Some New Jersey travelers are concerned about chikungunya, a mosquito-borne illness that means “bent over in pain” in the African Makonde language, a rather fitting name… With symptoms that can persist for years in 5 to 10 percent of cases, chikungunya brings about debilitating joint pain and swelling, muscle pain, rash, headache, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Most people make a full recovery, but unknown factors can bring the illness to linger, typical of similar diseases… “Unless you’re traveling to Florida right now, New Jerseyans shouldn’t really be concerned about contracting chikungunya from within the United States,” said Scott Crans, senior program coordinator of entomology in the Center For Vector Biology at Rutgers University. “Even if you’re going to Florida now, the chances are pretty low. If you’re in an area that has reported chikungunya, as long as you’re wearing repellant, you’re minimizing your risk.”
Community
30 Species Discovered … in L.A.? Cities Buzz With Life
Urban biodiversity isn’t just limited to buzzing insects. Last year, a study found that 54 cities are home to 20 percent of the world’s bird species. In the city of Lyon, scientists found nearly a third of all the bee species native to France. It turns out that cities are a good place for some animals to live- and how humans decide to manage their cities can make those habitats better or worse for the local fauna… Anyone who has ever walked through a flock of pigeons knows birds do pretty well in cities, too. That isn’t to say that birds prefer cities- urban areas only retain about 8 percent of the bird species that otherwise would have lived in the area, according to a study led by Myla Aronson of Rutgers University… But cities are still filled with a rich variety of birds. Aronson and her team looked at 54 cities around the world and found that 20 percent of known bird species can be found flying in urban centers…”From city to city, across the world, maintaining natural habitat within a city is important for biodiversity,” Aronson told NBC News.
Rutgers Students Propose Rebuild Ideas for Little Ferry Waterfront
Recently, a group of senior undergraduate students from the Department of Landscape Architecture at Rutgers University presented design ideas for the Little Ferry waterfront at the borough council meeting March 10… Under the direction of Dr. Wolfram Hoefer, associate professor and graduate program director for department as well as associate professor at Centers for Urban Environmental Sustainability, the students developed seven different possible plans for rebuilding the borough based upon the Rebuild by Design proposal for the Meadowlands region… “It is about resiliency,” said Hoefer. “The goal is to provide the students with real world experience and inform and educate the borough so they have an informed position.”
Rutgers Equine Science Center Unveils Website Redesign
After 14 years of providing the public with information on “all things horses,” the Rutgers Equine Science Center (ESC) has had a major facelift, launching its redesigned website to offer greater interactivity, new search functionality, plus a streamlined “Ask The Expert” section. “With this facelift and integration, the center will provide the public with a […]
It’s a Win/Win for Rutgers Students and Foster Horses
A new Rutgers University program involves a mutually beneficial human/equine relationship: it offers students an educational experience, while giving horses in need a chance to find homes… It’s the product of brainstorming to address animal science professor Sarah Ralston’s lack of access to horses for teaching… Department chair Wendie Cohick suggested getting horses just for teaching, and it was determined a year-round herd of four horses for that purpose and outreach, such as clinics, would be ideal. But even more horses were needed for Ag Field Day in New Brunswick at 10 a.m. April 25, a chance for students to show off their horses and what they have learned… “So many horses out there need homes, and most of the placements and rescues are full to the gills. If we take on even two or three horses, then we open up two or three spots for their parent organizations.”… Associate Professor of Animal Sciences and Extension Specialist Carey Williams noted, “The students are winning by getting to interact with different breeds and different types of horses from different backgrounds. These horses may or may not know what we are asking them to do, so approaching each one differently might be necessary… Anyone interested in seeing the horses in the Rutgers University Teaching Herd (RUTH) before Ag Field Day can attend the “Meet RUTH” get-together on the Cook Campus in New Brunswick from 1-3 p.m. April 11.
Middlesex County EARTH Center Offers “Discover Power Gardening” Seminar
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County is marking the start of gardening season with a new workshop, Discover Power Gardening… This seminar is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the EARTH Center located …
Centenary College’s Earth Day Celebration Scheduled for April 25
This year, Centenary College’s Earth Week Committee welcomes members of the community to the celebration of Earth Day, which will be held on Saturday, April 25, on the front lawn of the college… In addition, in an attempt to educate our community on Earth-related issues, the College offers a presentation on April 22, with Tony Broccoli, Professor at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University. He will speak at the College at 2 p.m., in the Ferry Building, room 12… Broccoli’s presentation titled “The Climate Ahead: Global Changes, Local Impacts” focuses on the science of climate change, including a discussion of the basic physics, global observations of climate change and model projections of future climate change. The talk will also discuss some of the potential impacts of climate change on our region and will close with a brief discussion of society’s options for dealing with climate change. Members of the community are invited to learn more about this topic and participate in a discussion after the presentation.
Area Student Addresses Ag Convention
Kristianne Dowd of Freehold, the New Jersey State FFA president, told delegates to the New Jersey State Agricultural Convention on Feb. 4 in Atlantic City that they need to be proactive and tell their story… “If product messaging is leading to misunderstanding, we must do something about it,” Dowd said. “It is up to us to be the truth and tell our story about agriculture.”… Dowd urged the delegates to encourage high school students to choose careers in agriculture and to take advantage of CASE (Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education) courses. CASE is a science-, mathand technology-based agriculture education program, according to the press release… Dowd attends Rutgers University and is studying agriculture and food sciences with aspirations of becoming an agriculture teacher.
Rutgers FCHS Releases New Video to Coincide with National Nutrition Month® Celebration in March
Launches new video showcasing its array of programs and services for New Jersey residents The Department of Family and Community Health Sciences (FCHS), a community-based nutrition, health promotion and family wellness outreach component of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, provides workshops and online resources to educate and support families, worksites, schools and communities to create healthier lifestyles. […]
Winter Was a Near Record Breaker, But Relief Is In Sight
Ready to pack Old Man Winter’s bags and toss him out the door, no doubt with a crowd of neighbors cheering you on? If you’ve had enough of the winter of 2014-15, New Jersey Climatologist Dr. David Robinson says it is with good reason, and also that relief is on the way… Blame it all on the pattern of the jet stream, which for the second winter in a row, dipped to the south allowing polar air to infiltrate the Northeast, but “February will go down as one of the more intense wintery months on record, not only for the cold but for the persistent snow cover and the frequent snow events,” Robinson said… But putting the winter talk aside, area residents can take comfort in Robinson’s words “For those who have had enough of winter, it’s safe to say things will be looking up.”
