The “Species on the Edge Art and Essay Contest,” sponsored by the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey for 5th graders, announced a winner from each county in the state. Students create artwork and write essays about NJ’s rare wildlife. The charming art work and essays currently on display at Trailside Nature and Science Center represent a variety of threatened and endangered species. The art work not only captivates the viewer, but raises awareness of the diversity and beauty of these diminishing species in our state. The Humpback Whale, Short-eared Owl, Bobcat, Long-tailed Salamander, Piping Plover, Atlantic Hawksbill Turtle and many others are creatively depicted. “This delightful exhibit educates young people and adults about the many animals in peril living in our state,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.
Each accompanying essay tells the story of a different endangered species. The winner in Union County, Olivia Wang of Thomas P. Hughes Elementary School in Berkeley Heights, depicts the Northern Harrier. Her essay, told from the perspective of a male harrier, expresses the bird’s delight in the beauty of his young with a plea for human care and awareness. She concludes, “Every person makes a difference”. The exhibit, now on display, is in itself is one step towards making a difference.
For more information about this exhibit or activities at Trailside, please call 908-789-3670 or visit www.ucnj.org/trailside. Trailside Nature and Science Center is located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside and is a facility of the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.