July 2020
OCEAN COUNTY SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT NEWS, PROGRAMS & EVENTS
Soil is the foundation of all life on Earth! Attend one of OCSCD's online educational programs, or engage with our many environmental education partners throughout Ocean County. Experience nature at its roots!
EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS
"Wild About Jersey-Friendly Yards!" - Webinar Series
Every other Tuesday evening, July 7 through September 29, 7:00-8:00pm
Hosted by the Barnegat Bay Partnership, OCSCD and RCE
Join Barnegat Bay Partnership , OCSCD and RCE for our new 2020 Jersey-Friendly Yards Webinar Series and learn how to create healthy habitat for wildlife in your Jersey-Friendly yard! Because of safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to transform our annual Jersey-Friendly Yards conference into a series of webinars. You won’t have to miss out on the great speakers we had lined up for the conference. The  "Wild About Jersey-Friendly Yards"  webinars will enable you to see the presentations from the comfort of your home. Visit the Jersey-Friendly Yards website to learn more about the webinar topics, speakers and to register. Join us every other Tuesday evening, starting with "Introduction to Jersey-Friendly Yards" on July 7th, and finishing with "How and When to Clean-up the Winter Wildlife Garden" on September 29; we will guide you through the steps to create a healthier, more wildlife-friendly yard. For more information contact Karen Walzer kwalzer@ocean.edu.
Ruby-throated hummingbird on Cardinal flower. (Photo by Bill Buchanan, USFWS)
Virtual Evenings at the Reservoir
July 9, August 27, September 10
Hosted by the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority (BTMUA)
Since it's not possible to meet in person for BTMUA's "Weekend at the Reservoir" events this summer, BTMUA is bringing these programs to your home - through free monthly summer webinars. Join BTMUA virtually on select Thursday evenings from 7:00-8:00pm. Program topics focus on creating and maintaining a healthy, water efficient and environmentally friendly landscape based on Jersey-Friendly Yards principles and practices.
  • July 9: Ways to Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to Keep Our Water Clean
  • August 27: Secrets of Low Maintenance Landscaping
  • September 10: Fall Putting Your Garden to Sleep
For questions and to register, contact Shari Kondrup at skondrup@brickmua.com
"Combating Climate Change with a Jersey-Friendly Yard"
July 23, 10:00-11:00am
Hosted by the Pinelands Commission
As climate change manifests across the planet you may be experiencing gardening challenges in your own backyard. Becky Laboy, OCSCD's Education Outreach Specialist, and Karen Walzer, Public Outreach Coordinator for Barnegat Bay Partnership, will show you how to use the Jersey-Friendly Yards website, tools and resources to select appropriate plants for your sandy soil, turn your yard into a sponge and provide habitat for wildlife. Hosted by the NJ Pinelands Commission for their weekly Pinelands Speaker Series. Watch "live" via the Pinelands Commission's YouTube page. For questions contact Paul Leakan info@pinelands.nj.gov.
CONSERVATION CONVERSATION
"Don't Treat your Soil Like Dirt!"
Live Webinar Recording Available
In case you missed our program, Don't Treat Your Soil Like Dirt! on June 25, hosted by the Native Plant Society of New Jersey, you can click to access a live recording, and watch it at your leisure. Password: 0a.78+!8
Summer Blooming Beauties
for Gardens in the Coastal Plain Region of NJ
Tall Anemone (Anemone virginiana) Tall thin stalks are tipped with white flowers throughout the summer. Prefers rich acidic soil with high organic matter, dry or moist. Grows best in partial shade but tolerates full sun and full shade.
Photo credit: Randy A. Nonemacher
Wild Basil (Clinopodium valgare) Naturally occurring in woodlands, meadows and fields, this fragrant native is suitable for sandy, dry soil, in full sun. This summer blooming herb is attractive to bees and small butterflies, and will make a unique addition to your native garden!
Photo credit: Daniel D. McClosky
Smooth Oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides) Bright yellow-orange flowers bloom midsummer to fall. Grows in well-drained, sightly acidic soil in full sun. Tolerates both wet and dry conditions. The flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Easy to grow!
Photo credit: Lystopad

How's My Waterway, 2.0
"How’s My Waterway", a tool created by the EPA, offers publicly available water quality data in the form of an easily accessible, user-friendly, online resource. It can be used to identify areas of need where green infrastructure, such as rain gardens and native plant gardens can improve water quality, assist in the ecological restoration of water bodies, and have a positive impact on aquatic resources and recreational opportunities. Access the updated "How’s My Waterway, 2.0" at:  https://mywaterway.epa.gov .
For more information about education programs and events pertaining to soil, water, conservation and native gardening, please contact Becky Laboy, Education Outreach Specialist, Ocean County Soil Conservation District: education@soildistrict.org .