To the Editor:

Signs advising that “Dogs must remain on leash” were posted in the Charles Rogers Wildlife Refuge and the Institute for Advanced Study Woods to help protect ground nesting and ground feeding birds in these vital habitats. Ovenbirds, Eastern Towhees, White-throated Sparrows, and other species that forage or nest in the leaf litter or understory, as well as ducks, egrets, and herons that frequent the marsh, are all vulnerable to predation from dogs that stray from the hiking trails. The signs were not posted to prevent dog fights, as a previous letter writer suggested. Public cooperation with this simple requirement (which is consistent with the leash law in Princeton) will help preserve the beauty and diversity of these natural areas, among the most important in Central New Jersey.

Fred Spar

Friends of the Rogers Refuge