Good News from Unexpected, April 2007
It is the last day of winter and temperatures have finally climbed above fifty degrees, although timid, unsure of intent. The sun is shining without a cloud in the sky and when the wind occasionally dies down it is a rather pleasant afternoon here at Unexpected. The phoebe is calling her name from the wire fence, staking her claim for the nest that has held her family for over four decades. She relocated her nest to an eave last year because some rowdy raccoons moved into the upper barn, but they have gone and she has returned to her rightful place. The male bluebird is on schedule and has been inspecting the nestbox in the cove, and our romantic mallard couple is dabbling side by side in the shallows near the cabin. Other water fowl like Canada geese, black and ringneck ducks, wood ducks and mergansers are all enjoying the pond, pairing up and making a lot ofnoise, flapping and honking in the spring season. We have a visiting swan who dropped in on us one night three weeks ago, lending an air of exotic dignity to the scene. Seems like a good time to catch up on the news here. The weather is finally turning, but it was a rough February for everyone around here.
It was bitter cold for weeks, with some of the coldest recorded temperatures in New Jersey; we tore through half the firewood stored in the woodshed in that short period of time, and less than a cord of wood stands forlornly in the near empty shed. It was only appropriate that I got my first tick bite of the year during a hike through the Refuge on this auspicious day before spring.
Work and Play
We were lulled into a false spring during the first week in March. The redwing blackbirds returned with their lovely spring call; two days later, the harsh reality of four inches of snow made that song seem somehow terribly ironic, with a white wind blowing at a 45 degree angle across the promises of daffodils and crocus. But it would seem that is all behind us now.
Alexis and Katrina
During that warm spell, we took the opportunity to get some outside work done. Al Federici and Bill Bodine came over one morning and the three of us cut up six very large trees that blew down out on the Main Trail. Al’s chainsaw was more accommodating than ours (which failed to start at all), and his plastic wedges worked wonders, keeping the saw from pinching up. With the three of us working, a monumental task was cleaned up in a few short hours.
We also had a visit from Pauline and Katrina Steinbacher and Alexis Demetroff, who donated a Saturday to painting the outhouse. That project was on the list for quite a while and it was a relief to cross it off. We went for a short hike afterwards and enjoyed the warm sunshine while lounging briefly at Otter Dam.
One fine February morning Boy Scout Troop 8 from Cherry Hill came to Unexpected to do a day’s work. They cleared brush from around one of our old block buildings near the Poplar Patch and then cleaned up Mockingbird Field.
BSA Troop 8 cleans up
They created brush piles for the critters and made it much easier to move through the field with a lawn mower. After working, we took a short hike to Muddy Bog, Bluebird Field and across the Long Boardwalk. We finished up in late afternoon, and they stayed the night at the local Girl Scout Camp on Victoria Avenue. It was 15 degrees out that night, so it was nice that they could hang out in the Girl Scouts’ cozy lodge with a roaring fire after a hard day’s work.
A Tabling We Go
We set up a display and gave the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge slide show to SHAPE — Students Helping Animals Plants & the Environment — a dedicated group of students and teachers at the Vineland High School. They learned all about the Refuge — a resource literally in their back yard, and they also learned a lot about beavers and beaver habitat and why it is important to protect them and live with them humanely.
Wenona Environmental Commission
We set up at the Raptor Festival in Mauricetown again this year, and we were invited to the second annual East Coast Vulture Festival at the Wenonah Elementary School. We talked about beavers and they talked about vultures, all to a sold-out crowd. The members of the Environmental Commission dressed as Turkey Vultures and entertainment (aside from the Commission dressed as turkey vultures) included vulture poetry, facts, lore and music. Food was provided by the Road Kill Cafe, and the event ultimately raised $6000 for environmental education grant money available to teachers.
We Need to Show Some Interest
I have been the Director ofUnexpected Wildlife Refuge for almost seven years now, and I must admit I have never believed in anything as much as I do this sanctuary. The vision of our Founders, Hope and Cavit Buyukmihci is alive and well and going strong. They formulated a simple mission back in 1961: provide an inviolate sanctuary for indigenous plants and animals. Humans benefit from the Refuge as well, with our “living classroom” available for the study our fellow animals in their natural state.
Daily activities performed to keep the Refuge running smoothly can include trail clearing, leading hikes, maintaining habitat, patrolling and picking up trash, maintaining buildings and equipment, doing paperwork, implementing educational outreach face to face and via mail, and yes, painting the outhouse. All of this work is done by volunteers — as we have no paid staff here. Unexpected is run on a shoestring, with an annual operating budget around $25,000 a year, depending on unknowns (failed transmission, leaky roof and/or increased insurance premiums, etc).
Our loan comes due in June!
Over the last 45 years, the Refuge has grown from 85 acres to 737 acres, giving wildlife roughly a square mile of safety to live in peace from guns, traps and fishing rods. Our problem is, when that land next to the Refuge comes up for sale, we need cash, fast — and lots of it. Land prices have skyrocketed in the last 30 years; an acre can now cost, on average, about $5,000 or more.
We purchased the 127 acre Codario Farm with a two year bridge loan from Open Space Institute. Well, that loan is due the first week of June. We are working successfully with Green Acres and other granting sources to repay the loan, however, we owe considerable interest. So far, we have raised over $8,000 toward the $20,000 interest payment. Please consider making a tax deductible donation to Unexpected Wildlife Refuge to support our up-coming loan repayment. I cannot think of a better return on any investment!