Good News from Unexpected, October 2008
No. Not “Good News” — GREAT NEWS! We went to the settlement table on Monday, August 18th and purchased the Dalessandro Farm. Unexpected Wildlife Refuge is now 767 acres of protected fields, forests and wetlands; all for the benefit of our fellow creatures.
We were able to purchase this land with another two-year bridge loan from Open Space Institute. We will repay a large portion of this money with grants from NJ Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program, Natural Resource Damage fund (administered by Conservation Resources Inc.) and the Pinelands Commission. We received generous grants from the Audubon Wildlife Society, the Binky Foundation and Conservation Resources Inc., as well as donations from individual supporters like you.
The farm is several lots in two counties, and is located on both sides of Piney Hollow Road, so we just jumped the tarmac. The fields are full of indigenous grasses and flowers, and right now are beautiful early Autumn colors with jewels of goldenrod and asters. There is also an old run down farmhouse and a garage that we will remove and then restore the area to fields and flowers. This farm is adjacent to the Refuge on the northern boundary, next to Main Lake Branch, also the headwaters of the Great Egg Harbor River. This is very near where Hope used to feed the beavers back in the ‘90’s, so many of you may be familiar with the land.
Our annual patrolling is under way here at Unexpected Wildlife Refuge. It is currently bow season. Six Day shotgun season is from Monday, December 8th to Saturday the 13th, and winter bow/permit shotgun seasons will continue until January 31st.
We can use some help patrolling the now 765 acre wildlife sanctuary that so many animals call home. Please consider donating some time to hike the trails and help protect the Refuge.
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Bring your camera and get some unique Pinelands photo opportunities, bring a picnic, bring a friend.
Vegan food will be available on the porch during Six Day shotgun season, but don’t hesitate to come on out before then. Patrol is in full-swing so come and join in the fun.
Call 856-697-3541 and make your appointment today!
With the great news, there is not so great news. As you may remember reading last year, a storm blew out Unexpected Road in April 2007. The township repaired the breach to save the pond, but the road is still closed. The beavers took a pretty hard hit with that storm. The pond flooded and then drained in a matter of 48 hours. Then in May of 2008 the wooden spillway beneath the bridge failed, and tragically Miller Pond drained completely. The price for repairing the road is approximately $500,000. That number just covers the road; it does not include repairing the road to impound water, using 2008 State dam requirements, nor does it include replacing the spillway. That pushes the price to over a million. It is not looking good for the beavers at Unexpected.
A beaver couple was living just below the Dike between Main Pond, upstream, and Miller Pond, downstream. The dozen little dams they installed between Miller Pond and the Dike created a safe haven for them after Miller Pond disappeared. They successfully raised one kitten in this restricted murky oasis, shoulder to shoulder with egrets, otters and turtles. When that kitten was old enough to swim, the three of them packed up and moved downstream below Unexpected Road. With this dry summer ending, Main Pond is now just a narrow muddy stream winding through brown and gold grasses and sedges, with a tiny, muddy watering hole at the Dike.
This loss reminds me that Mother Nature never stands still. Unexpected Road and the spillway and ponds were all constructed by humans, and what we are now looking at is a pre-human ecosystem. Like humans, beavers alter the environment around them in order to create a suitable habitat. I have approached the township and county with a request that they not fix the road if they cannot also replace the spillway. If they construct a road that will not impound water, the beavers will never be able to return. If they close the road, there is a chance that the beavers will return and dam the spillway themselves. I truly believe this could happen, as there are both food and running water in this Refuge; two things that beavers seek out for homemaking.
Someone asked how we could continue The Beaver Defenders if we have no beavers at Unexpected Wildlife Refuge. Well you don’t have to have beavers to be a defender! We will continue to speak out in support of beavers everywhere. We got a call from two Beaver Defenders who live along the South River. Their beaver neighbors got a little ambitious and flooded the road. In May, the Buena Vista Township Public Works Department installed another flow device on the South River. Now everyone is happy. We will continue to work to educate people how to co-exist with beavers (and other maligned individuals) everywhere.