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June Littoral News June 1, 2022 
Members Day is Just Around the Corner Please join us for the annual Members Day celebration, Annual Meeting, and Board of Trustees election on Sandy Hook on Saturday, June 25!
Members Day is a members-only event, please make sure your membership is up to date in order to attend! If you’re not sure of your membership status, please email [email protected] and we will let you know. Click here if you know you need to renew or would like to become a member.
If you are a current member, you will receive an email with a link to register online. You will also receive a notice in the mail that will include a ballot for you to vote in the annual Board of Trustees election.
After the meeting, members will be treated to a picnic lunch from Local Smoke BBQ, beer from Ross Brewing, and live music.
COMING UP 
Jamaica Bay Horseshoe Crab festival Saturday, June 4 (rain date Sunday June 5) 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 175-10 Cross Bay Blvd Queens, NY Free, Donation Appreciated
Meet at the refuge visitor center for a special event – the annual Horseshoe Crab mating ritual. We’ll visit the shoreline at the American Ballfield beach (W. 22nd Street) and get to meet the ancient crabs in person. Kids welcome.
This is a partnership program with NYC Audubon, the National Park Service, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, and the American Littoral Society. For more info contact: [email protected].
Wingin' It: Spring Migration Bird Walks Thursday, June 2 9 - 11 a.m. Sunday, June 12 10 a.m. - Noon Meet at American Littoral Society HQ GPS: 18 Hartshorne Drive Highlands, NJ $10 for members, $20 for nonmembers
Join “bird nerd” and Littoral Society Director of Development, Membership and Outreach Lindsay McNamara for a spring migration bird walk on the Hook. After meeting at Littoral Society Headquarters, we'll walk the paved multi-use pathway to Horseshoe Cove (about 1.5 miles) looking for seasonal bird visitors.
Please dress for the weather, wear closed-toe shoes, bring water and binoculars if you have them. The Society also has Nikon 8x42 binoculars for participants to borrow during the walk. Let’s get birdy!
Contact [email protected] with any questions. 
Junior Ranger Angler Saturday, June 4 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sandy Hook Unit Gateway National Recreation Area Highlands, NJ Free, Register here
The National Park Service and the American Littoral Society are partnering to teach young children how to fish. Join us for a day of surf fishing and instruction on the beach.
We will cover the basics of casting, knot tying, lure/bait selection, and “reading” a beach. All skill levels are welcome. Rods, reels, and tackle will be provided. Children ages 11 and up are welcome with a supervising adult.
Please register at the link NJDEP | NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program for the NJ Saltwater Fishing Registry, complete, print, and bring the form with you to the in-person program. Please bring your lunch and snacks. You can also call 732-872-5970 for more info or to make a reservation.
Women Only! Surf Fishing Clinic DATE CHANGE: Sunday, June 5 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Meet at Littoral Society Headquarters GPS: 18 Hartshorne Drive Highlands NJ $30 Members $75 Non-members
Do you want to learn to fish with a group of like-minded rockstar women?! Join Emily McGuckin, Fish-Tagging Director for the Littoral Society, for a day of surf fishing and instruction on the beach. She'll cover the basics of casting, knot tying, lure/bait selection, and “reading” a beach.
All skill levels are welcomed. Rods, reels and tackle will be provided, but bring your own if you have it. Children under 18 are welcome with a supervising adult. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided for the early morning gathering but please bring your lunch.
For more information contact [email protected]. 
World Oceans Day Walk Wednesday, June 8 6:30 - 8 p.m. Meet at Lot B Gateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook Unit Highlands, NJ (map) Free, Registration Required
Celebrate World Oceans Day with the American Littoral Society! Join us for an evening walk on the beach at Sandy Hook, during which we'll talk about the creatures that call the ocean home, while watching the sunset, and looking for shells, sand dollars, and sea glass.
World Oceans Day is an international day that takes place annually on June 8 in order to support implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals, while also fostering public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources.
What the Shell!? Trivia Night Thursday, June 9 6 p.m. start White Chapel Projects 15 2nd Avenue Long Branch, NJ
Come to White Chapel Project in Long Branch for a night of trivia! We will be asking questions about the many different mollusks you can find around New Jersey as well as other coastal questions. The winner will go home with a prize! 10% of all sales this night will go towards the Littoral Society.
Inspired by the creativity and energy of the Whitechapel District of London, this versatile venue strives to redefine how art permeates our daily life– be it through food, drink, performances, events, and other forms of artistic expression.
Marilyn Schlossbach joined Preston Casertano and the Two River Organic Mushroom team in 2020 to bring sustainable craft beer, cocktails, wines, culinary comforts, and events to this neighborhood spot. 
