Monthly Archives: June 2009

Help Conservationists Count Bats in the Meadowlands

Little_brown_bats-1                                                                     Photo by Melissa Craddock

     Conservationists know a lot about the Meadowlands and its recovering environment, but one  of the missing pieces to the puzzle is an understanding of how many bats live in the Meadowlands, and where.
   Bats are key parts of New Jersey's eco-system, and they may be in peril because of something called "white-nose syndrome."  Download New Jersey Bat fact sheet.
   Each year, the state, in conjunction with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation, recruits citizen scientists to take bat surveys statewide, and this year is a great year to include the Meadowlands.
   Do you know where bats are roosting in the Meadowlands? If so, you can help by taking two bat surveys at dusk between now and mid-August.

   Download N.J. Summer Bat Count letter to volunteers 2009. 

  Download N.J. Summer bat count datasheet 2009.

  If you know of a bat roosting site but do not wish participate, e-mail us here. Likewise, if you wish to participate but do not know of a site, e-mail us, too. We’ll figure out something.


  

Al G. Bloom in DeKorte Park

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  Next time you visit DeKorte Park, you may notice algae floating in the Kingsland Tidal Impoundment.  
   We asked Dr. Francisco Artigas, head of the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute,  what was up with that,  and he said not to worry:

    "This is well known seasonal phenomena we experience in this particular basin in the Meadowlands."

   Click "Continue reading…" to learn more.

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Thursday Night: Meadowlands Talk in Little Ferry

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    Here's another Tuesday Teaser for you: Why are these scissors significant?
    The Meadowlands Commission's Jim Wright will give the answer during his free talk, "The Meadowlands — Past, Present and Future." on Thursday (June 4) at the Little Ferry Public Library. 

    The  6:30 p.m. show will include some great archival shots of the region, as well as some amazing nature photos taken in Little Ferry. 

     The show will run approximately one hour, including a question-and-answer session. The talk, part of the commission's year-long 40th anniversary celebration, is the last one scheduled before next fall.

   Click "Continue reading…" for details on the talk.

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