| This project is a collaborative effort of New Jersey Audubon
Society (NJAS), and the New Jersey Division of Fish and
Wildlife's Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP). The data collected by volunteers will
be used for management purposes by the NJ ENSP Landscape Project
and the Landowner Incentive Program.
The purpose of this project is:
- To assess changes in abundance and
distribution of grasslands bird populations breeding in
New Jersey
- To determine how habitat and landscape
characteristics influence grassland birds so that we can
implement sound management strategies
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Why a grassland bird survey in New Jersey?
Grassland habitat in the Northeast has been
disappearing rapidly due to urban sprawl.
Grassland bird declines have been documented
in Breeding Bird Surveys fro New Jersey.
Less than 8% of land in New Jersey is in
cropland pastureland of 100 acres or greater.
However,
New Jersey has preserved 14% of its
farmland, a higher percentage than any other state, and is
launching a new Land Incentive Program.
2011 Grassland Surveys
CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
NEEDED!
Grassland
Survey 2011
We will start recruiting competent
volunteers to undertake surveys for grassland birds along
established routes and in managed grasslands, and to collect data
on bird abundance and habitat characteristics in February 2011.
Participants
must have some familiarity with grassland birds and be willing
to improve their skills! Each volunteer will be expected
to visit their study area 2 times during the period May 1st -
June 30, twice for bird counts and twice to record habitat
characteristics. Additional training in identification and
counting methodology will be provided by NJ Audubon Society in April
2008.
Contact:
Kristin Mylecraine
11 Hardscrabble Road
PO Box 693, Bernardsville NJ 07924
tel.(908) 766-5787 ext. 15 / fax (908) 766-7775
For current Grasslands Citizen Scientists
Results of 2005 grassland
surveys
For more information contact:
Nellie Tsipoura