03/19/16

The Perfect Pond for You and the Environment

Garden’s say a lot about their owners. You can see a reflection of the owner’s personality in how their garden is presented. If you see a garden that is frequently maintained and full of life and colour it’s more likely that the owner is a keen gardener, or maybe just has the time to dedicate towards the garden’s maintenance. If you see a garden that is lost and overgrown, then a sense of organisation may spring to mind. The overall look of a garden can also determine the way people look at a house as a whole. The garden is a key element in the overall image and it’s vital to make sure your garden gives viewers the message you wish them to receive. There are so many ways in which you can make your garden stand out amongst the rest, and a perfect way is to add features that are different and exciting. Ponds are a traditional feature that have been around for years. Many people look at ponds and instantly say no to the idea simply because they think that they are more trouble than they’re worth. What people don’t realise is that ponds are actually very useful for pest management, wildlife sanctuaries and also just look great in your garden. They’re easy to maintain and cost efficient, too. There are many different types of ponds you can choose from to ensure you get the perfect pond for your garden.

garden pond lush green and beautiful

When deciding on the type of pond you wish to go for, think about whether you want your pond to be in ground, above ground or partly in ground. Your decision should depend entirely on your garden and what will suit it best. If you have children you may also wish to consider an above ground pond, as this eliminates the risk of anybody falling in or going for a quick swim with the fish. Having an above ground pond also enables you to create your own display, you can use coloured tiles to surround the pond bed and grow plants around the area. Alternatively, if you wanted to go for an in ground or partly in ground pond you can consider the way in which you wish to display this, consider how you wish to contain, surround and line the pond. You can always make the decision that suits your garden type. There is no specific choice when it comes to the details of your pond design, which is another reason why they are so great.

Once you’ve decided on the type of pond you wish to go for, how you will line and contain it, and determined the size of the area, this will determine the wildlife that appears. Ponds are vital when it comes to wildlife, and you can guarantee that your pond will become the centre of attention for beautiful creatures like dragonflies, house martens, ducklings, frogs and more. You could have a range of beautiful fish living in your pond, to add a little excitement but also to encourage other wildlife to visit. Ensuring you feed them and maintain the water, keeping fish is a perfect way to make the most out of your pond, plus they’re like extra pets that you can keep checking on and watch, as they grow in your own garden.

When it comes to the maintenance of the pond there is little you need to do. You must ensure you keep on top of the weeds and algae; you will find most animals living in the pond will use these for hiding so be extra careful when weeding or cleaning these plants. You can use a net to remove excessive, such as leaves, dirt and dead flies. Removing the dead flies will however be done for you by certain animals living in or around the pond. For example, dragonflies and house martens will spend their time swooping down and removing the flies from the ponds surface, along with frogs and toads that will clear the water surface of any tasty little flies they can get hold of.

By Nikolaj Potanin (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Nikolaj Potanin (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Finally, you can consider the overall presentation of your pond. The design of a pond is important for both appearance as well as wildlife. Designing your pond to suit your home is key. You can surround your pond with shrubbery and plants to create your own little sanctuary. Growing plants around the pond may also encourage animals to create a new habitat in the plants or water surrounding. Lighting is another great feature to consider, whether you opt for in-water lighting or lights to surround the pond, they will be a huge benefit to both your gardens aesthetic as well as the nature surrounding the pond. When fitting the lights, remember to use a weatherproof junction box to ensure that you have safe fittings and the lights are protected from any weather. Lighting will add a glamorous effect and highlight your new garden feature, making it stand out and look great. Why not add other little items such as gnomes, fairy figures or magical fantasy items. These are a little bit of fun but also add character and excitement to the pond and its surroundings.

Guest blog by Jasmine Smith.

 

Additional posts from Frogs Are Green on Ponds:

http://frogsaregreen.org/keeping-your-pond-alive/

http://frogsaregreen.org/attracting-newts-to-your-pond/

http://frogsaregreen.org/pond-maintenance-tips-for-keeping-wildlife-at-your-pond/

 

 

02/16/16

Caring For Stray Frogs in the Winter

Every winter, frog lovers around the world write to us about stray frogs that wander inside. Last week a man from Maryland wrote about finding a grey tree frog.

