 The American Littoral Society’s Restoration Corps (R-Corps) program isn't just a summer job; it’s an immersive training ground where the next generation of environmental leaders gets their hands dirty. This year’s Delaware Bay R-Corps brought in both new and familiar faces, with two of the returning crew members being hired early so they could help our education program with work that included the new SeaQuest program in Bridgeton, NJ — made possible by a generous donation – and several field trips. The rest of the group — a mix of high school and college students, along with a few graduates — were hired at the end of May. With the whole group on board, R-Corps got the season underway with hands-on field work and outreach events. June was a busy and rewarding month for the R-Corps team. We spent the first few weeks along the shores of Delaware Bay, diving into projects that combined hands-on science with real-world conservation.  Our work began at Bay Point Beach, where we teamed up with Habitat Restoration Technician Kerstin Axe to monitor mussels in the marsh. Mussels might seem small, but they’re big players in keeping marshes healthy — helping to hold the habitat together and showing promise for future restoration projects. The surveys we conducted will help reveal just how widespread mussels are in this important ecosystem. We also turned our attention to the breakwaters built by the Littoral Society’s partners. These structures protect the shoreline, but we needed to be sure they weren’t blocking horseshoe crabs from coming ashore. R-Corps members didn’t hesitate to roll up their sleeves and pull stranded crabs out from the rocks, making sure these ancient creatures could continue their journey. At the same beach, we joined the Horseshoe Crab Recovery Coalition to conduct egg density surveys. This time of year marks peak spawning season, and several of our crew even came back after dark to help tag crabs with Kerstin and Restoration Project Manager Shane Godshall. There’s nothing quite like seeing the beach alive with horseshoe crabs under the night sky.  We ended the month inland with stream assessments in the Maurice River watershed. These habitat surveys measure things like vegetative cover, erosion, water level, and even litter — all indicators of stream health. Another part of the job involved searching for benthic macroinvertebrates, aquatic insects that act as natural water-quality testers. The kinds we find can tell us how clean or polluted a stream may be. All of this fieldwork doubles as training for our Freshwater Habitat and Biological Assessment certifications with the NJDEP. To earn those credentials, we’re tested on our ability to conduct a full habitat assessment and identify at least 45 out of 50 preserved macroinvertebrates — a challenge we’re eager to meet.  July gave the R-Corps team plenty of chances to connect with local communities and see how different professions intersect with our mission. We visited schools and libraries across Cumberland County to teach kids and adults about water quality, macroinvertebrates, horseshoe crabs, and other parts of our work. This year we put extra energy into creating new activities the kids could really dive into. Some of the hits included matching footprints to the right animal, a board game that follows the life of a horseshoe crab, and a Pokémon-style card game featuring the macroinvertebrates we find in streams. These hands-on games made the science fun and memorable. We also toured the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, the Landis Sewerage Authority, and Mill Creek Urban Farm to learn more about environmental careers in South Jersey. Seeing how other organizations tackle water, waste, and food systems gave us fresh ideas for our own work.  Back in the field, July was a big month for maintaining rain gardens across Cumberland County. These gardens capture stormwater and help keep local waterways clean, so regular upkeep is key. We also launched a brand-new project: a tree survey in Bridgeton’s Southeast Gateway neighborhood. The data we’re collecting will support a grant to plant more street trees — improving water quality while also providing shade and a better quality of life for residents. The Littoral Society works closely with Gateway Action Community Partnership in this neighborhood, and the tree project is another step toward healthier, greener streets for the people who live there.  August blended many of our usual activities with a few special ones. Our regular fish tagging day, which is typically quiet, turned out to be anything but. Thanks to one of our crew members suggesting a new spot in Brigantine, we saw a lot more action — catching several dogfish and even a northern kingfish. Beyond the fieldwork, we focused on professional growth. We held a workshop to help crew members write strong resumes and set up LinkedIn profiles. This gave everyone a chance to polish their job-hunting skills while still working toward conservation goals. The month — and our year — wrapped up with a trip to Bivalve, NJ. We started the day walking through the marsh with Shane. He explained the breakwater project at the mouth of the Maurice River, which is designed to build up sediment and protect the marsh from rising sea levels. Shane also introduced us to the different marsh grasses — from the invasive phragmites reed to the beneficial spartina grass — and explained how each plays a role in the ecosystem. We ended the day with a tour of the Bayshore Center, where we learned about the region’s once-booming oyster industry and its connection to the bay. It was the perfect way to close out a season of learning, hands-on work, and growth. Over three months, crew members built real skills, earned certifications, and saw firsthand how restoration projects, education, and community outreach intersect to protect South Jersey’s coast and waterways. From night tagging horseshoe crabs under the stars to explaining macroinvertebrates to schoolchildren, each experience deepened their understanding of conservation work while sharpening their leadership abilities. As the program closed at Bivalve, the team could look back on a summer packed with accomplishments: healthier rain gardens, new data for stream and tree surveys, a successful fish-tagging expansion, and even résumé and LinkedIn workshops to prepare for life after R-Corps. This blend of science, service, and professional growth is exactly what makes the Restoration Corps unique — and why its alumni leave not only with muddy boots, but with the confidence and skills to lead the next wave of coastal stewardship. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
October 2025
Categories
All
|
