Conservation of Tillmans Ravine and Stokes State Forest in New Jersey
In 1907 the New Jersey Forest and Park Commission
purchased 5,432 acres of land in the northwest corner of
the state and named it "Stokes State Forest" in honor of
Governor Edward Stokes who had 500 acres. Some of the
tracts included in the original purchases were acquired
for one dollar per acre. subsequent acquisitions have
slowly increased the total land area to it's present size
of over 17,000 acres. Stokes State Forest is managed as
a multi-use forest with the primary functions of
protecting the natural resources while serving the public
at the same time.
Within Stokes State Forest lies some of the finest
mountain scenery, clearist fresh water streams, and
natural scenic areas in new jersey. The area is enriched
with history, abounds with a vast diversity of flora and
founa, and offers many forms of recreational activities.
Stokes Forest is considered a Temporate Deciduous
Forest. Temporate Forests occur thoughout midlatitudes
where their is sufficient moisture to support the growth
of large trees. These trees drop their leaves before
winter, when temperatures are too low for effective
photosynthesis and water lost by evaporation is not
replaced from frozen soil. Many Temporate Forest mammals
also enter a dormant state called hybernation, and some
birds fly south to warmer climates. Virtually all the
original Deciduous forests in north America were
destroyed by logging and land clearing for agriclture and
urban development. This is one of the reasons why Stokes
State Forest is such a special place.
Within Stokes State Forest is a place called
Tillmans Ravine Natural Area. Natural Areas are Defined
as areas of land or water which have retained their
primeval character, although not necessarily completly
natural and undisturbed, or have rare or vanishing
species of plant and animal life, or have similar
features of interest which are worthy of preservation for
the use of visators. This is one of New Jersey's
picturesque natural areas and is visited by thousands of
people throughout the year. Taking any one of the trails
will lead down to Tillman Brook which originates from a
Runkle, J. R. (1981). Gap regeneration in some old-growth forests of the eastern United States. Ecology, 62(4), 1041-1051.
The Logging Industry vs. The Old Growth Forests of the Pacific Northwest and the Northern Spotted Owl.
Plants make up most of the Pine Barrens. For instance, pine trees such as the short needles, pitch pines, jack pines, long needles, yellow pines, and many others make up most of the pine forest in the Pinelands. Other trees include the pine oaks and the cedar trees. Due to the roots of these cedar trees, water in the Pine Barrens appears a brownish red color. This
There are 10 different ecosystems which are Pineywoods, Gulf Prairies and Marshes, Post Oak Savanna, Blackland Prairies, Cross Timbers and Prairies, South Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Rolling Plains, High Plains, and Trans-Pecos. The area extends into Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. “The terrain is rolling with lower, wetter bottomlands that grow hardwood trees such as elm, mesquite and ash. This region is home to a variety of plants and animals that like woodlands and shorelines.” (Texas Parks and wildlife, n.d.)
When people see new construction or a recently paved road, they often do not realize the sacrifice that was made to create these luxuries. Most people pass some form of construction on the way to their jobs or school every day. This simple fact sparks questions regarding what this area looked like before it was inhabited by humans. Illinois forests have undergone drastic changes in the decades since European settlement. Only 31 % of the forest area present in 1820 exists today. (Iverson Pdf) Tearing down trees to build new structures isn’t bad if done in moderation, in some ways with time and good planning its wonderful. However, anyone that hunts or claims to be an outdoorsman will relate to the incomparable feeling experienced when alone in the woods and far from the hustle of the urbanized world.
The area surrounding the Cuyahoga River is notorious for being extremely polluted and industrialized. An exception to this is Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This area has a rich history and has been used as a source of livelihood, industrialization, and recreation for centuries. This rural oasis takes up nearly thirty two square miles in northeastern Ohio and is the only National Park in the state. It became recognized as an official National Park in 2000 and before was known as the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves a rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River and serves as a contrast to the otherwise metropolitan setting.
We need to preserve natural resources, like water, trees, and headwaters in the Oak Ridges Moraine because they are vital to our everyday living.