Dear Susan,
“I found a gray tree frog hopping around inside our gym here in Maryland. I guess he was drawn inside by the heat. Well, I took him home and have him in a fish tank with water, crickets and artificial leaves for shelter. I’ve got a heating pad that sticks to the back of the tank. I was wondering how cold I could keep my home and still have the frog be ok?” – Gianni

Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) by Robert A. Coggeshall on Wikipedia

Gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) by Robert A. Coggeshall on Wikipedia

For those of you not familiar with grey tree frogs, here’s some information and to read more, a page on Wikipedia:

The gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) is a species of small arboreal frog native to much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.[2]

As the scientific name implies, gray tree frogs are variable in color owing to their ability to camouflage themselves from gray to green, depending on the substrate where they are sitting. The degree of mottling varies.[3] They can change from nearly black to nearly white. They change color at a slower rate than a chameleon. The female does not croak and has a white throat; however, the male does croak and has a black/gray throat. The female is usually larger than the male.

The gray tree frog is capable of surviving freezing of their internal body fluids to temperatures as low as -8 °C.[9]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_tree_frog

 

When we find stray frogs who haven’t found a place to hibernate, it’s usually because we continue to build within the areas of their habitat, and they may get lost or confused. Going inside where the heat is on shows that this frog is trying to survive through the winter. It’s wonderful when people care enough to help them.

Rescued Grey Tree Frog in Winter

We’ve found a great site with tips on how to care for frogs and get them through the colder months, so they’ll be healthy and ready to go back outside come spring.

How to Take Care of a Pet Frog

 

Here are two of our previous posts that help explain what happens to frogs in the winter:

Winter is Coming: How Do Frogs Avoid Freezing

and

How Frogs and Toads Adapt To Winter’s Chill

 

01/10/16

Winners 2015 Kids Art Contest

We want to thank all of the students, parents and teachers that helped make this year’s contest so diverse! It’s always exciting to see artwork from as close as our own Jersey City and New York, and as far away as Sri Lanka, Bahrain, Latvia, China, and many other countries. We want to thank the judges and we applaud them in choosing from a field of exceptional artworks: Sam Skolnik-Mullane, Peter Thorpe, Rachel Rommel, Monique Sarfity, Mark Lerer, Caley Vickerman, Coyote Peterson, and Carmine Tabone.

All winners receive a custom certificate based on how you placed, so email us to receive yours.

And now for the winners… (wait for the page to load)

WINNERS by Age Group and Categories

Winners: Age Group – 3-6 years old

1st Place: Chan Yan Kiu Karstyn, 5 years old, Hong Kong, Arttra

2nd Place: Sophie Wang, 6 years old, Edison, NJ, USA

3rd Place: Kwan Sum Yu Rainie, 4 years old, Hong Kong, Arttra.

Honorable Mention: Sanjay Balaji, 6 years old, Sharron Art Center, NJ, USA

Honorable Mention: Vrishas Bolukonda, 4.6 years old, India
Caption:Help Me, Save Urselves; Think Green, Save Green

Honorable Mention: Soumya Sawant, 5 years old, Sharron Art Center, NJ USA

 

Winners: Age Group – 7-9 years old

1st Place: Kalisha Athaya Mahira, 7 years old, Indonesia

2nd Place: Worth Lodriga, 7 years old, The Phillipines

3rd Place: Stephanie Wang, 7 years old, New York, USA

Honorable Mention: Jennifer Tian, 9 years old, USA

Honorable Mention: Shristuti Srirapu, 9 years old, India
Caption: Give a helping hand to frogs

Honorable Mention: Angelina Wang, 8 years old, Edison, NJ, USA

 

Winners: Age Group – 10-12 years old

1st Place: Jonathan Qi, 12 years old, USA

2nd Place: Tanvi Gadre, 12 years old, India

3rd Place: Leon Ma, 10 years old, USA

Honorable Mention: Dhanvi Sayani, 10-12 years old, United Arab Emirates

Honorable Mention: Jason Kong, 10 Years Old, New York, USA

Honorable Mention: Emmi Lomakka, age 10, California, USA

 

Winners: Age Group 13-17 Years old

1st Place: Raisha Alifia Rahmani, 14 years old, Indonesia

2nd Place: Mohsen Abdalla 17 years old, USA, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor: Lisa Schwichtenberg

