Lakes Benefit from Habitat Projects in New Jersey
September 24, 2008
The Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries completed four artificial habitat projects in 2007 and 2008 at Union Lake, Lake Lenape (Atlantic County), Hammonton Lake, and Penbryn Lake. These projects were made possible through partnerships with the Boy Scouts, South Jersey Bass Club Association, Hammonton Lake Water Quality Committee, and Atlantic County Division of Parks and Recreation.
Artificial habitat projects are well documented to be effective in increasing angler catch rates as a result of improved habitat. The Division of Fish and Wildlife has cooperatively worked with local-fishing organizations to enhance the habitat in many of New Jersey’s lakes, ponds, and reservoirs for years. The locations of artificial habitats have been mapped with GPS coordinates.
Other projects recently completed at Assunpink Lake, Stone Tavern Lake, and Mercer Lake (2006) were highlighted in the feature article, “Local Lakes Get Home Makeover.”
Descriptions of the most recent projects are as follows:
A lake habitat enhancement project was completed at Lake Lenape, Atlantic County on February 22, 2008. A total of thirteen individuals comprised of Atlantic County Parks staff, members of the Cedarwater Bassmasters and Bucketmouth Brigade Bass Club, and a volunteer from the local rowing association completed the project on a cold winter day. Park staff and the rowing association provided boats to deploy the habitat structures. Structures were placed in eight locations in the deeper section of the lake near the dam, which had the least amount of cover. A total of 300 discarded evergreen trees were dispersed at the six locations.
| Lake Lenape | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 27′ 24.0″ N | 74° 44′ 01.7″ W |
| 2 | 39° 27′ 24.6″ N | 74° 44′ 10.8″ W |
| 3 | 39° 27′ 23.0″ N | 74° 44′ 14.7″ W |
| 4 | 39° 27′ 20.0″ N | 74° 44′ 16.0″ W |
| 5 | 39° 27′ 15.7″ N | 74° 44′ 17.3″ W |
| 6 | 39° 27′ 15.9″ N | 74° 44′ 16.2″ W |
| 7 | 39° 27′ 40.7″ N | 74° 44′ 23.8″ W |
| 8 | 39° 27′ 44.4″ N | 74° 44′ 25.4″ W |
UNION LAKE
Tom Ritterhoff, a Boy Scout from Cape May Court House, NJ, was instrumental in the Union Lake project. The structures were deployed by fisheries biologists from the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries. Tom obtained all materials and built the structures with the assistance of members from Troop 65.
A total of 25 structures were deployed at two existing habitat structure locations in Union Lake. The structures were constructed from PVC pipe and plastic buckets and were placed in 10 - 12 feet of water. Warmwater fish species including largemouth and smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, and chain pickerel will greatly benefit from this
| Union Lake | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 25′ 01.9″ N | 75° 03′ 53.8″ W |
| 2 | 39° 24′ 25.5″ N | 75° 03′ 51.5″ W |
| 3 | 39° 24′ 42.4″ N | 75° 3′ 52.5″ W |
| 4 | 39° 24′ 58.7″ N | 75° 3′ 56.4″ W |
| 5 | 39° 24′ 58.7″ N | 75° 3′ 32.6″ W |
| 6 | 39° 24′ 45.5″ N | 75° 3′ 23.2″ W |
| 7 | 39° 24′ 20.6″ N | 75° 3′ 29.4″ W |
| 8 | 39° 25′ 27.4″ N | 75° 3′ 42.8″ W |
| 9 | 39° 25′ 29.7″ N | 75° 3′ 56.8″ W |
| 10 | 39° 24′ 8.8″ N | 75° 3′ 39.6″ W |
| 11 | 39° 24′ 26.4″ N | 75° 3′ 54.0″ W |
| 12 | 39° 24′ 19.9″ N | 75° 3′ 14.3″ W |
| BOLD indicates locations of new structures | ||
A lake habitat enhancement project was completed at Hammonton Lake, Atlantic County on May 13, 2008. Structures were placed in three locations in the deeper section of the lake. A total of 35 discarded evergreen trees were dispersed at the three locations. Phase two of this project, consisting of 30 additional structures constructed by a local fishing organization, will be completed during the fall of 2008.
