Gardener State: Living with NJ black bears
Recently, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced it will increase and enhance nonlethal management of black bears. By reducing the interactions between humans and bears, these activities are meant to complement Gov. Phil Murphy's executive order closing state lands to the 2018 bear hunt.
The NJDEP plans to assign additional Division of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers leading up to and during the hunt period to ensure public safety and enforce regulations The NJDEP will also provide bear-safety information to residents and hold a large regional training session for law enforcement officers on methods to safely and effectively manage interactions between black bears and the public and, as necessary, respond to problem black bears. The NJDEP will also continue to provide these training sessions to any law enforcement entity that requests them.
In addition, the NJDEP will form an internal, cross-division team to work with counties and local governments to enhance their waste management policies and practices to prevent black bears from accessing food waste in a cost-effective manner.
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The black bear is New Jersey’s largest land animal. Black bears have been sighted in all 21 counties, but their population is densest in the northwestern part of the state, including Sussex, Warren, Passaic and Morris counties.
Residents are encouraged to report bear damage, nuisance behavior or aggressive bears to the Wildlife Control Unit of the NJDEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at 908-735-8793. During evenings and weekends, residents should call the local police department or the DEP Hotline at 877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337).
To learn more about New Jersey’s black bears, their history in New Jersey and ways to avoid problems with them, visit www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearfacts.htm.
Video available
The “Living with New Jersey Black Bears” DVD includes 60 minutes of video on the biology, habits and management of black bears in New Jersey, Arkansas, Florida and New York, and steps the public can take to better coexist with black bears. The DVD also contains a 15-minute segment devoted solely to the management of black bears in New Jersey, and is back in stock and available from the NJDEP.
According to the NJDEP website, www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearfacts_dvd.htm, the DVD “explores the growing national challenge of sharing the landscape with black bear populations, and was developed with scientific input from wildlife experts.” In addition, the DVD “is an important addition to the educational component of New Jersey's Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy and represents the state's continuing effort to educate New Jersey residents about co-existing with black bears and responsible management of the state's black bear population.”
Free copies of the DVD are available to New Jersey residents (limit of one copy per household) by using the online order form to request a copy of the DVD, www.njfishandwildlife.com/bearfacts_dvd-order.htm or by calling Michelle Smith at 609-259-6961 or Michelle.Smith@dep.nj.gov.
Famer financial fitness workshop
New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher recently announced that the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) is offering a workshop to help beginning and aspiring farmers evaluate their finances in preparation for starting or expanding their farming operations.
The workshop, “Assessing Your Financial Readiness to Access Land,” will be held in cooperation with Farm Credit East at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 25, in the auditorium of the New Jersey Department of Health / Agriculture building at 369 South Warren St., Trenton.
“One of the biggest challenges for new farmers in New Jersey and nationally is the ability to afford land to farm,” said Fisher. “This workshop will help beginners understand how their personal financial situation affects their options for securing farmland, including through purchase, lease and partnerships.”
The workshop is being conducted as part of American Farmland Trust’s “Farmland for the Next Generation” project, which seeks to provide beginning farmers and ranchers with the skills they need to obtain suitable land, and to train a network of agricultural educators and service providers to help beginners gain access to land.
To register for the workshop or for more information, including an introductory video, visit www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/farmlink/resources/landaccessproject.html.
The State Agriculture Development Committee leads in the preservation of New Jersey's farmland and promotes innovative approaches to maintaining the viability of agriculture. The SADC administers the Farmland Preservation Program, providing grants to counties, municipalities and nonprofit groups to fund the purchase of development easements on farmland. For more information please visit their website at www.nj.gov/agriculture/sadc/index.shtml.
Nicholas Polanin is associate professor, agricultural agent II, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension of Somerset County. Email him at polanin@njaes.rutgers.edu.