Ecological Preserve

With the assistance of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and Rutgers University Emergency Services, a controlled burn was undertaken Feb 21, 2013, on the large meadow interior to the EcoPreserve. This management action is part of a long term goal of restoring the ecological health and native species diversity to the EcoPreserve. An area of tallgrass meadow of approximately 1/2 acre in size in the interior of the Preserve was targeted. This controlled burn will have great ecological benefits…

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There is an over population of White-tailed Deer occupying the Rutgers Ecological Preserve. The deer are causing increasing damage to the plant life and causing a danger to vehicles traveling on the perimeter roads. Over 85 deer-induced vehicle collisions in the vicinity of the EcoPreserve have been reported to police between 2010-2012. Recent vegetation inventories conducted by Rutgers University faculty and students document a change in the natural ecological characteristics of the EcoPreserve when compared to studies conducted in the 1970’s….

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Superstorm Sandy on October 30-31 1012 caused a lot of blowdown timber in the EcoPreserve. Students in Natural Resources Management are undertook an inventory of the damage (see map above). We will be clearing the trails over the next several months.

Late in August, the trail crew spied an unusal wildflower, slender ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes gracilis), blooming in the large meadow.  Ladies’ tresses is a native wild orchid with white blossoms (with a green interior lip) in a  spiral along a twisted green spike of about a foot long.  When I checked today, the blossoms had withered but the basal leaves and spiral flower spike were still evident.  Photo by Daniel Torres.