THE ISLAND BLUE PAGES: A Guide to Protecting LBI's Waters

The Island Blue Pages

A Guide to Protecting LBI’s Waters...

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Primary funding for the Island Blue Pages project was provided through grants from the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program and ReClam the Bay

and support from the Southern Ocean Chamber of Commerce.

Please visit our website for a current list of additional sponsors.

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2008 Board of Trustees Pat Mathews President John Nichols 1st VP Olivia Sheridan 2nd VP Mike Sandler Treasurer Lynda Harnish Secretary Gerri Aaron Norman Barham Lynn Billingham Herb Botwinick Stephen Cooper Samuel Gordon Barry Frankel Gerald Greenspan Carin Kirkpatrick Mery Kostianovsky Sandy Kuby Phyllis Lishnoff Adrienne Martin Ellen Meyer Diane Miller John Petralia Sally Potts Benée Scola Renee Weisberg Lifetime Trustees Herb Frank Steve Lishnoff Larry Robinson Sandy Slotnick Kenneth Stein Sandra Strine Alternates Alison Aaron Bud Berman Matt Burton Sandy Burton Rick Bushnell Executive Director Patricia Chamberlin

June 7, 2008 Dear Reader: The Island Blue Pages is our gift to the community.

This booklet was written so that you might understand what we now have come to know: Our Bay is in trouble and you have the power to save it. As you read the booklet, we hope you will be motivated to do something to save our Bay. The Island Blue Pages suggests what you can do. These ideas are based on careful research. Follow them and you will become bayfriendly.

Based on data gathered from our popular Science Saturday lecture series, the Island Blue Pages was produced by a group of highly qualified volunteers. More than 2500 volunteer hours have gone into the creation of this booklet. But it must continue to be a collaborative effort. We need your effort. We need your feedback.

Please tell us what you and your family are doing to help the Bay. Send an email to us at islandbluepages@lbifoundation.org.

We hope you’ll share the ideas in the Island Blue Pages with your neighbors and friends. Pass it on. Save Our Bay. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Pat Mathews President

609-494-1241

Fax 609-494-0662

Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences 120 Long Beach Boulevard, Loveladies, NJ 08008

www.lbifoundation.org

E-mail: education@lbifoundation.org

Patrolling Barnegat Walt Whitman, 1880 Wild, wild the storm, and the sea high running, Steady the roar of the gale, with incessant undertone muttering, Shouts of demoniac laughter fitfully piercing and pealing, Waves, air, midnight, their savagest trinity lashing, Out in the shadows there milk-white combs careering, On beachy slush and sand sprits of snow fierce slanting, Where through the murk the easterly death-wind breasting, Through cutting swirl and spray watchful and firm advancing, (That in the distance! is that a wreck? is the red signal flaring?)

Slush and sand of the beach tireless till daylight wending, Steadily, slowly, through hoarse roar never remitting, Along the midnight edge by those milk-white combs careering, A group of dim, weird forms, struggling, the night confronting, That savage trinity warily watching.

Table of Contents PAGE

Introduction

Protecting the Waters of LBI

4

Chapter 1

Surrounded by Water What you can do to conserve Water

6 10

Chapter 2

The History of LBI

11

Chapter 3

Understanding the Challenges

16

Chapter 4

The Ecology of Long Beach Island

20 24

What you can do for the ecology of lbi

Chapter 5

Clean Energy Alternatives What you can do to foster clean energy

Chapter 6 Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Controlling Soil Erosion

27 30

What you can do to reduce soil erosion

31 33

Landscaping for a Healthy Watershed

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what you can do to encourage Bay-Friendly Landscaping

41

Managing Hazardous Household Products

42

What you can to do To manage Hazardous household Products

45

What you can do to be a Bay-Friendly Boater

47 51

Chapter 10

Not Just for Kids

52

Chapter 11

Taking Action

56

What you can do in your home, Your yard, your boat, and your community

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Chapter 12

Responsible Boating

Where to go for Help Glossary: Watershed speak Resources and references

BE SURE TO FIND: Nontoxic cleaning product Recipes…………Page 46 Bay-Friendly Family & Business Applications…..pages 61-62 the Clam Trail…...…………………………….…page 68

64 26 66

Introduction

Protecting the Waters of LBI We did not inherit the Earth from our parents, We are borrowing it from our children.

Native American Proverb

If you look

down at Earth from outer space, most of what you see is water. Our planet is often called “the water planet” because 71% of its surface is covered by ocean. More than one-third of the world’s population lives within 60 miles of a coastline, and one in every nine people in the world is an islander.

Ask someone who lives on a coastal island, “What makes it so special?” Chances are, the answer will have something to do with the senses. It could be the smell of the fresh, salty air, the sound of the crashing waves, the sight of a lone sea bird over the glistening water, or the warmth of the unobstructed sunlight.

Geography shapes who we are. Live on an island and you develop an “island state of mind.” You pay more attention to the weather, to the heat of the sun, to the direction of the wind, and to the condition of the sea. Living within definite boundaries can be captivating. You know where everything begins and ends—and there is something reassuring about that.

Life on an island is beautiful, unpredictable, and sometimes threatening. Surrounded by water, you learn to both love and respect the sea. Islanders depend on the water’s pleasures—swimming, surfing, boating, fishing—or a meditative walk along its shore. Islanders are also aware of the dangers—the fierce storms, the floods, the vulnerability to destructive forces.

It’s all about the surrounding waters. People have found their nourishment from it; some have made their living from it; some depend on it for recreation and pleasure. The health and welfare of the water is essential to island existence today.

Long Beach Island Cross the causeway to Long Beach Island (LBI) and your senses fill up. One can’t help but take in the water view and a deep breath of salt air rising from Barnegat Bay. As LBIslanders, we get possessive about our little deposit of sand in the sea. It is our island, our Bay—and we are its guardians.

LBI is a barrier island, a long, narrow piece of land, separated from the mainland by a shallow bay that parallels the coastline. Barrier islands are found mostly along the eastern coast of North America.

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And as a barrier island, LBI is dynamic—it is always changing.

Storms and the nature of the sea have shaped this barrier island. Waves and currents remove sand from one part of the island and deposit it on another part. The constant tides transform LBI. The beach sometimes erodes and the bay sometimes fills in. Historically, great storms have had dramatic effects on the characteristics of this particular barrier island.

There is a charm and a culture to each island. Here on LBI, we have a sense of quiet casualness that dates back to early days. There is a slow pace and an appreciation for the beauty and power of nature. For all the conveniences we don’t have here, we are richly rewarded in natural amenities and peacefulness.

Life is obviously seasonal on this island. In the late spring, we have the return migrations—of birds and people. In the winter, there is a kind of cocooning that occurs, when we insulate ourselves. Fewer than 9,000 people make LBI their year-round residence. With the summer heat, the number of people swells to more than 150,000 visiting the various towns that make up the Island.

Old Barney In 1835, a 40 ft. lighthouse was erected at the northern tip of LBI. Mariners found the fixed, unblinking light quite inadequate for the rough, shallow inlet waters.

The tides eroded its foundation, and the original lighthouse fell into the sea.

A new, more stable structure was built in 1858. Standing a soaring 165 ft. high, it had a rotating light. A glass enclosure held the light mechanism that blinked every 10 seconds. “Old Barney’s” light could be seen by a ship at sea 25 miles away.

As LBIslanders, we seek out familiar sights and sounds—Old Barney Lighthouse rising up in the north, the squawking of gulls all along the shores. The cool breezes remind us that we are distinct from the mainland but connected by the water. We take for granted that our glorious Bay will be there for us. But, are we there for the Bay? We all need to become aware of the challenges to the health of our Bay. With this knowledge, we can help Barnegat Bay thrive. We can take action to protect our island and its waters before it’s too late. Now is the time. It’s our Bay—our responsibility.

LBI Neighbors The snowy egret (Egretta thula) is a member of the heron family that makes its nest in the trees. This medium-sized, long-legged wading bird can be seen walking along the edge of the water in the salt marshes of New Jersey in the summer.

They migrate south in the winter.

Snowy Egret Salt Marsh Runner

The snowy egret is about two feet in length and has a wingspan of about three feet. It has white feathers and a yellow patch of skin around its eyes. This bird differs from the great white egret with its black bill, yellow feet, and small size. The snowy egret runs after its food. It eats shrimp, minnows and other small fish, crustaceans, and frogs.

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Chapter 1

Surrounded by Water The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.

Jacques Yves Cousteau

Our Lives

and water are closely linked. Water is required for life to start and for life to continue. It is the most important nutrient in the world. We cannot live without it for more than about 100 hours.

Water (H2O) is a simple molecule of the two most common elements: it consists of just two hydrogen atoms attached to a single oxygen atom. It is transparent, odorless, tasteless, and everywhere. It is such an ordinary part of life and so commonplace that we often take it for granted.

The ocean loses and gains water in a never-ending process called the hydrologic cycle. The ocean loses water when the sun and wind lift moisture from its surface. Most rain and snow fall right back into the sea. Rain water and melted snow that falls on land runs into rivers flowing back into the sea. It seems to us that water is endlessly renewable.

Actually, only 1% of the world’s water is usable to us. About 97% is salty sea water, and 2% is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. Our water supply is a precious commodity. Fresh water and salt water, together, are extremely important to the story of Barnegat Bay.

SUN Condensation Precipitation

RunOff Evaporation

Infiltration

Groundwater

Hydrologic Cycle

ABOUT BARNEGAT BAY Ancient history is not always precise. While we can decipher early human history in the Barnegat Bay area from Native American tales and the ships’ logs of sea captains who passed by, we can only put together an incomplete picture.

The Earth sciences give us a more exact and comprehensive look at the formation of the lands and the flow of the waters in this area. Looking at the sand, gravel, and rock formations deep in the ground, geologists and hydrogeologists can determine the beginnings of this story.

We can go back to the giant Wisconsin glacier that covered the northern United States in the Pleistocene glacier age. The melting of this giant ice sheet formed the unique ecosystem of the Pine Barrens of 6

Do You Know?

The Kirkwood Cohansey Aquifer in the NJ Pine Barrens holds trillions of gallons of water—some of the purest water in the United States.

New Jersey. Within the NJ Pine Barrens is the Kirkwood Cohansey aquifer, with trillions of gallons of some of the purest water in the United States. This underground water dates back millions of years to the Tertiary and Quaternary ages. It is the source of our fresh water today.

Scientists looking at the Atlantic Coastal Plain have a theory about the age of our barrier island and its back bay estuary. They believe that when the last glaciers melted, about 15,000 years ago, sea level rose and flooded the shoreline. The rising waters carried sediment, minerals, and organic matter. This sediment was dropped into the shallow water off the coast. As it continued to build up, it became our barrier island.

Sail today into Barnegat Bay, through either inlet, and you encounter one of the most significant salt marsh ecosystems along the mid-Atlantic Coast. Here you can discover the wetlands, salt marshes, and tidal waters that have drawn people for centuries.

Barnegat Bay is an estuary—a coastal body of water, with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it that connects to the open sea. The fresh water comes from rainwater, rivers and streams, and the aquifers of the Pinelands and mixes with the salt water of the oceans. Our estuary, like others, is a special home to many species of plants, birds, and marine life.

Be careful as you navigate our Bay—it is very shallow, with an average depth of 6 feet. It’s a good size, about 72 square miles in its entirety. It is long (30 miles) and narrow (1 to 4 miles wide). Today Barnegat Bay is part of the InterCoastal Waterway, but a great deal of the Bay area is tricky, as longago sea captains and pirates discovered.

Our Bay is part of the Barnegat Bay Watershed, which encompasses all the land area in which rain and various rivers and streams drain into it. More than 500,000 people live within the Barnegat Bay Watershed, which includes nearly all of Ocean County. That population doubles in the summer.

Fresh water flows into our Bay, mixes with the tidal salt water from the ocean, and creates a back bay environment of salt marshes and tidal wetlands. This is an ideal environment for more than 150 species of birds and fish. We have resident and

Barnegat Bay Watershed In addition to the residents and visitors on Long Beach Island, the following areas also contribute to the health or deterioration of the Barnegat Bay Watershed: Barnegat Bay Head Beachwood Berkeley Brick Dover Eagleswood Freehold Howell Island Heights Jackson Lacey Lakehurst Lakewood Lavallette Little Egg Harbor Manchester Mantoloking Millstone Ocean Gate Pine Beach Plumsted Point Pleasant Point Pleasant Beach Seaside Heights Seaside Park South Toms River Stafford Tuckerton Wall

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migratory bird and fish species, especially estuarine fish, shellfish, and resident terrapins.

Salt Marshes of the Bay Salt marshes are a natural filtration system that removes pollutants brought in by the tide. They are also nursing and feeding areas for fish and wildlife. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Barnegat Bay an Estuary of National Significance on July 10, 1995.

Do You Know what these birds have in common?

Peregrine Falcon Roseate Tern Piping Plover Great Blue Heron Little Blue Heron Barred Owl Least Tern Osprey

Salt marshes and adjacent submerged vegetation areas provide habitat to numerous plant and animal species. These areas of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) beds are a critical part of a salt marsh ecosystem. They serve as the essential habitat for a host of organisms including mollusks, crabs, worms, fish, and waterfowl. SAV includes grasses such as eel and widgeon in beds, which are important for both energy flow and the nutrition of the estuary.

Living among the salt marsh grasses are many kinds of animals. Some of the animals that dig down into the tidal marshes include razor clams, quahogs, clam worms, and soft-shell clams. Other creatures associated with marsh life are various shorebirds, such as railbirds and ospreys; ducks, including wood-ducks and teals; reptiles, such as snapping turtles and diamondback terrapins; mammals, including raccoons and muskrats; and insects, such as mosquitoes and greenhead flies. Like the plant life, these animals have adapted to the conditions of the salt marsh including changes in temperature and tidal waters.

Despite their natural ability to adapt to tidal salinity changes and water conditions, marsh environments are fragile and adversely affected by human intervention and natural conditions. The birds of Barnegat Bay are good indicators of the quality of living resources in the Bay because they have high sensitivities to chemical contaminants, human disturbance, and the overall condition of the Bay. Some threatened

LBI Neighbors Colorful Bay Turtle

Diamondback Terrapin The northern diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys t. terrapin) is one of the most colorful turtles in the world. The northern diamondback terrapin lives and feeds in the Bay, especially among the salt-marsh islands. It nests above the high tide line on the west side of LBI .

The diamondback terrapin is endangered. The terrapin population has been severely depleted by land development along the Atlantic coast. Most dangerous to the terrapin are crab traps and off-road vehicles in their nesting areas.

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and endangered species here are the peregrine falcon, roseate tern, piping plover, great blue heron, little blue heron, barred owl, least tern, and the osprey.

LBI Neighbors Eelgrass: Lean and Green Eelgrass (Zostera marina) grows in shallow bays and coves, tidal creeks, and estuaries along the Atlantic coast. Eelgrass beds create an important environment for crabs, scallops, fish, and other wildlife. The long, bright green, ribbon-like leaves are often covered with tiny marine plants and animals.

Eelgrass provides food, breeding areas, and protection for many species.

It also prevents erosion. For eelgrass to grow, the water must be clear, to provide plenty of light to the plants. Eelgrass habitats are among the most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet.

What a thrill it is to catch sight of an osprey, swooping down from her high perch! Barnegat Bay is and has been an important area for osprey. Osprey nests are generally on platforms, in the salt marshes and marsh islands throughout the back barrier lagoon system. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) conducts an annual census of the osprey population in the Bay to record the number of nesting pairs and the fledglings’ success. Osprey populations in the region go down in number because of exposure to toxins, predators, and humans.

The health of our Bay is extremely important. As water flows through the wetlands and salt marshes, many of the pollutants are filtered out. This filtration process creates cleaner and clearer water, which benefits both people and marine life. Wetland plants and soils act as a natural buffer between the land and ocean, absorbing flood waters and dissipating storm surges. This protects us and our homes and businesses from storm and flood damage. Salt marsh grasses and other estuarine plants also help prevent erosion and stabilize the shoreline.

WHERE DOES THE WATER WE USE COME FROM? There are two basic sources of drinking water: ground water and surface water. Surface water is the water naturally open to the atmosphere, such as rivers, lakes, streams, and reservoirs. Ground water is water found beneath the Earth’s surface. Ground water, which comes from rain and snow seeping into rock and soil, is stored in underground areas called aquifers. Aquifers supply wells and springs.

LBI is part of the New Jersey Coastal Plain Aquifer System. Drinking water on Long Beach Island comes from several wells drilled into the ground that pump water out of the aquifers. One of the original sources of our aquifers is the Delaware River Basin.

These aquifers supply water to LBI: Piney Point Atlantic City Rio Grande Kirkwood Cohansey 9

The water that reaches the aquifers is generally much cleaner than the water of reservoirs on the Earth’s surface. Almost no bacteria live in aquifers. Many pollutants are filtered out as the water passes through the soil on its way to the aquifer.

