NJ Audubon Public Meeting Sept. 13 In Fair Haven

FAIR HAVEN, NJ — Staff from the NJ Audubon Society will discuss their efforts at restoring the Northern Bobwhite and Golden-winged Warbler to New Jersey at the Monmouth County Audubon Society meeting on Wednesday, September 13 at 8 p.m.

The program will be held at the Knights of Columbus hall, 200 Fair Haven Road, Fair Haven. The public is welcome; admission is free.

This program will detail how NJ Audubon is working in conjunction with the Young Forest Initiative to help restore critical young forest habitat for the Golden-winged Warbler and Northern Bobwhite. The presenters are John Parke and Don Donnelly, both Stewardship Project Directors from the NJ Audubon Society. John Parke has been with New Jersey Audubon since 2005 helping to enroll farmers, landowners, and corporate entities into conservation incentive programs. John also designs and assists with implementation of numerous habitat restoration projects in the northwestern part of the state. John's habitat restoration plan design for the Verizon corporate campus in Basking Ridge earned Verizon the Governor's Environmental Excellence Award, and in 2011 John's work on NJ Audubon's S.A.V.E. initiative earned NJ Audubon the Governor's Environmental Excellence Award for Land Conservation.

Don Donnelly oversees the forestry initiatives being undertaken by NJ Audubon throughout the state, with a focus on ecological forestry at a landscape scale. He has 17 years of experience working as a forester for the Hunterdon County Parks Department, the U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station, and the Morris County Soil Conservation District, among others. Don's work has included all aspects of wildlife and natural resource habitat improvements, including invasive species management, wetland and stream restoration projects, and wildlife habitat enhancement. He is accredited by the NJ Community Forestry Council and is a Qualified Inspector for the American Tree Farm System.

The Monmouth County Audubon Society, a chapter of the National Audubon Society, is dedicated to the enjoyment and study of nature, wildlife conservation, habitat protection, and education. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month September through May at the Knights of Columbus hall, 200 Fair Haven Road, Fair Haven; guest speakers address a wide variety of nature-related topics, and refreshments are provided. In addition, the group sponsors at least one field trip per month, and members receive The Osprey, the club’s bi-monthly newsletter. Further information can be obtained by visiting the organization’s Website at http://www.monmouthaudubon.org, or via e-mail at info@monmouthaudubon.org.

Photo: Golden Wing Warbler/May 19, 2011/Source: Own work/Author: Tony Castro/Wikimedia Commons