Planting Projects: Dennis Creek WMA, Cape May County, New Jersey

The Jersey Shore chapter of the American Woodcock Society (AWS) and the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife team have completed our fifth partnership for a habitat/planting project on New Jersey Wildlife Management areas. This important partnership between the two organizations has delivered five successful planting projects in New Jersey during the past five years!

The New Jersey Fish and Wildlife team had begun the reclamation of a series of fields at Dennis Creek WMA in Cape May County by hydro axing a total of six acres on February 2023. In May 2023 The Jersey Shore chapter assisted by providing 17 volunteers to plant Northern Bayberry seedlings. They then applied seedling protector tubes, bamboo stakes and wire ties so they can protect the seedlings as they mature.

Partnering with Benjamin Keys, Biologist Trainee, New Jersey DEP Fish and Wildlife Bureau of Land Management we had a site meeting in February of 2025 to check in on the project. We then decided to execute our 2025 plan for this project.

We assembled on Sunday April 27th at Dennis Creek WMA, Cape May County, New Jersey with 14 AWS volunteers and Benjamin Keys. Volunteers revisited the 2023 plantings of northern bayberry seedlings, removed plant protectors, and marked the locations of viable plantings using bamboo stakes and contractor tape. Our next step was to plant 50 alder trees in the same six-acre field in five mowed paths. New Jersey Fish and Wildlife funded the purchase of 50 smooth alder plants. The Jersey Shore chapter of the American Woodcock Society provided 14 volunteers to plant the seedlings and we purchased additional seedling protector tubes and bamboo stakes.

This habitat project is a great example of how AWS and New Jersey Fish and Wildlife partner to provide for American Woodcock on New Jersey public lands. It also is a strong commitment to demonstrate how AWS is supporting local New Jersey projects so our chapter can grow and display how local donations are helping right in our members’ backyards.

We would like to thank the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife team for providing the alder trees and their commitment to be great partners. Special thanks to  Benjamin Keys for working on his day off!! We look forward to another project in the future!

Volunteers: