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Energy Audits

Energy Audit – Municipal Building – 601 Main Street

Energy Audit – Taylor Pavilion – 5th & Ocean Avenues

Energy Audit – Union Fire House – Ninth Avenue

Whale off the Coast of Belmar Beach

Over the past week boaters and beach goers have seen whales off the coast of Belmar Beach.

Local group counts Horseshoe Crabs

Did you know that the Shark River Bay is a haven for nesting Horseshoe Crabs?  Each spring and summer the Shark River Cleanup Coalition hosts a Horseshoe Crab count in Shark River and people are encouraged to come out and learn about these ancient and fascinating creatures.

The American horseshoe crab, Limulus Polyphemus, occupies a critical niche in both the ecology of the Atlantic Ocean and in human pharmacology. Each spring as the crab comes ashore to spawn, its eggs provide food for hundreds of thousands of shorebirds flying north from South America to breeding grounds in the Arctic.  There is an amazing documentary called A Tale of Two Species about the relationship between Horseshoe Crabs and the endangered shorebird the Red Knot. In human medicine, the crab is bled, with no apparent harmful effects, to procure a compound that is used by the pharmaceutical industry to test intravenous drugs for dangerous bacteria. Yet despite the horseshoe crab’s importance, no one knew much about its population status until recently.

In 1990, Delaware Sea Grant organized the first census of breeding horseshoe crabs in Delaware Bay.   The Shark River Cleanup Coalition began surveying the Shark River Bay in  2006.  Now, every spring on several peak spawning days, volunteers donate their time to count crabs on key beaches in Delaware and New Jersey.

People interested in seeing this sight first hand can come and volunteer by meeting with the survey teams at the “L” St. Beach  in Belmar at the following dates and times:

Wednesday, May 12 6:45 pm
Friday, May 14 8:00 pm
Sunday, May 16  9:30 pm

Tuesday, May 25 6:00pm
Thursday, May 27 7:30pm

Saturday, May 29 9:00 pm

Thursday, June 10 6:30pm
Saturday, June 12 7:45 pm
Monday, June 14 9:30 pm

Thursday, June 24 6:30pm

Saturday, June 26 8:00pm

Monday, June 28 9:30pm

Volunteers will learn how to conduct the survey, how to properly record data and how to distinguish between male and female horseshoe crabs. For more information or to register for the training, please contact Ed Lippincott at chefed@mac.com or call 732-681-0059

Belmar Spring Fling & Kite Festival

NJ Kites will be flying their awesome display at the 5th Ave Beach on Saturday & Sunday

free kites to the first 50 kids.

Townwide Yard Sale- pick up a map at the Belmar Chamber Office 1005-1/2 Main St.

Free Scavenger Hunt from 10:00am-4:00pm, Childrens Activities in Pyanoe Plaza

Event Date(s) and Time(s):

May 15, 2010 10:00 am to May 16, 2010 4:00 pm

Oystercatchers nest on Belmars Natural Beach

A pair of American Oystercatchers have begun nesting on Belmars Natural Beach between the Belmar Fishing Club and the Shark River Inlet.  This area has been kept in its natural state and is one of the only natural beach habitats between Sandy Hook and Island Beach State Park.  The endangered Least Terns have been nesting there for a number of years but Oystercatchers are a new neighbor that Belmar residents should become familiar with.

The American Oystercatcher is found on the Atlantic coast from New England to northern Florida.   In the 1800s they became locally extinct in the northeast due to market hunting and egg collecting. After receiving protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, their range extended northward to re-occupy historical habitat in New England.

Oystercatchers are closely tied to coastal habitats. They nest on beaches on coastal islands and feed on marine invertebrates. The large, heavy beak is used to pry open bivalve molluscs. Oystercatchers raise a clutch of two or three eggs. In winter, they are found in flocks along the coast from central New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico.

Although Oystercatcher populations are low, the species is not protected under the Endangered Species Act. Oystercatchers are listed as a species of concern in several states because of low and declining populations, and threats to coastal habitats. Threats include development and recreational use of nesting beaches.

You can learn more about Oystercatchers here

So make a trip down to Belmars Natural Beach and check out these gorgeous birds but remember: bring you binoculars, leave your dog at home, observe all posted signs and watch them from a safe distance.

Dogs on the Beach

As the summer season approaches Belmar residents are reminded that the seasonal regulations for dog walking on the beach are about to change.   In Belmar,  dogs are not allowed on the boardwalk and dogs are prohibited year round on the Natural Beach between the Belmar Fishing Club and the Shark River Inlet.  All of these areas are clearly marked with signs.

You can read the Belmar Ordinances, Chapter XVIII section 2.7  here.    Belmar residents are still allowed to walk dogs on the beach until April 30th when the new seasonal rules take effect.  Of course,  all dog walkers are required to have a leash and a bag or device to remove droppings.  Until then, enjoy the beach with your best friend and then we all have to make room for our summer visitors.

Belmar buildings inspected as part of Local Gov’t Energy Audit Program

Birdsall Services Group conducted an Energy Audit in Belmar this past Friday as part of the New Jersey Clean Energy Program’s “Local Government Energy Audit Program.”  Belmar’s Green Team and Environmental Commission selected three buildings for the initial audit: Borough Hall, Taylor Pavilion and Union Fire House. The Green Team had provide three years of baseline energy data and other information to qualify for the state program, which subsidizes 75% of the audit’s cost. Belmar is eligible for the remaining 25% as well as other incentives if the town follows up on any of the recommendations in the audit report, which should be complete next month. The recommendations are expected to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs. Borough resident Tom Latza, who was recently certified as an Environmental Steward by Rutgers’ Environmental Stewardship program, has volunteered to oversee the audit process in these buildings and work with the engineers.

