RUTGERS NJAES/RCE

Rutgers Outreach

The Woody Plants of Summer: Native Plants

July 27, 2023 | 9:00am – 3:30pm

Early Bird Fee $195 | New Brunswick, NJ

Learn about some of New Jersey's most useful plants in a course that combines classroom lectures with hands-on experience at Rutgers Gardens

Featured Topics:

American Wisteria Black Chokeberry Climbing Hydrangea Hop-Hornbeam

Moosewood Paw Paw And much more!

This class is a great source of information for anyone who wants learn how to appreciate and identify these popular landscaping plants.

*Don't delay; the early bird discount ends July 20 Register early to save $15!

Provided by Brian Schilling Director

Science and Management of New Jersey’s Marine Fisheries

New Jersey is a major player in marine fisheries in the U.S. The state’s commercial fishing and seafood industries rank fourth in the nation with a combined economic impact of approximately $3.7 billion annually, based on the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) reports on the Fisheries Economics of the United States. Commercial fishing and seafood support more than 53,000 jobs in New Jersey and provide highquality seafood for local, national, and international markets. Our most valuable commercial fisheries target species such as sea scallops, surfclams, ocean quahogs, squid, summer flounder, blue crabs, black sea bass, and tilefish.

England Fishery Management Councils and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. On the state level, these include the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council and Shellfisheries Council. In the case of highly migratory species of tunas, sharks, and billfish, fisheries management is conducted internationally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) that includes 52 different countries.

and management of our marine fisheries, most stakeholders are not well prepared to get involved.

Atlantic County

Phone: 609-625-0056

Bergen County

Phone: 201-336-6780

Burlington County

Phone: 609-265-5050

Camden County

Phone: 856 216 7130

Cape May County

Phone: 609-465-5115

Cumberland County

Phone: 856-451-2800

Essex County

Phone: 973-228-2210

Gloucester County

Phone: 856-224-8040

Hudson County

Phone: 201-915-1399

Hunterdon County

Phone: 908-788-1339

Mercer County

Phone: 609-989-6830

Middlesex County

Phone: 732-398-5260

Monmouth County Phone: 732-431-7260

Morris County

Phone: 973-285-8300

Ocean County Phone:732-349-1246

Passaic County Phone: 973-305-5740

Salem County

Phone: 856-769-0090

Somerset County

Phone: 908-526-6293

Sussex County Phone: 973-948-3040

Union County Phone: 908-654-9854

Warren County Phone: 908-475-6505

Concurrently, marine recreational fishing in New Jersey annually has an economic impact of approximately $1.5 billion and supports more than 14,000 jobs, including approximately 1 million anglers who participate both for recreation and to harvest their own seafood. The species most commonly caught by anglers include summer flounder, striped bass, black sea bass, tautog, bluefish, and blue crabs. Collectively, New Jersey’s fishing industries play a significant role in the tourism of coastal counties and the culture of the Jersey Shore and the entire Garden State.

Given the value of New Jersey’s fisheries, it is critical that appropriate management measures are developed to ensure the long-term sustainability of both our marine resources and the industries and coastal communities reliant on these resources. Fishery management has become increasingly complex and the process relies heavily on science that advances each year. For example, there are multiple entities responsible for managing our marine fisheries to meet biological and socio-economic objectives, including regional federal bodies, such as the Mid-Atlantic and New

The mainstay of the science used to inform fisheries management are stock assessment models that estimate fish population abundance and mortality rates. Stock assessments have been compared to counting the number of trees in a forest, but with added difficulties due to the inability to observe the animals because they are underwater and typically moving around. Therefore, conducting stock assessments is inherently difficult and uncertain. In addition, the science involved with stock assessments includes an “alphabet soup” of acronyms in an effort to shorten scientific terms, and complex computer models that can take hours to perform their calculations–both of which can confuse even experienced scientists.

As a result, it is difficult for stakeholders to understand and get involved with fisheries issues, including the processes involved with setting management measures, such as quotas, closed seasons or areas, and fishing gear restrictions that have major impacts on these industries. For example, there are several ways that stakeholders could get involved, from commenting on proposed management measures, joining the industry advisory panels or committees that inform management bodies, participating in cooperative research to address fisheries issues, or having an improved understanding to educate others. However, without adequate knowledge of the science

In response, Rutgers Cooperative Extension has annually hosted an Introductory Fisheries Science for Stakeholders (IFISSH) course, serving more than 500 participants since 2018, including 86 participants in the 2023 course that ended in early May. The IFISSH course includes guest lectures from approximately 20 different experts in their fields to educate participants on fisheries biology, oceanography, climate change, stock assessment, fisheries management, and current issues like offshore wind energy development. Recent IFISSH participants have reported going on to use the information they learned to become involved on Advisory Panels for management bodies such as the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council. Also, representatives from local fishing clubs or writers of their own publications have used the knowledge gained from IFISSH to educate their constituencies on the biology and management of New Jersey’s marine fisheries. Recent college graduates or early-career biologists frequently enroll in the IFISSH course to learn more about fisheries science and New Jersey’s local fishing industries to aid in their professional development and careers.

The IFISSH course therefore serves as an excellent example of how Rutgers Cooperative Extension offers valuable sciencebased, educational programming that meets the needs of New Jersey residents and improves the quality of lives, businesses, and communities. If you are interested in the IFISSH course or would like more information about New Jersey’s marine resources and industries, contact Douglas Zemeckis via email at zemeckis@ njaes.rutgers.edu or by phone at 732-349-1152.

Editor’s note: This month’s contribution was written by Dr. Douglas Zemeckis, Rutgers Cooperative Extension agent in fisheries, aquaculture, and coastal resource management for Ocean, Atlantic, and Monmouth counties.

