JOB ALERT: Natural Resources Manager

Friends of Princeton Open Space seeks a part-time (30-hour work week) Natural Resources Manager to oversee land stewardship in the Mountain Lakes Open Space Area.  This position reports to the Friends of Princeton Open Space Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Natural Resources Committee. Responsibilities include designing and implementing habitat restoration and enhancement projects, controlling invasive plant species, leading volunteer workdays, conducting plant inventories, and creating community outreach and education programs.

Candidate must possess a passion for conservation, desire to work outdoors, and ability to conduct physically strenuous fieldwork. A Bachelor’s Degree in Ecology, Natural Resource Management, or a related field is required. Qualifications include: knowledge of local flora and fauna, management of invasive plant species, excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to work independently. Experience with GPS/GIS preferred. NJ Pesticide Applicator License is a plus.

Work Responsibilities:

Land Stewardship (70%)

• Design and implement habitat restoration and enhancement projects.
• Control invasive plant species and inventory populations of plants.
• Design training materials.  Recruit, train, and supervise volunteers and record hours.
• Lead frequent volunteer workdays.
• Oversee and work with contractors and consultants.
• Collect seed and propagate/care for plants to be used for habitat restoration efforts.
• Train and oversee summer interns.

Education and Outreach (15%)

• Develop educational programs for the general public, community groups, school, scout groups, and donors to educate about local ecology, local natural history, as well as continued conservation and management efforts of FOPOS.
• Develop and present interpretive displays and brochures.  
• Ensure a coordinated approach to community outreach and education.
• Track and report results of education and outreach efforts in a way that will contribute to continuous improvement of programming.

Communication and Coordination (10%)

• In collaboration with FOPOS Marketing Communications Consultant, develop and maintain communication tools. Collect images during trail work to provide Marketing Consultant with timely, relevant content. Some website work is necessary; knowledge of SquareSpace and Mailchimp a plus.
• Provide FOPOS Marketing Consultant with images and description of volunteer days, notable success stories, completed projects, ongoing efforts, and support the spread of the FOPOS mission.
• Maintain regular communication with varied partners and provide regular opportunities for networking and engagement with a goal of ensuring a connected and informed network.
• Cultivate and maintain collaborative relationship with agencies, organizations and business representatives.

Grant Obligations (5%)

• Identify funding sources and communicate those with board.
• Coordinate and contribute to proposal development.
• Coordinate and ensure timely proposal submission.
• Manage funded projects, including project planning, and implementation.

To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and list of 3 references in one document to:

Clark Lennon, Chair of the Natural Resources Committee: clarklennon@verizon.net  and cc: Wendy Mager, President of the Board of Trustees: wendyonphipps@gmail.com

Native Trees & Shrubs that Benefit Wildlife

"Native trees, shrubs, and vines are the key to successful backyard habitats, offering critical food and cover to our wildlife.  Native vegetation  will thrive with the least amount of care. Non-native ornamentals require a great deal of care (watering, chemicals for insect pests, fertilizing) and tend not to thrive as readily as native vegetation.  This should be a prime consideration with successive drought years and water shortage problems.  Many non-native ornamentals have no food value to our wildlife.  Be sure to include native evergreens, key in providing cover year-round (safe refuge from predators and bad weather, safe nesting sites, and a safe place to roost through the night)." 

Read the rest of the article and view the extensive plant list, compiled by Patricia Sutton here. 

More information is available on the NJ DEP website. 

Birds of Mountain Lakes

The Mountain Lakes Preserve is home to a diversity of birds, some common, some rare.  eBird is a website and an app in which people (both professional birders and non-professional) can report their exact sightings of bird species.  In the past few months, birders have reported sightings of many interesting species.  Below is a list of some species that call Mountain Lakes home, and where to look to find them.  This is only a fraction of the diversity that exists within the preserve. 

Palmer Lake is home to a Great Blue Heron that is frequently seen on the dams or lake shores. 

Great Horned Owls are elusive, but can be heard at dusk and dawn in the pine forest. 

Pileated Woodpeckers often sound like a hammer hitting a tree when searching for food.  They can be found in Witherspoon Woods in large, dead trees. 

Cedar Waxwings are fairly common if you know where to look.  They can be found along wood edges near a water source.  

Eastern Meadowlarks can be found nesting on the ground of large meadows, such as Tusculum. 

Although there is no Bald Eagle nest at Mountain Lakes, there have been several sightings of eagles flying over.