The first artesian wells were drilled on LBI over a hundred years ago. Visitors and residents would take buckets to the nearest wells—usually at a Coast Guard Station. Pressure forced the water to the surface and a pump put the water into a tank. The first water tank was a wooden one, in Beach Haven, built in 1893.

WHERE DOES THE WATER WE USE GO? When we use fresh water in our homes and businesses, it goes down the drains, through the sewer system, and is pumped to the Southern Water Pollution Control Facility (SWPCF) in Manahawkin. This secondary wastewater treatment facility is part of the Ocean County Utilities Authority, which treats 20 million gallons of wastewater a day. On average, more than 90% of the pollutants are removed before the treated water is discharged to the Atlantic Ocean through an outfall pipe. The water ends up about a mile from shore, over 40 feet deep.

But that is just the water we use inside. It’s a different story for all other used water. Garden water, outdoor shower water, water that runs into the streets all go directly back into the Bay. Our Bay!

What you Can do To conserve Water

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•

Water gardens only when needed.

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Take shorter showers.

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Run dishwashers and washing machines only when full.

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Don’t let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth.

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Repair leaks. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day!

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Use a rain barrel to capture water from a downspout.

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Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation for trees and plants.

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Use a broom to clean your walkways, not a hose.

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Take your vehicle to a car wash that recycles its water.

Chapter 2

The History of LBI All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was.

Toni Morrison

From the original

Native American communities, to early settlements of whalers and fishermen, to resort communities, all LBI visitors have lived by the seasons and capriciousness of the sea. This is one thing that all the towns of LBI have in common. A respect for the Bay and sea goes back to olden times on LBI. The history of LBI has always been tied to the ebb and flow of the surrounding waters. People have always been attracted to the sea. With tall cedars, large protective dunes, and fresh water from the Pineland aquifers, it’s no surprise that there is a long history of people coming to the Island.

The Lenape The earliest visitors to Long Beach Island were the Native American Lenape. The Lenni Lenape were one of many nations belonging to the great Algonquins. Living mostly in the forests of western New Jersey, the Lenape were a migrating people. In the spring, they planted gardens in their home villages. In the summer, they traveled to the shore for fish, clams, and oysters. In the fall, they went back to their villages in the woods for the harvest.

Lenape trails crossed the state from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean. The Lenape called this land Scheyechbi, which means longland-water. Small groups of Lenape lived here all year, but in the warm season, many thousand more would travel to the coast. They traveled from their inland forest homes toward the rising sun. Fish was an important part of their diet.

The coastal Lenape were called Unalachtigo— people who live by the ocean. They had awe and respect for the Ocean, which they called the big water where daylight appears, and considered it spiritual and sacred. The Lenape who lived along the coast, from the Mullica River north

Lenape Legend The Turtle is an important symbol of Lenape spirituality. The Lenape creation myth maintains that Kishelemukong, the Creator, brought a turtle up from the ocean. It grew into an island (North America). The first men and women sprouted from a tree on the turtle’s back. A great serpent sent a flood across the land. The whole earth was submerged, but a few people survived.

Honorable Lenape got to safety on the back of a giant turtle. The turtle swam to a spot of dry land.

For the Unami clan of the Lenape who lived on LBI, the turtle was especially significant.

It was their totem, a symbol of the great original turtle that bore the world on its back.

Like the turtle, which carries its home on its back, the Lenape were at home anywhere.

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to Manahawkin, were the Unami. Their totem symbol was the turtle. The Turtle was considered a great spirit.

The Lenape traded among themselves and with other tribes in the Northeast, through a system of barter. The principle means of barter was wampum, which largely consisted of ornamented handmade belts of crafted purple and white mollusk shells called quahog.

At the end of each summer, the Lenape gathered for Big Sea Day, a grand celebration, before returning to the mainland and their forests to the west. The Europeans discovered the allure of Long Beach Island in the early 1600s. By 1750, almost all the Lenape were gone from New Jersey.

European discovery of LBI In 1614, Dutch sea Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, on his ship the Fortuyn, happened upon the northern end of Long Beach Island. He encountered the very rough tides and dangerous shoals of the northern inlet. He named the area “Barende-gat” (Barnegat), inlet of the breakers. Captain Mey called the inlet at the southern end of the barrier island Eyre Haven (Egg Harbor).

The first European settlers were whalers and fishermen who set up temporary outposts around Barnegat Inlet. Later, whaling stations were established in the Great Swamp (Surf City) and Harvest Cedars (Harvey Cedars) areas. The whalers’ families soon made the Island their permanent home.

LBI Neighbors

Shipwrecks off LBI With all its allure and beauty, there is a tragic part to Long Beach Island history. The many fierce storms, dangerous shoals, and strong tides have made LBI a dangerous place for ships. The coast is dotted with the remains of many ships. Although Barnegat Inlet was one of the most dangerous and treacherous along the coast, a lighthouse was not constructed until 1835.

LBI was in the midst of two busy shipping routes – to and from New York, and from Europe to America. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, shipwrecks along our shores were a fairly common occurrence. At times, stormy northeastern winds blew strongly against the beaches. The Island’s sandbars and shoals made ships vulnerable to grounding and tearing apart. Some people even made a living selling the goods they found after a shipwreck.

Eastern Oyster: Muscular Mollusk The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is a bivalve mollusk which lives in shallow, brackish water, like the salt marshes of Barnegat Bay. An oyster is a shellfish with two rough shells that hook together at one end and surround a soft body. Oysters have strong muscles that hold the shells shut. They breathe much as fish do, using both gills and mantle. Oysters like to stay together in beds.

An oyster is a filter feeder that is able to withstand a wide range of temperatures. Eastern oysters feed on plankton and algae. They suck in water and filter out the plankton. Because they clean the water around them and get rid of pollution, they have important environmental value.

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Barnegat Pirate Legend The Barnegat pirates roamed the dangerous inlet—unfamiliar to sailors new to the area—waiting for shipwrecks to occur. They would strip the ships of all their valuables. Sometimes, they would lure the ships—by deception. To fool a ship, the pirates would walk the coastline with lights hung on the necks of mules. The captain of a ship at sea would believe that another ship was sailing in safe territory. He would then run aground on the treacherous shallow waters close to the island, leaving treasures to be scooped up by the Barnegat pirates.

North Atlantic Greenland Right whales were once plentiful off the shores of LBI. They were called right whales because, when spotted from a wooden tower on the beach, they were the “right” ones to go after. The whales were easy to recognize because of calluses on their heads and a broad back without a dorsal fin. The right whale was a slow swimmer; 40% of its body weight was blubber. About 50 feet long, right whales had more valuable whale oil to harvest than other types of indigenous whales.

Coastal whaling was an exciting and dangerous job. When a whale was spotted from the shore, one would hear a cry of “whale off.” Men would launch small wooden boats into the surf, row out to chase the whale down, and kill it with harpoons. The huge mammal was towed back to shore, cut up, and melted down for whale oil. This type of whaling lasted more than 100 years—until whales disappeared from the ocean off LBI.

The Baymen For early Barnegat Bay settlers oystering, clamming, crabbing, and fishing became a way of life. The first people here, the Lenape, harvested oysters and either prepared them for eating or preserved them for winter use. At the end of the American Revolution, oysters became a chief export from Barnegat Bay. “Farming” the eastern oyster was big business, especially in the 1800s.

The shallow waters of Barnegat Bay also provided a livelihood for clammers. Treading with bare feet and retrieving the clams with their toes, the clammers brought bushel basketfuls to market. More clams could be farmed by “chugging” with clam rakes from behind a slowly moving boat.

Some Baymen were fishermen, too, of course. Eel, herring, weakfish, bluefish, and striped bass were plentiful. In the surf, fish were caught in fish pounds. These were nets strung between poles about 100 feet off the surf beaches. Fish would swim into the nets. A few times each day, men would ride through the surf out to the nets in wooden boats, similar to those lifeguards use today, to collect their catch.

Salt hay Harvesting salt hay and eelgrass became another Barnegat Bay trade for early settlers. Salt hay grasses grow above the water level of the Bay, in decomposed sedge areas.

This slender, sinewy, hay-like crop was found in the upper areas of the marsh. It grew 1 to 2 feet high and was great feed for cattle and other livestock.

The wide variety of uses for salt hay made it a valuable crop for the early settlers. Besides cattle and horse feed, it was used for fertilizer and mulch. Cutting, raking, baling, and transporting salt hay from the salt marshes was difficult work. But there was plenty to be found here.

Three tons of salt hay per acre could be harvested twice during the growing season.

In the 1800s, eelgrass and salt hay were used as insulation and for stuffing mattresses and other furniture.

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With the arrival of the railroad in the late 1880s, there was a surge in the pound fishing industry on LBI. Trains were used to take the fish to market on the mainland. Pound fisheries were most active in the 1920s and 1930s.

Early Resorts and Vacationers The Barnegat Bay area remained mostly unpopulated until the 18th century. On the mainland, Tuckerton became an established port of entry for the United States, and also a fishing village and shipbuilding site. It became a popular embarkation point for many Quakers from communities in western New Jersey and Pennsylvania who wished to visit “18 Mile Beach” across the Bay. In the early 1800s, regular stagecoach routes were started through the Pine Barrens. Baymen sailed passengers over to LBI from Tuckerton and Manahawkin.

The quiet and informal atmosphere of Long Beach Island began with its first vacationers, Quaker families, and continued as boarding houses and resorts were built.

The Philadelphia Company House (later, Bond’s Long Beach House) was built at the southern tip of LBI, and the Mansion of Health, in The Great Swamp area (Surf City). Archelaus Pharo started a steamboat ferry service to LBI and then decided to buy his own boarding house, The Parry House of Beach Haven.

The Barnegat Inlet area, at the north end of the Island, attracted many hunters and fisherman. Herring House (later the Ashley House) was built for these visitors from New York and Philadelphia.

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In The Lenape language, this area of New Jersey was known as Scheyechbi, which means long-land-water.

Here are some other Lenape words: Amochol: Ehes: Gokhos: Kittahikan: Lekau: Lenni Lenape: Manatah: Meechgalanne: Pakoango: Schajahikan: Tschimakan: Tsquall: Unalachtigo: Woapalanne: Zeewanhacky:

canoe, boat mussel, clam owl great sea, ocean sand the real people island hawk turtle seashore paddle, oar frog people living by the ocean bald eagle place of shells (the coast)

Before the establishment of lifesaving stations in the 1870s, early hotels like the Harvey Cedars Hotel and Double Jimmie’s in Loveladies often functioned as temporary shelters for shipwreck victims. In 1871, Congress funded establishment of the United States Life Saving Service. “Red Houses” were built all along the Atlantic Coast to house paid crews. Stations were placed in six communities on LBI. The 1870s and 1880s saw a great deal of growth in the resort business on LBI. Large hotels sprouted up and down the Island. These hotels had hundreds of rooms. In Beach Haven, The Hotel Baldwin and the Engleside were built.

The Sunset Hotel and the Oceanic Hotel were constructed in Barnegat City, at the north end of the Island.

Before the late 1800s, the only way to travel to Long Beach Island was by boat: paddle wheel steamboats, large catboats, and sailboats. In 1886, a railroad bridge provided train access and tourism boomed.

The first automobile bridge to LBI, the Manahawkin causeway, opened in 1914. Originally, it was a very slow drawbridge. One can imagine the traffic backups in those days!

As the roads improved and car ownership increased, the need for the train disappeared and the railroad bridge fell into disrepair. The family automobile and family vacation became a phenomenon.

In the 1950s, the creation of the Garden State Parkway changed everything. LBI became a pre-eminent tourist destination, and the Island saw a major increase in construction and housing development. Increased development meant the disappearance of natural open spaces.

Many areas of wildlife and natural beauty are long gone from our Island.

Now we are at a juncture in the history of LBI. One way takes us down a foggy path of negligence and disrespect for the balance of nature. The other route leads us to thoughtful and considerate actions that conserve the beauty of our Island and our Bay. We have a choice about which direction to go.

LBI TOWN NAMES Only 18 miles long, LBI has many different communities. Here are some of the more interesting town name derivations: Barnegat Light – Captain Mey, a Dutch explorer, first called the area Barende-gat—breaking inlet. Barnegat City became Barnegat Light after the first lighthouse was built.

Beach Haven – Early visitors came to this planned resort community as a haven from their mainland hay fever allergies. Some called the village Beach Heaven, then settled on the name Beach Haven.

Harvey Cedars – Originally the area was covered with cedar trees and many locals harvested salt hay for a living.

At some point, the name evolved from Harvest Cedars to Harvey Cedars.

Loveladies – The U.S. Lifesaving Station #114 was known as Lovelady’s Station, for Thomas Lovelady, a local sportsman and landowner. Long Beach Park, the last developed area on LBI, reverted to its original name, Loveladies.

Ship Bottom – In the early 1800s, there was a shipwreck off the beach. A ship was found upside down with one survivor inside.The place of the shipwreck and rescue became Ship Bottom.

Surf City – A hurricane in 1821 changed the natural boggy landscape of the area known as The Great Swamp.

It then became Long Beach City and eventually Surf City.

It’s time to save our Bay 15

Chapter 3

Understanding the Challenges When the well is dry, we know the value of water.

Benjamin Franklin

Barnegat Bay

is a beautiful water environment that supports a unique and rich habitat of plant and wildlife species. We can no longer take this fragile ecosystem for granted.

Changes in the life of the Bay are resulting in habitat loss and deterioration of water quality. We have tampered with nature, and the consequences present us with significant challenges.

Both point and non-point sources (NPS) of pollution affect the Bay. Operation of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, an example of point source pollution, is responsible for low-level radioactive waste, thermal discharges, and increased mortality of organisms. The biggest problem influencing the health of our Bay today is called non-point source pollution because it comes from many different sources. NPS pollution is mainly caused by rain and snow runoff encountering and picking up pollutants. This polluted water ends up in our rivers, wetlands, and coastal waters.

NPS pollution is often called “people pollution” because it results mostly from people’s everyday activities and household habits.

Even the ways people landscape can cause this problem. By using impervious landscape-cover like cement driveways and nonporous pavers, ground water is prevented from being absorbed and filtered in the sand and soil. Impervious surfaces cause NPS water pollution problems by repelling water and allowing pollutants to be washed into the Bay in storm water runoff.

Pesticides and Fertilizers Pesticides and fertilizers in storm water runoff are a major source of contamination. The number one culprit is nitrogen—too much nitrogen. Although nitrogen is a nutrient for plants, too much nitrogen-loading of the Bay estuary results in severe problems for plant and marine life. Nitrogen is a main ingredient in fertilizer, and it has the same effect in water that it does on land: it makes plants grow. In the Bay, it causes unwanted algae blooms so thick that they shade—and kill—the sea grass beds below. As the algae die, they decay and rob the water of oxygen. This process is called eutrophication. They also prevent sunlight from penetrating the water. Inevitably, submerged vegetation, deprived of light, is lost. Fish and shellfish that depend on sea grasses for food, shelter, and oxygen leave the area or die.

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Air Pollution Air pollution also affects the health of the Bay by adding to the nitrogen-loading of the water. The source of this air contamination is the burning of fossil fuels used to power cars, trucks, boats, farm equipment, and industry. About 54% of the nitrogen (3.2 million tons) emitted by the burning of fossil fuels falls into U.S. watersheds every year. When the contaminants fall from the sky into our waters, either as rain or snow or dry particles, it is called atmospheric deposition.

The Nitrogen Cycle When nitrogen gets into the Bay, it can’t get out easily. Because of the small exchange ratio of Bay water in each tidal cycle, a complete turnover takes about 70 days. Because Barnegat Bay takes so long to completely flush out, it is especially susceptible to nitrogen-loading.

Impacting the Waters Many everyday products we use in our cars, on our boats, and at home are poison to the Bay. Trash and marine debris pose danger to the animals in the Barnegat Bay system. Even something as “natural” as animal waste can upset our waters.

When motor oil, pet waste, trash, and other pollutants are not disposed of properly, they are washed by rain into storm drains and flow directly into the Bay. During storms and severe high tides, LBI storm drains back up and leave considerable pollution floating around.

What goes down storm drains is a problem in our Barnegat Bay community. They collect gasoline and oil, cigarette butts, and lots of other harmful substances. LBI is one area that has put warning signs on storm drains. You can see this program in action—just look at the signs. They are there to remind you that everything ultimately ends up in our Bay. Marinas and boating activities can also contribute to NPS pollution. The wakes produced by boats and personal watercraft (jet skis) can erode shorelines, disturb sensitive shoreline vegetation, and degrade fish and wildlife habitats. Birds scared off their nests by the noise of a nearby motor may not return to 17

fledge their dependent chicks. Marine life are known to ingest or become entangled in debris that has been thrown overboard. Unfortunately, plastic pieces and plastic bags are often mistaken for food by fish, turtles, and other animals. Chemicals used to maintain and repair boats, such as solvents, oils, paints, and cleansers, may spill into the water or make their way into the Bay. As little as one quart of oil or gasoline can contaminate up to 250,000 gallons of water.

Overdevelopment Many natural phenomena threaten the health of the bays and coastal wetlands. Storms, erosion, invasion of foreign types of plant species that try to push out native wetland plants are among them. Typically, the environment adjusts to such natural hazards.

