Wildlife refuge chief touts conservation at Porch Club
Stephen Finn
The Sun
The Porch Club of Riverton opened its doors on Tuesday, Nov. 6, to some four-legged guests who had a message about South Jersey wildlife. Executive Director of Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge and Palmyra resident Jeanne Gural was asked to speak to the club by programmer Bobbie Beck.
“We have a garden and conservation department that ties in with this sort of thing,” said Beck. “My reason for having asked Jeanne is to educate our members about what (wildlife) is in their own county.”
To help with this goal, Gural was accompanied by two of Cedar Run’s Wildlife Ambassadors, an eastern box turtle named Nod and a skunk named Moffett. She began her talk with some history of Cedar Run and its overall mission statement.
“Cedar Run is dedicated to New Jersey’s children, wildlife and the habitats they share through environmental education, wildlife rehabilitation and habitat preservation,” said Gural.
Educating the next generation about the wildlife around them is paramount to Cedar Run’s mission. Gural stressed the importance of educating young people and exposing them to the outdoors.
“We can save all the wildlife we want, but the truth is if we don’t reach the next generation and tell them how important it is to protect the habitat, we’re just spinning our wheels. Without the habitat they need in order to thrive, the wildlife that we release simply will cease to exist,” said Gural.
Cedar Run’s education programs are all STEM based and hands-on. Much like Gural’s visit to the Porch Club, the refuge uses live wildlife in its educational presentations to young people. They have professional environmental educators on staff who regularly bring these programs to schools throughout South Jersey.
Nod the turtle was the first of the Wildlife Ambassadors to be introduced to the club. According to Gural, the eastern box turtle is listed as “a species of concern” in New Jersey, but she expects that distinction to downgrade to “threatened” within the next year.
“Eastern box turtles are threatened not only because of habitat loss but also because of poaching,” said Gural.
After Nod was returned to her carrying cage, the club was introduced to Moffett the skunk. Gural assured members that Moffett had been descented before coming to Cedar Run so there was no danger of anyone in the audience being sprayed.
“This is another habitat-dependent species that we can all together help protect,” said Gural.
An added incentive to helping protect these animals is their diet. Gural informed the club that skunks like Moffett seek out bugs and grubs that most people don’t want around their houses. They make great exterminators, in fact, one of their favorite snacks is cockroaches.
According to Gural there are three main threats that New Jersey wildlife face.
“The loss of habitat due to construction, global climate change and the lack of awareness of simple things we can all do to help are the biggest things,” said Gural.
One of the biggest ways people can help their local wildlife at home, according to Gural, is to simply keep native plants in their yards.
“If everyone planted three native plants, our birds, butterflies and bees would have all the food that they need,” said Gural.
For more information about the Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge or to learn how you can volunteer, check out cedarrun.org.