Volunteer Event: Shark River Work Day Friday, June 10 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. GPS for Parking: 101 Seaview Court Neptune, NJ
Come lend a hand with a living shoreline project designed to reduce erosion in the northwest corner of Shark River Island.
We will be planting marsh plants, repairing the bird deterrence, removing some invasive reeds, and cleaning up weed cloth from the berms. Additionally, we may plant various native shrubs and grasses. Dress to get wet and dirty!
This work is being coordinated by the Littoral Society as part of a Seaview Condo Association of Shark River/Neptune funded resiliency project.
Resilient Schools Consortium Students Showcase Climate Change, Justice Projects at Coney Island Community Open House Friday, June 10 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Kaiser Park 2529 Neptune Avenue Brooklyn, NY (by the BBQ North area)
The National Wildlife Federation’s Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC) program is hosting a community open house for students to showcase findings from projects addressing climate change, climate justice and resilience in the Coney Island community.
Students and their teachers from nine NYC public high school and middle schools have invested in using nature to help create more climate resilient solutions across the Coney Island shoreline. Wildwood High School in New Jersey has also adapted the RiSC program. This open house is an opportunity for the public to learn about the threats and impacts of climate change and how students are making a difference by connecting to communities and taking action.
Activities include remarks from special guests, a station where students will interview local residents about their experiences with extreme weather events, a “Postcards from the Future” activity, a beach grass planting demonstration and large photographic displays.
Horseshoe Crab Walk Sunday, June 12 4:30 - 6 p.m. Meet at Lot B Gateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook Unit Highlands, NJ $10 members/ $20 non-members
Join the American Littoral Society for an evening walk at Sandy Hook to learn about some of our oldest friends (they've been around, virtually unchanged, for more than 400 million years).
Watch your step as we walk along the sand and wade within the water as they will be crawling at your feet. Experience the excitement of holding one of these ancient creatures as the sun sets over the bay.
Contact Education Director, Nicole Haines for any questions
What the Shell!? Webinar Thursday, June 16
Do you ever wonder what the shells are that you see lying in the sand at the beach? There were once creatures inhabiting those shells, known as mollusks.
Pine Barrens Kayak Trip Friday, June 17
Volunteer Event - Rain Garden Planting Saturday, June 18 10 a.m. - Noon Cumberland County Library 800 E. Commerce Street Bridgeton, NJ Free, Register Now
Join us for a volunteer planting event in Cumberland County Library's new rain garden! The rain garden, installed in partnership with the American Littoral Society, will help filter stormwater runoff from the library property and adjacent roadways while providing vital habitat to native insects, birds, and other wildlife.
All necessary equipment will be provided. Participants should dress for the weather and wear closed-toe shoes, as well as sun and insect protection.
Volunteer Event - Remove Invasive Plants Wednesday, June 23 1 - 3 p.m. Giampietro Park 3231 E. Landis Avenue Vineland, NJ Free, Register Now
Join us to help us remove invasive vines from the riparian buffer, an area of young trees planted along the edge of the neighboring stream that filters stormwater runoff. Without proper maintenance and control, these vines can have devastating impacts on our native trees and shrubs!
Participants will also meet macro-invertebrates up close! These tiny insects live in the stream and help us monitor stream health.
Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Tagging Select nights May 13-June 29 Free, Registration Required
The American Littoral Society is looking for volunteers to participate in our horseshoe crab tagging program along New Jersey’s Delaware Bayshore. Horseshoe crab tagging is a great way for volunteers of all ages to encounter these pre-historic looking creatures up close. No experience is required, beach captains will train all volunteers on site.
Interested in participating in the largest horseshoe crab tagging program in the Delaware Bay? There are limited spots and they do fill quickly, visit www.horseshoecrabtagging.org to register. 
Beauty in Unexpected Places Thursday, June 23 7 - 8:30 p.m. Camden County Parks Department 1301 Park Boulevard Cherry Hill, NJ
Camden County Board of Commissioners, Upstream Alliance, Haddonfield Environmental Commission and the Cherry Hill Environmental Board invite you to join Anand Varma, a world renowned photographer and National Geographic Explorer, who will present photographs from his travels around the world through the lens of beauty in unexpected places.
Anand will be co-leading a 6-day expedition, starting June 22, from the mouth of the Cooper River to its source along with Camden County Parks Director Maggie McCann and 6 Camden youth. The expedition team will explore the entire length of this hidden urban waterway for the first time in recorded history.
FROM OUR DIRECTOR 
DEP Commissioner Visits Littoral Society Restoration Projects New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette recently visited the Littoral Society’s horseshoe crab habitat restoration and climate resiliency projects along the Delaware River and Bayshore.
