 Every spring, something ancient and extraordinary unfolds along the sandy shores of the Delaware Bayshore. Thousands of horseshoe crabs — creatures that have roamed Earth's oceans for hundreds of millions of years — crawl ashore to spawn. And for over a decade, the American Littoral Society has been there to meet them, with tags in hand.
For just as long, we've been joined there by countless volunteers who help put those tags on horseshoe crabs so we can better gauge the effectiveness of our work restoring habitat along the bay. Registration recently opened for any who would like to lend a hand with our horseshoe crab tagging program — and this year, we're heading to new beaches. Whether you're a seasoned tagger or putting on a headlamp for the first time, you're invited to take part in this important effort.
0 Comments
 It is with deep sadness that we share the loss of our friend and colleague, Captain Alek “Capt. Al” Modjeski.
For more than a decade at the American Littoral Society, Capt. Al served as our Habitat Restoration Program Director and as one of the guiding hands behind many of the restoration projects that advanced the practice of restoring habitat and ecological function to our coasts, and helped shape approaches to shorelines across our region. He brought more than 25 years of experience in coastal ecology and restoration work to the Society, helping lead efforts from living shorelines and marsh restoration to oyster reef creation, beach habitat recovery for threatened species, and flood-mitigating fish passage projects. He also was passionate about bringing young people to the coast, to learn about the importance of our habitats and the Society’s work. Capt. Al was a trusted partner, teacher, mentor, and friend. He approached coastal restoration work with enthusiasm, audacity (as one staff member poignantly noted), and a deep love for the coast and the fish, wildlife and communities that depend on them. He truly was our Captain.  It's never too early to celebrate Earth Day. So, we're not waiting until April 22 to get things started; this year we will be offering a month of volunteer events. Read on to learn how you can join us in New Jersey and New York during Earth Month.
We will kick things off on Saturday, April 4 by partnering with AmeriCorps NJ Watershed program, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, with The National Park Service for a beach cleanup on Sandy Hook. Join us at Lot B in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area from 10 a.m. to Noon to help pickup litter and debris that has washed ashore on the bayside. Registration is required for this event. No worries if you can't make that first event, we have several more opportunities in the week around Earth Day, starting with two cleanups on Saturday, April 18.  Barbara Cohen (center, holding plaque) and her husband Mickey receive the American Littoral Society Lifetime Achievement Award from former NE Chapter Director Don Riepe (L) and Kathleen Gasienica, former president of the Littoral Society Board of Trustees. This Women’s History Month, we are proud to honor the legacy of Barbara Cohen, a woman and longtime member of the American Littoral Society whose volunteerism and passion advanced coastal conservation in New York. While we sadly said goodbye to Barbara in 2024, her impact remains visible on every shoreline across the state.
A lifelong educator with a degree in Art History from Hunter College, Barbara’s journey into environmentalism was fueled by a deep-seated commitment to activism. Alongside her late husband and "best friend," Mickey Maxwell Cohen, she spent decades marching for civil rights and anti-war causes before turning her formidable organizational skills toward the protection of New York’s natural spaces. Barbara was a driving force behind the New York State Beach Cleanup program, which is celebrating its 40th year in 2026 and is a cornerstone of the American Littoral Society’s Northeast Chapter. When she took over as lead volunteer coordinator in 1994, the program consisted of just four cleanup sites. Through her tireless advocacy, Barbara grew that effort into a massive network of 100 cleanup locations, coordinating an incredible 10,000 volunteers to participate in the International Coastal Cleanup.  Danielle McCulloch, the Littoral Society's Executive Director, speaks at the 2026 New Jersey Coastal & Climate Resilience Conference. Last week, the American Littoral Society played a prominent role at the 2026 New Jersey Coastal & Climate Resilience Conference, a biennial gathering that convenes leaders, scientists, educators, and practitioners working to protect coastal communities and ecosystems in the face of accelerating climate change.