Doctor, Doctor

How do we know when our Bay is healthy

?

• • • • • • •

The water is clean and clear.

Native plant life grows abundantly.

Invasive species are controlled.

The wetlands are pollution-free.

There’s no habitat loss.

Eelgrass beds are thriving.

The marine life population is growing.

Deterioration of Barnegat Bay’s natural estuarine environment and water quality is directly related to overdevelopment. It has caused habitat loss and pollution, and impairs the natural ability of the wetlands to purify and filter the waters of the Bay. Wetlands also have the ability to migrate farther inland to accommodate sea-level rise. But, with development of waterfront properties and bulkheading, there’s no place for the wetlands to go, and they can “drown,” which means all of their potential benefits are lost.

According to the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP), during the 1990s the municipalities surrounding Barnegat Bay reported population growth and development that on average exceeded 20% per year. Boat traffic in Barnegat Bay has also grown, raising concerns about its impact on the Bay’s water quality.

LBI Neighbors Summer Flounder: Chameleon Flatfish The summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), or fluke, is a flatfish found in coastal waters from the southern Gulf of Maine to Florida. Like other species of flatfish, a fluke has both eyes on one side of its head and rests on the ocean floor on its side. This is a very active, fast-growing predator fish. Flounder feed on smaller fish of various sorts, on squid, crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans as well as on smallshelled mollusks, worms, and sand dollars.

Summer flounder are called the chameleons of the sea because of their ability to change color to match the bottom on which they lie. It takes them only an instant to bury themselves up to their eyes in the sand. Generally they are white below and darker above, but they can turn various shades of gray, blue, green, orange, and almost black.

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There are two things we need to think about when it comes to our fresh and salt water—keeping them clean and conserving them. New Jersey receives an average of 44 inches of precipitation annually, much of which is lost as a source of drinking water because impervious surfaces prevent it from getting back into the ground and aquifers.

Water should not be wasted at any time. Water conservation reduces stress on the aquifers, the watershed ecosystem, and the water supply.

A Healthy Bay Quality of life on LBI depends on a healthy Barnegat Bay. How can we tell whether the Bay is healthy? Like humans with an illness, there are symptoms when the Bay is not doing well. The clear water gets cloudy and murky.

Algae blooms color the water red or brown. The shellfish populations are down. There are new eruptions of stinging sea nettles. One of the best barometers of the health of the Bay is the sea grass, which is also called submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV).

SAV beds are the sentinels of the Bay. Not only do they protect bay life, they are the most sensitive indicators of the health of the Bay. SAV depends on good water visibility. As Barnegat Bay waters become more turbid, there is less light for photosynthesis. Reduced photosynthesis also means there is less oxygen available for marine life. Unfortunately, SAV is declining.

ALL ABOUT NITROGEN Nitrogen is an element that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is not only in all living organisms, it is essential for life and growth.

Nitrogen is in water and soil as part of the nitrogen cycle. Most of the air we breath is nitrogen. Because everything needs it, it is essential for nitrogen to be on the Earth.

Unfortunately, too much nitrogen causes problems.

Humans are unbalancing the global nitrogen cycle. Our activities have at least doubled the amount of nitrogen available for uptake by plants. In other words, we are overfertilizing the Earth.

Nitrogen-loading is causing fundamental damage to our ecosystems. Rising nitrogen loads have led to unwanted plant and algae growth in coastal areas. This causes eutrophication—rapid plant growth in water resulting in oxygen deprivation for other species.

Everything in the natural world is connected. Some changes are part of nature’s plan. Nature doesn’t take a day off or even stay still. This is most obvious along the coast. For millions of years the wind, waves, tides, and currents have built up the sand beaches and then wiped them out. Nature’s whims have changed the shape and dimension of the shoreline. Other changes, however, are caused by humans.

History tells us that the first people on LBI had great admiration for their natural environment. The Lenni Lenape believed that humans were only a small part of Nature’s design. Therefore, they treated everything in their world, the waters, plants, and animals alike, with abundant respect. It is an example we need to follow and a message we need to heed.

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Chapter 4

The Ecology of Long Beach Island In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.

Aristotle

Long Beach Island

is safe haven to thousands of species that live in the bays, salt marshes, mud flats, dunes, and ocean. Animal species include both full-time residents and migratory species of fish, birds, and marine mammals. Human impact from development, pollution, fishing, and species introduction is influencing the species composition of LBI and its waters.

Barrier islands consist of a number of distinct habitats. Crossing the island from the ocean side, one encounters the nearshore zone, beach, dune, maritime forest or backdune, salt marsh, and water of the bay, lagoon, or estuary.

Nearshore and Beach Zone The LBI beach is constantly being moved by longshore and rip currents. Breakers stir up water, and sand grains are lifted and moved by currents before settling to the sea bottom. Sand particles are generally transported parallel to the shore in the direction of the prevailing longshore current. Gains and losses of sand can be affected by human activity.

The wildlife of the sandy shore habitat must deal with waves, wind, the twice daily rise and fall of the tides, and the instability of the surface.

Shifting sands provide no firm surface for attachment of plants or animals. Dune grass and snow fences hold sand and prevent or at least slow wind erosion.

A few species are frequently found washed onto beaches. Marine algae and seaweeds are not plants but rather members of the kingdom Protista. The most abundant marine algae are single-celled organisms called phytoplankton. Other small organisms include microscopic 20

animals called zooplankton. The planktonic larva of crabs, barnacles, and starfish are collectively called meroplankton.

Some LBI wildlife can be seen on the beach yearround; others are seasonal—like some islanders and vacationers. Great black-backed gulls, herring gulls, and ring-billed gulls can be seen most of the year. Laughing gulls are the most abundant gull species during the summer; they move south during the winter. We also see the brown pelican during the summer. In the fall, dunlan and western sandpipers are here. A variety of diving ducks can be seen in the surf during the winter months: canvas backs, oldsquaws, northern pintails, buffelheads, common loons, harlequin ducks, and black surf scooters are examples.

WHAT’S THAT ON THE BEACH? Seaweeds that wash up on LBI beaches include: Sea lettuce—a paper-thin bright green alga Hollow green weeds—a bright green tubular alga Green fleece—a dark green spongy branching alga Rockweeds—algae with air bladders and flattened branching fronds that grow on rocks Bladder wrack—a common brown alga with a flattened body and conspicuous air bladders Knotted wrack—algae lacking a mid-rib Red seaweeds—a bushy red, hooked weed

Coastal Dune and Maritime Forest Coastal dunes are unstable habitats subject to erosion by wind and waves. Our dunes are dominated by dune grass, or beach grass, which is a tall clump-forming perennial with roots that spread widely, binding the sand surface and stabilizing the dune. This native species is widely planted for dune protection. Unfortunately, most LBI dunes have been built on.

The only large undeveloped coastal dunes are in state- and Federally-owned land on the north and south ends of LBI. On the north end are Barnegat Light State Park and a wildlife area in High Bar Harbor. On the south end is the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The only remaining maritime forest here is a small preserved area in Barnegat Light State Park, which has a short nature trail.

Salt Marsh Salt marsh communities are adapted to the twice-daily tidal flooding. The endless supply of water, nutrients, and sunlight makes salt marsh communities the most productive environment on earth, converting raw materials into biomass at rates of up to 10 tons per acre per year. The roots and stems of salt marsh grasses trap sediments carried by the tides and, as this fill accumulates, the grasses grow out into the sediments creating new marsh.

The flora of the salt marsh is dominated by a few species of grass in the genus Spartina. Salt meadow grass is short with smooth delicate blades often appearing swirled; salt marsh cordgrass has wider ridged blades and grows up to 5 ft. tall.

These marsh grasses have mechanisms to excrete excess salt. Low places on the marsh become too salty for cordgrass and become open mud flats that support glasswort—a fleshy leafless plant. This edible plant is often called pickle weed because the early settlers sometimes pickled them.

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Many birds including osprey, cormorants, herons, egrets, terns, various types of ducks, and sea gulls use the salt marsh and bay for feeding and nesting. During the spring and fall migration, large flocks of shorebirds stop to feed and rest in salt marshes. Most shorebird species winter south of New Jersey and nest north of New Jersey. Many nest in the Arctic tundra where long days and abundant food allow them to go through their entire breeding cycle in a few weeks.

Invertebrates that live in the water and mud play an important role in the functioning of the salt marsh. Bacteria break down dead plant and animal material producing detritus that feeds many of the invertebrates of the salt marsh. Mud snails and marsh snails eat detritus and are important as food in salt marsh communities. Fiddler crabs occur in large colonies feeding on the detritus during low tide and retreating to their burrows during high tide to avoid aquatic predators.

The surface of marsh mud is often studded with ribbed mussels, each in its own burrow, filtering the nutrient-rich tidal water. Another common invertebrate of salt marsh communities is the predatory blue crab, which lives in mosquito ditches and channels and actively preys on small fish and dead organisms.

The only reptile commonly found in salt marshes on LBI is the diamondback terrapin. It lives and feeds in brackish water during the warmer months and hibernates in salt marsh mud during the colder months. During the summer, female

LBI Neighbors The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is an aggressive, bottom-dwelling, swimming crustacean. The adult male has bright blue claws. They walk sideways with three pairs of walking legs and swim with a pair of rear paddle-like legs. They can be found in shallow waters in warm weather. When it gets cold, these crabs head for deeper waters and bury themselves for the winter.

Blue crabs live in all habitats of the Bay. They are omnivores—eating both plants and animals. They are scavengers—eating almost anything they can find including worms, dead fish, clams, oysters, plant and animal detritus, and other crabs.

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BEACH CARNIVORES go after live prey!

The moon snail engulfs clams with its massive foot and drills a hole through the shell to get itself food. The channeled and knobbed whelks also prey on live bivalves.

Another predator on the beach is the sea star, also known as star fish. Sea stars grasp clams and mussels with their five arms and gradually pull the two shells apart to feed on the animal inside.

The most common crabs on the beach are lady crabs (calico crabs), which live in the shallow waters along the shore line, and ghost crabs, which live in deep burrows they dig on the beach above the high tide line.

Blue Crab: Beautiful Swimmers

terrapins lay their eggs in nests they dig in sandy banks and road edges above the high tide line. The turtle eggs and hatchlings are vulnerable to predation by cats, dogs, raccoons, and sea gulls, and disturbance by humans walking and driving vehicles.

Mammals of the salt marsh include muskrats, mink, and river otters, which can easily make it to the Island from Island Beach State Park or Tuckerton.

Raccoons, Norway rats, and opossums, all well established on LBI, seek food in the marsh. The meadow vole, a small short-tailed mouse, burrows through the grasses of the high areas of the marsh. Voles are an important food source for birds of prey that hunt in the marsh such as marsh hawks, short-eared owls, and rough-legged hawks.

Bay/ Eelgrass Community Eelgrass, a flowering plant, grows in sandy flats and sheltered inlets. The roots penetrate the mud and the underground stems called rhizomes mat together stabilizing the substrate. Eelgrass grows just below the low tide line in shallow water. It can grow in up to 100 feet of water if there is light penetration. Beds of live eelgrass harbor large communities of marine organisms because they provide food, attachment sites, and shelter from predators. Canada and brant geese and a few ducks eat fresh eelgrass; most organisms eat decaying eelgrass. Bacteria breaks down decaying eelgrass releasing nutrients into the water. In 1930-31 an epidemic destroyed 90% of the eelgrass beds on the Atlantic coast. Today, boat traffic, pollution, and dredging take a toll on the slowly recovering eelgrass beds.

Rocky Intertidal Community This man-made LBI habitat came into being when the jetties were built. Tide pools form along the edge of the rocks by trapping water from the outgoing tide, twice daily. Organisms that live here must deal with extreme fluctuations in temperature, salinity, and oxygen availability. Intertidal organisms form bands on the rocks they live on because of their differing abilities to live out of water. Barnacles live higher up on the rocks than blue mussels because barnacles can seal themselves shut and avoid predation better than blue mussels can. Those organisms that live near or below the tide line cannot tolerate long periods out of the water. Starfish and sea urchins can coexist because of their different feeding niches. Starfish are carnivores that eat shellfish; sea urchins are herbivores that eat seaweed. Many Japanese crabs (introduced from Japanese fishing vessels), sand fiddler crabs, green crabs, and rock crabs also live on and around the rocks.

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Human Impact Humans migrate to the costal area, too. With people come the construction of homes, motels, and marinas. Along with overdevelopment come the problems presented by erosion-prevention structures. Jetties, or groins, interfere with longshore current transport of sand. Breakwaters and seawalls increase turbulence and erosion. Beach replenishment, pumping sand back onto beaches, or importing sand, is a temporary solution to sand loss. Bulkheads on the bay side hold the shoreline and allow for docks but remove salt marshes, mud flats, and bay beaches used by many breeding species.

Any species that uses the beach or dune for breeding is at risk. Examples of threatened or endangered species include the piping plover, least tern, and diamondback terrapin.

Their eggs and young are especially vulnerable. Camouflaged eggs are vulnerable to humans and vehicles. Eggs and hatchlings are preyed on by domestic pets, sea gulls, red fox, and raccoons. Some simple solutions include restricting areas during the breeding season, and enclosures (cages surrounding nests) to further protect eggs from predators.

What you Can do For the ecology of LBI On the Beach and Bay • • • • •

Stay off the dunes.

Clean up after your pets.

Be a Bay-Friendly boater.

Think before you put anything in the water.

Respect wetland habitats.

In Your Community • • • • •

Join in dune planting projects.

Participate in education programs about Barnegat Bay. Endorse alternative energy practices.

Help out in community beach cleanups.

Support Bay-Friendly legislation.

Get involved!

Become an advocate for Barnegat Bay to protect and preserve all our natural beauty and wildlife.

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Do You Know ?

OCEAN COUNTY POPULATION GROWTH

The graph above illustrates how population growth in Ocean County has sky-rocketed in the past few decades. Consequently, 30% of the Barnegat Bay Watershed has been developed. And the population continues to grow.

Coastal and aquatic studies show that this 30% threshold is a critical juncture in watershed health. Beyond it we lose biodiversity and the ecosystem is stressed. Our quality of life is also in jeopardy. We must act if we are to save our Bay.

•

Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to operate a TV for three hours.

•

If every U.S. household replaced just one roll of 1,000-sheet virgin fiber bathroom tissues with 100 percent recycled ones, it could save 373,000 trees, 1.48 million cubic feet of landfill space, and 155 million gallons of water!

•

Recycling creates six times as many jobs as landfilling.

•

Recycling a ton of paper saves 17 trees, 2 barrels of oil (enough to run the average car for 1,260 miles), 4,100 kilowatts of energy (enough power for the average home for six months), 3.2 cubic yards of landfill space, and 60 pounds of air pollution.

You can make a difference Conserve water and reduce waste. Many things we do are wasteful and negatively impact our waters.You can make a difference if you follow the Bay-Friendly practices outlined in this book.

We know that changing behavior is difficult.The key is to start slowly, one step at a time.

Try these three easy steps to get started: 1. Chose one Bay-Friendly action in your home or yard.

2. Chose one Bay-Friendly action on the water or in your community.

3. When these become routine, choose a few more.

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Know your Bay-Related Terminology Algae

Ecosystem

Algae blooms

Estuary

applies to a group of simple plant-like organisms ranging from one to many cells in size, that lives in fresh or salt water. They do not have roots, stems, or leaves but they are photosynthetic (they use sunlight to create their chemical food). occur when algae grows very fast because too many nutrients enter the water. Algae blooms color the water a deep reddish-brown.

Aquifer

is an underground layer of porous rock, sand, etc. that stores water. The water gets into the aquifer through the ground, from rain and snow, and from rivers and streams. To tap the water in an aquifer, wells are dug.

is a biological community. Ecosystems are diverse and always changing. All aspects of an ecosystem (both living things and their non-living settings) interact and affect one another. Every species affects the lives of those around them. is a partially closed coastal body of water where the salty tide meets the freshwater current.

Barnegat Bay is an example of an estuary. The sheltered waters of estuaries are home to countless plants and animals that like to live in water that is part fresh and part salty (brackish).

Barrier island

refers to a long island, parallel to the coastline, that protects the shore. It is separated from the mainland by a shallow body of water. Barrier islands are fragile, constantly changing.

Biomass

is the total mass or number of living organisms within a particular environmental area. It also refers to plant material, vegetation, or agricultural waste used as a fuel or energy source.

Eutrophication

are structures constructed as part of coastal defense or to protect an anchorage from the effects of weather and longshore drift.

occurs when water runoff causes excessive nutrients (nitrogen, for example) to exist in a body of water. This causes a dense growth of plant life, and the decomposition of the plants depletes the supply of oxygen.

Bulkheads

Groundwater

Breakwaters

are retaining structures, or embankments, built along a waterfront that act as a protective barrier.

is the supply of fresh water under the Earth’s surface in an aquifer or soil.

Habitat Detritus

is decaying plant and animal matter found suspended in water.

