Thursday Night Nature

The Preserve is proud to announce the continuation of Thursday Night Nature. In the same vein as our popular Winter Lecture Series, the Preserve will host a guest lecturer 7 pm - 8 pm every Thursday night for six weeks beginning Oct. 7. Using easy-to-use Zoom webinars, these virtual lectures will feature an impressive list of experts from across the country. Lecturers will discuss a wide range of topics from forests to forest bathing, from gardens to wetlands and from the climate to children.

Thursday Night Nature – Autumn 2021
Admission: $15 per lecture (members $12 with discount code)
Admission: $75 for the full series (members $60 with discount code) - this option is only available before the start of the series.

So kick back, relax and join the Preserve from the comfort of your couch and turn your screen green with Thursday Night Nature.

To see and register for the full lineup, click here, or for individual program registration, please select the program title below or find it on our website listed under Talks, Walks and Lectures.

Oct. 7: Feeding Butterflies, Not Bambi: Deer Resistant Native Plants with Deb Ellis

Oct. 14: Colorful birds: Exquisite Eggshells and Other Avian Adventures with Mary Caswell Stoddard

Birds evolved about 150 million years ago, and today they are the most diverse and colorful land vertebrates. In my group, we are fascinated by the ecological and evolutionary processes that contribute to avian diversity. In the field, we are establishing a system for studying color perception in wild hummingbirds in the Rocky Mountains. These tiny iridescent birds lead colorful lives, performing spectacular courtship dives and pollinating diverse wildflowers. We also study the avian egg, a remarkable structure that is built to break. The eggs laid by stealthy cuckoos and flightless emus offer insights into avian behavior and evolution.

Mary Caswell Stoddard (Cassie) is an associate professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. Stoddard received her undergraduate degree from Yale University. On a Marshall Scholarship, she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge before joining the Harvard Society of Fellows as a Junior Fellow. Stoddard is a research affiliate at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. She was a 2018 Sloan Research Fellow and is a current Packard Fellow.

Oct. 21: The Diverse Forests of New Jersey: Ecology, Threats, and Restoration with Dr. Sara Webb

Despite being one of the more densely populated areas in the country, our region is home to a great diversity of trees and forests. European settlers cleared nearly every acre, but natural forests rebounded and are maturing, mostly on protected conservation lands. We will explore the ecology of these forests and current threats including canopy clearing through logging, invasive species encroachment, deer pressure, and the effects of wood removal on soil, habitat, and carbon storage. Forest protection and restoration efforts hold much promise.

Dr. Sara Webb is a forest ecologist and Professor emeritus of Biology and Environmental Studies at Drew University where she directs of the Drew University Forest Preserve’s restoration project. Her areas of expertise include forest disturbance by wind and fire, old growth forests, invasive plants, and restoration ecology. She is a member of the board of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition.

Oct. 28: Native Plant Propagation with Hubert Ling

This is an introduction into plant propagation discussing traditional methods and also a brief summary of modern tissue culture techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of sexual vs asexual reproductive methods will be covered and I will give you a few tips on saving time and energy using low cost methods to procure as many plants as you can fit into your growing space. A look into the world of fern propagation will also be given.

Hubert Ling has been excited about nature starting in his youth when he had to pass a test to go to a nature camp. His interest led him to a Ph.D. in Biology. He went on to work in industry and academia focusing on microbiology, mycology, botany and general biology with many publications. He has served on the board and as horticulturist for the NJ Native Plant Society almost since its inception and currently is the president. He is an avid native plant gardener. He has shared his expertise as consultant, speaker, and field trip leader for various organizations. He is now retired from academia but he serves on the NPSNJ and Northrup Nature Camp, Board, and is a monthly contributing writer for the “Gardener News”.

Nov. 4: Butterfly Gardening: The North American Butterfly Association Guide with Jane Hurwitz

Learn which native plants support butterflies! Whether you garden in sun or shade, there are many native plants that will attract butterflies to your garden. Butterfly gardening is a gardening method used to protect the entire life cycle of butterflies. This talk explores the relationship that butterflies have with specific native plants and suggests easy steps to protect these relationships in order to enhance our local ecosystems, as well as your own garden.

Trained as an agronomist and working for nearly two decades for the North American Butterfly Association (NABA), Jane Hurwitz has extensive experience observing and writing about the interface of gardens and insects, with a special interest in butterflies. In 2018, Princeton University Press published her most recent book, Butterfly Gardening: The North American Butterfly Association Guide, a lavishly illustrated volume that presents essential information on how to choose and cultivate plants that will attract a range of butterflies to your garden and help sustain all the stages of their life cycles. Jane is a frequent speaker on butterflies, native plants, and gardening. She was executive editor of the NABA periodical Butterfly Gardener from 2011 to 2020.

Nov. 11: Bring on the Bugs! The Importance of Native Plants & How to get your Neighbors Onboard with Tom Knezick and Fran Chismar