STONE HARBOR –– It’s a good time to be a bird along the southern New Jersey coast.
Besides the advantages of flying and living tax free, they can enjoy a lovely natural area here that will soon provide food.
Council passed a resolution Dec. 2 awarding a $192,703 contract to F.W. Shawl and Sons, Inc. of Marmora to install a tidal flow pipeline to restore wetlands and marshes at the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary.
The 24-inch pipeline will flood parts of the sanctuary to control phragmites naturally and bring fish that wild heron and egrets feed upon.
“We’ve spent three years planning, designing and getting permits leading up to this point,” committee member Dede Harris said.
“Awarding this contract is a major component of the restoration.”
“Our thinking is if we can get them to feed here, then they will stay and perhaps it will attract water fowl,” Harris said.
Two grants will help fund pipe construction: $35,000 from the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, a coalition of companies who donate funds to service wetlands, and $24,999 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Eric Schrading, private lands coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a partner with the sanctuary providing permitting support and controlling invasive plants while seeding native ones, wrote grant proposals and helped the sanctuary secure funds.
Since projects to rejuvenate the sanctuary have been underway, great white egrets and snowy egrets have been spotted during the day but seem to prefer sleeping on Sedge Island across Third Avenue, where Schrading counted 40 nests, and also on Nummy Island, Harris said.
The Bird Sanctuary Advisory Committee presented council with its 2008 report, in which the committee announced families and business had collectively donated $163,764 to the sanctuary this year which includes the two grants, 35 benches and 146 engraved pavers.
As of October, 932 visitors from three countries and 25 states signed the sanctuary’s guest book over 120 days. The committee believes only 20 percent of visitors sign in and therefore 7,450 actually visited.
The county Mosquito Control Department cleared out grounds for the sanctuary and committee members noted help from volunteers, Public Works, the mayor, council members, the press, and several agencies.
“We are the first advisory committee in the community to raise our own funds and create partnerships with local, federal and state agencies,” Harris said.
Two local retailers, Neptune’s Jewels and Happy Hunt, offer the sanctuary a percentage of proceeds from selling sanctuary-related items. Happy Hunt donates 25 percent of its profit from sales of apparel with bird logos.
Larry Hanker of Neptune’s Jewels presented a check to committee members for $1,635, which represents 20 percent of the proceeds from selling $160 sanctuary bracelets since they debuted in August.
“This is the first of many checks to the sanctuary,” Hanker said.
This year Meadow Walk was completed and the sanctuary committee looks forward to finishing the Holly Path for humans and birds to enjoy.
Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 ext. 24 or at: ltruluck @cmcherald.com.
Sea Isle City – I miss the Nativity scene they used to display outside the historic St. Joseph’s church on Landis Avenue! It was a true reminder of the reason for the season!
