Barn Owl Nesting Boxes Coming to Monmouth County Parks
 Source: Josh J. Cotten on Unsplash
Conserve Wildlife New Jersey received a grant for the Monmouth Audubon Society to build, install, and monitor barn owl nesting boxes at Monmouth County parks and state parks. With success, the nesting boxes may help increase the local barn owl population as well as the regional population once fledgings leave to establish their own habitat. Read more about the project here.
Two boxes will be installed in county parks. One is planned for the wetlands in front of Bayshore Waterfront Park and one will be placed in the back fields of Big Brook Park. Conserve Wildlife Foundation is making an effort to install nesting boxes in marshes or conserved farmland/grassland where available. While historically barn owls have preferred open grassland and farmland, the habitat is now less prevalent and barn owls have started using wetlands.
The Park System is providing the roosting and nesting habitat in the hopes of attracting barn owls into our local parks and boosting their populations on the east coast.
Contributed by Paul Mandala, Naturalist, Monmouth County Park System
Monmouth County Division of Planning Holds Resilience Workshop
Last summer, the Monmouth County Division of Planning hosted a Climate/Flood Resilience Workshop. Professionals involved in floodplain and resilience issues throughout the county, from federal and state agencies, nonprofits, and staff from all 53 Monmouth County municipalities were invited to participate. The meeting allowed attendees to learn about climate and flood resilience projects around the county and to share insights into their own projects and experiences. Attendees discussed potential projects and partnerships, funding opportunities, ideas, insights, advice, and other news from their organizations.
Ultimately, Monmouth County brought stakeholders together to improve coordination on existing or planned resilience projects such as studies as well as green and gray infrastructure installation. The Division of Planning created an online collection application to gather and share information on the region's resilience projects. Click to access the Climate Change/Flood Resilience Initiatives in Monmouth County WebMap. To suggest a project to be added to the map please contact bridget.neary@co.monmouth.nj.us.
Monmouth County Welcomes New AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador
This fall the Monmouth County Division of Planning welcomed the 2023-2024 AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassador, Charlene Kiley. AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassadors monitor local waterways; provide watershed-related programs to schools, municipalities, and community groups; and organize projects such as rain barrel workshops, cleanups, and watershed restoration activities. Charlene grew up in Monmouth County and attended Red Bank Catholic High School. Following college she spent 22 years in California and recently returned home. She retired as a managing director of a real estate private equity firm and decided to pursue her lifelong passion for the environment. Charlene lives in Colts Neck with her family and dog, Casey.
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