3rd Place: Nicole Padilla 17 years old, USA, NJ, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor Lisa Schwichtenberg

Honorable Mention: Jeanpierre Roa, 13-17 years, McNair Academic High School, Jersey City, Art Specialist-Scott Mallm

Honorable mention: Eanne Chiang, 14 years old, New Jersey, USA

Honorable Mention: Parth Vora, 13-17 years old, McNair Academic High School, Jersey City, Art Specialist-Scott Mallm

 

Best Environmental

1st Place: Mohsen Abdalla 17 years old, USA, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor: Lisa Schwichtenberg

2nd Place: Diego Manosalves 17 years old, USA, NJ, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor: Lisa Schwichtenberg

3rd Place: Kalisha Athaya Mahira, 7 years old, Malaysia

Honorable Mention: Jonathan Qi, 12 years old, USA

Honorable Mention: Nicole Padilla 17 years old, USA, NJ, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor Lisa Schwichtenberg

 

Best Black and White

1st Place: Lee Xin Yee, 11 years old, School: SJKC Sin Min A, Kedah, Malaysia

2nd Place: Zaniab Ali, 12 years old, Diana Gonzalez, Art Specialist MS#4, Jersey City, NJ

3rd Place: Darius Lim Wei Chen, 9 years old, Singapore

Honorable Mention: Parthi Jain, 7 years old, Bahrain

 

Best 3D Artwork

1st Place: Dhanvi Sayani, 10-12 years old, United Arab Emirates

2nd Place: Paula Nataniela Roba, 15 years old, “Proteus anguinus”

3rd Place: Seth Medina Assisted by Aida, Grade 8, PS#28, Art Teacher: Susan Ferro

Honorable Mention: Toms Laugalis, 11 years old, Latvia, “Tree frog”

 

Best Typographic

1st Place: Tanvi Gadre, 12 years old, India

2nd Place: Allie Kong, 8 years old, Sharron Art Center, NJ, USA

3rd Place: Ashley Ko, 7-9 years old

Honorable Mention: Manny Alvarez, 14 years old, M.S. #7, JC, NJ, USA

Honorable Mention: Nishi Patel, 12 years old, M.S. #7, Jersey City, NJ, USA, Art Teacher: Mrs. Jimenez

Honorable Mention: Lynn Sun, 7 years old, Edison, NJ, USA

 

Best Student / Elder Artwork Collaboration

1st Place: Arriana Rock, age 6 and Mallory Rock, age 31, Frederick, CO, USA

2nd Place: Vrishas Bolukonda (4.6 Yr) – Shalini (27 years old), A frog in the wild, India

3rd Place: Arriana Rock, age 6 and Brian Younger (Grandpa), age 65, Frederick, CO, USA

 

Best of Jersey City

1st Place: Mohsen Abdalla 17 years old, USA, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor: Lisa Schwichtenberg

2nd Place: Sylvie-Marlene Sobngwi, 13-17 years old, McNair Academic HS, JC, Art Specialist, Scott Mallm

3rd Place: Nicole Padilla 17 years old, USA, NJ, Jersey City Public Schools, Liberty High School, Art Instructor Lisa Schwichtenberg

Honorable Mention: Jeanpierre Roa, 13-17 years old, McNair Academic High School, Jersey City, Art Specialist,Scott Mallm

 

Best of Hong Kong

1st Place: Lau Wing Sum, 5 Years Old, School of Creativity, Hong Kong, China

2nd Place: Law Hui Laam, 5 Years Old, School of Creativity, Hong Kong, China

3rd Place: Lau Wing Kei Angel, 9 years old, Hong Kong, China

Honorable Mention: Ng Tsz Ying, 5 Years Old, Chong Hok Tong Education Center, Hong Kong, China

Honorable Mention: Bridget Liu,5 Years Old, School of Creativity, Hong Kong, China

12/17/15

How To Teach Your Kids About Climate Change

 
Teaching your kids about climate change is no easy task. A lot of parents avoid talking about it with their kids because they have no idea how to bring it up. Climate change is also scary, even for adults, so great care needs to be taken when explaining things to your little ones.

