Fall Stewardship Workshop

Course Overview

The Fall Stewardship Workshop caters to land stewards and property owners seeking to enhance the effective management of their natural resources. This concise, expert-led course aims to equip participants with fundamental knowledge, fostering a comprehensive understanding of prudent stewardship practices.

Featured Topics:

• Identifying invasive plants
• Prioritizing invasive plant management
• Seasonal management techniques
• Importance of deer management in invasive species control

Continuing Education Credits

This course is approved for credits from the following organizations.

NJ Pesticide Control Program: 12 CEUs (Categories 2, 3A, 6B, 8C, 9)

New Jersey Urban and Community Forestry (NJUCF): 5.5 CEUs

About the Instructors

Mike Bellaus is the Manager of Habitat Restoration at Duke Farms and has been professionally managing both flora and fauna in New Jersey for nearly a decade. After graduating from McDaniel College in 2010, he worked for the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team and Monmouth County Park System systematically controlling invasive plant populations. He specializes in deer management with a focus on herd population reduction as well as deer management program creation and implementation. He works annually with the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife performing deer population distribution surveys and held a position on the Hopewell Township Deer Management Advisory Committee for three years.

Mike Van Clef is the FoHVOS Stewardship Director and also serves as our Invasive Species Strike Team Program Director. He joined FoHVOS in 2007 and co-founded the Strike Team in 2008 with the goal of bringing greater efficiency and effectiveness to invasive species management. Mike has a Ph.D. in ecology from Rutgers University and over 25 years of experience in land stewardship, planning and research, working extensively in the evaluation and management of rare and invasive species and deer management. He has consulted with over 30 organizations in NJ including the NJ Invasive Species Council for which he prepared the New Jersey Strategic Management Plan for Invasive Species.

Prerequisites

This program assumes participants have a basic knowledge of native avian species identification and understand general ecology concepts. Please note that field components will take place fully outdoors and will require travelling several miles on various trail types (paved and unpaved) and uneven terrain for up to 2 hours.

Program Guidelines

Registration is required. Please let us know if you are no longer able to attend so your space can be offered to someone else. Cancellations received at least 48 hours in advance are eligible for a refund, if applicable. Programs at Duke Farms are RAIN or SHINE, but in the event of severe weather, classes may be canceled. Email notice will be given as early as possible via email and refunds will be issued in the case of cancellations.

We provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate, please contact us at registrations@dukefarms.org.