| Hammonton Lake | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 37′ 46.4″ N | 74° 46′ 41.8″ W |
| 2 | 39° 37′ 46.9″ N | 74° 46′ 36.0″ W |
| 3 | 39° 37′ 50.5″ N | 74° 46′ 22.0″ W |
PENBRYN LAKE
A fisheries management plan was completed in 2005 for Penbryn Lake, and recommendations were made to deploy artificial habitat structures to improve the largemouth bass and black crappie fisheries. The Penbryn Lake project was completed through a partnership with Patrick Fuzer, an Eagle Scout from Mount Laurel. The project was completed on April 12, 2007. Eight scouts and three parents assisted with the project. The scouts provided all materials including evergreen trees, concrete block and rope. More than 190 trees were deployed in the lake. Locations were predetermined utilizing a bathymetric map, GPS, and depth finder. Structures were placed in 10 to 25 feet of water.
| Penbryn Lake | ||
| Site # | Habitat Coordinates | |
| 1 | 39° 45′ 59.3″ N | 74° 56′ 16.5″ W |
| 2 | 39° 45′ 57.9″ N | 74° 56′ 32.3″ W |
| 3 | 39° 45′ 53.6″ N | 74° 56′ 31.7″ W |
| 4 | 39° 45′ 54.7″ N | 74° 56′ 21.0″ W |
| 5 | 39° 45′ 55.0″ N | 74° 56′ 16.2″ W |
| 6 | 39° 45′ 58.1″ N | 74° 56′ 14.3″ W |
| 7 | 39° 45′ 59.1″ N | 74° 56′ 21.6″ W |
| 8 | 39° 45′ 58.4″ N | 74° 56′ 32.5″ W |
| 9 | 39° 45′ 57.8″ N | 74° 56′ 25.0″ W |
The staff of the Bureau of Freshwater Fisheries is continually working to improve fishing opportunities throughout the state of New Jersey and welcomes the input of independent anglers and of organized clubs.
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Great Texas Birding Classic Teams Award Conservation Grants
June 9, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas - Winning teams in the 2008 Great Texas Birding Classic have awarded their conservation prize money to fund seven habitat projects totaling $73,000 along the Texas coast. Touted as the world’s longest birding competition, the Birding Classic has funded a total of $651,000 for avian habitat conservation since it began 12 years ago.
Each year, winning teams allocate prize money to fund wildlife habitat conservation and restoration projects approved by the Birding Classic staff. This year’s event ran April 27-May 4. The competition is jointly hosted by Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Conservation prize money comes from corporate sponsors, team entry fees, community and individual donations, a Wildlife Diversity Conservation Grant from Horned Lizard Conservation License Plate funds and a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program.
“A number of conservation prize projects this year will help restore or improve land that’s already protected by local or statewide organizations,” said Carol Jones, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory education program manager. “A common thread among several of the 2008 projects is to remove invasive, nonnative plants and replace them with native flora that better support birds and wildlife.”
This year, the $20,000 top prize was funded entirely by revenue from the sale of specialty vehicle license plates bearing the Texas horned lizard image. Money from horned lizard license plate sales supports nongame and endangered animals and their habitats statewide, as outlined in the recently completed Texas Wildlife Action Plan. The Borrow Ditch Wetland Restoration Project at the Texas City Prairie Preserve is located within the high priority habitat of the plan’s Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes region and directly benefits bird species listed as priorities in the action plan.
Projects funded with prize money from the 2008 Great Texas Birding Classic include the following:
$20,000 Weeklong Tournament
Texas City Prairie Preserve, Borrow Ditch Wetland Restoration Project, Galveston County
Restore habitat to create coastal marsh and mud flats, providing shelter and forage for migratory birds at this Nature Conservancy of Texas site.
Chosen by: Reliant Energy Environmental Partners
Team Members: Bill Baker - Captain, Lalise Mason, Greg Mason, Tom Roberts
Sponsored by Reliant Energy
$10,000 Runner-up Weeklong Tournament
- Texas Ornithological Society, Sabine Woods Oak Motte Enhancement, Jefferson County
- Restore critical stopover habitat by planting live oak and mulberry trees to provide additional food and cover for migratory birds.
- Chosen by: ConocoPhillips Cranes
- Team Members: Tony Frank - Captain, Lynn Barber, Sheridan Coffey, David Sarkozi
- Sponsored by ConocoPhillips
$10,000 Energy Saver - Coast wide
- Frontera Audubon Society, Wetlands Restoration Project, Hidalgo County
- Restore wetland habitat by controlling invasive plants and planting native species beneficial to birds, wildlife and water quality.
