please contact Renee at 856 305-3238 or rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com
May 12, Saturday: World Series of Birding - Support your team! Go, Fish Hawks!
May 12, Saturday 10a.m.- 5p.m.: Eco-Fair at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center.
June 9 & 10 Saturday & Sunday: Bay Days
June 10: NLT canoe/kayak trip to Peek Preserve.
June 24 12:00 p.m. Sunday: Joint CU & Natural Lands Trust Canoe/Kayak trip. Contact Renee at 856-305-3238 or rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com to register.
July 7: Millville's Annual Riverfest
July 7: Manumuskin River trip upstream from Cumberland Pond. Meet at noon.
July 11, 6:30 Wednesday Meeting: Speaker: Lorraine Keiffer, Author & Owner of Triple Oaks Nursery
July 28: CU “BYOB” trip. Bring Your Own Boat, Kayak or Canoe. Menantico Ponds trip.
August 4: East Point Lighthouse Open House.
August 4: NLT Union Lake trip upstream to Maurice River. Meet at noon.
August 18: NLT Manumuskin River trip from Port Elizabeth. Meet at 2PM.
August 24 & 25 Friday and Saturday: Purple Martin Festival
September 8, Saturday 10:00 a.m.: Joint CU & Natural Lands Trust Canoe/Kayak trip. Contact Renee at 856-305-3238 or rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com to register.
Note this is a change from original schedule
September 12, 6:30 Wednesday: Meeting
September 22: NLT Delaware River trip.
September 30: NLT Glades Refuge Raybins Beach trip at noon
October 6: NLT Delaware River trip.
October 11: Recollections Event Thursday Location TBA
October 20: Ah Why Knot Awards Dinner, Union Lake Sailing and Tennis Club
November 14, 6:30 Wednesday: Annual Meeting
