WARN NJDEP vs Project Monarch Science

WARN NJ DEP allows you to submit information about environmental incidents, abuses and complaints in or impacting New Jersey directly to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). This free app allows you to: • Report environmental incidents such as odors, improper disposal or storage of potentially hazardous materials, sewage discharges, chemical spills, encroachment of wetlands or streams, smoke or dust, underground storage tank issues, and more. • Pinpoint the exact location of an incident by using your mobile phone’s GPS feature. • Capture a picture of the incident and include it in your submission. • Automatically dial the 1-877-WARNDEP hotline number. Note: This application is not intended for emergency purposes. In the event of a life hazard or emergency, call 911 or your local police department. Wi-Fi or a data connection is required.

Project Monarch is an effort to leverage recent advances in tracking technology, that have enabled the development of the world’s smallest tracking devices, to track Monarch migration. The tracking devices on the monarch butterflies transmit at the same frequency as Bluetooth which means that everyone with a smartphone is carrying around a receiver in their pocket! This revolutionary approach can potentially create the largest wildlife tracking receiver network in the world, but only if members of the public download and use the free Project Monarch app. These data will allow scientists to track the movements of monarch butterflies in detail never previously imagined. We will see how monarchs utilize key stopping points along migratory routes and learn more about the speed and direction of migration, helping identify the most important sites for habitat conservation and restoration. Ultimately, this technology can help guide conservation planning and lead to increases in monarch populations.