At 12 PM on Saturday we will offer a free 2-hour guided Jitney tour of Wildlife Drive. Lots of birds to see during fall migration! Please reserve your spot ONLY by calling the Visitors Information Center at 609-652-1665 during normal business hours (Wed-Sun 10-3 PM). Up to 14 participants per Jitney tour. This tour is provided by the Friends of Forsythe. Arrive early if you need to borrow our binoculars at the visitors information center. Donations accepted.
Evenings at Forsythe “Ecology, Biodiversity, & Conservation of the NJ Pinelands”, Forsythe Biology Team
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a big weekend of birding for nature lovers across the globe! Over 160,000 people in 130 countries participate each February to collect real-time data about winter bird distributions and abundance. Help us tally the birds at the Forsythe while contributing to real scientific research. This event is free but you must register by emailing watershed@marine.rutgers.edu.
Spend the day after Valentine’s Day learning about the seductive dance of the Woodcock from our bird walk leader Kyle Chelius. Everyone will meet inside of the Visitor Information Center for an orientation before heading out to the field on the back side of Wildlife Drive to watch the Woodcock walk. Free.
Evenings at Forsythe “Pinelands 101: A Walk Through the Pines” Joel Mott, NJ Pinelands commission
This lively free presentation at the Resource Room in the Visitors Information Center includes sights and sounds while taking the audience on an insightful virtual walk in the woods, familiarizing them with the flora and fauna of the Pinelands. The talk will also focus on the importance of water to the area while highlighting cultural and historical resources of the region. The goal of this program is to raise awareness, appreciation and further stewardship of the Pinelands by revealing this unique but fragile treasure. Free.
Joel M. Mott, Principal Public Programs Specialist – New Jersey Pinelands Commission,
Mr. Mott currently leads the Commission’s efforts to raise awareness and understanding of the Pinelands. Well-traveled with experience in both environmental and historical interpretation his career comprises a wide range of positions from park ranger to museum curator. He assisted NJN in their production of the award-winning documentary, Spirit of the Bay, about the traditions and heritage of the Barnegat Bay. In the past he also has held interpretive and forestry positions at several National Parks, Historic Sites, and Forests including: Beaverhead National Forest (MT); Big Hole National Battlefield (MT); Gettysburg National Military Park (PA); and Eisenhower National Historic Site (PA). Mott is an avid outdoors enthusiast who has also served as Chairman of his local Environmental Commission.
Project Nest Watch is a citizen science project through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology that aims to collect data on how birds nest. Anyone can participate! If you are interested in birds or wildlife then you are invited to attend a Nest Watch training and nest box building workshop at the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, February 22nd, from 10 am – 12:30 pm. Meet at the Visitors Information Center.
Free. You must register by emailing: watershed@marine.rutgers.edu.
“3 Billion Birds Gone Missing: How, Why, What Can Be Done” Panel discussion.
Dr. Adriaan Dokter of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and a NJ-based panel of conservationists will discuss the issues. Come learn about the avian crisis (one in four birds gone since 1970) and how YOU can help make a difference! The event is FREE but you must register at Eventbright.com under “gone missing”.
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ Biologist Larissa Smith presents a program on the NJ Bald Eagle Project. She will discuss the programs history from the 1980s, when there was only one nesting pair of eagles left in the state, to today’s population of 189 active pairs. Learn about these magnificent birds, their story of recovery and what research and management is being done today to ensure their future in NJ. Free. Resource Room at Visitors Information Center.
Back by popular demand! A fun family event. Last year’s star gazing event was such a success that the South Jersey Astronomy Club agreed to come back for a second year. This will be a fun night for all filled with wonder and amazement. Gates at the refuge are set to open at 6:30pm and we’ll have light refreshments.
Shari Kondrup from Brick Utilities is going to show you how you can have a beautiful and ecologically-friendly garden by using native plants that require less water than exotic plants. Free. Meet at the Visitors Information Center.