Sandhill Cranes are known for their courtship dances and their distinct loud calls. According to Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, there are a total of six subspecies of Sandhill Cranes that are classified into two groups; the migratory and non-migratory. “The three migratory subspecies (Lesser, Greater and Canadian) are distributed across a broad breeding range in the northern U.S. and Canada as well as eastern Siberia, with wintering grounds in the southern United States and northern Mexico. The three non-migratory subspecies (Mississippi, Cuban, and Florida) have restricted ranges in the southern United States and Cuba (International Crane Foundation).” According to Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, the declines in Sandhill Cranes are due to forfeiture of wetlands, changes in its environment, and hunting. Over the years, the debate is whether or not to hunt the bird. It is important that we preserve the Sandhill Cranes because they are not game birds, they’re beautiful birds, and they have cultural significance in other countries.
I was raised in an ultra-conservative Pentecostal Holiness church in the Appalachian Mountains. There were snake handlers in our church. It was thought that it tested one's faith to pick up a poisonous snake -- God wouldn't allow it to bite you if you had faith. However, I was always afraid that to pick up a snake would greatly increase God's propensity to smite me via death by snakebite. I did not have enough faith. I've never encountered a miracle -- I've never had a dream come true. I therefore can't help but lack faith.
The Great Lakes are a chain of linked freshwater bodies on the northeastern border of the United States and Canada. They include Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior: hence the mnemonic HOMES. Currently, and for decades past, humans have exploited the Great Lakes for a myriad of activities including fishing, transportation and as a water source. In recent years, however, research has brought to the fore a pressing issue of conservation ethics. The issue is that of the increasing levels of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the Great Lakes. A 2002 study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) showed that residential, industrial and agricultural wastewaters in contiguous United States had low levels of a variety of synthetic chemicals such as human and veterinary drugs, synthetic hormones, insecticides and fire retardants (qtd. in Alliance for the Great Lakes). Research has linked PPCPs to adverse effects on wildlife and aquatic species. Accumulation of PPCPs, therefore, is a threat to the Great Lakes ecological balance and it must be curbed before the damage is at an irreversible stage.
The Blue Ridge Parkway runs 469 miles. Along the crest of mountains in the Appalachain chain. It connects two parks. Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The parkway starts in Virgina. And ends in North Carolina. Begun by the Works Progress Administration in 1935. The parkway was completed. Except for a section around privately owned Grandfather Mountain. Concerned about the enviornmental impact. The owner refuesed to allow any blasting on the mountain. It was 1987 before the final section, the Linn Cove Viaduct. Using the latest engineering technology. The viaduct goes around, not over, Grandfather Mountain. Those who drive the parkway. Are not bothered by the speed limit of 45 miles per hours. Driving slowly allows
Warsaw, Missouri holds the record for both the coldest and the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Missouri ("Missouri Facts and Trivia"). The temperate deciduous forest is home to unique ecosystems and plentiful wildlife and vegetation. The temperature and precipitation in this biome is not too high or too low, hence the word temperate in the name. The terrain in the temperate deciduous biome has a great effect on the adaptations of the living organisms in the area. Missouri belongs in the temperate deciduous forest biome because both regions have similar climate, locations, terrain, flora, and fauna.
The Western forests are drastically different from what they were like before the European settlement. In pre-European time, the forests were open and park-like with only 25-35 trees per acre surrounded by areas of open grasslands. One could easily ride a horse through the spacious forest. This, however, is not possible in today's forests. Today, for example the Ponderosa pine forests, have over 500 trees per acre, creating thick dense areas of trees, brush, and bushes (President Bush, 4). The pre-European forests were subject to frequent low inte...
1. What is the difference between a. and a. Destroying the habitat of different plants and animals, they no longer have a place to live. Their food sources and nutrients are taken away and have nowhere else to go. These organisms will die out and there will be a loss in the diversity of that ecosystem. That ecosystem can then start to crumble as the habitats are taken away and the plants and animals have no home.
Most people think they know a wetland when they see one, but the delineation of wetlands for the purpose of granting permits has proven enormously controversial. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an area is defined as a wetland when a combination of three technical criteria are met: Wetland hydrology (land that is saturated within 18 inches of the surface for more than seven days per year), Hydrophytic vegetation (a list of plants that will thrive in wet areas), and Hydric soil (mucky and peat-based soil). The continual destruction of these valuable lands is due mainly to farmers, oil and mining interests, and development groups (Russel, p.36). It is estimated that 30-40% of the original wetlands in the United States have been lost, and about 300-400,000 acres are destroyed each year (Hollis, p. 36). Recent concern has led to an increase in wetland restoration and creation to reduce the impacts of activities in or near wetlands, compensate for additional losses, and to restore or replace wetlands already degraded or destroyed (Nicholas, p. 39).