Detritus, which is part of the food chain in aquatic ecosystems, provides food for many invertebrates, isopods, amphipods, polychaete worms, brittle stars, and some clams.

refers to the native environment of a plant or animal.

Impervious landscaping

applies to any material that prevents the infiltration of water into soil.

Inlet

is a channel that allows exchange of water between the bay and ocean sides of an adjacent barrier island.

Continued on page 63 26

Chapter 5

Clean Energy Alternatives The Sisters are committed to fostering and encouraging the protection and care of the Earth and environment.

Sister Thomas Mary Salerno, Director of Maris Stella in Harvey Cedars

Do you ever Wonder

whether you can impact such big issues as the environment and energy independence? Will your individual efforts be enough to make a difference? The answer is YES! The market economy starts and ends with YOU, the consumer, and consumers represent 70% of our nation’s GNP. Consumers have the power to trigger change. Already on LBI, people are using solar and geothermal energy, considering wind power, and driving hybrid cars. When it comes to switching to renewable energy, LBI consumers could be miles ahead of the pack.

Fossil Fuels Fifty percent of America’s electric power is supplied by coal. Natural gas and nuclear energy supply about 20% each, and the remainder, just under 10%, comes from renewable sources like wind, solar, geothermal, and, especially, hydroelectric power. The burning of fossil fuels to heat our buildings and power our vehicles accounts for:

•

40% of the nation’s carbon emissions

•

40% of the nitrogen in our waters

•

75% of the mercury in our waters

Moreover, fossil and nuclear plants need enormous quantities of water for cooling and ongoing maintenance. A typical 500 megawatt coal plant takes 2.2 billion gallons of water—enough for all 250,000 residents of Ocean County each year—simply to produce steam to drive the turbines.

The United States consumes one-quarter of the world’s oil production—20 million barrels—every day, about 12 million barrels of which are imported. Assuming a price of $100 a barrel, that means more than $1.2B is flowing out of this country every day to finance our oil addiction.

This addiction to fossil fuels is also contributing to global warming. NASA scientists say that global warming has been more rapid over the last 30 years than anyone thought— about 0.2 of a degree over each of the past three decades.

If the trend continues unchecked, the group asserts 60% of species around the world could die by the end of the 21st century, and sea levels could rise several feet.

TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL ENERGY USE Space Cooling 9%

Lighting 7%

Refrigeration & Freezing 10%

Space Heating 46%

Other 13% Water Heating 15%

27

LBI Neighbors The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a large raptor.

Sometimes called a fish hawk, it is about two feet long with a large, curved wingspread of five feet. Ospreys hunt by soaring over the water looking for their prey. This swift bird dives feet-first into water to grab live fish, its main food. Long talons and barbed pads on its feet help it carry live, slippery fish back to the nest.

Osprey Famous Fish Hawk

Ospreys like to build their nest on very high man-made structures.

They migrate, usually to South America, for the winter. Pesticides and land development threaten osprey habitat.

See an osprey nesting at the LBI Foundation!

Fossil fuels are a serious health hazard. The EPA reported that as many as 600,000 babies are born each year with irreversible brain damage because pregnant mothers ate mercury-contaminated fish. Most of the mercury in fish comes from the nearly 500 coal-burning plants that supply half the nation’s electrical power. The burning of fossil fuels is also responsible for creating fine-particle air pollution, linked with 17,000 premature deaths each year. Those at greatest risk are the elderly and people with pre-existing respiratory or heart disease. Fine particles are easily inhaled deeply into the lungs where they can be absorbed into the bloodstream or remain embedded for long periods of time.

Clean Energy Alternatives We now know that fossil fuels are damaging our environment, our health, and our pocketbooks. The attraction of Bay-Friendly renewable resources such as geothermal, wind, and solar power to generate electricity has never been greater. Besides being clean and renewable, geothermal, solar, and wind power require no water to operate. Moreover, for every dollar spent on energy production, studies show that more people will be employed in the process than are currently. Fuel prices will also be more stable.

Solar energy is the most popular alternative on LBI. As of this writing, there are more than 70 installations on the Island. Solar cells (also known as photovoltaic cells, or PVs) convert sunlight directly into electricity. At current power costs, a solar installation will pay for itself in eight years.

Geothermal energy uses a pump to circulate a fluid deep underground where, on LBI, the Earth’s temperature is a constant 53 28

Do You Know?

By 2010 on LBI, you will begin to see plug-in hybrid cars, running partly on gasoline and partly on batteries that can be recharged.These cars will be able to get over 100 miles per gallon. By 2011, you just might be recharging the batteries in your hybrid with your own small wind turbine or your own solar panels.

degrees all year long. The fluid captures warmth from the ground and uses it to heat or cool buildings. President Bush’s home in Crawford, Texas, has geothermal heating and cooling. Closer to home, the Maris Stella Retreat and Conference Center in Harvey Cedars has two buildings that use geothermal and solar power. The Retreat’s geothermal heating and cooling system consists of ten 500-ft.-deep vertical wells. Each is ten inches in diameter and contains a closed-loop pipe. The system maintains a constant temperature. Although a small amount of electricity is needed to run the heat pump and circulating pump, no electricity or fossil fuel is required as backup. In fact, these frugal Sisters of Charity sell excess energy back to the grid.

Perhaps the alternative with greatest promise, especially on LBI, is wind power. Wind turbines have been popping up around the world at a steady clip. One-tenth of Germany’s power already comes from wind; still they plan to replace all their nuclear power with renewables, especially wind. Denmark, which today gets one-fifth of its energy from wind, plans to get half by 2030. Britain, where global warming has become a major issue, hopes to produce 20% of its energy from renewables, mainly wind, by 2020.

The U.S. is currently the largest producer of wind turbines in the world, most of which are sold overseas.

Europe’s installed wind generation capacity is four times greater than that of the U.S.

LBI, a barrier island, has no operating wind turbines...

LBI has no operating wind turbines of any size. The reason stems from public confusion about just what a wind turbine is. It is important to understand that wind turbines come in all sizes. We’ve all seen the multistory megawatt turbines used by public utilities; there are several in Atlantic City. Wind turbines also come in the micro variety.

There are small wind turbines—2 ft. in diameter—that are safe, clean, unobtrusive, and efficient. Many of these smaller Bay-Friendly wind turbines that are manufactured in the U.S. use vertical axis designs that catch wind from all directions, creating smooth powerful torque to spin an electric generator. While

LBI Neighbors Notoriously slimy, the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is a fish found in estuaries and other brackish bodies of water. It has a smooth, snakelike body with a small, pointed head. A long dorsal fin extends more than half the length of its body. It is greenish or yellowish-brown above and whitish on the belly.

Eels are more active at night. During the day, they often hide under a rock or bury themselves in bottom sediments.

They prefer worms, small fishes, shrimp, krill, crayfish, and other crustaceans. They spawn in the Atlantic ocean and migrate to the estuaries they inhabit.

American Eel

Snakelike Night Feeder 29

small turbines are unlikely to provide sufficient electricity to make your home energy independent, they can serve as supplemental power. And, when your house is not in use, even a small wind turbine can generate power that can be sold back to the grid, making you more like the Sisters of Charity.

Wave Power A wave is a way in which energy travels from one place to another. When wind blows over the ocean’s surface, it creates waves. Their size depends on how far, how fast, and how long the wind blows. But even when you feel no wind at all, you may encounter large swells created by distant storms.

Waves are a powerful source of free, renewable energy. There is enough energy in ocean waves to meet the world’s energy needs five times over. In the past, it has not been easy to harness this energy and convert it to electricity without disturbing marine life. But in recent years, efficient wave To foster Clean energy turbines that are less environmentally intrusive have been • Learn about clean energy. Don’t wait for the government developed. or power companies to break your dependence on fossil fuels. Be like the Bay-Friendly Sisters of Maris Stella.

Unlike wind or sun-

What you Can do

•

Use solar-powered landscape lighting.

•

Replace your light bulbs with the new high-efficiency fluorescent bulbs. Because they contain mercury, be sure to recycle them with other hazardous products at the waste disposal sight on Recovery Road in Manahawkin.

•

Consider a hybrid for your next car. Many BayFriendly LBI residents already drive hybrid cars.

Become an advocate for clean energy:

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•

Write a letter to the governor.

•

Go to www.environmentnewjersey.org/action/energy, a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization. Submit their form letters in support of clean energy to the governor.

light, waves and tides are predictable—a requirement for utilities looking for stable, green sources of power. Wave power stations are already operating in Europe, Japan, and Australia, and one is planned for the coast of Northern California—to use this limitless power from the sea.

Chapter 6

Controlling Soil Erosion When water and land wrestle, the water always wins.

Martha’s Vineyard Island Blue Pages

Wind, Waves, and Rain

are as much a fact of Island life as summer sunshine. When rain hits the Island, it either sinks into the ground or runs rapidly over land, picking up pollutants and soil before draining into our Bay. Meanwhile, waves and tides are eroding banks and beaches. The best way to control both rain runoff and wave action is to take advantage of native vegetation.

Spare That Shrub!

In natural landscapes, most rain soaks slowly into the ground and gradually drains to nearby surface waters. But as more land is cleared for development and more solid surfaces such as roofs, roads, parking areas, and driveways are built, more water is carried straight into storm drains and on into the Bay. Runoff damages the Bay’s water in many ways. As runoff is swept towards the Bay, it carries a wide variety of pollutants such as metals, paints, oil, grease, lawn fertilizers, detergents, animal waste, and litter. It also carries soil sediments that can smother eelgrass beds, which are prime spawning grounds for shellfish and fish as well as other aquatic habitats.

We can’t control wind and rain but we can minimize the damage caused by runoff and erosion using the land’s natural vegetation. Native species of shrubs, trees, and some grasses slow runoff, hold soil particles in place, help maintain the soil’s capacity to absorb water, and absorb wave energy on the shoreline. The roots of plants also help filter pollutants from the water before it enters the Bay.

We can’t control the wind and rain BUT we can minimize the damage...

Natural wetlands such as salt marshes, swamps, and bogs are especially good at slowing down the flow of runoff and filtering pollutants. Our coastal wetlands also defend against flooding and storm damage. The salt marshes surrounding the Island act like sponges, absorbing and containing floodwaters and buffering upland areas from waves. This is why we must preserve our wetlands.

You can help increase runoff absorption on your land by decreasing the size of paved surfaces and adding more native plants and shrubs to your landscape.

Minimize road runoff by installing catch basins that detain and filter water.

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Discover “Soft” Paving Surfaces Many paving surfaces provide the durability of concrete while allowing rainwater to soak into the ground. Bricks and flat stones, for instance, make an attractive, durable driveway and, if placed on well-drained soil or on a sand or gravel bed, allow rainwater to filter into the ground. Wood decks, usually installed for their functional good looks, can serve as a form of porous pavement. Redwood, cedar, and mahogany, for example, are as durable as most paving surfaces.

The space between deck boards allows rainwater to drain directly onto the soil surface and soak into the ground.

Tips for decreasing household surface runoff problems •

Reduce your use of impervious surfaces. Use spaced paving stones, gravel, or crushed shells instead of concrete, and groundcover instead of grass.

•

Preserve established trees and shrubs, and plant new ones to encourage rainwater to filter into the soil.

•

Avoid chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

•

Pick up litter and animal waste.

•

Keep your car in good shape to avoid leakage.

•

Install gravel trenches along your driveways and patios to collect water and allow it to filter into the soil.

•

Landscape with native vegetation.

•

Plant a Rain Garden.

See the Landscaping chapter.

Controlling Waterfront Erosion Coastal erosion caused by wind and wave energy is a natural geological process. It is the primary source of our sand beaches and dunes. We can, however, inadvertently accelerate erosion by clearing shorefront areas, altering marshes, and building too close to the shoreline.

For controlling coastal erosion, scientists recommend natural vegetative solutions rather than hard structures like sea walls, jetties, and rock bulkheads. Although these structures were built to protect against erosion, they often have the opposite effect. Natural environments like salt marshes, beaches, dunes, and vegetated banks are more effective in dissipating wave action and thus protect against accelerated erosion. When enjoying the beach, look for dune grass. It protects our beaches. It traps sand and holds the beach in place—which is why it is never a good idea to walk or drive over it.

The key to success is using the right types of plants. Plants with strong root systems help stabilize banks while salttolerant plants work best on dunes. Only a few plants can thrive on the coast, and each one has its place in the shoreline environment. Plants that help absorb surface runoff and stabilize coastal banks include beach plum, bayberry, rosa rugosa, poison ivy, sassafrass, Virginia creeper, bearberry, and prickypear cactus.

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What you Can Do To reduce soil erosion •

Increase the greenery on your property and encourage your neighbors to do the same.

•

Contact the Master Gardeners’ Helpline for assistance in designing a shoreline vegetation plan. (See the Resources chapter.)

•

Become an Activist! Ask your commissioner or town mayor these questions: • “What are you doing to encourage the use of less asphalt and more pervious surfaces for paving?”

•

•

“What are you doing to reduce the runoff rate along the roadside and filter the pollutants?”

•

“What are you doing to eliminate invasive species in municipal plantings?”

Purchase a copy of Gardening at the Shore from the Garden Club of LBI. (See the Resources chapter.)

LBI Neighbors Knobbed Whelk: Predatory Sea Snail The knobbed whelk (Busycon carica), the state shell of New Jersey, is a type of very large sea snail. This whelk alternates between deep and shallow water. During the shallow water phase, knobbed whelks live near the shore on mud flats. On these flats, this marine gastropod preys on oysters, clams, and other marine bivalves.

The knobbed whelk, which is yellowish grey, can be found on all the beaches and bays of New Jersey.

It is large, solid, and pear-shaped, coiling from left to right.

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Chapter 7

Landscaping for a Healthy Watershed Everything in Nature contains all the powers of Nature.

Everything is made of hidden stuff.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

From Holgate

to Barnegat Light, most of the rainfall that reaches our Island eventually finds its way into our Bay. We can manage this flow and keep our waters clean by landscaping wisely.

Consider creating a traditional Island yard, a natural habitat that includes a variety of indigenous grasses, mosses, lichens, and wildflowers. These native ground covers survive summer heat and drought without pampering, poisoning, or polluting.

Thoughtful landscaping can change the volume, velocity, and quality of the water that flows from your property. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover not only enhance the appearance and value of your property but also help reduce runoff, which transports excessive sediment and pollution to the Bay.

Getting Started…

A few simple actions can retain more rainwater on your property, replenish groundwater supplies, reduce your reliance on chemicals and fertilizers, and improve the quality of our waters.

If you are building a new home, retain as much of the native vegetation as possible. This not only reduces runoff and pollution, it gives you a head start on your eventual landscaping and thus may also save you money.

Wetland regulations control the cutting of vegetation adjacent to water bodies. Without a buffer, nutrients transported from the land flow directly into the Bay, stimulating excessive proliferation of algae blooms and seaweeds. These plants can dramatically reduce oxygen levels in the water, making it impossible for 34

CREATURES WE LOVE TO HATE The term “Mosquito State” is appropriate for New Jersey because 63 species of mosquitoes have been found here. Mosquitoes need water. Coastal salt marshes serve as breeding areas.

Mosquitoes use their antennae, like radar, to detect the carbon dioxide we exhale. Finally, when they touch down, heat-seeking sensors in the antennae and proboscis locate a plump blood vessel to tap.

The Greenhead Fly is an abundant summertime pest. The salt marsh is this fly’s favorite habitat. This scourge of Barnegat Bay is a strong flier, capable of flying over 30 miles without landing.

Deer flies are large, triangular-shaped flies with wings marked with dark patterns. These tiny tormentors are most active on warm, sunny days when there is little wind. They are visual insects, locating hosts to bite by movement. They are also attracted to the carbon dioxide we expel. As with mosquitoes, it is the female fly that bites us.

Apparently, the Mosquito, Greenhead Fly, and Deer Fly play an essential part in maintaining our ecosystem. When you are swatting away at these bloodsucking insects, however, it’s hard to believe they are beneficial in any way!

local fish and shellfish to survive. Vegetative buffers also provide natural habitat for native insects and other animals.

Well planned landscaping offers other benefits. You can reduce your heating and cooling costs by as much as 30% just by planting and clearing wisely. Trees, shrubs, and ground cover also attract wildlife and require much less maintenance, fertilizer, and pesticide than grass.

Know Your Soil Before you head to the nursery, consider the growing conditions of your land.

Different plants require different kinds of soil, nutrients, and exposure to the sun.

Parts of your property may also be subject to wind, foot traffic, or salt spray.

Island soil is naturally sandy. You may have planting beds that have been enhanced with topsoil or other material. Check the soil. In order to know just what to plant and how to treat your property, have soil samples tested for type, pH (acidity), nutrient availability, and mineral content. Homeowners can have their soil tested by a professional landscaper, or purchase a soil test kit from Rutgers Cooperative Extension or a local garden center.

Check the Resources chapter for information about soil testing kits.

How to Choose? …Go Native!

