Join us for a Beach Cleanup at Sandy Hook in partnership with AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors. Help protect coastal wildlife and keep our shorelines clean for everyone. RSVP here to join the cleanup.
Coney Island Creek Dune Grass Planting
Brooklyn, NY
Saturday, April 4, 10am - Noon
Lend a hand planting dune grass at Coney Island Creek Park with Resilient Schools and Communities (RiSC), the National Wildlife Federation, and NYC Parks. A great way to help strengthen natural coastal defenses while supporting local habitat. Sign up here to volunteer.
Earth Day is Aprill 22, and we are celebrating all week long! From cleanups to plantings and hands-on learning opportunities, there’s something for everyone. Check our events calendar for the latest additions.
Bridgeton Citywide Cleanup – Cohansey River Watershed
Bridgeton, NJ
Saturday, April 18, 9:30am - Noon
Join us, the City of Bridgeton, and Gateway Community Action for Bridgeton’s Semi-Annual Citywide Cleanup as we celebrate Earth Day by caring for the Cohansey River Watershed.Learn more on the Bridgeton website.
Jamaica Bay Shoreline Cleanup + Rockaway Film Festival
Arverne, NY
Saturday, April 18, 3 - 5pm
Help clean up Dubos Point Wildlife Sanctuary in partnership with the Rockaway Film Festival. Collected items with “art potential” will be used in collaborative workshops, with film screenings at Arverne Cinema before and after the cleanup. Find event details on the Rockaway Film Festival website.
Sandy Hook Pollinator Garden Workday
Sandy Hook, NJ
Tuesday, April 21, 10am - Noon
Help us get our Sandy Hook pollinator garden ready for spring! Volunteers will remove winter cover, help repair fencing, and prepare the garden for a thriving season ahead. No experience needed.Get details and RSVP on our website.
Library Rain Garden Cleanup (Teens 13–18)
Fairfield, NJ
Tuesday, April 21, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Celebrate Earth Day by helping prepare the library’s rain garden for spring. Teens ages 13–18 can earn volunteer hours and learn how rain gardens protect local waterway. Pizza for all after the cleanup! Register here to participate.
Slade Dale Living Shoreline Volunteer Day
Pont Pleasant Borough, NJ
Sunday, April 26, 10am - 2pm
Recycled Christmas tree deployment time is upon us once again! You can help spruce (ha!) up our Slade Dale Nature Preserve living shoreline project by placing recycled Christmas trees into branchbox breakwaters along Beaverdam Creek. This work helps reduce erosion and restore coastal habitat.RSVP here to participate.
Arverne East Nature Preserve Planting Day
Far Rockaway, NY
Sunday, April 26, 10am - 1pm
Join us for a volunteer planting event at Arverne East Nature Preserve as we install trees and shrubs to enhance habitat and in honor and in memory of NYC native landscape gardener, Cindy Goulder.RSVP here to participate.
Homeschool Family Fun Day 2026
Sandy Hook, NJ
Thursday, May 14, 10am - 2pm
Come along with the American Littoral Society for a day of coastal exploration and hands-on learning at Sandy Hook! Homeschool students ages 5 and up will connect with other families while discovering Sandy Hook’s unique marine environment.Find more info and register on our website.
Save the Date: Sunset on the Bay
Fortescue, NJ
Saturday, June 13, 5pm - 8pm
Celebrate spring migration along the Delaware Bayshore during peak horseshoe crab spawning season. Enjoy guided bird walks, beachcombing, live music, food, and more.Get details and register here.
Society’s Annual Members Day 2026
Sandy Hook, NJ
Saturday, June 27, 9am - 2pm
The Society’s Annual Members Day is our yearly celebration of the people who make the Society’s work possible! Join us for awards, activities, the Board of Trustees election, and a BBQ picnic lunch as we come together to celebrate another year of coastal conservation and community impact. This event is free for members of the American Littoral Society. Not a member yet? Join today and be part of the celebration.
If you are a current member, in the next few weeks you should receive an email with a link to register online. If you do not receive a link, please contact [email protected] to check or update your membership status.
As the snow finally melts and the first signs of spring reach the shoreline, our team is already hitting the ground running. From a foggy but successful cleanup at Fort Mott State Park to the buzz of students returning to the water for our "Close Encounters" program to our presence at a NJ conference on climate resilience, March is proving that the work of coastal conservation never slows down. In this edition of Field Notes, we celebrate the volunteers and partners who keep our beaches clean and our programs thriving as we transition into the busiest season of the year.
Looking ahead, we are focused on cultivating the next generation of coastal leaders and expanding our impact. Whether you are a student looking for a transformative summer job with our Restoration Corps, an educator ready to book a field trip, or a professional eager to lead our historic Fish Tagging program, there are more ways than ever to get involved.
Read on to learn more about how you can dive into discovery and join us in protecting the places we love.
Littoral Society Leads the Way at New Jersey’s Coastal & Climate Resilience Conference
Galloway, NJ
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. Read more on our website.
Women’s History Month: Honoring the "Everyday Hero" Who Removed 107 Tons of Debris from NYC Shorelines
New York
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. Read more on our website.
Dive Into Discovery: Book Your "Close Encounters" Field Trip
New Jersey
Dive into discovery with the Littoral Society's Close Encounters program! Participants get hands-on with catch & release seining, hunt for seashell treasures, and explore the wonders of marine biology. Spring spots are filling fast, reserve your summer field trips now and give your students an unforgettable coastal experience! Learn more on our website.
Volunteers Brave Fog for Shoreline Restoration at Fort Mott State Park
Pennsville, NJ
The American Littoral Society partnered with the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program for a cleanup at Fort Mott in Pennsville, NJ, this past Saturday. Despite the foggy weather, about 20 volunteers came out to help pick up litter at this post-Civil War fort-turned-state-park along the Delaware Bay. Find more photos on our Facebook page.
Applications are now open for R-Corps Summer Jobs in NJ
Sandy Hook and Delaware Bayshore
Applications are now being accepted for the American Littoral Society Restoration Corps (R-Corps)! This isn’t your typical summer job—it’s a hands-on "green jobs" training program for young adults (ages 16–25) who want to make a difference along our coast. Find more info on our website.
We’re hiring: Littoral Society Seeks Fish Tagging Program Manager
Sandy Hook, NJ
The American Littoral Society is seeking an experienced, mission-driven leader to steward and grow one of the most enduring and impactful fish tagging programs in the country. Deadline to apply is March 31. Find more info on our website.
