Conserve Wildlife Blog

Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Restored Garden is Ready for Wildlife at Watchung Reservation

Friday, May 6th, 2022

by Meghan Kolk, Wildlife Biologist

Conserve Wildlife Foundation has successfully completed the restoration of the Certified Wildlife Habitat behind the Trailside Nature and Science Center at Watchung Reservation. The project was initiated last fall with a major clean up of the overgrown and neglected garden. The cleanup included pulling weeds, digging up unwanted and overgrown plants, trimming shrubs and trees, clearing vines from trees, and raking and blowing leaves. As a result, sunlight was let into the garden so that new wildlife-friendly plants could be added. After the cleanup, new native shrubs were planted that attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other birds. A new deer fence was also installed to protect the plantings from deer browse. 

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Celebrating Earth Day with “Boots Not Suits” in Union County

Friday, April 29th, 2022

by Christine Healy, CWF Wildlife Biologist

CWF biologist Sherry Tirgrath prepares a river birch sapling for planting

As the coordinator for CWF’s Amphibian Crossing Project, I think it’s safe to say I spend more time than the average person hoping for rain to pop up in springtime forecasts. April 22, however, is always an exception. What could be better than warm and sunny conditions to inspire folks to get outside and celebrate Earth Day by giving back to the planet that gives us, well, everything? Mother Nature certainly came through with the weather last week, handing us one of the most glorious days of the season thus far, while the Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage, Union County Board of County Commissioners, Groundwork Elizabeth, and their partners offered a destination for all the aspiring wildlife warriors: Phil Rizzuto Park.


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Special Event Screening of Chicago Piping Plover Doc “Monty and Rose” SOLD OUT, Second Date Added

Thursday, March 11th, 2021

by Ethan Gilardi, Wildlife Biologist

Due to overwhelming demand, our first screening of the film about Monty and Rose, Chicago’s famous piping plovers, has REACHED CAPACITY.

In light of this, a second virtual showing has been added on Thursday March 25 from 7:00-8:15 pm EST.

Once again, the short film will be followed by a Q&A with Todd Pover, CWF’s Senior Wildlife Biologist and Bob Dolgan, the film’s creator. And just like the first showing, one lucky participant will also be chosen at random to win a Piping Plover Prize Pack! Prizes include a newly designed CWF PIPL hat and other assorted beach nesting bird goodies to be shipped right to your home.

Admission is free, but you’ll need to register at the link below.


What Is Monty & Rose?

Written and directed by Bob Dolgan, “Monty and Rose” tells the story of a pair of endangered piping plovers that nested at Chicago’s Montrose Beach in the summer of 2019, becoming the first of the species to nest in the city since 1955. With a music festival scheduled to take place within feet of the plovers’ nest site, volunteers, advocates, and biologists get to work in order to protect the vulnerable pair. The documentary follows these efforts, including interviews with those there to help this special pair nesting on one of the busiest beaches in Chicago.

About the Hosts:

Bob Dolgan is a life long birder and filmmaker from Chicago. He’s the founder of Turnstone Strategies, author of the This Week in Birding newsletter, and a past Board Member of Chicago Ornithological Society.

Todd Pover has been involved in research, monitoring, and management of beach nesting birds for over 25 years in New Jersey and other portions of the flyway. He heads up the CWF beach nesting bird project and leads our Bahamas piping plover wintering grounds initiative.

Watch the Official “Monty and Rose” Trailer:


Join CWF Biologist Todd Pover For Special Screening of Acclaimed Piping Plover Documentary, “Monty & Rose”

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021

by Ethan Gilardi, Wildlife Biologist

The titular Monty of the duo Monty & Rose.

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey is proud to present a special event screening of Monty & Rose: The Story of Chicago’s Piping Plovers.

Join us on March 18, 2021 at 7pm, for a virtual presentation of the 23-minute documentary hosted by “Monty and Rose” director Bob Dolgan and CWF Senior Biologist Todd Pover. This will mark the film’s first screening on the East Coast!

Written and directed by Bob Dolgan, “Monty and Rose” tells the story of a pair of endangered piping plovers that nested at Chicago’s Montrose Beach in the summer of 2019, becoming the first of the species to nest in the city since 1955. With a music festival scheduled to take place within feet of the plovers’ nest site, volunteers, advocates, and biologists get to work in order to protect the vulnerable pair. The documentary follows these efforts, including interviews with those there to help this special pair nesting on one of the busiest beaches in Chicago.

The screening will include an introduction to “Monty and Rose” provided by the director prior to the film screening. After the film, Bob Dolgan and Todd Pover will host an audience Q&A and conversation about the film, piping plovers, and beach nesting birds!

One lucky participant will also be chosen at random to win a Piping Plover Prize Pack! Prizes include a newly designed CWF PIPL hat and other assorted beach nesting bird goodies to be shipped right to your home.

We hope you’ll join us for an evening celebrating piping plovers and those who work to protect them.

About the Hosts:

Bob Dolgan is a life long birder and filmmaker from Chicago. He’s the founder of Turnstone Strategies, author of the This Week in Birding newsletter, and a past Board Member of Chicago Ornithological Society.

Todd Pover has been involved in research, monitoring, and management of beach nesting birds for over 25 years in New Jersey and other portions of the flyway. He heads up the CWF beach nesting bird project and leads our Bahamas piping plover wintering grounds initiative.

Watch the Official “Monty and Rose” Trailer:

CWF Celebrates 15 years of Women & Wildlife with Virtual Celebration

Thursday, December 10th, 2020

by Ethan Gilardi, Assistant Biologist

Watch the full event on the CWF Youtube Channel!

On November 12, 2020, Conserve Wildlife Foundation proudly celebrated the 44 Women & Wildlife honorees who have taken a valuable role in protecting wildlife in New Jersey and now serve as role models and mentors for countless young wildlife leaders, male and female alike.

The Women & Wildlife Awards event always brings together a great group of people who care deeply about wildlife conservation in New Jersey. They join us to honor women – biologists and land stewards, policy advocates and conservation officers, rehabilitators and educators – whose exemplary work has meant irreplaceable strides in so many fields of conservation. Unwilling to let Covid-19 stand in the way of our revelry, we decided to make this year’s celebration virtual. While we missed seeing everyone in person, the shift to an online celebration allowed us to open the event to everyone free of charge and eschew our usual awards for a celebration of our past Women & Wildlife honorees and their remarkable accomplishments.

Past honoree and CWF founder Linda Tesauro narrated a film exploring Women & Wildlife and the unique role of New Jersey in setting a pioneering model for other states to follow which premiered during the event. From inaugural honorees, Dr. Joanna Burger and Hannah Bonsey Suthers, to the five honorees celebrated at last year’s event at Duke Farms, the video details the struggles faced by women early on and how their leadership and legacies continue to inspire us all. This six-minute video can be found below and on the Conserve Wildlife YouTube page.

We thank Linda Tesauro, Amy Greene, and Diane Nickerson for sharing their heartfelt reflections on receiving their awards, and current CWF biologists Larissa Smith, Allegra Mitchell, and Nicole Porter for speaking about the great women who have influenced them.

We owe a special thank you to our lead sponsor PSE&G, as well as Weeks Marine and Hudson Farm Foundation, and Amy Greene, whose sponsorship honored her late husband John Belle. These along with our other generous sponsors and auction contributors made this year’s virtual Women & Wildlife Celebration a tremendous success!



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