Matching the needs of your plants to the conditions of your landscape decreases the need for extra water and fertilizer and increases your plants’ resistance to disease and pests. Plants native to LBI are well adapted to our climate, soil, and water supply; they are less bothered by salt, disease, and pests than plants introduced from other areas. When established, native plants are practically maintenance free requiring little or no irrigation or fertilizer. Resistant to most pests and diseases, they have root systems that help rainwater soak into the soil, reducing runoff. Our birds, insects, and butterflies depend on them for food and shelter. Do not dig these plants in the wild. Purchase them from nurseries that offer nurserypropagated native plants. Examples include bayberry and beach plum, which thrive in dry conditions and provide food for wildlife. Little bluestem, an ornamental grass, whose seeds are eaten by birds, turns bright orange and bronze in the fall.

Flowers attract beneficial insects that kill harmful pests. Perennials come back every year, and are attractive and low maintenance. Many spread quickly to form lovely dense beds. Annuals live only one season. While some annuals require a lot of water, others are drought tolerant. Choose non-self-seeding varieties. Wildflowers are another alternative. They are perfect in sunny spaces and along fences. It takes about three years to establish a wildflower garden, but your patience will be rewarded. Ornamental grasses are another good choice. They need little water and minimal fertilizer. And they are largely free of insects and diseases.

Visit the Native Plant Society of New Jersey’s website for plant lists. Other sources of information include the Rutgers Extension Service, which provides additional publications. Local nurseries will help you select plants appropriate to your yard and soil type.

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Be a Bay-Friendly Landscaper Gardening Whether our garden is in a window box or on a large plot, many of us enjoy growing our own vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs. By using effective gardening techniques and planting the right plants, we can have a garden to be proud of, while preserving the soil, enhancing the absorption of rainfall, and protecting local storm drains and canals from sediment and chemicals.

Start by picking the right spot for planting. Choose a location with good natural drainage and plants appropriate for the light (shade, partial sun, or full sun).

Avoid sloping beds; they let topsoil wash away during heavy rains.

Plants to Avoid Some plants introduced to the Island are invasive and spread quickly, choking out indigenous plants. These include garlic mustard, Japanese stilt grass, phragmites, oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, knapweed, Japanese honeysuckle, bamboo, and barberry. For a complete list, visit the Native Plant Society of NJ website.

Mulching Mulch is a protective covering of compost, straw, grass clippings, or leaves placed around plants. Many LBI gardeners like to use seaweed as mulch. Mulch can add nutrients, make the soil more workable, aid rainwater penetration, help control weeds, and improve the moisture-retaining capacity of soil. Mulch also minimizes loss of nutrients and topsoil. A 2-inch layer is sufficient. Do not pile mulch against tree trunks. Leave space between the mulch and the tree.

Avoid using landscaping plastic beneath decorative rock or bark. The plastic prevents water from entering the soil. Use woven materials that accomplish the task of weed control while permitting water penetration. Another idea is to spread several layers of newspaper. Wet them thoroughly and then cover them with mulch. The newspaper will eventually decay and add organic matter to the soil.

We’re used to thinking that the perfect garden is one with weed-free bare soil surrounding our chosen plants. It’s time we rethink that picture.

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Do You Know?

19 billion catalogs are mailed annually to American consumers.

Here’s the impact: 53 million trees used 3.6 tons of paper used 38 trillion BTUs of energy used, enough to power 1.2 million homes per year 5.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions created, equal to the annual emissions of 2 million cars 53 billion gallons of waste water from this volume of paper, enough to fill 81,000 Olympicsized swimming pools

Composting Compost is a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling form of decomposing organic matter. Perfect for mulch, compost enriches soil and improves plant growth. Composting is a practical way to transform yard, kitchen, and garden wastes into a valuable resource.

A compost pile is really a teeming microbial farm that breaks down anything left over from your gardening and other activities. Great joy can be had from a properly working compost pile that produces a wonderful soil conditioner from garden and household waste. With little effort, compost will be ready in six months to two years. Adding red worms to compost generally improves it because red worms consume nitrogen.

Leaves, cuttings, and other yard wastes contribute approximately 10% to the average household’s garbage. It is particularly damaging to dispose of yard wastes in or near shorelines. The process of breaking down plant materials competes with marine animals for the limited oxygen dissolved in our waters. In addition, some plant materials contain chemical components that can alter the balance of the marine environment. Adding lawn and garden waste to a compost pile, which can be done at any time, saves money and protects our environment.

Consider the option of creating your own compost system. Composting is also a good way to get rid of 10% of your garbage. Do not add meat, bones, or fatty foods, however. For more information on other compost methods and where to purchase worms, see the Resources chapter.

LBI Neighbors Mallard Duck: Familiar Dabbler The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is probably the most recognized waterfowl in the world. The more colorful male (drake) has an iridescent green or bluish-black head, yellow bill, a white neckband, rusty chest, and gray body. Mallards are endothermic. In other words, they are able to generate heat to maintain their body temperature, whatever the surrounding temperature.

Mallards inhabit most wetlands and usually feed by dabbling for invertebrates, fish, amphibians, and a variety of plants. Mallards can often be seen with their heads dipping or even completely upending in the water. They also graze on land, feeding on grains and plants.

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Pest Management Once viewed as safe and effective for insect control, chemical pesticides are now considered ecologically harmful. They poison wildlife and pets, contaminate water and soil, and harm humans, especially children. Many pesticides last a long time. According to organic landscape expert, Paul Tukey, 98% of pesticides and herbicides never hit their intended targets.

Avoid using bug zappers or black light units. they kill more beneficial insects than insect pests!

Most pests are not life-threatening to plants. They merely cause temporary, aesthetic problems. Setting our pest tolerance too low results in unnecessary treatments and potential environmental damage.

When considering a pest treatment, the goal is not to eradicate the pest, but rather to use the least toxic treatment that will drop the pest level below a tolerable threshold.

Pests like to congregate where there is an abundant food source. Biodiversity tends to take care of infestation problems. So, if you’re having a pest problem, interplant your garden with different species.

Make a firm commitment to protect your family, pets, and neighbors from landscape chemicals.

The first step is to dispose of all your old pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides on your municipality’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection day. If you plan to use a professional landscaping company, hire one that uses organic options. Remember this:

•

The risk of canine malignant lymphoma doubles with the use of herbicide 2,4-D on a dog owner’s land.

•

So-called “inert” ingredients in landscape chemicals can amount to 95% of the product and be more toxic than the active ingredients.

The sooner you stop using toxic chemicals, the faster your soil will regain its natural health. Because past use of chemicals may have destroyed the microbiotic life that exists in healthy soil, it may take some time for your soil to recover its natural defenses. Meanwhile, there are nonpoisonous methods to treat for pests. Consult the Resources chapter.

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Do You Know?

Based on New Jersey’s rainfall, 40 rain gardens in our neighborhoods would purify 1,000,000 gallons of water per year!

Turn the page to find out how to build your own rain garden.

A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over the course of its lifetime... as well as hold the soil and filter the water.

Integrated Pest Management The Rutgers Extension Service encourages Integrated Pest Management (IPM), as a simple and logical approach to controlling pests in your landscape.

• •

Inspect your plants regularly—to detect pests on them.

•

Clean up dead leaves and debris before they become a home to pests.

•

Use natural predators to control pests: you can release beneficial insects and microorganisms—which feed on pest insects—into your garden.

• •

Control weeds by hand-pulling or hoeing.

Remove insects by picking them off vegetables and garden plants.

When hiring a landscape maintenance firm, use one that offers IPM.

When you have no other choice, try to find nontoxic or low-toxic pesticides such as insecticidal soaps. Follow the directions carefully and mix only the amount you need. IPM may require more of your time and attention, but the benefits are clearly worth it.

Encourage natural predators like lacewings, ladybugs, praying mantises, and spiders. They eat pests.

LBI Neighbors Swamp Pink: Rare Wildflower Swamp pink (Helonias bullata) is a perennial shaped like a bottlebrush. A rare and endangered flowering plant, most of the world’s swamp pink can be found in our estuary. This wildflower has bright pink flower clusters that bloom in spring. A member of the lily family, it can be found in wetland habitats.

This natural beauty grows in clumps in ground that is saturated with clean water. Swamp pink is in danger of becoming extinct.

Erosion, toxic chemicals, and excess nutrients are making it harder for swamp pink to survive.

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Create a Rain Garden A rain garden is a landscaped, shallow depression that allows rain to be collected and seep naturally into the ground, rather than running quickly into a storm drain. In heavy storms, water rushes into the streets from yards, driveways, and sidewalks; it then moves from storm drains into the Bay. Carried with the rushing water are fertilizer, pesticides, and petrochemicals that may have accumulated on driveways, yards, and streets.

As water in the rain garden’s shallow depression slowly percolates, microorganisms break down pesticides, pollutants are filtered out, and the nutrients are used by the plants. In addition, a planted rain garden beautifies the landscape and provides a natural habitat for birds, butterflies, and insects.

Rain and storm water runoff

Overflow pipe to storm sewer (optional)

1-3 feet

Soil amended with compost (50%) and masonry sand (25%)

4 - 8 feet depending on the amount of storm water runoff

Plant roots absorb nutrients and water

LBI Neighbors Plankton include free-floating microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) that range in size from tiny copepods to jellyfish. The name comes from the Greek word “planktos” meaning “drifting.” Zooplankton are floating or weakly swimming animals that rely on water currents and tides for locomotion.

Plankton are widely considered to be some of the most important organisms on Earth, because of the food supply they provide to aquatic life. Plankton are the first link in the marine food chain, eaten by many organisms including mussels, fish, birds, and mammals. Because of their high sensitivity to the environment, plankton are important indicators of aquatic health.

Plankton: The Oceans’ Wanderers 40

Check your yard for places where water pools during rainstorms or runs quickly into the street. Plan a rain garden that captures this water. Rain gardens can be located near downspouts or other locations to catch runoff from roofs and yards or along driveways. Plant your rain garden with native plants such as lady fern, cardinal flower, great blue lobelia, and sneezeweed. When established, your rain garden will require minimal attention and provide maximum beauty and benefits.

What you Can do To encourage Bay-Friendly Landscaping •

Use organic and biodegradable products, if possible. See the Resources chapter for more information on nontoxic pest control alternatives.

•

Encourage natural predators like lacewings, ladybugs, praying mantises, and spiders that eat pests.

•

Prune and remove pest-infested areas.

•

Spray water to physically remove some pests from plants.

•

Set out pans of beer or brewer’s yeast to attract slugs and snails.

•

Buy plants that are pest- and drought-resistant and free of pests and diseases.

•

Choose suitable plants. Include native and non-native plants that have been adapted to our local climate and soil. LBI is in Zone 7.

•

Remove invasive plants.These grow rapidly and squeeze out others.

•

Follow the plants’ sun and shade requirements and needed growing conditions.This helps them resist pests and diseases.

•

Plant gardens with a variety of plant types, making them less susceptible to insect damage.

•

Encourage insect-eating birds by providing birdhouses and birdbaths.

•

Spread the word about Bay-Friendly landscaping.

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Chapter 8

Managing Hazardous Household Products Haste makes waste, no less in life than in housekeeping.

Henry David Thoreau

Thousands

of common household products contain toxic ingredients that should be kept out of our waters. If we bring hazardous products into our homes, it is our responsibility to use, store, and dispose of them safely. Never pour toxic materials down your drain. They will flow into our sewer system where they can destroy essential bacteria. If poured onto the ground or into storm drains, toxins may

flow straight into our Bay. If you are unsure of how to dispose of any material found around your home, call your township or the Ocean County Solid Waste Management Hotline at 1-800-55-RECYCLE.

In the Kitchen Household Cleaners: Many soaps and detergents are biodegradable and can be safely washed down the drain. If a product doesn’t say “biodegradable” on the label, however, it’s unlikely that it is. Other types of household cleaners cannot be washed down the drain without harmful effects. Oven cleaners and bleach are poisonous. Furniture polish and spot removers are flammable, and ammonia-based cleansers and disinfectants contain strong chemicals, which can be harmful. Read the labels of the products in your cleaning closet. Do they contain such toxic components as lye, phenols, petroleum distillates, chloride, or dichlorobenzene? Note also the words danger, warning, toxic, corrosive, flammable, or poison. These identify products that may contain hazardous materials. Use them sparingly and dispose of them properly. Alternatively, try one of the Bay-Friendly alternatives listed at the end of this chapter.

Aerosols: Some aerosol cans contain hazardous chemicals. Look for a warning label on the product. Empty aerosol cans, including paint and pesticides, can be placed with the regular bottle/ can (CMR) recycle materials. Those with remaining contents can be taken to the Southern Ocean County Recycling Center, Recovery Rd., Manahawkin. To empty a can of its nonhazardous contents, discharge it outdoors into a deep cardboard box or paper bag; allow the box or bag to dry before placing it in the trash.

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Please don’t put pesticides in the trash or down the drain.

Pesticides: Pesticides are designed to be toxic to pests, but they can harm birds, fish, pets, and humans, if misused. Store pesticides in their closed and labeled original containers, in a secure area, out of the reach of children and pets. Avoid storing pesticides in damp areas where containers may become moist or rusty. Pesticides should NOT be stored near food. Follow the label instructions strictly about where and how much to apply. Be stingy with them. Do NOT put pesticides in the trash or down the drain. For more information about safe pesticide use, call the National Pesticide Telecommunication Network at (800) 858-7378.

In the Bath Cleaning and personal products: Most drain openers and toilet bowl cleaners are poisonous. Try some of the Bay-Friendly alternatives listed at the end of this chapter. Purchase soaps and shampoos that are phosphate-free and biodegradable.

Medicines: Unwanted or expired medicines or pharmaceuticals can be harmful to children or adults. By law, when a prescription has been filled, the pharmacy cannot take it back. Unused pharmaceuticals and medicines, except cancer treatment drugs and radioactives, should be kept in their original plastic containers, inside a separate, sealed plastic bag, and placed in the trash.

In Utility and Storage Areas Paints and Stains: Old oil-based paints and marine paints may contain lead, PCBs, mercury, chromium, or cadmium, all of which are toxic to humans, animals, and the environment. Oil-based paint may be labeled “alkyd,” “contains solvents,” “clean up with mineral spirits,” “combustible,” or “enamel.” Liquid paint may be used, unless it contains lead. Latex paint can be disposed of as trash, if it is dry. To dry small amounts, remove the lid and let the paint dry in the can. For larger amounts, mix it in kitty litter or newspaper, or pour one-inch layers of paint in a cardboard box lined with a plastic bag. Stir the paint occasionally to speed the drying. Take old or unneeded paint to the Recycling Center on Recovery Road in Manahawkin.

Thinners and Solvents: Keep thinners and solvents in closed and labeled glass or metal containers. Some plastic containers may deteriorate in contact with solvents. Do NOT put leftover product in the trash or down the drain. If unneeded products cannot be given away for someone else to use, the municipal paint collection program at the Recycling Center accepts it.

Solvents mixed with paint may be reused. First, let the solids settle out and pour off the liquid for future use. Label the containers clearly. Dispose of the solids at an HHW collection. Alternatively, the solids may be dried out by adding absorbents such as kitty litter or vermiculite. Do this in a well ventilated area, away from ignition sources such as appliances with a motor or pilot light. Keep them away from children and pets.

Pool Chemicals: Many chemicals are used to clean, sanitize, or balance the water in swimming pools and hot tubs. Do not dispose of them in the trash or down the drain. Take them on an HHW collection day. See the Resources chapter. Seek out environmentally friendly chemicals.

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In the Garage Gasoline

: Store gasoline in a container that is approved for gasoline storage. Do not fill the container up to the top; leave some air space for expansion. Store gasoline in a cool, dry place, away from any motor driven machine that could cause sparks, for example, washers and dryers.

Keep out of direct sunlight. Do NOT dispose of gasoline down a drain, into surface water, or in the trash. Take it to a gas station.

Antifreeze: Antifreeze is toxic to small children and may be deadly to animals, which are attracted by its sweet taste. Spent antifreeze may contain metals from the engine (lead, zinc, copper). Collect and store spent antifreeze in sealed, labeled, plastic or metal containers, away from heat sources, children, and pets. Clean up spills with absorbent material, for example, kitty litter, shredded newspaper, vermiculite, or rags.

Bag the waste materials and discard them in the trash. Flush the soiled area with water. Antifreeze does not go bad. Donate it to a friend who can use it, a mechanic, or a school auto shop. Take it to a service station or repair garage that accepts spent antifreeze.

The Southern Ocean County Recycling Center accepts the following Mon-Sat, 7:30 am - 3:00 pm.

• Antifreeze • Boat shrink-wrap • Florescent bulbs • Lead acid batteries • Household batteries • Motor oil & oil filters • Tires • Empty steel paint cans • Paint • Phone books • Computers • Cell phones • Leaves & light brush Household batteries are collected at the: • Barnegat Light Post Office • LBI Foundation of the Arts & Sciences • Acme • Brant Beach Post Office • LB Twp. Municipal Building & Public Works Garage

Motor Oils: Motor oil is toxic to fish and other animals and plants. Do not mix oil with any other liquids.

