Wednesday, November 10, 1999 at 7:30 p.m.
Wheaton Village – Crafts Building
Update on the Natural Lands Trust in Southern NJ – Nov 10, 1999
Steve Eisenhauer, South New Jersey regional manager for the Natural Lands Trust (NLT), will give a slide presentation and update the membership on NLT projects in the Maurice River watershed and surrounding area. The projects at the Peek Preserve in Millville should be of special interest to the membership. Steve’s slide presentations are always interesting and enjoyable so don’t miss out.
Officers and Trustees
This is the annual meeting for the election of officers and trustees. Hopefully we can have a good turnout.
Recruit a New Member
Wow! Check it out-the new brochure. We think it came out super. If you haven’t sent your annual contribution we hope this will be an incentive for action. We are once again asking every member to consider taking the new brochure and recruiting a new member. You probably know someone who fishes, water skis, paints, bird watches, hikes, canoes, photographs or otherwise enjoys the Maurice River. Please ask them to join our ranks.
November 16, 1999 4 p.m. Unveiling of the teachers’ packet
Down Jersey – Celebrating Our Sense of Place at the Down Jersey
Hot off the press, all 300 pages. We will be distributing the complete teachers’ packet Down Jersey – Celebrating Our Sense of Place at the Down Jersey at the Folklife Center in Wheaton Village. Members are welcome to attend this celebration. Only the teachers’ advisory committee will receive the packet at this time. The remaining packets will be distributed at teachers’ workshops. Keep in mind these complete packets are valued at about $300 apiece so we want to get them to teachers who will be using them. Please RSVP to 327-1161.
Students Help Package Teachers’ Curriculum
Students helped package Down Jersey Celebrating Our Sense of Place at the Down Jersey. Sandi Riley’s students at Mount Pleasant School in Millville made packages that represent the contents of glass. Rutger’s Field Ecology class placed the covers into the fronts and splines of 200 notebooks. And Woodland Country Day School 8th graders made one of their service projects the packing of 5400 pieces (27 different ones) into 200 boxes. We had help from some parents, the National Park Service, and PSE&G too.
Purple Martins Wednesday, January 13, 2000
Guest Speaker Allen Jackson
Have you been unsuccessful in attracting purple Martins to your property? Most prospective martin landlords put up housing incorrectly or are unsuccessful because they do not know how to manage their martin colony properly. Allen Jackson, a resident of Millville and wildlife biologist with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is offering technical advice to area residents on managing martins. He is a self-proclaimed martin fanatic and landlord, and an active member of Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA). The PMCA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation, management, and research of martins. Allen subscribes to their proven management practices. By actively managing a colony, you can actually double the average number of young that fledge.
Allen recently became a certified bander to provide further information on NJ’s martins. He is looking to expand the number of martin landlords and banders in our area. The birds are banded before they fledge, 12 to 23 days after hatching. Martin houses must be accessible for proper management: raised and lowered easily.
In the eastern half of this continent, Purple Martins are totally dependent upon man to provide housing. Due to their dependence on humans, the only way to reverse the persistent downward spiral in the martin population is to increase reproductive success rates. Good stewardship of Purple Martins is an important step in helping reverse the decline of this graceful bird. To find out more attend the January 13, 2000 meeting. Allen Jackson can be contacted at: 514 Buck Street, Millville, NJ 08332; phone (856) 327-4861.
Vineland Has A Great Opportunity
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has made an offer to purchase the City of Vineland’s property bordering the Maurice River. This habitat abuts already protected TNC preserves. This is really a win / win scenario for the City both from a public enjoyment and fiscal standpoint. We all know what a wonderful natural resource this area represents. Thankfully a decision to preserve this area would also be financially prudent. This site would cost a minimum $100,000 per acre to develop just the linear infrastructure – streets, sewage lines, drainage, and the like. So the officers and trustees of Citizens United encourage the City to make the wise choice and preserve the property.
WEB Time
Well, it looks like Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc. is going to be stepping into the new millennium. We are getting quotes from various internet design companies for putting our brochure on line, and possibly including the teachers’ packet Down Jersey Celebrating Our Sense of Place at the Down Jersey. We already have our web address reserved; cumauriceriver.com; we did this so our literature would include it.
Osprey Building Day
If you would like to volunteer to help construct Osprey platforms please call Jane at 327-1161. We are trying to get together a work party before the end of the year. We need some more platforms on the Maurice and PSE&G would like some more for the Estuary Enhancement Project.
Rutger’s Field Ecology Class
The Rutger’s Field Ecology Class visited the watershed on October 8th with professor Roger Locandro. They had an informative visit and feasted on clams and spaghetti.
Meeting Dates
It’s time to mark the year 2000’s meeting dates on your calendars. All meetings are held at the Wheaton Village Crafts Building at Wheaton Village. (Next to the replica of the old T.C. Wheaton glass factory.)
Wednesday, January 12, 2000 — 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 8, 2000 — 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 10, 2000 — 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 5, 2000 — 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 13, 2000 — 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 8, 2000 — 7:30 p.m.