October 24th, 2016 — Sometimes there is an upside to disaster, even one as big as Hurricane Sandy.
For birds, there were bright spots after the storm, Paul Castelli, senior wildlife biologist for the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, said at the fall meeting of the New Jersey chapter of the Wildlife Society on Wednesday.
Sandy flattened the dunes at Forsythe’s Holgate property at the southern end of Long Beach Island, said Castelli, giving beach-nesting birds such as piping plovers more habitat to raise young.
“Many of them are endangered or threatened, and since the storm their numbers and success are through the roof,” Castelli said.
The storm also unleashed a tide of funding for the area, including about $10 million for the refuge to both make repairs and strengthen its resiliency against future storms.
There are also funds for organizations to carry out marsh restoration and living shoreline projects.
The meeting’s theme was “Coastal Restoration in the Face of Climate Change.” It was held in the old refuge headquarters, which is being replaced by a new building under construction. The Wildlife Society’s mission is to promote excellence in wildlife stewardship.