About

A drone panorama of the Cohansey River. In the lower center of the picture lies our 8 acre farm.

This Blog is written by me, Larry Niles, Ph.D. I help wildlife and people as a scientist and restorer of wildlife and habitat. My wife, Amanda Dey, and I live on an 8-acre farm on Delaware Bay. New York City, Philadephia, and Washington lie within a day trip of the bay and its well-known concentrations of horseshoe crab and shorebirds. My blog explores the threats of our time and offers solutions that would help both wildlife and the welfare of the people who depend on wildlife.

I am a partner in a small conservation consultancy, Wildlife Restoration Partnerships LLC. We design our research and management projects in collaboration with state and federal agencies and several non-profit conservation groups, including the American Littoral Society, NJ Audubon, and Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ.

Our projects aim to achieve specific, measurable goals that our team can assess with simple metrics that guide the next step or iteration of the project, ultimately leading to the goal. Most of our projects have been ongoing for years, including research in the Arctic ( 1998-2015), Tierra del Fuego Chile ( 2000 to present), Delaware Bay (1997-present), and habitat restoration for horseshoe crabs and shorebirds ( 2012-present).

Larry Niles and Craig Coutros of the Fish and Wildlife Service handle a 6 week old bald eagle destined to be release on Delaware Bayshore.

I’ve worked on wildlife research and management since 1974 after graduate work at Penn State. In my early career, I helped

manage a seven-county region of Georgia Fish and Wildlife, including the Okefenokee Swamp National Park. Afterward, I served as an endangered species biologist in NJ Fish and Wildlife. For the last ten years, I’ve been a for-profit biologist on a non-profit mission – giving voice to wildlife and natural places.

I can be reached at [email protected].

Resume

Lawrence Niles PhD,

Wildlife Restoration Associates LLC

(908) 303-3843

[email protected]

Blog: arubewithaview.com

Degrees

Pennsylvania State University Zoology B.S 1973

Pennsylvania State University Wildlife Management M.S 1976

Rutgers University Ecology and Evolution Ph.D. 1996

Employment

2008-present Owner/Partner Wildlife Restoration Partnerships ( formerly LJ Niles Associates)

2006 – 2008 Chief Biologist, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey

1992 – 2006 Chief, NJ Dept. of Environ. Protection, Endangered Species Program

1982 – 1992 Biologist, NJ Dept. of Environ. Protection, Endangered Species Program

1977 – 1982 Biologist, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Selected Publications

Lathrop, R.G., Niles, Lawrence, Smith, P., Peck, M., Dey, A., and R. Sacatelli. 2018. Mapping and modeling the breeding habitat of the Western Atlantic Red Knot. Condor 120(3):650-665

Burger, J., L, Niles, C. Jeitner, & M. Gochfeld. 2018. Habitat risk: Use of intertidal flats by foraging red knots (Calidris canutus rufa), ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla), and sanderling (Calidris alba) on Delaware Bay beaches. Environ. Res. 165:237-26.

Duijns S, Niles LJ, Dey A, Aubry Y, Friis C, Koch S, Anderson AM, Smith PA. 2017 Body condition explains migratory performance of a long-distance migrant. Proc. R. Soc. B 284:

Smith, J.A.M., Hafner, S.F., & Niles, L.J. (2017) The impact of past management practices on tidal marsh resilience to sea level rise in the Delaware Estuary. Ocean & Coastal Management, 149, 33–41.

Smith JAM and Niles L. (2016) Are salt marsh pools suitable sites for restoration? Wetland Science and Practice. 33(4):101-109.

Burger, J. & L. Niles. 2017. Shorebirds, stakeholders, and competing claims to the beach and intertidal habitat in Delaware Bay, New Jersey, USA. Natural Sci. 9: 181-205.

Lathrop R., Niles L.J., Peck M., and A. Dey. (2016). Mapping and Modeling the nesting Habitat of an Arctic Shorebird at Landscape and Regional Scales. Report to Commission on Environment Cooperation 138pp

Burger J. and L.J. Niles, 2016. Injury and Response to Hurricane Sandy, Physical Damage Avian and Food Web Responses and Anthropogenic Attempt at Ecosystem Recovery. 25pp. in Taking Chances on the Coast After Hurrican Sandy. Rutgers University Press.

Niles L. J., A.D. Dey, and B. Maslo 2015. Overexploitation of marine species and its consequences for terrestrial biodiversity along coasts. 25pp. in: Coastal Conservation 450 pages. Cambridge University Press.

Newstead, D.J., Niles, L.J., Porter, R.R., Dey, A.D., Burger, J. & Fitzsimmons, O.N. 2013. Geolocation reveals

mid-continent migratory routes and Texas wintering areas of Red Knots Calidris canutus rufa . Wader Study

Group Bull. 120(1): 53–59.

Niles, L.J., Burger, J., Porter, R.R., Dey, A.D., Koch, S., Harrington, B., Iaquinto, K. & Boarman, M. 2012. Migration pathways, migration speeds and non-breeding areas used by northern hemisphere wintering Red Knots Calidris canutus of the subspecies rufa. Wader Study Group Bull. 119(2): XX–XX.

