August Littoral News August 1, 2020  From the Director Our Mission is to Restore the Missing Pieces The Littoral Society’s mission is to promote the conservation and study of marine life and its habitats. That is the “why” of our work.   Having been around since 1961, the language of our mission harkens back to a more formal, subdued era. But make no mistake, “promoting the conservation and study” of coastal wildlife is dynamic, growing, community-based, and aimed at strategically putting back missing pieces – whether they are gone because of a storm or human irresponsibility. Our largest effort has been restoring miles of beaches along the Delaware Bay. Those beaches are critical to spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds such as the Red Knot. The beaches, fundamental components of the Bay ecosystem, were simply gone after Hurricane Sandy.   Click here to read the rest of the Director's Note COMING UP     The Raptors Have Returned: Osprey Restoration in Jamaica Bay Thursday, August 6 2 - 3 p.m. Click link to Register In 1990 there were zero osprey nests in New York City. DDT had interfered with the ability of the raptors to reproduce and the population crashed. Join this webinar to learn about the American Littoral Society’s successful efforts to fully restore the osprey to Jamaica Bay from 1990 to today. Spoiler alert, they’re back!     Live Stream: Virtual Canoe Ride on the Cohansey River Monday, August 10 4 - 5 p.m. Watch on Facebook Live Take a virtual paddle on the Cohansey River via Facebook Live with the American Littoral Society's Zach Nickerson and Lucia Ruggiero. See the riverside sights of Bridgeton, NJ, including a few of the Littoral Society's green infrastructure projects, or just enjoy chilling with our two paddlers on Monday afternoon. Virtual Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival Saturday, August 22 10 - 11:30 a.m. Free Zoom Webinar Email Don Riepe to Participate Join us online for a virtual look at migrating shorebirds arriving in Jamaica Bay. The program includes a LIVE section from Don Riepe, director of the Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter, from out in the bay marshes. There will also be photography by Lloyd Spitalnik and a program on shorebird identification by Kevin Karlson. In addition, the National Park Service will be on hand with a little puppet show for children. All sections are 10-15 minutes long. To get the webinar link, please contact don@littoralsociety.org. Participating organizations include the National Park Service, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, and NYC Audubon.     Wreck Pond Virtual Lunch & Learn  Thursday, August 27 Noon – 1 p.m. Click Here to Register   Join the American Littoral Society's Habitat Restoration Program for a webinar about their work to increase ecological and community resiliency in and around Wreck Pond, a 73-acre coastal lake located on the border of Spring Lake and Sea Girt, NJ.   The initial stage of the project involved reconnecting Wreck Pond with the Atlantic Ocean in order to improve water quality in the pond, provide better flood control to the surrounding area, and allow migratory fish (such as river herring) to reach traditional spawning areas.   The work has since expanded to include removing the buildup of sediment in the pond, create more natural shorelines, expand upstream access for spawning fish, and conduct monitoring of the project's results.   Stay tuned to Littoral Society social media for three videos introducing the project! SAVE THE DATE Film and Panel Discussion Tuesday, September 1 Time & Link TBA Join the American Littoral Society later this summer as we host a screening of “The Story of Plastic” followed by an evening panel discussion. Learn about the plastic pollution crisis we are facing and hear what is happening in New Jersey and beyond while joining with staff of the Society and other subject matter experts for discussion and Q&A on Tuesday, September 1st. Further details including a link to screen the movie prior to the panel discussion will follow soon. Littorally Local at Home: Celebrate the Coast  In an effort to keep you safe and healthy, we will not be gathering in person to celebrate the coast this year. Stay tuned for details about our virtual celebration of all things littoral and local! POLICY, ADVOCACY & PROJECTS Project Update: Rossi Elementary Rain Gardens During July, the Littoral Society's Lucia Ruggiero and Zach Nickerson worked with Rutgers’ Water Resource Program to prepare two sites for rain gardens at Rossi Elementary School in Vineland.   The gardens will be planted by the students once it is safe for them to be back in school and be used as an outdoor learning space. Special thanks to fourth grade teacher Mrs. Egorov for all her help in partnering with the school!   Click here to learn more about the Littoral Society's water quality work and South Jersey Water Savers. SJ Landscape Makeover Workshops   Join the Littoral Society with our partners from South Jersey Water Savers for a one-hour webinar on how to install a rain garden in your own back yard. If you live in specific South Jersey areas, you may even qualify to have your garden professionally designed by our partners. For more information and to register for a specific workshop, go to https://www.sjwatersavers.org/makeover/. Webinars will be held on September 9 and 17 at 5:30 p.m. Virtual Public Meeting: The Future of Offshore Wind in New Jersey   Date: August 3, 2020 1 - 4 p.m. Held Via Webinar Click Link Above to Register   Join the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) for a public meeting to discuss the draft New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan to address the state’s goal of 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy development by 2035.   Please note that in the interest of public health and safety, this meeting will be conducted via webinar. You must register for the meeting before attending. Click here for more info on the meeting and the Littoral Society's position on responsibly siting offshore wind turbines. SIGHTS & SOUNDS Children's Book Reading: Intro to "Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee" Sarah Winter Whalen, Ocean Policy Program Director for the American Littoral Society, and her two children introduce one of their favorite books: "Down to the Sea With Mr. Magee" by Chris Van Duesen. The story follows Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee as they set off in their boat for a relaxing day on the water. But what begins as a fun day in the sun turns into a bumpy ride, when one bored little whale swims up to give their boat a friendly nudge hello. Soon the brave sailors that were once floating on the sea find themselves flying high above it, heading straight for a tree! Hear Van Duesen read his book at the following link: https://youtu.be/xb4Jg8dNdlk Testing the Waters of Menantico Creek   The American Littoral Society partners with several other local environmental non-profits to monitor water quality in freshwater streams in South Jersey that drain into the Delaware Bay. Join Littoral Society staffers Zach Nickerson and Lucia Ruggiero as they conduct one of these water quality assessments at the Menantico Creek in Millville. Originally live streamed via Facebook on Thursday, July 9. Seining at Sandy Hook with the American Littoral Society   Join Nicole Haines, American Littoral Society Education Director, and her two volunteers Annie and Julia as they seine for fish and other creatures in the Sandy Hook Bay.   All seiners shown in the video were in quarantine together. JOIN US   Membership, Renew or Join Today! Your loyalty and support enable us to continue to protect and care for the coast. Your membership supports marine science education programs for thousands of students, protecting and restoring marine life and habitat, and our efforts to defend the coast from harm. You are vitally important to this work; coastal conservation is a group effort. Your membership in the Society adds your voice to many others in support of marine life and the coast. Seniors can join or renew for $30, and Individuals for $40, or Families for $50. Click here to join, renew or give the gift of membership.   Show Your Support withLittoral Society Gear There are more ways than ever to show your support for the American Littoral Society. Now available at the the Society online store are short-sleeve t-shirts in multiple designs/colors, as well as long-sleeve t's and baseball caps with the Society's name and/or logo. The long-sleeve shirts have the definition of littoral on the back. The baseball caps are focused on the Society's Fish Tagging Program and feature a tagged black seabass. Purchase proceeds cover the cost of the item and contribute to the Society's operating budget. Click here to find Littoral Society wearable gear in the online store. POSTPONEMENTS & CANCELLATIONS Canceled Events The American Littoral Society will be postponing or canceling scheduled public events for July based on public health advisories from states and the US Centers for Disease Control. We are looking forward to resuming our walks, workshops and other activities when that is safe. Please stay safe and healthy. We look forward to seeing you again when circumstances allow. The following is a list of events that have been canceled or postponed: Cape Anne Whale Watch - August 6 - 9 Live Seining at Sandy Hook - Tuesday, August 11 and 25 (Click Here to join us for virtual seining) Fluke Tagging Trip - Saturday, August 22 Our Contact Information *{{Organization Name}}* *{{Organization Address}}* *{{Organization Phone}}* *{{Organization Website}}* *{{Unsubscribe}}*

Previous Editions of The Littoral News

July, 2020