Cap oil containers to keep out dirt and water. Do NOT dispose of used oil in the trash, on the ground, or down a household drain or a storm drain. Clean up spills with kitty litter, vermiculite, or rags. Place it in a bag, and dispose of it at a HHW disposal event. Return used oil to a service station for recycling.

LBI Neighbors

Laughing Gull Howling Seaside Scavenger

Like all gulls, the laughing gull (Larus atricilla) is a wonderful flier and good swimmer. It lives in coastal areas including salt marshes, bays, and estuaries. It is a medium-sized, long-winged gull with a long bill that droops toward the tip. The laughing gull is diurnal, that is, active mostly during the day.

Laughing gulls are the most common of the seaside gulls. Although their flat forehead and bill give them a “mean” look, they are not aggressive birds. They are named for their distinctive call, which sounds like ha-ha-ha-ha-haah.

44

What We Threw Away Last Summer 2007 Ocean County Study A 2007 Ocean County study of the contents of our trash revealed that 28% of it could have been recycled. LBI communities rank far below the NJ goal of recycling 50% of total waste.We only recycle between 21% and 34%.

Recyclable Materials 26%

Nonrecyclable Materials 55%

The typical Ocean County household puts about 20% of the kind of paper that can be recycled (4% newsprint, 4% cardboard, and 12% mixed paper) in the regular trash. Other recyclables include ALL bottles (the neck is narrower than the body) and metal cans.

Aside from environmental considerations, not recycling costs our towns money. Recyclables can be sold by the county for use in production of many new products. Much of today’s carpeting is made from recycled plastic bottles. Recycled paper is used in new paper production. For every ton recycled, the municipality saves $69.70 in disposal fees

Newspaper Magazines & Catalogs Junk mail Office Paper Cardboard

Potential or Future Recyclables 19% Glass containers Metal cans & containers Textiles Wood

and generates $17.28 in recycling revenue for an $87 per ton benefit.

Plastic bags can be recycled through the area supermarkets and Wal-Mart. They can be used in the production of TREX lumber, which is an alternative to wood. The county is exploring additional recycling opportunities.

What you Can do To manage hazardous household products •

Use the least toxic product you can find and buy only what you need.

•

Read labels so you know what you are buying and what the potential hazards are. If you’re not sure,“Google” the ingredients.

•

Follow the directions on the label. Never use more of the product than the manufacturer recommends.

•

Seek out Bay-Friendly products. See the Resources chapter.

•

Use biodegradable soaps in your outside shower.

•

After a rainstorm, drain excess pool water before adding chemicals.

•

Make your own Bay-friendly cleaning products.

45

Bay-Friendly Tip Make Your Own NonToxic Cleaning Kits Assemble spray bottles, empty jars, & the basic ingredients: baking soda (for scouring & deodorizing), white vinegar (removes mildew, odors, bacteria, & scale from hard water), citrus solvent (cleans oils & grease, some stains), lemon juice (removes gum, tarnish, & dirt), 3% hydrogen peroxide (mildew remover), and lemon & tea tree oil (disinfectants). Any of the above ingredients can be safely mixed together. Label clearly and store out of the reach of children. Many nontoxic commercial cleaners made with these ingredients are available on the market.

All purpose cleanser: Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1-2 tsp of tea tree oil or lemon oil in a 1-quart spray bottle of very hot water. Shake vigorously.

Bleach: Use oxygen bleaches or let the sun bleach your fabrics on an outdoor clothesline. Try an old-fashioned bluing product to whiten whites.

Carpet Stains: Immediately apply club soda, or equal parts white vinegar & water, blot dry, repeat, then clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water.

Deodorizers: In refrigerators & closed spaces, use an open box of baking soda. Sprinkle it on carpets & upholstery, wait 15 minutes, vacuum. Simmer cinnamon & cloves, or put out white vinegar in open dishes.

Drain Cleaners: Instead of chemical cleaners, use a plunger or plumber’s snake. Then add 1/4 cup baking soda followed by 1/4 cup vinegar. Wait 15 minutes; rinse with 2 quarts boiling water.

DO NOT use this method after trying a commercial drain opener—vinegar reacts with the chemicals, creating dangerous fumes.

Dusting: Use 1/4 cup white vinegar per quart of water, & apply with a tightly wrung soft cloth. Or use a microfiber dusting cloth.

Floor Cleaner: For wood and vinyl floors, add 1 cup white vinegar to one bucket of mop water.

Glass Cleaner: Mix 2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 tsp lemon juice, & 1 tsp liquid soap in 1 quart of warm water.

Shake well, spray on, then buff with crumpled newspapers.

Metal Polish: Silver: Line a pan with aluminum foil & fill with water; add 2 tsp each baking soda & salt. Bring to boil & immerse silver. Polish with soft cloth. Brass or Bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in a lemon juice & baking soda solution. Copper: soak a cotton rag in a pint of boiling water with 1 Tbsp salt & 1 cup of white vinegar. Apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean.

Mildew Remover: Make a solution with 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide, &1 quart very hot water. Spray on & leave for 10 minutes. Wipe clean. Or mix 2 tsp tea tree oil with 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle, shake to blend, & spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. For grout, mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with 2 parts water in a spray bottle & spray on mold. Wait at least 1 hour before rinsing.

Paint Brush Cleaner: For oil-based paints, use commercially available citrus-based solvents.

Scouring Powder: Make a paste of baking soda & vinegar. Rub gently.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Mix 1/4 cup baking soda &1/2 cup vinegar, pour into bowl, let stand, & brush well. To remove rust stains without damaging the finish, rub with a pumice stone.

Wood Polish: Rub with 1 Tbsp of lemon oil mixed with 1 pint olive oil. Buff with soft cloth.

46

Chapter 9

Responsible Boating The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope. Now as never before, the old phrase has literal meaning: we are all in the same boat.

Jacques Yves Cousteau

Recreational

and commercial boating provides relaxation, enjoyment, and livelihood to thousands of Long Beach Island residents and visitors. It contributes to the Island economy by providing jobs in fishing, boat manufacturing, and boat servicing. Unfortunately, boating also contributes to the pollution of LBI’s waters. All of us—especially boaters—have a lot to lose if the quality of our waters deteriorates.

Boaters and personal watercraft (jet ski) operators must recognize that they share the waters and marshes of Barnegat Bay with a remarkable number of animals and plants that depend on the health of a fragile ecosystem. The cooperation of individual boaters is essential in the effort to improve water and air quality and prevent pollution. What you do on the water today determines what’s in the water tomorrow.

Barnegat SneakBox The Barnegat sneakbox, designed by Captain Hazelton Seaman in 1836, was a small hunting/fishing boat, ideal for the shallow waters and salt marshes of Barnegat Bay.

Boat Operation When operating a boat, drive it conservatively.

Marine engines are great contributors of hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) pollution. Boaters can greatly reduce engine pollution by limiting full-throttle operation, turning off engines promptly, and keeping their engines in good condition and well tuned.

In shallow waters like our Bay, boats often stir up bottom sediment. This limits light penetration, depletes oxygen, and thus can affect fish, birds, and eelgrass beds. Ride in the main channels, and limit riding in shallow water. When it is necessary to go into shallow water, keep your watercraft at a slow speed. Be aware of the low tides in Barnegat Bay, which make these areas even more vulnerable.

Sneakboxes got their name because of their size and low profile, and the fact that they could be quietly sailed, rowed, poled, or sculled up to game or fish. In addition, covering a sneakbox with meadow grass or branches made it into a good portable screen or blind.

47

Watercraft Impact on Shoreline Erosion Wakes created by boats and personal watercraft contribute to shoreline erosion. Erosion is a concern because the slow destruction of shorelines affects the habitats of plants and animals.

The extent of shoreline erosion caused by boat wakes depends on the wake’s energy.

The closer to the shore, the greater the hull size, the greater the speed, and the shallower the water, the more damage a boat wake can cause. This is especially important in our shallow Bay. To minimize shoreline erosion, boats and personal watercraft should reduce wakes within 500 feet of the shore. Posted No Wake Zones should always be observed.

Erosion from boat prop wash (agitation produced by a boat’s propeller while the engine is in gear) is often seen along docks and piers. If a boat is run in gear while tied up, sediments are stirred up and washed away. As these sediments resettle, they suffocate marine life.

Be a Bay-Friendly Boater Many of the cleaning, dissolving, and painting agents used for boat maintenance are toxic to marine and aquatic life. A few simple precautions can prevent these chemicals from harming our coastal water and harbors:

Cleaning Your Boat Use only fresh water to rinse and scrub your boat. Use a brush or power washer after each use. Do not use soap. If your boat is stained, use safe alternatives such as phosphate-free soap or phosphate-free laundry detergent. Be careful of products that remove stains and make your boat shine. Most are extremely toxic. Avoid any products with a “Toxic” warning on the label: they can kill marine life if washed overboard or accidentally spilled into the water.

Painting your Boat Bottom paints that are used to prevent fouling cause environmental damage. “Fouling” refers to any organisms that can attach to and grow on the hulls of boats, negatively affecting their performance.

Bottom paint contains pesticide ingredients intended to prevent barnacles, seaweed, and other fouling organisms from growing on the underwater areas of boats, docks, buoys, and other structures. Paints containing these pesticides are designed to continually release the active ingredient into the water.

48

Currently, a copper compound, usually cuprous oxide, is the most common active pesticide in antifouling paints. Other environmentally friendly alternatives are now available. These work by producing peroxides that kill fouling organisms while they are microscopic in size. Because peroxide quickly breaks down into water and oxygen, it is safe to use and does not hurt the environment. Use a Bay-Friendly bottom paint.

The residues of old paint from scraping and sanding are often washed into the water—either deliberately or by rain. When scraping the bottom of your boat, catch the scrapings in a dropcloth. Use sanders with vacuum attachments, and sweep up any scrapings or dust that escapes your dropcloth. Store them for your next Hazardous Waste Collection day.

Emptying your Bilge Wastes Because it often contains oily waste, bilge water presents a major challenge for ecologically minded boaters. Adding detergent is not only environmentally damaging, it is illegal, and you can be fined for doing it. Before pumping bilge water overboard, capture the floating surface oil with oil-absorbent pads, paper towels, or old nylon stockings. A product called a bilge sock can be used to sop up oily bilge water. Bilge socks are available at local marinas and through the various harbor masters.

Avoiding Fuel and Oil Spills Fuel overflows are dangerous to people and toxic to fish and other aquatic life. Even small fuel spills are subject to Federal fines. Several commercial products are available from marine supply stores to help you prevent overflows. The most simple is a container that attaches to the fuel vent to capture the overflow. Other more sophisticated solutions are available. Even small spills must be wiped up immediately to keep them from reaching the water.

Never use a soap to disperse an oil sheen or spill. Fuel is much less harmful to the environment when it is allowed to evaporate. Using soap makes the fuel sink to the bottom where it causes harm to marine

LBI Neighbors Striped bass (Morone saxatilis), commonly called “stripers,” are a very popular sport fish. They are native to most of the East Coast.

Stripers have a large mouth with jaws extending backward to below the eye. They have a streamlined, silvery body marked with dark longitudinal stripes that run from behind the gills to the base of the tail.

Striped Bass

Stripers are anadromous, which means they migrate between fresh and salt water.

Striped bass travel in schools. They move about in small groups when young and feed and migrate in large schools as adults. Striped bass can live up to 40 years and reach weights greater than 100 pounds.

Voracious and Powerful Surfer 49

organisms. The Clean Water Act specifically prohibits the use of soap or detergent to dissipate oil on the water. A boat operator who causes or witnesses a spill is required to report it to the Coast Guard.

to report a spill: Call the Coast Guard on VHF channel 16 or the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802

Do You Know?

One quart of oil can contaminate a million gallons of water!

Remember to dispose of your waste properly: Fishing line thrown overboard takes 600 years to degrade.

Cigarette butts take 300 years to degrade.

Plastic six-pack rings, bags, and bottles take 450 years to degrade.

Because the Bay takes more than 70 days to flush out, throw your fish parts in the garbage.

2,500 tons of non-biodegradable plastic are thrown away in the U.S. every day!

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Handling Sewage and PumpOuts It is illegal to dump untreated sewage into the water, and violators are subject to fines. If you have a toilet on your boat, it must be equipped with a Marine Sanitation Device (MSD). If your boat does not have an installed toilet, consider using a portable toilet and dumping the contents safely onshore.

Regardless of what type of MSD your boat has, sewage pumpout stations or portable pumpout units should be used when moored or docked in marinas or harbors. This is the only way to empty holding tanks in an environmentally responsible manner. Many marinas on LBI have free dump stations for emptying portable toilets. Pumpout boats also make it convenient for boaters to empty their holding tanks responsibly. There is no charge for these services. For more information, see the Resources chapter.

Removing Trash Trash is the most visible pollution in our waters. Designate a storage area on your boat specifically for trash, and regularly take the trash to shore for proper disposal. Beer cans, styrofoam cups, plastic bags, fishing line fragments, and other debris can trap, injure, and kill aquatic life and birds. Most of this debris doesn’t disintegrate; rather, it remains in the water for years and continues to kill wildlife, foul propellers, and clog engine-cooling water intakes. It is illegal to dispose of trash in the water. Call the Coast Guard if you see any boat, commercial or recreational, dumping plastics or other trash overboard.

Clean Marina Program The Clean Marina programs help to reduce pollution in our coastal waters by encouraging environmentally friendly marina and boating practices. The Clean Marina Initiative is a voluntary program that encourages marina operators and recreational boaters to

protect coastal water quality by engaging in environmentally sound operating and maintenance procedures. Clean Marina programs offer information, guidance, and technical assistance to recreational boaters, marina operators, and local governments on Best Management Practices that can be used to prevent or reduce pollution. Marinas that participate in the Clean Marina Program are recognized for their environmental stewardship. Please seek them out. For a list of pledged and certified Clean Marinas, see the New Jersey Clean Marina Program Guide at www.njcleanmarina.org.

Look for this sign

What you Can do To be a bay-friendly Boater •

Rinse and scrub your boat with fresh water. Do not use soap.

•

Use ecofriendly stain cleaners and paints.

•

Recycle your boat’s shrink-wrap plastic cover.

•

Catch paint scrapings with a dropcloth.

•

Don’t add detergent to bilge water. This is illegal.

•

Capture floating surface oil with oil-absorbent pads.

•

Don’t dump untreated sewage or trash into the water.

This is illegal.

•

Reduce wakes within 500 feet of the shore.

•

Use a spill-proof gasoline container and avoid topping off gas tanks. Return unused gasoline on HHW collection day.

•

Clean and flush your engine away from the water.

•

Eliminate unnecessary idling, and limit engine operation at full throttle.

•

Use a certified NJ Clean Marina.

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Chapter 10

Not Just for Kids

Here are some things you and your family can do right here on LBI to become more Bay Friendly

Good Fishing When you’re trying to catch a big one, remember that lead sinkers and fishing lines are a hazard to wildlife. Water birds swallow the sinkers lost from your line and die from lead poisoning. Instead, use plated steel sinkers or washers and plated steel hooks. And be sure to properly dispose of used fishing line so it won’t entangle wildlife. If there isn’t a receptacle at your local marina, set one up!

Beach Trash Pickup Always take a reusable trash bag with you when you go to the beach or shoreline. Carry out your own trash and pick up any other trash you find.

Water Watch Be a water detective. Check for leaky faucets, and turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. Learn about water-saving devices such as low-flow showerheads and appliances, and talk with your family about installing them.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle We make a lot of unnecessary trash. Reduce the amount of trash you make: buy things with less packaging; fix things instead of buying new ones; recycle; compost organic wastes. Donate to or buy from Southern Ocean County Hospital’s Old and New Shop or other local thrift stores.

Adopt a Storm Drain Many of our storm drains are already marked with signs to prevent dumping. Find the drains nearest your home and keep them free of debris. Contact the Alliance for Living Ocean about their Adopt-a-Storm-Drain program.

Get Involved Join an ecotour of the Island and learn about the waters around you. Encourage your friends and neighbors to join in. Need more ideas? Read the Taking Action chapter.

Take Out the Toxics With your family, read Chapter 8. Then go on a toxics hunt around your house. Look for these warnings on the labels: DANGER, CAUTION, WARNING, POISON, CORROSIVE, CAUSTIC, INERT, FLAMMABLE, or EXPLOSIVE. Contact your municipality to determine the hazardous waste disposal days in your area. Watch how the hazardous collection process works. Learn about alternatives to toxic products and use them when you can.

Carry re-usable grocery and shopping bags Stop using plastic and paper bags when you shop. Sturdy reusable shopping bags are available for $1 at many local stores. Give them as gifts to Island friends and neighbors.

Become a Bay-Friendly Family Create your own project to help clean up our environment, preserve habitat, or otherwise improve our Bay. When completed, write about it on the form included in this chapter. We’ll publish your story on the LBIF Save Our Bay website and perhaps feature you in a future publication. In addition, you’ll receive a Bay-Friendly Family certificate for your home.

52

Have some fun learning more about our Island, its inhabitants, its history, and the ecology of the Bay Visit www.lbifoundation.org for more information.

