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March 2015 Page 2 I SSUE F ORTY S EVEN BIRDING SKILLS WORKSHOP FOR VOLUNTEERS—A FUN & EDUCATIONAL DAY M ARCH 2 0 1 5 Story by Kathy Woodward, Friends Board Member & Volunteer; Photos by Jane Bell, Volunteer H i g h l i g h t s ery soon, many of our volun- Great Swamp Strike Team 4 teers at Great Swamp NWR will It’s More Than Just a Duck have a new Birds bar on their 6 V Stamp volunteer vest. The bars hanging from Red Knot Gains Protection 7 their Swamp Nature Guide pin are earned by participating in training on a Meet—Jim Mulvey 9 specific subject. Red-eared Sliders 10 On Saturday, January 31, 2015, 32 vol- unteers learned about birds and birding Board of Directors so they can interact with Refuge visitors with new knowledge and skills. Mike Elaine Seckler President Anderson, Director at NJ Audubon’s Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Susan Garretson Friedman Volunteer George Helmke covers the history of optics Vice-President taught how to identify many New Jersey Kathy Woodward birds. In the afternoon, Friends volunteer veterans to watch birds at the VA Hospital in Secretary George Helmke presented information about Lyons. Others will lead bird walks and build Laurel Gould the history and use of optics. Mini-sessions, awareness of the habitats at the Refuge. Treasurer led by volunteers, covered the practice of John Berry observation skills, eBird Trail Tracker, and a Mary Beth Hansbury said she really enjoyed discussion of field guides and bird apps. learning interesting tidbits to share with visi- Rich Dufort tors. “An interesting takeaway was how the feather fad in the millinery Randi Emmer industry decimated some bird spe- Karen English cies. This was responsible for early conservation efforts which eventu- Jim Mulvey ally led to the creation of the U.S. Larry West Fish and Wildlife Service.” Tom Ostrand remarked: “George's op- Walter Willwerth tics talk was fascinating. I had no idea that the forerunners of mod- ern binoculars were designed Laurel Gould nearly 200 years ago. It was also Editor quite an experience to hold the Role playing typical visitor interactions: Judy DiMaio (left) and German submarine binoculars—an 241 Pleasant Plains Road Kathy Woodward instrument clearly not very appropri- Basking Ridge, N.J. 07920 ate for birding! The presentation 973.425.9510 In order to earn this Swamp Nature Guide about the birding apps was all new and very www.friendsofgreatswamp.org Birds bar, each participant must volunteer at welcome to me; I didn't know there were so least five hours on an approved activity that many options available, and that they made connects people with birds. Several people so much information instantly accessible.” will help at the Great Backyard Bird Count, “It was a great team effort and lots of fun Printed on recycled February 13-15, 2015. Carl Woodward de- with nice folks”, noted Jane Bell, a committee paper scribed a potential project working with member and presenter. ISSUE 47—MARCH 2015 PAGE 2 GREETINGS FROM THE NEW FRIENDS PRESIDENT shop with participation by nance of native plant gar- 2015 promises to bring more Refuges from four states; dens, and donations of me- excitement and will provide our 15th annual Fall Festi- morial benches. A very suc- increased opportunities and val; the retirement of our cessful and busy year! I am need for volunteers, and for long time Refuge Manager, awed at the participation and funding resources. Some ex- Bill Koch; the huge cele- enthusiasm of our Friends amples: a new trail at the bration of the 50th Anni- volunteers and the support of Visitor Center, enhancements versary of the Wilderness our Friends members who at the Wildlife Observation Act including a visit from make all of this possible. Center, new ADA compliant U.S. Secretary of Interior, picnic tables and benches, Sally Jewell; the approval On a personal note, 2014 new scopes near the pavilion of the Comprehensive Con- was an educational and ful- and much more. servation Plan (CCP); the filling year for me as a volun- announcement of Great teer, board member and re- Although I have participated Swamp becoming part of a cently elected President. I with Friends for several years, Refuge complex and the continued my role as Vice there are many of you that I hat a remarkable appointment of our new Pro- President, volunteered in the have not met. When you see year 2014 was for ject Leader, Mike Horne. Visitor Center, and participat- me, please introduce your- Friends of Great ed in various Refuge projects. self. I hope to get to know W AND—so many other important In August I had the privilege many more of you in 2015. Swamp. As you recall it was the year of “50-50-15”, (50 projects in 2014 from our of attending Friends Acade- extraordinary volunteers! The my, a week-long training for Look for more updates from years a Wilderness and a me throughout the year… NWR