New Jersey Audubon Society
Encyclopedia
The New Jersey Audubon Society is an environmental education and conservation advocacy organization. Founded in 1897, it is one of New Jersey
's largest environmental organizations, with 10 staffed nature centers, 34 nature preserves, and thousands of members throughout New Jersey and the world. It is an independent organization and is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society
.
New Jersey Audubon carries out this mission in a number of ways. Some of its recent conservation efforts have included working together with state and federal legislators to secure funding for wildlife conservation, trying to get a moratorium passed for horseshoe crab fishing in Delaware Bay in order to reverse the recent drastic decline in Red Knot
populations, inaugurating a network of birding and wildlife trails, and working together with sportsmen and property owners to preserve grassland habitats.
In addition to its conservation efforts, New Jersey Audubon aims to educate people about New Jersey's environment. Scout groups, school groups, and children in summer day camps all have the possibility to learn more about environmental issues and wildlife native to New Jersey through programs offered at New Jersey Audubon nature centers. Meanwhile, New Jersey Audubon also offers numerous lectures, tours, and programs to help increase awareness of the natural world for adults as well. Teachers can also benefit from professional development programs sponsored by New Jersey Audubon, as well as through publications such as "Bridges to the Natural World" intended to help introduce their students to New Jersey's natural heritage.
A third major focus of New Jersey Audubon's efforts lies in sponsoring research on New Jersey's environment and wildlife. Such research includes hawk watches at Montclair
, Sandy Hook
, and Cape May
to monitor long-term trends in raptor populations, using radar and other tools to identify crucial habitat for migrating songbirds under the "Oases Along the Flyway" program, and monitoring populations of breeding bird species in the Hackensack Meadowlands.
Finally, New Jersey Audubon also sponsors numerous field trips to various sites of environmental importance throughout New Jersey and beyond. Many of these trips are aimed primarily at birders, although trips focused on butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles and amphibians, hiking, canoeing, and caving
, among other topics, are also offered on a regular basis. New Jersey Audubon also sponsors the annual World Series of Birding
, perhaps the world's most famous birdwatching competition. Competing teams seek to find as many bird species as they can in the state of New Jersey, or a section thereof, on a Saturday in mid-May. The event also functions as a major fundraiser for New Jersey Audubon since competitors raise pledges for each bird species seen.
Due to its many successes in helping preserve New Jersey's environment, as well as its efficient and effective management, New Jersey Audubon Society currently enjoys a four-star rating (the highest possible) by Charity Navigator
.
1. Weis Ecology Center, Ringwood, Passaic County
2. Lorrimer Sanctuary, Franklin Lakes, Bergen County
3. Essex County Environmental Center, Roseland, Essex County
4. Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Bernarndsville, Somerset County
5. Sandy Hook Bird Observatory, Sandy Hook, Monmouth County
6. Plainsboro Preserve, Plainsboro, Middlesex County
7. Rancocas Nature Center, Mount Holly, Burlington County
8. Nature Center of Cape May, Cape May, Cape May County
9. Cape May Bird Observatory
: The Center for Research and Education, Cape May Court House, Cape May County
10. Cape May Bird Observatory
: The Northwood Center, Cape May Point, Cape May County
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
's largest environmental organizations, with 10 staffed nature centers, 34 nature preserves, and thousands of members throughout New Jersey and the world. It is an independent organization and is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society
National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation. Incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organizations in the world and uses science, education and grassroots advocacy to advance its conservation mission...
.
Activities
According to its website, the New Jersey Audubon Society, "fosters environmental awareness and a conservation ethic among New Jersey's citizens; protects New Jersey's birds, mammals, other animals, and plants, especially endangered and threatened species; and promotes preservation of New Jersey's valuable natural habitats."New Jersey Audubon carries out this mission in a number of ways. Some of its recent conservation efforts have included working together with state and federal legislators to secure funding for wildlife conservation, trying to get a moratorium passed for horseshoe crab fishing in Delaware Bay in order to reverse the recent drastic decline in Red Knot
Red Knot
The Red Knot, Calidris canutus , is a medium sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the Calidris sandpipers, second only to the Great Knot...
populations, inaugurating a network of birding and wildlife trails, and working together with sportsmen and property owners to preserve grassland habitats.
