Exploration of Menantico Ponds

Never having prior use with Google MyMaps, this is a simple alternative to GIS which tends to be more complicated for your average user and is also FREE. Just like GIS, you are able to pinpoint areas of interest, add multiple layers, determine distance and coordinates, add driving directions, as well as unique customization with icons for specific locations and colors. Adding images is quick, and overall the general navigation of this program is effective for a diverse range and age group of audiences. In fact, I think this has the potential to be used in primary education for future generations as they only become more tech savvy due to ipads and video games. Menantico ponds is easily accessible through highway 55 which is one of the main shore routes for the southern new jersey area. The route is marked in blue and labeled A to B. Icons of fishing, parking, hunting, and recreation are marked.

Biodiversity is the abundance and variance of species within an ecological system. Evolution shows overtime that humans are causing direct and indirect impacts to ecological systems. Human negligence particularly in this area of interest has many dynamics which I will aim to address issues such as biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation, property rights, water pollution, littering, and dive into current and proposed management strategies.

Source: Lesley Klawitter Who, what, where? Menantico Ponds Wildlife Management Area located in Millville, New Jersey is a “hidden” gem in south jersey. This diverse ecosystem consists of 600+ acres of land and holds 17 trillion gallons of freshwater in the Kirkwood-cohansey aquifer. The land was recently purchased from a private-public partnership which stopped a developer from destroying hundreds of acres with the idea of turning it into an industrial park with a golf course and homes for the elderly. With these new changes, it will be easier to address the need for continued protection of these natural resources as additional challenges arise from increased human use.  Why care about Menantico? My great-grandfather owned property adjacent to this parcel and made a living off the subsistence lifestyle that this beautiful ecosystem provides. As a young child, I would run off into the woods and explore the mystery sights and sounds. On overnight stays, I remember waking up to early morn