Alliance for a Living Ocean Seining (netting) and children’s programs.

528 Dock St. Beach Haven, NJ 08008 609-492-0222 www.livingocean.org

LBI Foundation of the Arts & Sciences Science programs and projects for children and adults.

Explore the terrapin trail and view the osprey nesting platform.

120 Long Beach Boulevard Loveladies, NJ 08008 609-494-1241 www.lbifoundation.org

Barnegat Light Park and Nature Trail Climb the lighthouse, see the creatures on the rocks, and walk the nature trails.

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park Barnegat Light, NJ 08006 609-494-2016

ReClam the Bay Follow the Clam Trail and visit the shellfish nurseries.

High Bar Harbor Area

1623 Whitesville Road Toms River, NJ 08755-1199 732-349-1152 www.reclamthebay.org

A long peninsula of Bay beach and dunes with an entrance at the end of Sunset Ave. is a wildlife preserve.

Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge on the southern end of LBI Trails open sunrise to sunset.. Closed during nesting seasons. Check website for dates opened and closed.

Viking Village Behind the scenes tour of our local fisheries.

Offices: Great Creek Road, Oceanville, NJ 08231 609-652-1665 www.fws.gov/northeast/forsythe

1801 Bayview Ave. Barnegat Light, NJ 08006 609-494-0113

Mordecai Island Land Trust A 45-acre uninhabited sedge island west of Beach Haven. Nesting site for many endangered bird species.

View from the end of Essex & Chatsworth Aves.The viewing platforms are handicap-accessible.

PO Box 1414 Beach Haven, NJ 08008 www.info@mordecaimatters.org

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Museums and More...

Barnegat Heritage Village 575 East Bay Ave. Barnegat, NJ 08005 609-698-5284 www.barnegathistoricalsoc.com

Stafford Township Historical Society, Inc. 50 West Bay Ave. Manahawkin, NJ 08050 609-597-5947 www.telecottage.com/staffordhist Toms River Seaport Society & Maritime Museum 78 East Water Street Toms River, NJ 08754-1111 732-349-9209

Barnegat Light Museum 5th & Central Aves.

Barnegat Light, NJ 08008 609-494-8578 www.nealcomm.nonprof/blhist.htm Long Beach Island Historical Museum Engleside & Beach Aves.

Beach Haven, NJ 08008 609-492-0700 www.lbimuseum.org

Annex: Charles & Anna Hankins Museum 504 Grand Central Ave. Lavallette, NJ www.tomsriverseaport.com

The Museum Of NJ Maritime History Dock and West Sts. Beach Haven, NJ 08008 609-492-0202 http://museumofnjmh.com

Tuckerton Seaport 120 West Main Street Tuckerton, NJ 08087 609-296-8868 www.tuckertonseaport.org

What's that on the beach???

LBI Neighbors

Horseshoe Crab: Ancient Arthropod Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are not really crabs at all. They come from the Merostomata class of scorpions and land spiders. They may look scary, with their hard, curved shell and long tail, but they are not dangerous. Horseshoe crabs are estimated to be at least 300 million years old.

Horseshoe crabs eat mostly at night, burrowing for worms and mollusks. Because these ancient creatures have a remarkable immune system, they are being studied by scientists for human disease research.

54

Ocean County Library— Internet connection Long Beach Island Branch 217 South Central Ave. Surf City, NJ 08008 609-494-2480

Stafford Township Branch 129 North Main Street Manahawkin, NJ 08050 609-597-3381

? w o n Why water is blue uk

Do yo Most materials owe their color to the absorption of visible light by

the molecule’s electrons.Water (H2O) is different.The two hydrogen atoms in water attach to the one oxygen atom at a 105-degree angle.

When light hits this angle, it bends so that only the blue wavelengths in its light spectrum are reflected.This is the reason water appears to be blue.

KNOW YOUR FILTER-FEEDERS Many sea creatures feed by drawing in large quantities of water, straining suspended food particles from the water, and expelling the water: • Marine tube worms • Razor clams • Jackknife clams • Surf clams • Soft-shell clam • Hard-shelled clams • Blue mussels • Ribbed mussels • Mole crabs (sand crabs)

Here a gull, there a gull, everywhere a gull gull On the beach we see many birds but they are not all seagulls: Laughing gulls Great black-backed gulls Herring gulls Ring-billed gulls Common terns

Least terns Caspian terns Royal terns Sanderlings Least sandpipers

Greater and lesser yellowlegs

Ways for Adults to get involved •

• • •

Rutgers Cooperative Extension http://njaes.rutgers.edu/county/quickinfo.asp?Ocean • Environmental Stewardship Program: http://envirostewards.rutgers.edu/About%20Us.htm • Master Gardener Program • Internships NJ Department of Environmental Protection,Wildlife Conservation Corp. http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/wcchome.htm U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge trains volunteer naturalists: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/forsythe/volunteer.htm 55

Chapter 11

Taking Action We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

Albert Einstein

Previous chapters have highlighted the history and ecology of LBI. Our Island and surrounding waters are a unique habitat. Barnegat Bay, home to the last remaining eelgrass beds in NJ, needs our protection and immediate attention. Throughout this book, actions have been highlighted in the What You Can Do sections.

Several of our chapters discuss everyday Island activities and their impact on the health of the Bay. Whether you are a full-time or part-time resident, or on vacation, you are part of a long line of people who have treasured the beauties of our Island and Bay. A love of the Bay and sea experiences should instill in you a sense of stewardship.

By taking responsibility for the health of the Bay, you give a gift to others: leaving the Bay in a condition better than you found it. But nothing will change until YOU take action.

Let’s Get Started The challenge is always the first step.

Become An Explorer!

Go to the Bay and ocean beaches and imagine you’re a Lenape Indian searching for wampum; or a Barnegat pirate looking for treasure; or a modern-day scientist researching marine life and how to preserve it.

•

Walk along the shoreline and find things that live in the water and on the shore. Start a collection of shells or “found” items. Talk about what you find. Make your search into a game with prizes for the person who collects the most things or who can identify what they find.

•

Talk to the people you see. Find out what they are catching and what wildlife they have seen. Ask whether they have spotted a dolphin, a whale, or a pelican.

•

Help keep the shoreline beautiful. Pick up any trash or garbage you find.

56

Become a Student of the Environment • Attend Science Saturday at the LBI Foundation of the Arts & Sciences to learn about LBI ecology, problems facing the Bay, and the many organizations that work together to monitor and improve our environment.

• Attend a nature camp or take an ecowalk at LBIF. • Become a MATES marine scientist for a week or attend LBIF science camp.

• Take an ecocruise or kayak tour at one of the locations listed in the Resources chapter.

Participate In Bay-Related Activities

•

Alliance for a Living Ocean has a program in which they cast nets into the Bay (seine) and identify all the neat stuff they catch. 609-492-0222

•

ReClam the Bay welcomes visitors to the nurseries where they grow baby clams and oysters. They also offer the Clam Trail (a sort of treasure hunt). 732-349-1152

•

Barnegat Light State Park and Nature Trail is a place to see many of the native creatures, trees, and shrubs mentioned in the Blue Pages. 609-494-2016

•

The LBI Foundation of the Arts and Sciences (LBIF) has many science-related activities including nature day camps, Science Saturday lectures, and Barnegat Bay Day. 609-494-1241

•

Viking Village has a behind-the-scenes tour showing how our fishing fleet (one of the last remaining) catches the seafood we eat. Fridays at 10:00. See their video about the fishing industry.

•

The Barnegat Light Museum has displays showing and explaining early life on the Bay. 609-494-8578

•

The New Jersey Maritime Museum has displays about ships, seafarers, and baymen. 609-492-0202

•

The LBI Historical Museum has photos and memorabilia from the Island’s early days. 609-492-0700

LBI Neighbors

Hard Clam: Hinged Digger

The hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria), also known as the Northern quahog, is a bivalve mollusk. Bivalves have two shells that are joined at a hinge called the umbo. The shells are opened and closed by two pairs of muscles on the inside.

You will find this clam just under the surface of the sand or mud. It has a foot, which it uses to dig its way under the surface. Hard clams are filter feeders. They feed by siphoning and filtering the small plants and animals (plankton) floating in the water.

57

here’s What you can do ...in your Home Live like a sailor!

Because boats have limited space for fresh water, sailors practice water conservation.

Here are some ways you can save water: •

Take shorter showers and/or install a low-volume showerhead.

•

Don’t let the water run while you are brushing your teeth or shaving.

•

Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. Dishwashers use less water than hand washing.

LBI Neighbors Great Blue Heron Walking in the Wetlands The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is a very large, blue-grey wading bird with a long S-shaped neck.

In flight, this heron’s wingspan exceeds six feet.

Great blue herons hunt for food while standing in water—walking slowly, stabbing prey with a quick lunge of its long, sharp bill. Because of their long legs, great blue herons are able to feed in deep waters. Their primary food is small fish, but they also eat amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals.

The call of the great blue heron is a distinctive deep, hoarse croak. These birds are extremely territorial and aggressively defend their nests.

58

Live like people who enjoyed the Bay in olden times.

They used little electricity and depended on the wonderful sea breezes to keep them cool.

•

Turn off the lights when you leave a room.

•

Consider whether you really need air conditioning. Open the windows and enjoy the fresh salt air.

•

Turn off the TV and video games. Go explore the natural habitat around your home or elsewhere on LBI.

Make your home Bay-Friendly.

•

Make up a nontoxic cleaning kit.

•

Use biodegradable soap, shampoo, and conditioner in outdoor showers. Outdoor wastewater goes directly into the ground or the Bay.

•

Recycle. Don’t let your guests put cans, bottles, or paper in the regular trash.

here’s What you can do ...In Your YARD Go native! Let the Island’s natural beauty shine through.

•

Let rain sink into the yard. Don’t cover it with bricks and pavers.

•

Landscape with indigenous plants, which require less water and fertilizer.

•

Water plants sparingly.

•

Get a soil analysis before you put any chemicals on your yard.

•

Choose Bay-Friendly landscapers and products.

...In Your BOAT Like sea captains of old, respect the waters.

•

Never throw anything overboard.

•

Secure bags, wrappers, and soda cans.

•

If something does blow overboard, consider conducting a man overboard drill and go back for it.

•

Stay away from shallows where the boat prop can tear up eelgrass.

•

Remember that your boat wake can destroy fragile habitat found along the shoreline. Go slowly and enjoy the scenery.

...In your COMMUNITY Take a walk.

•

Pick up any trash or garbage you see.

•

Clear out any storm drains that have collected debris.

•

Talk to your neighbors about Bay-Friendly landscaping.

•

Think of things that your local municipality could do. Jot them down and contact your officials.

•

Ask your local grocery store to promote bring-your-own-bag programs by offering incentives.

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...And EVERYWHERE! •

Refill your own water bottle. Millions of pounds of plastic are used by water bottlers.

Millions of pounds of plastic go into landfills. Many of these bottles are dropped onto the land and some blow into the Bay and ocean.

•

Stop junk mail.To remove your name from catalog mailing lists, go to www.dmachoice. org/consumerassistance.php or to www.catalogchoice.org.

•

Plan more and drive less. Make only one shopping trip per day! A recent study shows that the average family makes four dash-to-the-store trips a day, wasting millions of gallons of gasoline.

•

Request and buy organically grown food.This helps encourage the many farmers who want to use nontoxic pest control techniques and fertilizers.

•

Find out how open spaces such as medial strips, parks, golf courses, and retirement communities are treated for weed and pest control. Caretakers may be hurting the environment and not even know it. Research alternatives and suggest improvements.

•

Put your tax dollars to work. Let governmental officials know that people who live and visit LBI want Barnegat Bay to be saved and preserved. Send a letter or email telling what you did, what you think could be improved, and why Barnegat Bay is important to you and your family. See email addresses in our Where to Get Help chapter. And don’t forget to send a copy of your email to islandbluepages@lbifoundation.org.

Now, Please, put this book down and do something to

save our bay!

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We’re a bay-friendly family Tell us what you do in your home, your yard, your waters, your neighborhood, or your community that is making a difference to the health of our Bay.

APPLICANT NAME:

Submit to LBIF: 120 Long Beach Blvd., LoveLadies, NJ 08008

ADDRESS: CONTACT PHONE: EMAIL: FAMILY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROJECT:

Describe the project you did or the ongoing actions you take to improve the health of the Bay.

What have you learned as a result of this project or these actions?

Have you shared your knowledge with others?

How?

Do you have a digital photo that illustrates what you’ve accomplished (not required)?

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Our Business is Bay-friendly!

Submit your company for a Bay-Friendly Business designation.

Here are the benefits to you: • Listed on the Save Our Bay web pages, a resource for the • •

Island Blue Pages readers to locate providers.

Recognition at Save Our Bay programs and events.

Receive a Bay-Friendly Business certificate.

BUSINESS NAME: __________________________

TYPE OF BUSINESS: _________________

ADDRESS:

____________________________________________________________

WEBSITE:

______________________________________________________________

CONTACT NAME: __________________________

PHONE: ________________________

CONTACT EMAIL: _________________________________________________________________ Do you carry a line of ecofriendly products?

If yes, please describe.

Y _____

N _____

What ecofriendly techniques do you incorporate into your normal business practices? Please attach any literature that describes these.

What does your company do to educate the public about Bay-Friendly products and practices?

Please include materials that illustrate, if possible.

What projects have you completed that illustrate your Bay-Friendly practices? Please provide details.

Have you earned or received any special certifications or awards for your environmental practices? Y ____ N ____ Please describe and/or attach a copy.

I certify that the above information is true and correct.

CEO, Owner, or General Mgr. 62

Submit to LBIF: 120 Long Beach Blvd., LoveLadies, NJ 08008

Complete this application including additional pages, if necessary.

Return all materials to LBIF, 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies, NJ 08008.

continued from page 26 Native species

are the species of plants, animals, and insects that have inhabited a given area or region. Most of the species were around long before we got here, so they are an integral part of the ecosystem.

Non-point Source Pollution

refers to pollution that enters estuaries from many places, such as when rainwater washes over parking lots, lawns, or farms, and brings pollutants from all these sources into the estuary.

Nutrients

refers to the “food” that plants need in order to grow. Examples include nitrogen and phosphorus.

Too many nutrients in the water can cause problems in an estuary.

Photosynthesis

is the chemical process by which green plants make organic substances (mostly sugars) from carbon dioxide and water in their cells, using energy captured from sunlight. Oxygen is released as a byproduct.

Phytoplankton

are tiny, free-floating aquatic plants. Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the aquatic food chain.

Rain Gardens

are designed to absorb rainwater runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground. Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they generally don’t require fertilizer and are more tolerant of the local climate, soil, and water conditions.

Runoff

refers to excess rainfall or melted snow that runs off the ground because it is too much for the ground to absorb. Runoff can pick up pollutants from the air or the land and carry them to streams, lakes, and oceans.

Salt Marshes

are coastal wetlands rich in marine life. Salt marshes can be found behind barrier islands, where they play an important role in local ecology. They are sometimes called tidal marshes because they occur in the zone between low and high tides.

Sediment

refers to fine soil or mineral particles that settle to the bottom of the water or remain suspended.

Watershed

applies to all of the area that drains into the same body of water. If the rain falling on your house ultimately flows into Barnegat Bay, you reside in the Barnegat Bay Watershed.

Wetlands

are swampy or marshy areas that are often preserved for wildlife. Coastal wetlands are closely linked to our nation’s estuaries, where sea water mixes with fresh water.

Zooplankton

are essentially microscopic, drifting marine animals.

They are food for many larger organisms such as fish. Many marine organisms—including barnacles, lobsters, crabs, starfish, etc.—begin their life with a planktonic stage.

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Chapter 12

Where to go for Help Local Government Offices Borough of Barnegat Light 10 W 10th St., PO Box 576, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006 609-494-9196 Borough of Beach Haven 300 Engleside Ave., Beach Haven, NJ 08008 609-492-0111 Borough of Harvey Cedars 7606 Long Beach Blvd., PO Box 3185, Harvey Cedars, NJ 08008 609-361-6000 Township of Long Beach 6805 Long Beach Blvd., Brant Beach, NJ 08008 609-361-1000 Borough of Surf City 813 Long Beach Blvd., Surf City, NJ 08008 609-494-3064 Borough of Ship Bottom 1621 Long Beach Blvd., Ship Bottom, NJ 08008 609-494-2171 Township of Ocean 239 11th St.,Waretown, NJ 08758 609-693-3302 Office of the Freeholders 101 Hooper Ave.,Toms River, NJ 08753 732-244-2121 www.co.ocean.nj.us/FreeholderMainPage.aspx

NJ State Representatives State Senator and Assemblymen (District 9) 620 West Lacey Rd., Forked River, NJ 08731 609-693-6700 www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#9 US Congressman (District 3) https://forms.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep US Senators I Gateway Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102 www.senate.gov

Office of the Governor P.O. Box 001, Trenton, NJ 08625 609-292-6000 www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html

NJ DepT. of Environmental Protection Office of the Commissioner 401 E. State St., 7th Floor, East Wing P.O. Box 402 Trenton, NJ 08625-0402 609-292-2885 www.nj.gov

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Organizations

Additional information available online at www.bbep.org/downloads/resourceguide.pdf Alliance for a Living Ocean 528 Dock St., Beach Haven, NJ 08008 609-492-0222 www.livingocean.org ALO educates the public about the importance of maintaining good water quality in the Atlantic Ocean, Barnegat Bay, and its watershed.They have an extensive array of programs that are offered year-round to school groups and the general public.