Held March 9 - 11 at the Seaview Hotel in Galloway, New Jersey, the conference brought together climate and resilience professionals from across New Jersey and beyond. Hosted by the New Jersey Coastal Resilience Collaborative (NJCRC) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the event focused on advancing science based, collaborative solutions under the theme “Navigating Changing Tides.” Throughout the three day program, Littoral Society staff were highly visible as session leaders, presenters, moderators, and panelists, demonstrating both our depth of expertise and our long standing commitment to climate-ready, community-driven coastal solutions. Advancing Nature Based Solutions and Climate Ready Restoration The Littoral Society has spent decades at the forefront of climate and coastal resilience work bridging scientific research, hands-on education, on-the-ground restoration, and community engagement. Since Hurricane Sandy, the Society has led over 60 nature-based solution projects including large-scale beach and marsh restoration, green infrastructure, construction of reefs and other natural storm buffers. We also have led regional partnerships to restore ecological habitat function to Delaware Bay, plan resilience in the Shark River watershed, and connect students coast-wide through various program like Beach Grasses in the Classes and SeaQuest. Our experience and the impact of our work was on full display throughout the conference. International Day of Women & Girls in Science: Celebrating the Women Protecting Our Coasts2/11/2026
 February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a global recognition of the women whose research, leadership, education, and fieldwork are shaping a more resilient future. At the American Littoral Society, women are advancing coastal science every day—restoring marshes, protecting horseshoe crabs and terrapins, empowering communities, educating the next generation, and leading large-scale conservation initiatives.
Today, we celebrate the women on our staff whose work strengthens the Delaware Bay, Jamaica Bay, Sandy Hook, and coastal communities throughout our region. Alexandra Kanonik Jamaica Bay Program Director Alexandra Kanonik joined the Littoral Society’s Northeast Chapter in 2017 as a Youth Coordinator for the Jamaica Bay Restoration Corps. Today, she leads the program as Jamaica Bay Program Director, combining field science, habitat restoration, and community engagement in one of New York City’s most ecologically significant estuaries.  For many years, people have braved the cold February weather to come to the Winter Eagle Fest in Mauricetown, Cumberland County, for a chance to see some winter wildlife and talk to nonprofits, such as the Littoral Society, who are working to preserve and restore the local environment so that the eagles and all other creatures in the Delaware Bayshore ecosystem can continue to thrive.
This year the eagle fest took place during frigid weather on Saturday, February 7 and included a Littoral Society walk in conjunction with PSE&G. A small but dedicated group braved the chill to walk with us at the bird observatory on Strawberry Avenue and some trekked onto the boardwalk to get an up-close look at the electrical utility’s estuary enhancement site. Participants also learned more about our nearby marsh restoration project along the Northwest Reach of the Maurice River. The view led to lots of great conversations and promises to take a better look at the work in warmer weather! Black History Month: honoring the people, places, & stories that shaped coastal communities2/10/2026
 Black History Month offers a powerful opportunity to honor the people, places, and stories that have shaped our coastal communities in ways both visible and overlooked. Along the shores of New Jersey and beyond, Black leaders, artists, workers, and families built vibrant cultural landscapes, advanced movements for freedom, and transformed local and national history.
From beaches that fostered joy and resilience during segregation to museums, parks, and cultural centers preserving legacies of artistry, activism, and maritime heritage, these sites remind us that the coast is more than a scenic backdrop — it is a living archive of Black excellence, endurance, and imagination. Chicken Bone Beach, Atlantic City, NJ Chicken Bone Beach stands as one of Atlantic City’s most significant cultural landmarks, a stretch of shoreline where Black families, musicians, and entrepreneurs carved out joy and community during an era of enforced segregation.  The American Littoral Society is honored to be partnering with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on a Delaware Bayshore project that will restore habitat and protect surrounding communities.
This grant is part of a larger $12.5 million initiative through the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, designed to protect the water, wildlife, and communities that rely on the Delaware River watershed. Our project will focus on stabilizing the shoreline at the Kimbles Beach and Bay Cove Beach Complex near Cape May Courthouse, NJ. Grants were also awarded to 30 partner-led projects across the four-state Delaware River watershed, leveraging nearly $17 million in matching funds for a total investment of $29.3 million in conservation. These strategic investments will restore vital habitats, improve water quality, strengthen community resilience to natural disasters, and expand public access to natural spaces throughout the region. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a powerful reminder that every community holds tremendous strengths — and that each of us is able to help those strengths shine. On this day, we honor Dr. King’s belief that “everybody can be great, because everybody can serve” by working together to create meaningful, positive change where it’s needed most. One accessible and impactful way people contribute to their neighborhoods is through community cleanups. A cleaner environment not only improves public spaces but also encourages others to care for the places they call home. With consistent effort and supportive policy, cultural norms around litter can shift — helping all residents enjoy healthier, safer, and more vibrant surroundings.  This year, the Littoral Society and our partners at Southeast Gateway Community Action Partnership and United Advocacy were awarded a small grant from the New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission to host a community cleanup in Bridgeton where we’ve long collaborated on green stormwater infrastructure projects.
|
Archives
April 2026
Categories
All
|