In addition to its conservation efforts, New Jersey Audubon aims to educate people about New Jersey's environment. Scout groups, school groups, and children in summer day camps all have the possibility to learn more about environmental issues and wildlife native to New Jersey through programs offered at New Jersey Audubon nature centers. Meanwhile, New Jersey Audubon also offers numerous lectures, tours, and programs to help increase awareness of the natural world for adults as well. Teachers can also benefit from professional development programs sponsored by New Jersey Audubon, as well as through publications such as "Bridges to the Natural World" intended to help introduce their students to New Jersey's natural heritage.
A third major focus of New Jersey Audubon's efforts lies in sponsoring research on New Jersey's environment and wildlife. Such research includes hawk watches at Montclair
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
, Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook, New Jersey
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit, approximately 6.0 miles in length and varying between 0.10 and 1 miles wide in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, along the Atlantic Ocean coast of eastern New Jersey in the United States. The barrier spit encloses the southern entrance of Lower New York Bay...
, and Cape May
Cape May
Cape May is a peninsula and island ; the southern tip of the island is the southernmost point of the state of New Jersey, United States. It runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean...
to monitor long-term trends in raptor populations, using radar and other tools to identify crucial habitat for migrating songbirds under the "Oases Along the Flyway" program, and monitoring populations of breeding bird species in the Hackensack Meadowlands.
Finally, New Jersey Audubon also sponsors numerous field trips to various sites of environmental importance throughout New Jersey and beyond. Many of these trips are aimed primarily at birders, although trips focused on butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles and amphibians, hiking, canoeing, and caving
Caving
Caving—also occasionally known as spelunking in the United States and potholing in the United Kingdom—is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems...
, among other topics, are also offered on a regular basis. New Jersey Audubon also sponsors the annual World Series of Birding
World Series of Birding
The World Series of Birding is perhaps the world's most famous birding competition. Participants try to identify the greatest number of bird species throughout the state of New Jersey, USA over a 24-hour period on a Saturday in mid-May. The event is also run as a fundraiser for bird conservation,...
, perhaps the world's most famous birdwatching competition. Competing teams seek to find as many bird species as they can in the state of New Jersey, or a section thereof, on a Saturday in mid-May. The event also functions as a major fundraiser for New Jersey Audubon since competitors raise pledges for each bird species seen.
Due to its many successes in helping preserve New Jersey's environment, as well as its efficient and effective management, New Jersey Audubon Society currently enjoys a four-star rating (the highest possible) by Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator
Charity Navigator is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. Its stated goal is "to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."-About:...
.
Nature Centers
The New Jersey Audubon Society operates ten staffed nature centers throughout New Jersey. Each of them offers an array of field trips, programs, lectures, exhibits on the natural world, a small bookstore and gift shop, and most have an attached wildlife sanctuary. The ten centers include:1. Weis Ecology Center, Ringwood, Passaic County
2. Lorrimer Sanctuary, Franklin Lakes, Bergen County
3. Essex County Environmental Center, Roseland, Essex County
4. Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Bernarndsville, Somerset County
5. Sandy Hook Bird Observatory, Sandy Hook, Monmouth County
6. Plainsboro Preserve, Plainsboro, Middlesex County
7. Rancocas Nature Center, Mount Holly, Burlington County
8. Nature Center of Cape May, Cape May, Cape May County
9. Cape May Bird Observatory
Cape May Bird Observatory
The Cape May Bird Observatory was founded in 1975 in Cape May, New Jersey, United States. The purpose of the Cape May Bird Observatory is to conduct research, encourage conservation, and organize educational and recreational birding activities...
: The Center for Research and Education, Cape May Court House, Cape May County
10. Cape May Bird Observatory
Cape May Bird Observatory
The Cape May Bird Observatory was founded in 1975 in Cape May, New Jersey, United States. The purpose of the Cape May Bird Observatory is to conduct research, encourage conservation, and organize educational and recreational birding activities...
: The Northwood Center, Cape May Point, Cape May County
External links
- http://www.njaudubon.org/ New Jersey Audubon Society homepage
- http://www.highlandsnaturalpool.org/ Highlands Natural Pool homepage