New Jersey’s vulnerability to powerful storms and coastal flooding is rising, and it will take at least 10 years to become more resilient, experts say. In Superstorm Sandy’s wake, officials last year sought innovative proposals on how to increase resilience in communities and along susceptible shorelines…Anthony J. Broccoli, a professor and co-director of the Rutgers Climate Institute, said “the risk of flooding from coastal storms is going to be changing dramatically over the course of the rest of this century and the risks will be increasing. That’s not because the storms (have) changed. It’s because the sea level is rising.”
Groups partner to plant garden
The Hammonton Green Committee has partnered with the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Atlantic County and The Eagle Theatre to develop a native plant garden to celebrate the region’s environment and help mark the 100th anniversary of The Eagle Theatre. Volu…
Starting from seed
Around the middle of March, Megan Meyer starts to get a case of itchy fingers. “At this time of the year, the snow is just too much,” the Penfield, N.Y., resident says. Her remedy: taking her garden plans for the year and beginning to grow some of the plants from seed. “This is the time of year to do it,” she says…According to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension guide to starting seeds, “The easiest way to start any vegetable garden is direct seeding – wait until the weather warms and plant the seeds directly in the garden. Unfortunately, direct seeding is not practical for some crops. For example, tomatoes and peppers cannot be planted until after the last frost and after the soil has warmed. If seeded directly in the garden at that time, tomatoes and peppers require more than 100 days to produce the first fruit.”
Researcher: Sea level rise threatens NJ
The sea level is expected to rise about 1.5 feet off the Jersey shore by 2050, and a 10-year nor’easter in 2100 would cause more flooding in Atlantic City than Superstorm Sandy brought, a Rutgers University scientist predicts. Sea level rise isn’t a di…
Master Composter training offered
Across the country, food waste is the single largest component of municipal waste. Backyard composting offers a beneficial way to reduce waste by recycling a large portion of that food. Composting is more than a waste reduction strategy, producing a va…
Landscape classes offered in South Jersey
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County will present four free classes in Woodstown and Millville this fall that focus on practices homeowners may use to make their landscapes more eco-friendly.
Seminar offers business plan help for farmers
Rutgers Cooperative Extension is offering two free, live video webinars designed to help farmers write business plans and conduct marketing. The first webinar, "The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Your Business Plan," will be offered Aug. 15 from no…
Scientists see mosquitoes as factor in obesity fight
Are mosquitoes to blame for childhood obesity? A new Rutgers University-led study suggests that may be the case. The report is one of a few that quantify just how much misery is caused by mosquitoes – especially the Asian tiger mosquito, a particularly…
Veterans Memorial students get hands-on lesson on oysters
Seventh-graders from Veterans Memorial School in Vineland recently assisted Hurricane Sandy "victims" of a different sort – the oyster beds in the Delaware Bay, according to Emily Diaz-Chard and Betty Slusarczyk, science teachers…With the hel…
Saving the shore: Efforts under way to protect ecosystem from next super big storm
The ecosystem here along the Maurice River shoreline is still feeling the effects of Superstorm Sandy, although it’s in much better shape than other communities around the Delaware Bay, according to scientists. However, they’re still taking precautions…
