 Winter is upon us and with it comes the opportunity to see and learn about wildlife that visits this area during the colder season. Join the American Littoral Society for two exciting options to get you acquainted with pinnipeds and migratory birds: Seal and Bird Ecology Cruises aboard the Seastreak ferries, and Seal and Winter Waterfowl Walks on Sandy Hook itself!
Volunteers trained by the Littoral Society will help guide participants on the Seastreak cruises, which begin on Saturday, January 4 and conclude on Sunday, March 30. The cruises venture into the NY/NJ Bight to find seals, a wide variety of winter birds, and even an occasional whale. Tickets are available through the Seastreak website. If you would prefer to stay on land, we have four seal and winter waterfowl walks scheduled in January, with the initial excursion on Saturday, January 11 at 11 a.m. The walks are timed to coincide with when seal are most likely to be hauled out around Sandy Hook. Find registration pages for this and other dates through our Upcoming Events calendar.  'Tis the season to recycle Christmas trees! Once again, the Littoral Society is collecting trees for use at our Slade Dale Sanctuary living shoreline project.
Trees can be dropped off by anyone at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (708 NJ-88, Point Pleasant, NJ), in the field behind the parking lot (the location will be marked). Point Pleasant borough residents can leave their trees curbside for normal Dept. of Public Works pickup. Be sure to remove all ornaments, tinsel and lights before discarding the tree. For more information, contact Zack Royle at the American Littoral Society, [email protected]. In 2019, the American Littoral Society constructed a living shoreline at Slade Dale Sanctuary, a 13-acre preserve located in Point Pleasant, NJ. Living shorelines use nature-based methods to stabilize shorelines while also creating or enhancing habitat, increasing biodiversity, filtering water, storing carbon and protecting communities. They also tend to be far less expensive to construct and maintain than hard structures. The bonus is that living shorelines can grow over time.  We would like to thank all our members and supporters for all they have given towards coastal conservation this year. Many have contributed their time, energy, and passion in addition to monetary donations.
Together, we have achieved so much, such as:
 New Jersey Senator Cory Booker has long been a champion for the environment and an advocate for the natural and built communities of the Delaware Bayshore.
To keep Sen. Booker informed about the Littoral Society’s ongoing efforts to protect and restore this vital region, our restoration staff and Executive Director Tim Dillingham recently hosted a field tour with members of his team. Leah Hill, Senator Booker’s Legislative Director, joined us from Washington, D.C., along with Mackenzie Belling from his South Jersey office. Together, we spent a beautiful day exploring the innovative work underway on the Maurice River and Delaware Bay. With Restoration Project Manager Shane Godshall and Restoration Technician Toni Rose Tablante crewing our trusty skiff, the group toured key restoration sites, including Basket Flats and the Northwest Reach. These areas showcase the Littoral Society’s nature-based approaches to combating the impacts of climate change.  Flooded streets in Ocean City, N.J., after a winter storm in March 2013. (Photo by U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Evan Lyon) In 2020, former NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Catherine McCabe issued an administrative order requiring the NJDEP to begin a regulatory reform effort to help reduce greenhouse gases and other climate pollutant emissions while making our natural and built environments more resilient to the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
This year the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) rules were finally released, kicking off the process – which included opportunities for public comment – to have them put in place to regulate future development in the state. These reforms were said to represent a PACT with the current residents of the state to help stave off the worst consequences of climate change and adapt to those already occurring, while also creating a more sustainable and resilient world for our children and grandchildren. The following is a Q&A with Lucia Osborne, the American Littoral Society’s Delaware Bay Program Director, examining the history of these new rules, why they are important, and what they will mean for New Jersey. |
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