Jan 30, 2026
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Deer are pretty much everywhere in New Jersey. At first glance, their abundance might seem harmless, even welcome. But their numbers are fueling a complex and urgent ecological crisis that threatens our native forests and wildlife, as well as public health and safety. In many places in New Jersey where deer populations are 10 times above healthy levels, the forests …
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…before it’s too late As we witness unprecedented efforts at the federal level to rollback regulations protecting our land, water, and air, it’s easy to feel powerless and lose sight of important opportunities to protect New Jersey’s environment through actions here at home. The battle to preserve the largest remaining privately owned forested parcel of land in the Watchung Mountain region …
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The bold vision that saved the Palisades and inspired a movement This year, we celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Palisades Interstate Park Commission – a pioneering model of environmental preservation. Long before conservation was a part of public consciousness, a group of determined citizens banded together to stop the destruction of the Palisades cliffs along the Hudson River. Their efforts …
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Being in nature is beneficial to everyone, but it’s especially important for kids. They may prefer to stay on their screens but getting children to spend time outdoors matters. According to the Child Mind Institute, most studies agree that kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. For children, …
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Lions? No. Tigers? None. Bears? Oh, yes! Black bears to be precise. New Jersey is fortunate to have a healthy population of these highly intelligent, impressive creatures that have been fascinating humans for thousands of years. So what are these furry neighbors up to round about now? We might imagine bears hibernating in a cave this time of year, soundly …
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Outdoor Power Equipment Helps Clean Up After Storms Chainsaws, generators, snow throwers, utility type vehicles (UTVs), water pumps, and other types of outdoor power equipment help home and business owners maintain properties and clean up after storms or weather-related emergencies. Home and business owners are urged to visit WeatherItBetter.com, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) hub for storm preparation, safe equipment usage …
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Twenty years ago, New Jersey made a critical investment in the future by passing the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act (Highlands Act). Governor McGreevey signed the Act into law in 2004, marking a major milestone in our state’s conservation and regional planning efforts. A companion bill at the federal level, introduced by Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) …
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Every year, New Jersey is visited by thousands of migrating owls. From Eastern screech-owls to long-eared owls, a variety of strange sounds echo throughout forests around dawn and dusk. In fall, one particular TOOT-TOOT-TOOT whistle excites bird enthusiasts throughout the state: the sound of the Northern saw-whet owl. Although Northern saw-whets are well-adapted to their surroundings in the boreal forests …
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Ever heard of a “sponge city”? Sponge cities are urban areas with a superior ability to absorb rainfall and prevent flooding, thanks to abundant natural features like trees, lakes, and parks – and good infrastructure design. As climate change brings warmer temperatures, and stronger and more frequent storms, “sponginess” is becoming an increasingly desirable city attribute. A recent study analyzed …
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Walk into nearly any grocery store, any time of year, and you’ll likely find fresh blueberries in the produce aisle. Many consider them a perfect fruit … sweet and juicy, delicious fresh or cooked, and packed with health-boosting antioxidants. If you’re among the many who love blueberries, you have a New Jersey woman to thank! Over a century ago, agricultural …
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It’s easy to take lands in their natural state for granted. An old forest or beautiful meadow in your town may have “always been there,” but unless the land has been permanently preserved, it may be built upon in the future. New Jerseyans seem to understand the wisdom of preserving land. Over the past 60-plus years, voters in the Garden …
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The species was named Alienacanthus malkowskii Polish scientists have discovered an over two-meter-long predatory armoured fish with an extremely elongated lower jaw in rock sediments from 365 million years ago in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. The remains do not resemble any other animals from the Devonian. A formidable, 2-3-meter-long predator with a jaw twice as long as the skull and sharp …
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From hummingbirds to hawks, and warblers to woodpeckers, New Jersey is home to hundreds of migratory and resident bird species. Our state’s location along the Atlantic Flyway means huge increases in bird traffic during the spring and fall migration seasons. Migrations are inherently risky, as birds undertake journeys of hundreds or thousands of miles with no guarantee of finding sufficient …
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New Jersey’s largest protected property, Wharton State Forest in the Pine Barrens, covers 195 square miles in Atlantic, Burlington and Camden counties. For perspective, it’s bigger than the entire land mass of Hudson County! Wharton is crossed by hundreds of miles of avenues used by motor vehicles, everything from highways to unpaved sand roads to single-track dirt bike trails. For …
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It’s easy to feel discouraged as we face the enormity of climate change and the mounting extinctions of plant and animal species. We may wonder: What can one person possibly do to help avert this unfolding catastrophe? Douglas Tallamy has a powerful message: Don’t give up, because every single person can make a difference! A New Jersey native and a …
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