Exploring the Past can Lead to a Better Future by Gretchen F. Coyle

Alliance for a Living Ocean

2007 Long Beach Boulevard
North Beach Haven, New Jersey 08008
(609) 492-0222

E-Mail ALO

Read any history of Long Beach Island or Ocean County, and you will hear about the Lenni Lenape Indians who annually made their trek to the coast. These Indians feasted on plentiful birds, their eggs, shell fish and other wildlife. Cranberries, blackberries, strawberries and whortleberries grew wild for the taking. Shell piles located in Tuckerton and Brigantine attest to the fact that clams, mussels and oysters were abundant over hundreds of years. Muscrat, bear, deer, otter, beaver, and lynx were easily caught with bows and arrows. Local cedar wood was used for cooking and bowls. Corn, potatoes, peanuts and tobacco were planted by the Indians plus beans and squash. In short their food supply seemed to be never ending.

Tall Cedars and other trees dotted the landscape. Shrubs such as bayberry peppered the land providing much needed shelter and food for hungry birds and animals. Fresh water ponds quenched the thirst of the wildlife. The coast provided the perfect blend of food, habitat and freshwater needed by the wildlife and birds the Indians devoured. The Lenni Lenape or Delaware Indians are credited with introducing the practice of using seaweed for fertilizer, a practice I continually stress in many of my articles on organic gardening.

Fast forward to the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Browse through some of our local history books such as John Bailey Lloyd's "18 Miles of History" and "Up and Down the Beach" to name a few. Pictures and tales abound of the plentiful birds, hundreds shot in a day by hunters. The fishing was spectacular. No one thought it would ever end. Then things started going down hill.

The shore began to be developed. Acre after acre was cleared. Trees were felled. Native foliage of all types were ripped out and replaced with sand or gravel "lawns". Pesticides were being used in abundance. Originally pesticides were thought to be the answer to pesky insects and unwanted plants. Does anyone remember the mosquito jeep which used to go up and down the streets of Long Beach Island during the 1950's spraying a white cloud of toxic chemicals behind it while kids chased behind on their bikes? We were stupid, but never knew better. The bug problem was so bad that undeveloped lots were cleared of all vegetation by owners at the suggestion or order of the local municipalities. Fresh water ponds were filled for development Our natural landscape disappeared in short order. Fish became scarce. Same for the birds. Wildlife almost disappeared. We indeed had reaped what we sowed. We had taken away the much needed habitat and food sources for these creatures. This did not happen overnight, but over more than a fifty-year period. Now it is up to all of us to work hard to change what has happened. Individuals and groups such as ALO are leading us in the right direction.

Slowly the fish, birds and wildlife are starting to come back. People are aware of the destruction made along the shore. Ecology is on most people's minds. We are making a concerted effort. As an early morning walker I am heartened to see birds chirping overhead. An occasional squirrel crosses my path. Raccoons, possums, even a fox or two, have all been sighted on Long Beach Island. Rabbits munch on some greenery. How they arrived is up for debate. The question is can we coexist? How do we encourage the birds and wildlife to frequent the shore?

Gardeners have a grave responsibility in this matter. We must plant native plants to provide habitats for birds and small wildlife. Bayberry, holly bushes, and cedar provide shelter in addition to seeds. Song birds eat insects off birch and cherry trees. Russian olives, shadbush and crabapple attract birds. Bittersweet has berries which are a winter staple. Migratory birds and water fowl will frequent the coast year after year if the necessary food and shelter is available to them. The answer is to plant, plant, and plant. With a little thought not only will your yard look better, but you will be rewarded with everything from delightful song birds to curious bunnies. Your local garden centers are experts on seashore plantings. They can suggest native greenery which will be low maintenance, grow in our sandy soil and not need much watering. A little shade from a tall Japanese pine is a great comfort to all of us on hot summer days.

In our garden we share sometimes reluctantly, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries with the birds. The birds tell us when the grapes and blueberries are sweet enough to pick. They nibble at our apples and plums. Birds are seen continuously in our vegetable garden, yet do not eat the vegetables. They provide a much needed service of eating a lot of "bad" bugs. Our organic soil is full of worms so they are eating the earthworms all day. Luckily there are enough worms to keep our soil well aerated too.

Fresh water is needed in addition to food and shelter for the birds. It is imperative to have a bird bath or some place where birds can get a drink year around if possible. Nothing is more satisfying than watching a pair of song birds frolicking around in a bird bath. Quite a variety of birds will be attracted to native plantings. As they grow, more birds will be attracted to your garden. Plant life is able to sustain many birds all year without supplemental feeding. If you do feed the birds in winter, be sure to continue until late spring when the birds again will be able to eat from natural sources.

With less use of pesticides and toxic runoff, which enters our storm sewers ending up in our bay, hopefully, more waterfowl and fish will appear.

LET'S ALL DO OUR PART TO BRING BACK JUST A LITTLE OF THE PAST.