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Wildlife Conservation

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NJ Waging War Against Spotted Lanternflies — With Cash NJ Waging War Against Spotted Lanternflies — With Cash
NJ Waging War Against Spotted Lanternflies — With Cash Communities across New Jersey can get help from the state to squash the invasive spotted lanternfly. The state's agriculture department says counties can apply for up to $50,000 to battle spotted lanternflies from 2024 to 2026. Municipalities can receive up to $20,000. Counties and municipalities can be paid back for chemical treatment activities to kill the invasive insects. Spotted lanternflies don't harm humans or animals but can hurt about 70 types of trees and plants. The agriculture department says many local governments took advantage of this grant program in 2023. “The expand…

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by Chris Spiker
News
‘This Is Our Legacy:’ 1,150-Acre Nature Preserve Debuts In New Jersey ‘This Is Our Legacy:’ 1,150-Acre Nature Preserve Debuts In New Jersey
‘This Is Our Legacy:’ 1,150-Acre Nature Preserve Debuts In New Jersey Rainbow Hill, a pristine nature preserve featuring an 8-acre lake, hiking trails, and farm fields nestled between Hunterdon and Somerset County, is officially open to the public. The New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJ Conservation) held the grand opening for Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve — located just 30 miles east of Bucks County, PA — on Friday, Nov. 3. The site spans 1,150 acres and includes woodlands, fields, and several freshwater tributaries of the Neshanic River. Meanwhile, there are plenty of opportunities for passive recreational activities like hiking, horseback…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Why Drones Are Putting Robots On Power Lines Across South Jersey Why Drones Are Putting Robots On Power Lines Across South Jersey
Why Drones Are Putting Robots On Power Lines Across South Jersey Have you wondered what those tiny UFOs are doing along South Jersey power lines? "Bird mitigation." In other words, setting up a system for scaring off birds that would otherwise be killed striking into or landing on the lines. The drones place tiny robotic devices on the lines. In the past, utility workers used to dangerously dangle from helicopters to accomplish the same tasks, according to the Wetlands Institute.  The "bird diverters" were most recently placed along the north side of Stone Harbor Boulevard, according to the Institute. In addition to sparing the birds from electroc…

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by Jon Craig
News
NJ Closes These Wildlife Areas To Block Partiers, ATVs, Illegal Swimmers: Report NJ Closes These Wildlife Areas To Block Partiers, ATVs, Illegal Swimmers: Report
NJ Closes These Wildlife Areas To Block Partiers, ATVs, Illegal Swimmers: Report Six New Jersey wildlife areas are being closed to the public for the summer to limit illegal behavior, NJ Advance Media reports. They have become problem areas for partying, all-terrain vehicles and illegal swimming, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The following state-owned land will be off-limits beginning Wednesday through Labor Day: Cedar Lake Wildlife Management Area in Monroe Township, Gloucester County; Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area (Two spots: Parker's Pit and Clay Holes, both in Ocean County);  Manantico Ponds Wildlife Management A…

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by Jon Craig
Obituaries
Prominent Morris County Photographer, Nature-Lover Jill Homcy Dies, 54 Prominent Morris County Photographer, Nature-Lover Jill Homcy Dies, 54
Prominent Morris County Photographer, Nature-Lover Jill Homcy Dies, 54 Jill Marie Homcy of Lincoln Park, a nature-lover who founded a massive Facebook page dedicated to wildlife, died on Sept. 30. She was 54. Born in Passaic, Homcy was a Montclair State graduate known for her love of art and nature, her obituary says. She worked as a Production Manager for Strategic Content Imaging, a digital printing company in Secaucus, for 13 years. Homcy was also known for creating and running a Facebook group called NJ Nature and Wildlife, which had more than 10,000 members to date. Her photography projects have helped raise awareness of local environmental issues, such …

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by Valerie Musson
News
Boaters Urged To Avoid Portion Of NJ River Where Humpback Whale Spotted Swimming Boaters Urged To Avoid Portion Of NJ River Where Humpback Whale Spotted Swimming
Boaters Urged To Avoid Portion Of NJ River Where Humpback Whale Spotted Swimming Boaters are urged to avoid a portion of the Shrewsbury River where a humpback whale was spotted Friday morning. New Jersey State Troopers from the Marine Services Bureau responded to the Route 36 bridge over the Shrewsbury River for the report of the whale around 9:25 a.m., police said. Additional NJSP officials arrived to assess the whale's condition. "Preliminarily, the whale appears to be healthy and feeding," state police said. "We understand it may be tempting to get close for a better look or picture, but at this time, we are advising boaters to avoid the area." Additional boat…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Deer With Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Bergen County Deer With Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Bergen County
Deer With Pumpkin Stuck To Head Rescued In Bergen County Recent reports of a deer roaming Upper Saddle River with a plastic pumpkin stuck to its head turned out to be true, said authorities who rescued the crippled creature on Tuesday. TYCO Animal Control officers based in Ho-Ho-Kus came to town and coordinated efforts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the New Jersey Division of Fish & and Wildlife to rescue the young deer, Police Chief Patrick Rotella said. "We'd been receiving calls from residents since the end of November reporting sightings of the deer," Rotella said. "Unfortunately we were unable to locate the animal. "We don…

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by Jerry DeMarco