American Littoral Society—South Jersey P.O. Box 1306,Tuckerton, NJ 08087 609-294-3111 www.littoralsociety.org The American Littoral Society is a national, membership-based organization that focuses on the littoral zone—that area between the ocean and the upland that includes the entire watershed.

They offer field trips to explore the coastal environment including kayak tours and hikes.

Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program (BBNEP) Ocean County College,Toms River, NJ 08754 732-255-0472 www.bbep.org BBNEP is an agency that is part of the National Estuary Program.

They support numerous organizations and activities within the entire Barnegat Bay Watershed. The BBNEP works with scientists, municipal representatives, citizens, and policymakers on issues regarding the Barnegat Bay estuary.

Clean Ocean Action P.O. Box 505, Sandy Hook, Highlands, NJ 07732 732-872-0111 www.cleanoceanaction.org Clean Ocean Action is a broad-based coalition of more than 170 conservation, environmental, business, service, and community groups with a wide range of experience and concern regarding ocean pollution issues.This organization identifies pollution sources and uses research, public education, and citizen action to correct problems.

Long Beach Island Foundation of the Arts & Sciences 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies, NJ 08008 609-494-1241 www.lbifoundation.org LBIF provides courses and programs that focus on the arts and sciences. Located on 22 acres of wetlands adjacent to Barnegat Bay, LBIF provides science-related lectures, projects, camps, events, and family activities.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County 1623 Whitesville Road,Toms River, NJ 08755-1199 732-349-1152 www.rce.rutgers.edu

Organizations, continued...

Rutgers Cooperative Extension provides educational materials and non-biased, research-based information to homeowners, commercial horticulturalists, growers, and others on such topics as pest control and alternatives to pesticides, composting, lawn maintenance, soil testing, and low-maintenance landscaping.

ReClam the Bay, Inc. 1623 Whitesville Road,Toms River, NJ 08755-1199 732-349-1152 www.reclamthebay.org ReClam the Bay founded by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County and the Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to involve and educate the public about the estuary’s water quality and the importance of shellfish.The organization believes that by involving the public in the care, feeding, and life cycles of shellfish, they will better understand what an integral role shellfish have in our lives.

Visit the website to find out about the Clam Trail (kind of a treasure hunt) and visiting nurseries where millions of baby shellfish are grown.

Save Barnegat Bay 906-B Grand Central Ave., Lavallette, NJ 08735 732-830-3600 www.savebarnegatbay.org Save Barnegat Bay is a not-for-profit environmental group working to conserve undeveloped natural land and clean water throughout the Barnegat Bay watershed. We work closely with local, state and national environmental groups and with governmental agencies at all levels.

Who To Call Available at www.bbep.org/whotocall.html Beach Closures Ocean County Health Department Beach Report www.ochd. org/beach. Call the O.C. Health Dept. Bathing Beach Hotline at 800-342-9738. Available 24-hours/day.

Boating Incidents/Accidents Call the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Unit, which patrols the Barnegat and Little Egg Harbor. If you need to report marine littering, dumping, distressed boats, unsafe boating, boating accidents, overdue boaters, erratic drivers, speed wash/wake violations, or the like, please give them the name of the boat (if possible), its location (GPS coordinates are very helpful), and any other information that would help them investigate the problem.

If you’re boating in the Atlantic City to Little Egg Harbor inlet area, please call the Atlantic City Station at 609-441-3586. If you’re boating in the Barnegat Bay area, call the Point Pleasant Station at 732-899-5050.

Dumping or other Environmental Crimes, Incidents, Abuses, or Complaints Call 1-877-WARN-DEP (1-877-927-6337) for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, or 1-800-535 DUMP (3867) for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office. To report a spill on the water, call the Coast Guard on VHF channel 16 or the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.

Who To Call, continued...

Fishing, Commercial and Aquaculture Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County (732-349-1152) is in touch with area commercial fishermen.

Fishing, Recreational Call the Jersey Coast Anglers Assoc. (JCAA) at 732-506-6565 or Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County at 732-349-1210.

Gardening and Landscaping Questions Contact the Ocean County Master Gardeners’ Hotline M-F 9am-noon at 732-349-1245, on Wed 5-8pm, or Thurs 9am-noon at 609-978-1554. Or email ocean@aesop.rutgers.edu.

Land Preservation Contact the Ocean County Dept. of Planning, coordinator of the Natural Lands Trust Fund at 732-929-2054.

Pumpout Boats Contact them on marine VHF radio channel 9 or call the Borough of Seaside Park (732-793-5505), Tuckerton Seaport (609-296-8868), or the Brick Township Public Works (732-262-1085).

River Cleanups Call the NJ Community Water Watch (732-249-4108). The Ocean County Planning Department can coordinate a cleanup using county resources.

Stormwater The New Jersey Stormwater Management Rules and Regulations and the NJ Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual are available online at www.state.nj.us/dep/stormwater.

Tourism, Ocean County Call the Director Ocean County Public Affairs/Tourism at 732-929-2000.

Water Quality Call the NJDEP Marine Water Monitoring Program (aka shellfish program) at 609-748-2000 for information on bacteria, nutrients, and other parameters, or call the Ocean County Health Department at 732-341-9700. You can also call Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County at 732-349-1210.

Wildlife (Injured) Go to www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/rehablst.htm for a list of certified wildlife rehabilitators. The Barnegat Animal Clinic at 530 N. Main St., Barnegat (609-698-2141) will treat any injured wild animal gratis as long as the animal is released to them for future care and treatment. They work closely with the certified wildlife rehabilitators,Toms River Avian Care, and the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.

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Resources and References Introduction and Surrounded by Water • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ocean County Utilities Authority: www.ocua.com Barnegat Bay Watershed and Estuary Foundation: www.bbwef.org US National Ocean Service: www.oceanservice.noaa.gov NJ DEP Department of Watershed Management: www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt.com K. Mountford, Closed Sea, Down the Shore Publishing, 2002.

World Island Information: www.worldislandInfo.com NJ Pine Barrens and South Jersey history and ecology: www.njpinelandsanddownjersey.com US Geological Survey: www.nj.usgs.gov/gw/aquifer.html Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program: www.bbep.org Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve: www.jcnerr.org Rutgers Univ. Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences: http://marine.rutgers.edu U.S. EPA estuary programs: www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/programs/barn.htm

The History of LBI • • • • • • • • • • • • •

P D Boyd, Atlantic Highlands: From Lenape Camps To Bayside Town, Arcadia Publishing, 2004.

G C Harnett & K Hughes, Images of America: Long Beach Island, Arcadia Publishing, 2004.

R Jahn, Down Barnegat Bay, Plexus Publishing, 1980.

J B Lloyd, Eighteen Miles of History on Long Beach Island, Down the Shore Publishing, 1994.

J B Lloyd, Two Centuries of History on Long Beach Island, Down the Shore Publishing, 2005.

K Mountford, Closed Sea, Down the Shore Publishing, 2002.

C E Nash, The Lure of Long Beach, Long Beach Board of Trade, 1936.

D D Oxenford, The People of Ocean County, Valentine Publishers, 1992.

D J Seibold & C J Adams III, Legends of Long Beach Island, Exeter House Books, 1985.

Borough of Harvey Cedars history: www.harveycedars.org/hchistory.html Tuckerton Seaport: www.tuckertonseaport.org National Park Service history: www.nps.gov/history Fish And Wildlife Service: www.fws.gov

Understanding the Challenges • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Michael J Kennish, Barnegat Bay—Little Egg Harbor NJ Estuary & Watershed Assessment, Rutgers Univ., 2001.

NJ DEP Department of Watershed Management: www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt.com Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program: www.bbep.org NJ Pine Barrens and South Jersey history and ecology: www.njpinelandsanddownjersey.com Journal Of Coastal Research: www.jcronline.org NJ Audubon Society: www.njaudubon.org Save Barnegat Bay: www.savebarnegatbay.org Rutgers Univ. Institute of Marine & Coastal Sciences: http://marine.rutgers.edu Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve: www.jcnerr.org U.S. EPA estuary programs: www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/programs/barn.htm American Littoral Society: www.littoralsociety.org Barnegat Bay Watershed And Estuary Foundation: www.bbwef.org Alliance For A Living Ocean: www.livingocean.org

The Ecology of LBI • • • • •

Deborah A. Coulombre, The Seaside Naturalist, A Guide to Study at the Seashore, Prentice Hall Press.

Patricia F Kane, Dale A Rosselet, Karl Anderson, New Jerseys Audubon Society’s Bridges To The Natural World, A Natural History Guide for Teachers of Grades Pre-K through 6, 1992.

Paul R. Pinet, Invitation to Oceanography, Jones and Bartlett, 1998.

Oceanlink: www.jbpub.com/oceanlink Ecocruises and kayak tours: American Littoral Society: www.littoralsociety.org

Clean Energy Alternatives • • • • • • •

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“USA Today,” October 30, 2007 Mercury Toxic Legacy NASA study on global warming, 9/25/06: www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/world_warmth.html#maincontent “The SandPaper” “The Economist,” Pocket World in Figures, 2006.

U.S. Department of Energy, Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program: www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/ Worldwatch Institute: www.worldwatch.org To purchase green energy power: www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/buying_power.html

Controlling Erosion and Landscaping for a Healthy Watershed

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Irene H. Stuckey, Lisa Lofland Gould, Coastal Plants from Cape Cod to Cape Canaveral, Univ. of North Carolina, 2001.

Master Gardeners of Ocean County Calendar, 2008.

Home-A-Syst for the Barnegat Bay Watershed, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

Native Plant Society of New Jersey: http://www.npsnj.org Low Maintenance Landscaping for the Barnegat Bay Watershed, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County and Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program.

Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline for Ocean County: 732-349-1245 To obtain a soil testing kit: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/kits.asp Garden Club of LBI: www.thegardencluboflbi.com Integrated Pest Management: www.ifplantscouldtalk.Rutgers. edu Composting and red worms: www.composters.com and www.planetnatural.com Rain gardens: www.water.Rutgers.edu/Fact_Sheets/fs513.pdf and the Native Plant Society of NJ. To purchase native plants: RareFind Nursery: www.rarefindnursery.com

Acknowledgments The authors of the Island Blue Pages were inspired by the Puget Soundbook, a 1991 publication conceived by the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority to educate individuals regarding their impact on the Puget Sound ecosystem. We were also inspired by the Martha’s Vineyard Island Blue Pages, which was adapted from the Puget Sound publication. Some materials were adapted from the Martha’s Vineyard publication.

We thank both organizations for their permission and hope the Island Blue Pages remains true to their environmental education vision.We hope they will see our Island Blue Pages as a worthy outreach to another coastal audience.

Both Michael Kennish, Ph.D., Rutgers University, and Willie de Camp of Save Barnegat Bay are role models for us. For many years, they have been proactively identifying the challenges of our Bay and engaging the public to help save it.

Handling Hazardous Household Products • • • • • • •

Ocean County Household Hazardous Waste Coordinator: www.njhazwaste.com/ocehome.htm Ocean County Dept. Solid Waste Management: www.co.ocean. nj.us/SolidWaste/index.htm For information on disposal days: Ocean County Solid Waste Management Hotline: 1-800-55-RECYCLE, or 732-506-5047 Information about Household Hazardous Waste Collection days: 609-978-0913.

Ocean County Southern Recycling Center, 300 Recovery Rd., Manahawkin: 609-978-0913 Ocean County information: www.oceancountygov.com/ governmt.htm To purchase natural products: Pangaea at 609-597-0017 or www.pangaeanaturals.com, www.planetnatural.com, and www.drbronner.com

A special thank you to: •

Paul Daukas for his beautiful original watercolor on the cover, our LBI Neighbor drawings, and many drawings throughout the book.

•

Diana Woodward and the Garden Club of LBI for the use of several original drawings from Gardening at the Shore.

•

Pook Pfaffe for her assistance and use of the LBI map from The Long Beach Island Alphabet Coloring Book by Pook Pfaffe.

•

Rutgers University, for use of graphics from HomeA-Syst for the Barnegat Bay Watershed.

•

John Wnek, MATES, and Rich Mohr & Cara Muscio, RCE, for their technical review.

•

Dave Ward, Water and Sewer Utility Superintendent for Long Beach Township, NJ, for his assistance.

•

Linda Fester, Librarian, Ocean County Library, Surf City Branch, for assistance with research materials.

•

Mary Judge, BBNEP, and John Hass, Ocean County Recycling Coordinator, for their assistance and professional review.

Responsible Boating • • • • • •

Boater’s Guide to Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor: http://deathstar.Rutgers.edu/projects/runj/boat/ Boating Pollution Prevention Tips: www.epa.gov/OMS/boat-fs. htm EcoFriendly Boating Tips: www.epa.gov/NE/assistance/cmei/ tips.html Clean Marina Initiative: http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/ marinas.html and www.njcleanmarina.org NJ Boater’s PumpOut Guide: www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/cvadir. htm Ocean County PumpOut program, Ocean County Planning Office’s PumpOut Guide: www.planning.co.ocean.nj.us/ coastal-FAQ.htm#what or the NJ Boater’s Pumpout Guide: www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/cvadir.htm

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Thank you We are very grateful to our sponsors for their support of the Island Blue Pages.We hope you will show them your support as well.

Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program

Have fun and learn about the history and ecology of LBI on the Clam Trail.

Hot, cool, cloudy, or windy, it’s a fun and educational treasure hunt to help young and old understand Barnegat Bay and how they can enjoy and improve it.

www.bbep.org

ReClam the Bay www.reclamthebay.org

Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce www.discoversouthernocean.org

ROBBIE’S LOVELADIES MARINA http://marinas.com/view/marina/5504

THE SANDPAPER www.thesandpaper.net/index.htm Alison Aaron, Esq. www.alisonaaron.com

Alliance for a Living Ocean www.livingocean.org

Benée Scola www.beneescola.com

Brant Beach Yacht Club www.bbyc.net

Democratic Club of LBI www.lbidemocrats.com

Process Systems and Controls www.ProcessSys.com

Urner Barry Printing & Mailing www.urnerbarry.com/printshop

Island Blue Pages Committee: John Petralia, Committee chair Rick Bushnell Chris Cooper Ginny Goff Green Doreen Greenberg Michael Greenberg Vivian Grey Laura McLellan John Mastronardo Nancy Petralia 68

What you will find: PI = Point of Interest, GC = Giant Clam, UP = Upweller NORTH LBI Barnegat Light Barnegat Light State Park, 206-208 Broadway & the Bay PI Barnegat Light Borough Hall, West 10th St. GC Barnegat Light Upweller Municipal Boat Ramp, 10th and Bayview UP Viking Village, 19th and Bayview Ave. GC Harvey Cedars Sunset Park, Long Beach Blvd. and Salem Ave. GC Loveladies LBI Foundation of the Arts & Sciences, 120 Long Beach Blvd.

GC, PI Surf City Surf City Yacht Club, 9th St. and the Bay UP Ship Bottom Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, 265 West 9th St. GC Brant Beach St. Francis Center, 4700 Long Beach Blvd. UP SOUTH LBI Beach Haven/Beach Haven Terrace Just Bead It, 133rd St. and Long Beach Blvd. GC Country Kettle Chowda, Bay Village, 9th and Bay Ave. GC Beach Haven Museum – Verizon, Engleside and S. Beach GC Beach Haven Park – Comcast, Amber and S. Beach GC USNCC (Old Coast Guard Station) Pelham Ave. and the Bay UP WARETOWN AND NORTH Waretown Holiday Harbor Marina, 115 Admiral Way UP Seaside Park Island Beach State Park, Rte. 35 PI Island Beach State Park House Marina, 24th Ave., Seaside Park UP MANAHAWKIN and SOUTH Manahawkin Shell, Mill Creek Rd. and Rte. 72 GC Typestries Sign Design, 594 East Bay Ave. GC Tuckerton Tuckerton Seaport Museum, 120 W. Main St. PI

The Clam Trail Clam Trail ’07

RUTGE COOP EXTEN

New Jersey Agricu

Nursery Clams Stickers

Barne Bay Shellfi Restor Progra

Museum or Point of Interest

Map locations are for general reference only.

Not to be used for navigation.

Map courtesy of the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

EXPLORER LOG OF _______________________________

PLEASE PRINT

At each lo Fact Plaq

On your E

T C A

!

W O N

Get your copy of this sticker at LBIF and participating partners.

FOR INFORMATION AND UPDATES, GO TO: www.lbifoundation.org LBI Foundation of the Arts & Sciences 120 Long Beach Blvd.

Loveladies, NJ 08008

Printed 2008