The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey in partnership with the New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife is conducting a comparative assessment of wetland restoration techniques used by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve the habitat of rare wildlife, such as the state endangered, federal threatened bog turtle.

This project at the Pequest WMA will determine the effectiveness of various NRCS practices in their ability to enhance wetland wildlife habitat, increase suitable pastureland, and impact water quality. The wetland restoration practices being compared include prescribed grazing, brush management, and herbaceous weed control.

The results of this project will provide recommendations for wetland restoration of rare habitats and create a guide for producers looking to incorporate wetland restoration grazing as part of their grazing system. This innovative technique also has the potential to be expanded into upland habitats, where farmers can use livestock to seasonally graze uplands to maintain early successional habitat.

For more information contact Brian Zarate at Brian.Zarate@dep.nj.gov.

Habitat Management Projects