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RIDGE VIEW ECHO WRITER

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist

48 ARTICLES
Jennifer has a Masters in Parks and Resource Management from Slippery Rock University. She worked as a Park Naturalist for Hunterdon County Park System from 2003-2006 and then at the NJSOC full-time from 2006 - 2020, starting as the Program Coordinator and evolving to an Environmental Educator. Jen is a New Jersey native and has lived in Warren County with her family since 2004. She is excited to be offering programs to this community she has grown to love.
Notes From the Fallen Tree

The Life and Times of the Humble Bark Beetle 

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Bark beetles are so-called not because of any canine-like noise that they make, but rather that they feed on the inner bark of trees....
Notes From the Fallen Tree

How to Spot an American Hornbeam

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Not as well-known as some of its more common backyard brethren, the American hornbeam (or Carpinus cardiniana) is a native, deciduous tree in the...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Great Laurel: More Than Just a Pretty Flower

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Great laurel — more frequently referred to as rhododendron — is a unique evergreen shrub that is commonly used as an ornamental planting in...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

There’s No Teasing About Teasel

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Teasel is a common non-native plant in our area. You've probably seen it, but most people don't know its name or anything about it....
Notes From the Fallen Tree

All About Burdock: The Good, the Bad, and the Sticky

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
As anyone who’s had a maple tree can attest to, many plants have seeds that last well into the winter months with various aggressive...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

The White-Tailed Deer: Back From the Brink of Extinction

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
The omnipresence of the white-tailed deer, otherwise known as Odocoileus virginianus, is a bit of a hot-button issue. It’s hard to believe that these animals—now...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Black and Yellow Argiope: The Garden’s Golden Guardian

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
It’s easy to assume that a large, boldly patterned spider must be dangerous. But the black and yellow argiope (Argiope aurantia), with its vivid...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

The Secret Architects of Mud: Meet the Mud Daubers

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
If you’ve ever noticed small clay tubes clinging to a wall or tucked beneath a roof — shaped like cigars or organ pipes —...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Common Ragweed: The Real Culprit Behind Fall Allergies

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) may not stand out in a field of wildflowers, but this modest green plant has an outsized impact on allergy...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Monarchs Migrate Thousands of Miles, Linking Nature and Culture

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plesippus) is one of the most recognizable insects in North America, known for its striking orange-and-black wings and remarkable migration...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Native Joe-Pye Weed Thrives in Meadows and Gardens

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Spotted Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum), with its purple-spotted stems and pale pink flowers, grows up to 12 feet tall. It thrives in wet areas...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Meet the Spittlebug: The Insect Behind the Foam

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Have you ever noticed little bubbly blobs clinging to plants and wondered what caused them? The answer is the spittlebug (Cercopidae family), an insect...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

White Snakeroot: Native Plant With a Fatal Legacy in American History

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a native plant that blooms from July through October in large clusters in woods and thickets. Early settlers once...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Chicory: Roadside Bloom with Mythical Roots

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Scattered across roadsides and empty fields from summer into late fall, the pretty blue flowers of chicory (Cichorium inybus) often go unnoticed, or dismissed...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Red-Eyed Vireo: A Whistling Voice from the Treetops

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Along wooded edges and lake trails, a small but striking songbird makes its presence known not by sight, but by a distinctive whistled tune...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

American Toad Uses Toxins and Trills to Thrive in the Wild

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
With a long, melodic trill that can last up to 30 seconds, the call of the male American toad (Anaxyrus americanus), not pretty enough...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Snapping Turtles: NJ’s Slow-Moving Freshwater Giants Face Natural and Human Challenges

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Eastern snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), one of New Jersey’s largest freshwater turtles, quietly navigate local ponds and streams, their steady pace offering a glimpse...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Mayapple: Forest-Dwelling Wildflower Holds Surprises Beneath the Leaves

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
In late spring and early summer, forest floors across New Jersey are dotted with clusters of small, green umbrella-shaped leaves — the signature foliage...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Long-tailed Salamander Sightings Remain Rare in New Jersey

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
The long-tailed salamander (Eurycea longicauda), a state-listed threatened species since 1979, is rarely seen in New Jersey due to the loss of its natural...
Notes From the Fallen Tree

Wild Columbine Blooms Bright in Early May

Jennifer Correa-Kruegel, Warren County Naturalist -
Flower’s Dove-Like Shape, Hummingbird Appeal Make It a Springtime Favorite In early May, wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) begins to dot the rocky mountainsides on limey...
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