By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


 

It’s important that they still get a realistic overview and that you are honest with your children. However, you want to spark their interest in climate change, rather than scare them. They need to know about the problems climate change causes, but you must also find a way of explaining the solutions. They need to feel like they can make a difference.
 

Our kids and future generations need to be taught about how they can make a difference, and just how crucial their actions will be. Obviously, the depth and complexity of your conversation will depend on the age of your child. As they get older you can discuss the more complex scientific aspects of climate change, but when they are young, you just want to gently make them aware.
 

There are plenty of interesting ways you can ignite your children’s interest in climate change. Learning about the challenges the world faces doesn’t have to be too serious or boring. Here are some fantastic ways of teaching your kids about climate change.
 
Make climate change fun with educational games, apps and websites
 

There are many different tools and resources that have been created specifically for kids who are interested in the environment. Climate change is easily incorporated into lots of great games for kids.
 

There are entire websites specifically dedicated to teaching kids about climate change, and even some apps that touch on the subject. For example, NASA’s Climate Kids, Tiki The Penguin and The Young People’s Trust for the environment. There are even Apple and Android apps that help teach kids about climate change, such as Painting with Time and Offset.
 

Show them climate change videos made for kids
 
A quick search on YouTube will provide you with plenty of videos about the environment for kids. For example, this ‘global warming for kids’ video. Videos like this explain climate change in a way that kids can easily digest and process, and they are also fun to watch. Watch the videos with your kids and then let them ask questions afterwards.
 

Open their minds on family days out
 
You can subtly bring up the topic of climate change by going on educational days out. Take your kids to wildlife parks, on nature walks and to museums (such as The Natural History Museum). All these things will get them thinking about the environment and continue their education.
 

Let them explore climate by through being creative
 
Set your kids some fun tasks that are loosely related to climate change and the environment. Once they have had an introduction to climate change, get them to try and get their thoughts down on paper. They could write a poem about climate change, or try and paint their own interpretation of climate change. You could also come up with some fun climate change related games that you can play at home as a family.
 

Help them understand green living
 
Teaching your children how to live in an eco-friendly way will help enhance their knowledge of climate change. Make sure they know how to recycle and teach them to be aware of how much energy they are using. For example, switching lights off when they are not in use and not using more water than they need.
 

Let them develop a passion for nature
 
Your children may naturally become interested in climate change if they develop a passion for nature. If they fall in love with nature and enjoy spending time in the great outdoors then they are more likely to want to help protect our planet. Take your kids out walking, camping and get them involved in gardening.
 

Buy them books with underlying messages
 
If your child likes to read then buy them some climate change-related books. For young kids, the topic of climate change can be introduced gently through reading book with underlying messages. Older kids with an interest in the topic can go into much more depth. You can buy them books that teach them about how to protect the environment and that explain the science behind climate change.
 

The following is a guest post from Edward Woodward. A writer and a blogger at Kedel blog.

12/4/15

Environmentalism: It’s up to YOU to teach the young

It’s December and there are just 11 days left for children to enter the 2015 kids art contest, and all ages to enter the photo contest. As I watch artworks and photos trickle in, I’m wondering (as I did in 2013) why aren’t more people participating? (read >> The Young Environmental Artist)

I see a pattern here. The climate talks are on in Paris, but most are just talkers and not doers. It’s not enough to “like” and share pictures and articles on social media, and not actually do something to show you care.

My own Jersey City made me proud last year with close to 200 students from 17 schools submitting artworks. In addition, we received artworks from 17 states in the US and 32 countries around the world. The total last year was close to 1000 pieces of creative expression. It was marvelous! The winning artworks were celebrated online and in 3 well received exhibitions including an exhibition in Jersey City’s City Hall.

Jersey City is a culturally active area with a large artist community, and yet these same artists, many who have children, aren’t participating either. So, I’m back to wondering why it’s easier for me to reach parents and teachers in other countries and not those in my own area?

I’m asking you now… educators and parents to explain to the young why they should care about wildlife and the environment and I’ll continue to do my part to help amphibians and the environment too.

Please make me proud by entering today!

 

Susan Newman,
Founder, Frogs Are Green, Inc.
A NJ nonprofit organization – “Healthy frogs mean a healthy planet for all.”