- Chosen by: Weslaco Slice of Good Lifers
- Team Members: Wayne Bartholomew - Captain, Jim Booker, JD Cortez, Martin Hagne, Dan Jones
- Sponsored by Weslaco Chamber of Commerce
$10,000 Upper Texas Coast
- Texas Ornithological Society, Hooks Woods Motte Enhancement, Galveston County
- Restore critical stopover habitat by planting live oak, bald cypress, hackberry and mulberry trees to provide food and cover for migratory birds.
- Chosen by: Texas A&M University Galveston WildBirders
- Team Members: Susan Knock - Captain, Chris Roberts, Katie St. Clair, Emily Watson, Logan West
- Sponsored by WildBird
$10,000 Central Texas Coast
- Nueces County
- Restore habitat through Brazilian pepper tree removal and tree plantings at two Port Aransas sites-Joan and Scott Holt Paradise Pond and Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center.
- Chosen by: Zeiss LSU Tiger-Herons
- Team Members: Richard Gibbons - Captain; Phred Benham, Erik Johnson
- Sponsored by Zeiss Sports Optics
$10,000 Lower Texas Coast
- Gabriel Tree of Life Foundation, Warbler Rest Stop South Padre Island, Cameron County
- Restore native trees and shrubs to create more habitat for migratory birds in an area that is rapidly being lost to human development.
- Chosen by: Swarovski Roadside Hawks Two
- Team Members: Joel Simon - Captain, Nick Block, Father Tom Pincelli
- Sponsored by Swarovski Optik
$3,000 Lone Star Bird Award
- Friends of the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge, Coastal Prairie Invasive Species Control, Chambers County
- Restore habitat by controlling invasive plants like Chinese tallow on 350 acres of coastal prairie to benefit grassland birds.
- Chosen by: Vopak Vultures
- Team Members: Don Verser - Captain, Mary Ann Beauchemin, Betsy Black, Marcy Brown, Flo Hannah, Pam Smolen, Bo Verser
- Sponsored by Vopak North America
More information about the Great Texas Birding Classic is online.
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DNREC’s Landowner Incentive Program Now Accepting Project Proposals
May 1, 2008
The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Delaware Landowner Incentive Program (LIP) today announced a request for proposals from private landowners seeking to protect, enhance and/or restore habitat to benefit the First State’s species of greatest conservation need. Â
Projects may range from restoring or enhancing coastal plain ponds for tiger salamanders and controlling invasive species in bog turtle habitats, to establishing native warm season grasses for upland sandpipers and planting trees for Delmarva fox squirrels. Although LIP targets species of greatest conservation need, habitat projects designed for the target species almost always translate to benefits for a wide variety of species, including many game species.
Since LIP was established in 2003, 120 landowners have received funding and 1,261 acres of private property throughout Delaware have been protected, restored and/or enhanced. Eligible habitat management practices include grassland habitat management, reforestation and selective thinning, wetland restoration and enhancement and control of invasive species and woody vegetation.
Through LIP, technical and financial assistance is provided to landowners based on the practice used. Landowners selected to participate will receive financial assistance in the form of rental payments for lost agricultural income, and/or cost-share for habitat management practices. Â
Interested landowners may request a hard copy of the LIP proposal application and the request for proposal guidelines to be mailed to them by calling 302-735-3600 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Proposal applications and guidelines may also be downloaded from the Division’s web site at www.dnrec.state.de.us/dplap/
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Proposals should describe actions to be taken on the private landowner’s property addressing the management, protection and restoration of habitats to benefit at least one species of greatest conservation need. To obtain a list of Delaware’s species of greatest conservation need, please visit www.dnrec.state.de.us/nhp/information/SpeciesNeed.shtml, or contact Wade Dunning at 302-735-3600.Â
Completed electronic applications should be sent to Wade [dot] Dunning [at] state [dot] de [dot] us, or hard copies should be delivered in person or by mail to:
Private Lands Assistance Program
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
Landowner Incentive Program
6180 Hay Point Landing Road
Smyrna, DE 19977Â
To be considered for 2008 funding, applicants must submit one hard copy and/or electronic copy of their proposals to the Division by 4 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2008. Applicants are responsible for ensuring timely delivery. Any proposals received after closing date will be returned unopened.
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For more information, contact Wade Dunning, Delaware Private Lands Assistance Program, 302-735-3600, or Joanna C. Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
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