"The Best of 'Species on the Edge'" Wildlife Art by Students, D&R Greenway Land Trust's Olivia Rainbow Gallery

Princeton, New Jersey:  D&R Greenway Land Trust and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ have created the Best of “Species on the Edge” Exhibition in the land trust’s Olivia Rainbow Gallery.  Maria Grace, --departing CWFNJ Education and Outreach Manager, chose favorites representing contests back to 2008.  This exhibit showcases winning wildlife art by fifth graders from every New Jersey county. The Olivia Rainbow Gallery presents children’s art in memory of Olivia Kuenne, who cherished nature and art. 

The Best of “Species on the Edge” may be seen during business hours of business days, through August 29.  D&R Greenway is at One Preservation Place, off Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.   This is D&R Greenway’s 25th year of preserving land, now in seven New Jersey counties.  [www.drgreenway.org  609-924-4646]

Conserve Wildlife publishes an annual calendar of winners.  The 2014 cover image is Atlantic Green Sea Turtle, by artist Roslynn Jumbo.  A student at Essex County’s Ann Street School, of Newark, her fifth grade teacher was Mrs. Cardoso.  Free calendars may be obtained at D&R Greenway.

"The Best of 'Species on the Edge'" includes multiple winners from Mercer, Hunterdon, Middlesex and Somerset counties.  One arresting bobcat was created by a Warren County home-schooled student, Joseph Hernandez.  Maria has chosen a bobcat array to remind us that this elusive wild creature can be found in healthy habitat in our state, primarily the northwest section.

For the statewide Species on the Edge Art & Essay Contest, beginning each fall on October 1st, the children choose an endangered wildlife species that lives in NJ and research it, essentially becoming temporary wildlife biologists.  They then create artwork and write an essay about their chosen species.  Art is judged by artists; essays by scientists, resulting in a winner from every participating county in NJ.  Each year’s winners are shown in major settings throughout the state. Further information can be found at www.conservewildlifenj.org.   A major project of Conserve Wildlife is their live osprey nest cam in Oceanville NJ:  www.conservewildlifenj/education/ospreycam/

The elusive Pine Barrens tree frog shares gallery space with an imperious peregrine falcon.  A shortnose sturgeon releases air bubbles within a glimmering river.  A sinuous timber rattlesnake unwinds against a spread of autumn itself. The variety of subjects and lively representations in the Olivia Rainbow Gallery are tributes to New Jersey’s fifth-grade teachers, as well as to Maria Grace’s superb management of this program over her years as Education and Outreach Manager.  D&R Greenway exhibits this art annually, joining with the Conserve Wildlife Foundation, to call attention to the urgency and importance of preserving Garden State habitat for all creatures.  New Jersey is home to over 80 endangered and threatened species of wildlife.  It is not unusual for this contest to result in over 2,000 entries. 

 BACKGROUND

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey: Created in 1998, the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ protects and preserves the rare and imperiled species of wildlife that live, breed, and migrate through our state.  They conduct research on and manage species, restore habitat, educate (including through the sponsoring of an osprey nest cam out of Brigantine Wildlife Refuge/Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge), to engage citizens.  www.conservewildlifenj/education/ospreycam/