Littoral Society staff discussed with him the success of the projects in helping recover horseshoe crab populations and protect the federally threatened Red Knot. We also looked at our marsh restoration projects, which are designed to protect adjacent communities and to help fight climate change by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
In a tweet, LaTourette thanked Littoral Society staff and our Executive Director Tim Dillingham "for the tour, and more importantly, for bringing attention to and stewarding investments in our natural capital that enriches our ecosystems while building much-needed resilience in underserved parts of our state!"
JOBS 
2022 Summer Internship Opportunities The Littoral Society has two paid, part-time internships available to college students with environmental science, marine science, ecology, education or similar background may apply. Informal and/or formal education teaching experience preferred and a qualified individual must enjoy sharing their enthusiasm for the littoral zone with people from all age groups and walks of life. The internships will require the use of personal vehicle and laptop.
There are three internship positions available: one for Coastal Education, another for the Fish Tagging Program, and the third for Development - which will support the overall fundraising efforts of the American Littoral Society.
The Littoral Society offers compensation based upon experience and education and seeks someone who can begin work in mid-May 2022.
Click here for more information on the positions and how to apply.
Summer Work Experience in NJ and NY The American Littoral Society is hiring high school and college students to participate in Restoration Corps, a summer work experience.
The R-Corps' mission is to provide training, education, and job skills for the next generation of environmental stewards, working outdoors and hands on in our local communities.
We have two programs, one at our Delaware Bay office (which primarily works in Cumberland County, NJ) and another at our Jamaica Bay office in New York.
This is a summer program which starts in late-May and goes to August. High school students have the option of starting later or joining after school if their schedules allow.
Delaware Bay applicants can also send cover letter and resume to: [email protected]
Jamaica Bay applicants can also send cover letter and resume to: [email protected]
SANDY HOOK NEWS "Nature at Your Door" Visits Sandy Hook We love Nature at Your Door, especially when it takes a look at shorebirds on Sandy Hook. In this video Frank Taylor explores the American Oystercatcher. Follow Frank and Nature at Your Door to learn more about the plants and animals that your might encounter in your backyard, neighborhood, local park or forest.
NORTHEAST CHAPTER NEWS Glowing Review and Great Pictures from Littoral Society Trip to DelMarVa Don Riepe, the Littoral Society's Jamaica Bay Guardian, and Northeast Chapter staff received a glowing review from a participant on the Spring trip to Chincoteague and Assateague.
Sherry Felix wrote: We had a marvelous time. The weather was good and the company the best. You had so many experts along. I learned a lot. For the trip I had 90 species of birds and one lifer, the white ibis.
Thank you so much for all your hard work and making it such an excellent and memorable trip.
DELAWARE BAY NEWS 
Littoral Society Staff Gathers on Delaware Bayshore for Annual Rite of Spring During the months of May and June, horseshoe crabs gather on Delaware Bayshore beaches by the thousands for an annual rite of spring that dates to the days of the dinosaurs. Like those ancient creatures, many of those who work for the Littoral Society gathered on one of those beaches last week.
Students Join Littoral Society Staff for Horseshoe Crab Tagging During last week's full moon, students and teachers from Ridge And Valley Charter School joined the American Littoral Society for a late night horseshoe crab tagging on Thompsons Beach along the Delaware Bay.
First, students gathered around to hear Conservation Coordinator, Zach Nickerson explain horseshoe crab anatomy and the features that have helped these living fossils thrive for over 400 million years. Then, students received a training on how to correctly and safely tag the animal so we can learn more about their population in the Delaware Bay.
Delaware Bay is home to the largest Atlantic horseshoe crab population in the world. The spawning season, mid May - mid June, is the only time horseshoe crabs come ashore.
The Littoral Society and other organizations tag horseshoe crabs to help determine populations and movement patterns. While the horseshoe crab is not currently endangered, harvesting and habitat destruction have sharply reduced horseshoe crab numbers from levels measured in the 1990s. They appear to be holding stable at this lower population level thanks in part to protections championed by the Society, but these numbers are too low to sustain the overall ecological role of the crabs in the system: to not only sustain themselves but to provide an abundance of eggs to support the shorebird.
The number of horseshoe crabs needs to be increased by changing fishing policies and restoring habitats - work that we are doing now. Join us!
RESTORATION PROGRAM NEWS 
Slade Dale Restoration Project Gets Spruced Up with Recycled Christmas Trees With the help of community and FEMACorps volunteers, the American Littoral Society moved the last of our recycled Christmas trees - collected and transported by Lacey Township - to the Slade Dale Restoration site. Participants joined us on the morning of Saturday, May 21 to help ferry the trees from shore to the breakwaters installed in Beaverdam Creek.
