Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Vote to Improve Habitat at Villas WMA!

[Red-headed Woodpecker, a state-endangered species and one of Villas WMA's specialties, at a prospective nest hole there this spring. Photo by Karl Lukens.]

The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ has a $50,000 grant proposal in with Redwood Creek Wines to improve habitat at Villas WMA, and because it is a competetive program, you can help. Simply go to the Redwood Creek Wines Great Outdoors Project Web Site, log in and vote for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ's proposal. You can vote multiple times, once a day, so go back often.

I've had a number of recent conversations with NJDFW Endangered and Nongame Species Program staff about management at Villas WMA, a.k.a the old Ponderlodge Golf Course. An excellent management plan is in place, and we've had discussions about how to tweak it to best advantage migratory birds and also Red-headed Woodpeckers. The woodpeckers require snags (standing dead trees) and open understory, and management for them will become part of the Villas plan.

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