Below is one of my favorite entries from 2014.

1st Place Winner, Kardelen Koc, Turkey, Frogs Are Green Kids Art Contest 2014, age 3-6 group

1st Place Winner 2014, Kardelen Koc, Turkey, Frogs Are Green Kids Art Contest 2014, age 3-6 group

10/20/15

Frog color patterns and the lack of color on the ventral surface

Frogs are a component of an exclusive cluster of the animal realm that have a part in the subtle equilibrium of both the ecosystem and the food chain. Frogs can be seen more or less any place apart from Antarctica. The majority of frogs are found in tropical areas and more frogs are found in the hotter countries. There are approximately 4,740 species of frogs on the planet. They are in fact remarkable creatures that come in a huge range of sizes as well as colors.

Frogs generally eat insects such as flies, as well as, worms and small fish. In some cultures, frogs are believed to bring good luck. Noticeably, some frogs, such as the poison dart frog, have an adequate amount of toxin in their miniscule bodies to take the life of a human being. Some species of frogs are capable of changing their skin color, and a few of them have a similar skin color as their environment.

By liz west (leopard frog2) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By liz west (leopard frog2) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Without a doubt, frogs have several natural predators. Generally frogs are responsive to predators, which is why frogs put down a lot of eggs at a time. A few of the main predators of frogs are comprised of reptiles, like snakes and lizards. Some fish will eat frogs, and birds will also eat frogs. Frogs are always in danger of predators and unfortunately, humans also eat frogs. Luckily, frogs have developed many techniques for defending themselves from these predators.

The color patterns of frogs and their lack of color on the ventral surface, allow frogs to escape from predators. Usually, the underside of the frog is a lighter color than the top side for the reason that if the frog is hanging on top of the water and a predator is searching for a frog, the suns glare makes the frog difficult to spot. There are shady marks on the bottom and as a result it doesn’t expose the silhouette of the frog. Some of the frog’s upper side is darker since when swimming in the underneath of a dark pond, so it coordinates with the bottom.

By fa:User:Juybari (fa:File:Frog in Water.jpg) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

By fa:User:Juybari (fa:File:Frog in Water.jpg) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Frogs have a huge range of skin colors and patterns, which indeed help them from their natural predators. Colors can aid as a warning to predators that the frog may be toxic. Some frogs have the ability to change the color of their skin to adjust their heat soaking up rate, which assist them in managing their temperature. Just like other creatures, a frog’s skin and its color can be a sign of poison. Eating a blue frog can be deadly. So, the blue colored frogs offer a sign that they are not edible.

By Michael Gäbler (own work (eigenes Werk)) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Michael Gäbler (own work (eigenes Werk)) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Some studies have shown that the techniques for getting the better of a predator rely on the species of frog, but several of these resistances contain the utilization of color. It is found that some of the frogs have developed patterns on their backs that bamboozle or confuse aerial predators. The patterns cover up the shape of the frog; as a result, the predator doesn’t identify it as something safe to eat.

The largest parts of frogs are not dangerous, but there are some frogs that take advantage of poison as a self-protection tactic. Research reveals that some frogs have deadly poisons that could make a human harshly sick, or even kill someone. The toxic frogs such as the poison dart frog generally have brightly colored skin that stands as a caution. The toxic frogs have in fact very few predators. Frogs such as the barred leaf frog have light patterns on their legs and body. So, when the frog runs, these patterns will make the predator puzzled.

The animal kingdom makes use of a lot of tactics in order to save themselves from predators. Frogs are amazing and they use a lot of techniques to fool predators. Basically the upper surfaces of frogs are dark and go with their environment so that they are hidden from predators viewing them from above. The ventral surfaces of most of the frogs are normally a light color so that it will be disguised against the lighter sky while observed from underneath.

On land, a frog’s enemies will attack them from above and therefore, the color on its upper side serves as concealment. In water, the frog is susceptible to assault from below. For the most part, frog’s ventral surface is seldom uncovered to the sight of predators, so these surfaces don’t require camouflage. Frogs have a variety of patterns and colors that protects them from natural predators and harsh environments.

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Guest blog by Ligia Blake, who is a freelance blog writer and works for essayscouncil.com, a custom essay writing service with a passion of helping out students.