Photo Credit: Jean Epiphan Have you heard about all the benefits leaves provide to our landscapes? There are also many downsides to removing leaves. The wide-spread practices of blowing and transporting leaves degrade our environment and quality of life. They pose serious threats to human health, soil health, plant health, insect and ecosystem health, as […]
A hot topic and important environmental issue is the increasing prevalence of microplastics in our marine environments. Microplastics, which are defined as plastic particles smaller than 5 millimeters in size (Figure 1), are often broken down from larger plastic debris that find their way into our marine environments. There are many pathways by which plastic […]
Privet, Ligustrum species, is an invasive, flowering, deciduous shrub. Various privet species are commonly used as hedges in residential and commercial landscapes. Some privet species have spread into understory forests and roadsides and are considered invasive plants in New Jersey.
BLD causes rapid decline and mortality of American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and European beech (F. sylvatica); mortality can occur between 2 to 10 years depending on size. BLD is caused by an invasive nematode Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii, a microscopic roundworm that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Per- and polyflouroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been in the news recently due to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizing regulations for public drinking water systems. Health impacts of PFAS are also being reported after years of in-depth research. But what are PFAS? PFAS refers to a broad class of thousands of manufactured chemicals […]
Jetbead, Rhodotypos scandens Jetbead is an invasive spring flowering, deciduous shrub. It is available as an ornamental and spreads into understory forests and roadsides. Its attractive white flower starts blooming in April making it easy to identify this time of year. Jetbead can grow in both full sun and shade. Due to its tolerance of […]
New Jersey was predominantly forested for thousands of years until widespread clearcutting made way for agriculture and later, sprawling development. Currently, NJ has 40% forest cover from urban city shade trees to public parks, suburban canopies, small woodlots, and large preserves. About half of our current day forests are on public lands. The rest is […]
“It’s a bird.” “It’s a plane.” “No, it’s a glider!” “What’s a glider?!?” “An underwater robot!” Observing the ocean is inherently difficult whether it is close to shore or hundreds of miles from land. The ocean is so vast and it can cost more than $75,000 per day for an oceanographic vessel with a scientific […]
In December 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released their National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) report. This report presents the results of the 2018-2019 survey of rivers and streams in the 48 contiguous United States (Figure 1). It provides information on the extent of stream miles that support healthy biological communities and recreation […]
December Angelica Tree Aralia elata Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata) is an extremely aggressive, fast growing, deciduous tree that invades forest canopy gaps, forest edges, and right of ways. It is a heavy seed producer and once this tree invades an area it takes over quickly, forming dense stands (Figure 1) and suppressing native vegetation […]