and 15 years a Friends Strike team, invasive species Friends leaders which en- days, staffing at the Visitor hanced and broadened my Group); another successful and fun Volunteer Recogni- Center and Wildlife Observa- understanding and interest in tion event; hosting the first tion Center, building a new the National Wildlife Refuge Friends Peer-to-Peer Work- trail and observation plat- System. form, planting and mainte- FRIENDS ANNUAL MEMBER MEETING HELD DECEMBER 6, 2014 he Annual Member Meeting of Friends of Great The Friends presented Swamp National Wildlife Refuge was held at the Hel- a framed commemora- en C. Fenske Visitor Center on Saturday, December 6, tive 50th anniversary T2014 with 64 members in attendance. Wilderness poster to the Refuge which was Following an always interesting and enjoyable pot luck din- accepted by Deputy ner, President Susan Garretson Friedman welcomed at- Refuge Manager Steve tendees and called the meeting to order. Laurel Gould pre- Henry. sented the Treasurer’s Report and Susan reviewed the signif- icant projects and accomplishments for 2014. At the regular Decem- ber Board Meeting, the The following Directors were re-elected for two year terms: following officers were Wilderness poster by Monte Dolak Rich Dufort, Randi Emmer, and Elaine Seckler. New to the elected by the Board: Board, Jim Mulvey was elected for a two year term (Jim’s bio President Elaine Seckler; Vice President, Susan Garretson appears on page 9). Susan thanked retiring Board member Friedman; Secretary, Kathy Woodward; Treasurer, Laurel Jen Dawson and recognized Laura Nally, who is also leaving Gould. the board, for her ten years of service as a Board member. FRIENDS BOARD VOTES TO FUND FISH AND INVERTEBRATE STUDY he Board has approved 2014. These projects will aid staff in waterways. The study will be conducted $20,000 to fund a study of fish management decisions associated with by Frostburg State University, Frost- T and invertebrates in the Ref- Refuge impoundments by providing burg, Maryland. The Friends will be uge’s impoundments and streams. This current assessment of impoundment scheduling a Second Sunday presenta- new study complements the two-year habitat and the various types of wildlife tion when research results become waterfowl study that was completed in that utilize these wetlands and other available. F RIENDS OF GREAT SWAMP NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE — WWW.FRIENDSOFGREATSWAMP.ORG ISSUE 47—MARCH 2015 PAGE 3 REFUGE UPDATE WITH DEPUTY REFUGE MANAGER STEVE HENRY PLANNING mechanical and chemical methods. GPS reconnaissance was The Refuge’s Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) was also conducted to detect possible new invasions. The 2015 finalized on October 1, 2014 marking the end of a four year season will kick off in April and anyone with interest in inva- planning process that involved substantial public input. The sive plant control is welcome to join. CCP is a key document that will guide Refuge management Annual brushland management will start in early February for the next 15 years. The document is available online and with 15 acres targeted for treatment in 2015. Feathered can be accessed from the Refuge’s homepage. Many thanks edge and mosaic techniques will continue to be used to to all those who participated in this important process. further improve habitat quality. Spectra Energy, which owns several gas pipelines that BUDGET cross through the Refuge, has agreed to fund habitat res- In mid-December, the President signed omnibus legislation toration work at a historic bog turtle site. The work, which that funds most federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish & focuses primarily on invasive plant control, will begin this Wildlife Service, through the end of the fiscal year (FY). The spring and continue for three years. Refuge has not yet received its budget allocation but indica- tions are to expect flat funding in FY15. POPULATION MANAGEMENT The first portion of a two-year research project to develop INFRASTRUCTURE improved deer monitoring techniques and management Repairs to the Visitor Center exterior are nearing comple- models was recently completed. South Dakota State Uni- tion. Peeling paint was scraped, primed, and reapplied. versity graduate student Elise Berheim placed 20 baited Shutters were removed and are being repainted. Some trail cameras across the Management Area and monitored shutters were badly deteriorated and will be replaced. The deer use for two weeks. Elise will return in the spring to main door at the top of the ramp was replaced with a conduct visual surveys and will complete a second round heavy-duty steel door. Shingles blown off by Hurricane of camera monitoring next winter. Sandy were patched as a temporary fix until the roof is The Refuge also began a second round of deer browse replaced.
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