Burger J., M. Gochfeld, C. W. Powers, J. Clark, K. Brown, D. Kosson, L. Niles, M. Dey, C. Jitner, T. Pittfield. 2013. Determining Environmental Impacts for Sensitive Species: Using Iconic Species as Bioindicators for Management and Policy. Journal of Environmental Protection, 2013, 4 (***_***) Published online August 2013

Bahl, S. Krauss, D. Kuhnert, M. Fourment, G. Raven, S. P. Pryor, L. Niles et al. (2013) Influenza A Virus Migration and Persistence in North American Wild Birds. PLoS Pathog 9(8): e1003570. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003570

Burger & L. Niles. 2013 Shorebirds and stakeholders: Effects of beach closure and human activities on shorebirds at a New Jersey coastal beach. Urban Ecosystems DOI 10.1007/s11252-012-0269-9 published online 13 Nov 2012

L.J. Niles, J Burger and A. Dey. 2012. Life on Delaware Bay. Rutgers Press. 259 pages

C. Schwarzer, J. A. Collazo, L. J. Niles, J. M. Brush, N. J. Douglass and H. F. Percival. 2012. Annual Survival Of Red Knots (Calidris Canutus Rufa) Wintering In Florida. The Auk 129(4):725−733, 2012

Espoz, C., Ponce, A., Matus, R., Blank, O., Rozbaczylo, N., Sitters, H.P., Rodriguez, S., Dey, A.D. & Niles, L.J. 2008. Trophic ecology of the Red Knot Calidris canutus rufa at Bahía Lomas, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. Wader Study Group Bull. 115(2): 69–76.

Niles, L. J., H.P. Sitters, A.D. Dey, P.W. Atkinson, A J. Baker, K.A. Bennett, R. Carmona, K.E. Clark, N.A. Clark, C. Espoza, P.M. Gonzalez, B.A. Harrington, D.E. Hernandez, K.S. Kalasz, R.G. Lathrop, R.N. Matus, C.D.T. Minton, R.I.G. Morrison, M.K. Peck, W. Pitts, R.A. Robertson and I.L. Serrano. 2008. Status of the Red Knot in the Western Hemisphere. Studies in Avian Biology No. 36. 185 pages

Niles LJ, J. Bart, H.P. Sitters, A.D. Dey, K.E. Clark, P.W. Atkinson, A.J. Baker, K.A. Bennett, K.S. Kalasz, N.A. Clark, J. Clark, S. Gillings, A.S. Gates, P.M. Gonzalez, D.E. Hernandez, C.D.T. Minton, R.I.G. Morrison, R.R. Porter, R.K. Ross & C.R. Veitch. 2009. Effects of horseshoe crab harvest in Delaware Bay on Red Knots: Are harvest restrictions working? BioScience 59: 153–164.

Niles, L.J., Burger, J., Porter, R.R., Dey, A.D., Minton, C.D.T., Gonzalez, P.M., Baker, A.J., Fox, J.W. & Gordon, C. 2010. First results using light level geolocators to track Red Knots in the Western Hemisphere show rapid and long intercontinental flights and new details of migration pathways. Wader Study Group Bull. 117(2): 123–130.

McGowan, C.P, J.E. Hines, J.D. Nichols, J.E. Lyons, D.R. Smith, P.W. Atkinson, A.J. Baker, N.A. Clark, A. Dey, P.M. Gonlalez, K.S. Kalasz, W. Kendall, L.J. Niles. 2011. Multistate models linking red knot demographics to Delaware Bay horseshoe crab spawning activity with implications for conservation and management. Ecosphere.

(d) Synergistic Activities

Adaptive Resource Management Working Group (member) for Conservation of Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs in Delaware Bay, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
Habitat restoration of Delaware Bay beaches for spawning horseshoe crabs and migrant shorebirds, post-Hurricane Sandy to present. http://www.restorenjbayshore.org/beach-restoration.html.
Experimental oyster reef and marsh restoration to benefit oysters, coastal wildlife, and Delaware Bay communities. http://www.restorenjbayshore.org.
Facilitate long-term research of avian influenza viruses in migrant shorebirds using Delaware Bay and northern Brazil. https://www.stjude.org/media-resources/news-releases/2016-medicine-science-news/evidence-suggests-migratory-birds-are-not-a-reservoir-for-highly-pathogenic-flu-viruses.html. http://vet.uga.edu/scwds/people/stallknecht-d.
Co-lead a US-Canada Motus telemetry project for red knots; including other migratory species. https://motus.org/data/viewtracks.jsp.
Website for reporting marked shorebirds for survival and population estimates. bandedbirds.org.
A social marketing campaign for Delaware Bay shorebird stopover. http://celebratedebay.org.
Assist with Brazilian Biologists to map threats and hotspots of productivity and diversity. http://www.icmbio.gov.br/portal/busca?searchword=shorebirds%20expedition&searchphrase=all
Assist Smithsonian in developing a new Bird House exhibit on Delaware Bay. https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/exhibits/bird-house-0

Other Affiliations or Boards: US Shorebird Council (1996-present); Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network – Council Member (1997-present), Atlantic States Marine Fish Commission Adaptive Management Sub-committee.

He has published a monograph on shorebirds, a book on NJ Endangered Species, and another on Delaware Bay Shorebirds. He and his wife Amanda Dey were part of the PBS Nature documentary “Crash: A Tale of Two Species”.

My Graduate and Thesis Advisors: Robert Anthony (Masters, Penn. State); J. Burger (Doctoral, Rutgers Univ.), Burt Murray (deceased), David Dobkin (High Desert Ecol. Research Inst.), James Applegate (Retired).