Rutgers Master Gardeners of Hunterdon County Celebrate Class of 2023 Graduates

14 Hunterdon County residents recently graduated from the Rutgers Master Gardener training program and have begun their internship under the guidance of RCE faculty and staff, and Certified Rutgers Master Gardeners. Rutgers Master Gardener volunteers are individuals with many backgrounds, experiences, talents and skills who, after receiving horticultural training and certification from Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension, share their knowledge with the community through many various volunteer activities and outreach opportunities.

The Rutgers Master Gardener program of Hunterdon County is now accepting applications for the incoming class. No prior training or education in horticulture is needed! Classes will begin in October 2023 and will be held on Tuesdays from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Opportunities to attend class virtually and/or in-person are available. Email gardeners@co.hunterdon.nj.us for an application.

The Rutgers Master Gardener Helpline is once again staffed by trained volunteers who research and assist the public with their home and garden questions, using research-based Rutgers recommendations. The Helpline is open to the public and there is no fee for this service.

County residents can reach the Helpline by calling 908788-1735, by visiting in-person, or via email gardeners@ co.hunterdon.nj.us Rutgers Master Gardeners staff the Helpline Monday through Friday 9 am to noon, and Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Learn more on our website at https://hunterdon.njaes.rutgers.edu/garden/ and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/

RCEofHunterdonCounty

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact your local Extension Office for information regarding special needs or accommodations. Contact the State Extension Director’s Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 848-932-3584.

Rutgers Master Gardeners Team Up with the Yale Club to Beautify New Jersey’s State Botanical Gardens

On May 13, Aki Liao, president of the Yale Club of North Jersey and Rockland County, along with Yale alumni and their families, joined Skylands representatives, and Rutgers Master Gardeners to help rid Skylands—the New Jersey State Botanical Gardens—of invasive mustard weed.

The idea was hatched by Katie McEwan, a Rutgers Master Gardener whose husband, Bob McEwan, is a member of the Yale Club of North Jersey and Rockland. They came up with the concept of a ‘Yale Day of Service,’ working alongside Rutgers Master Gardeners to the benefit of Skylands.

Joel Flagler, extension agent for Rutgers Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as a Rutgers and Yale alumnus, guided the work and then led the group on a tour of some of Skylands most wonderful formal gardens on a spectacular day.

Ken Merz, president of the Skylands Association, welcomed the group of approximately 30 volunteers and expressed the wish to make it an annual event, noting that the Yale-Rutgers Connection is a good one and well-worth cultivating. And Skylands was the perfect setting!

Announcement: Ming-Yi Chou is an Assistant Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Pathology

Announcement by Don Kobayashi, chair of the Department of Plant Biology

On behalf of Department of Plant Biology and the Center for Turfgrass Science, please join me in welcoming Ming-Yi Chou, who has recently joined the faculty as an Assistant Extension Specialist with expertise in turfgrass pathology.

Dr. Chou’s extension program will focus on evaluating and developing efficient cool-season turfgrass disease management measures, including cultural practices, disease prediction models, synthetic fungicides, and biorational agents. His research will focus on plant-soil-microbe interactions in turfgrass, with an emphasis on how these interactions and coevolution collectively contribute to disease suppression. Ming-Yi completed his Ph.D. in Horticultural Biology at Cornell University, and received his post-doctoral training successively in University of Wisconsin-Madison and Great Lakes Bioenergy Center in Michigan State University studying plant-soil-microbe interaction with emphases on pathogen suppression microbes in turfgrass and beneficial microbes for bioenergy crops. Prior to joining Rutgers, he was a Research Scientist in turfgrass pathology program at University of Wisconsin-Madison, examining dollar spot suppressive microbiome and building snow molds predictive models.

Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program Partners with NJBPU in Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) and the Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program (RAP) have entered an agreement to develop and implement a Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program.

The pilot program, which was announced on May 1 and will last for three years, is designed to demonstrate and study the compatibility of agricultural or horticultural production with solar photovoltaic infrastructure on the same land (called agrivoltaics or dual-use solar).

RAP, a multidisciplinary team of 15 Rutgers personnel, faculty and Rutgers Cooperative Extension agents, is investigating this emerging agrivoltaics technology, which has the potential to keep farmland productive and produce clean energy.

Margaret Brennan-Tonetta, senior associate director of Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) and director of the Office of Resource and Economic Development, said, “Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station has made a large commitment to investigate the opportunities for dualuse Solar by installing agrivoltaic R&D systems at three of our research farms. By working closely with NJBPU and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, I am confident that we can utilize this new technology to not only generate clean energy, but also improve farm viability and sustainability.”

RAP is investigating the scientific merit of this emerging technology to be installed at the Rutgers Animal Farm in New Brunswick, Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Bridgeton, and the Clifford E. & Melda C. Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown.

The team will provide public research and technical assistance through the Rutgers EcoComplex “Clean Energy Innovation Center,” Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers Cooperative Extension and other applicable schools and units within the university.

New Jersey’s Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program will allow for the installation and operation of up to 200 Megawatts of direct current (MWdc) of solar electric capacity over three years, extendable by NJBPU to up to 300 MWdc over five years. Individual solar projects would be limited to 10 MWdc. The pilot program and the results from its associated research requirements will inform a permanent program that includes standards for construction and operation of dual-use solar energy projects.

The pilot program will provide incentives to solar electric generation facilities, located on unpreserved farmland, which plan to maintain the land’s active agricultural or horticultural use.

Agrivoltaics can provide farmers with an additional stream of revenue, assisting with farm financial viability by enabling continued agricultural or horticultural production of land while also increasing the statewide production of clean energy.