Describes more than 250 parks, forests, and natural areas, providing information on location, fees, hours, seasons, acreage, special facilities, activities, and regulations.
The first book to look at wilderness in the northeastern US, Wilderness Comes Home features a new approach based on ecological reserve design to protect biological diversity, rewilding and restoring lands to wilderness, and embedding wilderness in a landscape of sustainably managed farmland and forestland. It addresses major theoretical and practical aspects of this important issue -- whether, why, and how to reestablish wilderness areas in the Northeast. Although Western wilderness models already exist for undeveloped areas, Eastern models are still evolving. Protection and social management are being urged not for the "forest primeval" but for recovering areas, in which returning species such as moose and peregrine falcons roam over new growth softwoods and hardwoods, interspersed with the stone walls that once marked field boundaries.
Americans often think of New Jersey as an environmental nightmare. As seen from its infamous turnpike, which is how many travelers experience the Garden State, it is difficult not to be troubled by the wealth of industrial plants, belching smokestacks, and hills upon hills of landfills. Yet those living and working in New Jersey often experience a very different environment. Despite its dense population and urban growth, two-thirds of the state remains covered in farmland and forest, and New Jersey has a larger percentage of land dedicated to state parks and forestland than the average for all states. It is this ecological paradox that makes New Jersey important for understanding the relationship between Americans and their natural world. In New Jersey’s Environments, historians, policy-makers, and earth scientists use a case study approach to uncover the causes and consequences of decisions regarding land use, resources, and conservation. Nine essays consider topics ranging from solid waste and wildlife management to the effects of sprawl on natural disaster preparedness. The state is astonishingly diverse and faces more than the usual competing interests from environmentalists, citizens, and businesses. This book documents the innovations and compromises created on behalf of and in response to growing environmental concerns in New Jersey, all of which set examples on the local level for nationwide and worldwide efforts that share the goal of protecting the natural world.
The book portrays New Jersey as an ecosystem--its geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment. The authors describe in detail the twelve types of plant habitats distinguished in New Jersey and suggest places to observe good examples of them.
In this eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson describes why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. Through engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the country, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists, Lawson applies the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces. Detailed chapters address planting for wildlife by choosing native species; providing habitats that shelter baby animals, as well as birds, bees, and butterflies; creating safe zones in the garden; cohabiting with creatures often regarded as pests; letting nature be your garden designer; and encouraging natural processes and evolution in the garden. The Humane Gardener fills a unique niche in describing simple principles for both attracting wildlife and peacefully resolving conflicts with all the creatures that share our world.
The second edition of this guide to the "Garden State" reveals the historic, cultural, and ecological diversity of the state. Includes extensive coverage of the Jersey Shore and Atlantic City. New Jersey is a state full of wonders to surprise curious travelers and residents alike. This guide leads you away from the busy interstate highways to reveal the cultural, historic, and geographical diversity that lies beyond the New Jersey Turnpike. For wine connoisseurs, there are more than 25 wineries that offer tours, tastings, and festivals; for history buffs, New Jersey, known as the "Cockpit of the Revolution," offers battlefield state parks, monuments, and reenactments. And that's not all: New Jersey's 127-mile shoreline has many diverse communities, including the historic Victorian seaside resort of Cape May, itself a national historic landmark; the casinos of Atlantic City; the natural beauty of Island Beach State Park, with sand dune-scattered, long, white beaches, nature trails, birding, surfing, and guided kayak tours; and the hip shore town of Red Bank, with art galleries, boutiques, bistros, and jazz clubs. In addition, this comprehensive guide to the state includes opinionated listings of inns, B&Bs, hotels, and vacation cabins; hundreds of dining reviews, from diners to four-star restaurants; up-to-date maps; an alphabetical "What's Where" subject guide to aid in trip planning; and handy icons that point out family-friendly establishments, wheelchair access, places of special value, and lodgings that accept pets.
From mating horseshoe crabs in the Delaware Bay to goldenclub and orchids at Web's Mill Bog, the authors reveal Garden State nature at its best. 99 illustrations. 3 maps.