Belmar Rain Garden makes Rutgers Calendar

Belmar’s Rain Garden is featured as “Miss November” in the Rutgers Water Resources Program Calendar for 2010.

The Belmar rain garden was a collaborative project between the Belmar
Borough Environmental Commission and Master Gardeners from Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County.   The rain garden is situated near the intersection of Eighth Avenue and North Lake Drive
by Silver Lake and is frequented by citizens of the adjacent
community.  The purpose of installing the rain garden was to divert a portion of the runoff from the road into a vegetative system rather than directly into the storm sewer that discharges into Silver Lake.  It is also intended to serve as an example for homeowners in the area to replicate on their own properties.

See more pictures and information  here.

This rain garden manages stormwater from a portion of North Lake Drive.  The
drainage area was estimated by observing the direction of flow over the road and along the curb/gutter system.  It was determined ahead of time that a curb cut would be required.

After obtaining support from Belmar’s Mayor and Council and being awarded a grant from Verizon, the Belmar Environmental
Commission worked alongside the Master Gardeners from Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County to plan and install the rain garden.  The first step of the rain garden installation was to perform the heavy excavation and curb cut.  A small stone-lined ditch was created to connect the curb cut with the rain garden.  A berm was formed on the side of the rain garden closest to the lake.  The final size of the rain garden was 275 square feet in area and 6 inches in depth.  The excavation was generously performed by the the Belmar Borough Public Works Department. Master Gardener  volunteers performed fine excavation by hand, planting, and mulching.  The Belmar Boy Scout Troop also assisted with the rain garden planting.

So if you’re walking around the lake one day, stop by the rain garden and check out the great work done by the volunteers who made this all possible.   Great job everyone and Thanks!

Silver Lake is a haven for winter birds

I have been an amateur bird watcher for over 20 years and I walk my dog near Silver Lake every morning.  Did you know Silver Lake is very attractive habitat for birds, especially in Winter?   I already posted about Atlantic Brant which use the lake and surrounding area, but if you pay attention there are other birds that use the lake all winter for feeding and shelter.

Most mornings the Atlantic Brant, which have spent the night roosting on the water in Shark River Bay, will fly in to Silver Lake in small flocks to bathe in the fresh water that Silver Lake has to offer.  There will sometimes be over 100 birds all thrashing around in the lake to keep their feathers clean.

There is also a small flock of ducks known as Hooded Mergansers that call the Lake their winter home.  These ducks dive in unison to probe the bottom for worms and other invertebrates.  The males have a beautiful white crest that they raise and lower when they are agitated.

Ruddy Ducks are another diving duck that feed in Silver Lake in the same fashion but they are usually in smaller numbers.  American Widgeons feed along the edges of the lake and Northern Shovelers will feed on the surface of the lake.   Occasionally a rarer species like a Canvasback or  a Redhead can be found.   Last winter birders came from all over to find a Drake Eurasian Widgeon that spent the winter here.

And don’t forget the island is a roosting spot for Great Blue Herons and Black Crowned Night Herons.  Look for them every morning sitting in the sun on the Southeast side of the Island.

I’ll post updates on individual species throughout the winter so keep posted, and when you’re walking around the lake pay attention to some of our unusual winter visitors.

Update on the Water Conservation Pilot Program

Belmar is one of five towns chosen to participate in the Water Conservation Pilot Program for New Jersey, a major endeavor coordinated by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program and funded by grants from the NJDEP and the US EPA.  The program aims to reduce water usage by 10% in the five pilot municipalities– Belmar, Egg Harbor, Livingston, Rahway and East Greenwich– through three measures:  Water Conservation in the Classroom; Landscaping for Water Conservation; and Retrofitting Public Buildings for Water Conservation.

To continue the good work done at educational demonstrations in town throughout the past summer, the DEP and Water Resources Program are already organizing more demonstrations for Spring 2010.  The Magical Garden Community garden and E Street playground have been and will continue to be ground zero for these demonstrations.  Over the summer, an audit of the Magical Garden showed that the irrigation system was inefficient and wasteful.  Newly installed sprinkler heads at the site now water the garden using 58% as much water as the old system used.   At the E Street Playground, a Marine and Coastal Agent with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Ocean County has assisted in developing a self-guided walking tour through native plantings and installed a rain garden at the playground.  Project leader Elain Rossi-Griffen is currently seeking volunteers to help install porous pavers and apply low maintenance grass seed to the playground’s lawn as a way to demonstrate easy solutions to save water outdoors.  Residents interested in volunteering can call Rossi-Griffin at (732) 932-9800 x 6129.

Though New Jersey receives 44 inches of rainfall each year, population density and a marked jump in the use of potable water for activities like landscaping mean that our state is always at risk of experiencing a water shortage.   Lessons learned from the pilot program will be compiled and distributed to other municipalities throughout the state.

Click here to read more about Rutgers’ Water Resources Program.

Click here to read why Inside New Jersey cited Belmar as a top green town in New Jersey.

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