Toni Rose Explores NJ's Coast from Bay Point to Slade Dale My second week sure was busy. To kick things off, I went on my first solo adventure to take photos of a future restoration site in Bay Point. I drove over there with my phone, a Google Maps print-out, and checklist from Shane. As I approached the set location, I drove past one house- the only one left in the area. I continued further down the road around the bend, getting closer to the shoreline. I found a single house left in the water, which I later found out was effected by Hurricane Sandy.
SAVE THE DATE 
Sunset Seining Returns in July Wednesday, July 6 Wednesday, July 20 6:00pm - 8:00pm American Littoral Society HQ Gateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook Unit GPS: 18 Hartshorne Drive Highlands, NJ Pay What You Can
Discover the diverse wildlife inhabiting our coast. After a short talk on the Society’s front porch, we will drive over to Horseshoe Cove on Sandy Hook Bay for a seining adventure. Participants are invited to help pull our 40-foot seine net through the bay, and experience the excitement of learning about the fish and other critters caught.
Wear clothes and shoes you don’t mind getting wet. Contact: [email protected] for more information.
Littoral Society in the News Students Learn Marine Science At Annual Summit SANDY HOOK - Over 400 students made their way to the Jersey Shore to learn marine environmental science at Clean Ocean Action’s Annual Spring Student Summit.
The Summit gives hands-on experience with students participating in six activities and 11 interactive field activities.
Students were on location at of the Gateway National Recreation Area – Sandy Hook Unit making the beach their outdoor classroom alongside the many trails and marshes. The event took place on May 25 and was the first in-person Student Summit in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Naturalists and other education professional, including from American Littoral Society, Gateway National Recreation Area Sandy Hook Unit New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and Shark Research Institute, guided students through 11 field activities throughout the park. Some students used seine nets to collect and identify common marine species of Sandy Hook Bay. Others learned about key bird species and the important role of Sandy Hook in bird migration.
Click here to read more at Jersey Shore Online Jamaica Bay Task Force Encourages Continued Growth “This is the best water clarity and quality we’ve seen in over 100 years in Jamaica Bay,” Jamaica Bay Task Force co-chairman Dan Mundy Sr. said at the group’s spring meeting this past Tuesday.
Riepe spoke of a “Refuge Manager Position” – to be stationed on site. Also, a “mowing plan, with timeframes and goals. The West Pond view shed is quickly disappearing,” he added.
Dan Mundy Jr. of the Jamaica Bay Ecowatcher’s spoke about Adjacent Sediment “Slurry” Enrichment Restoration Potentials for Jamaica Bay (essentially restoring marshes with slurry). He described this process as “not a replacement for marsh island building, but a maintenance program to stay ahead of complete wetland island collapse.”
“There are a lot of opportunities in Jamaica Bay for this type of process – slurry enrichment,” Mundy Jr. said. “And the cost is relatively low.” He specifically spoke of opportunities in the interior of the bay, as well as along the shorelines.
Click here to read more at The Wave
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. 
Show Your Support with Littoral Society Gear There are more ways than ever to show your support for the American Littoral Society. Now available at 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.
More Littoral Merch Available at Bonfire You can support the Littoral Society by purchasing our official merchandise through our store on Bonfire.com. All proceeds support coastal conservation!
Bonfire is a free online platform where anyone can design, sell, and buy custom products. We handle payment processing, order fulfillment, and customer service so you can focus on connecting with your community.
Remember the Coast Make sure that our coast remains a home for the coastal wildlife you love. A bequest to the American Littoral Society is a generous and straightforward way to care for the coast. This can be expressed in a will as simply as, “I bequeath [a sum of money, a percentage of my estate, or an IRA, life insurance policy, or investment/bank account] to the American Littoral Society, 18 Hartshorne Drive, Suite 1, Highlands, NJ 07732.”
Consult with your attorney to determine what is best for your situation.
To learn more about planning a gift for the Society, contact Director of Development Lindsay McNamara at 732-291-0055 or [email protected]. Other Ways to Support the Society Your membership donation helps the Society reach its fundraising goals to keep our coast safe and healthy. It also helps our staff create new and exciting ways to connect you with the coast even if we can't be there physically together. If you would like to go above and beyond membership, please explore these other ways you can help the Littoral Society continue to care for the coast. 
Our Contact Information
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May Littoral News May 1, 2022 
Fabulous Weather Highlights 7th Annual Littoral Society Lobster Run Participants in our 7th Annual Lobster Run 5K Run/Walk to Care for the Coast had a great day to soak up the sun, listen to The Attic play fun tunes, drink beer from Ross Brewing, and enjoy brunch from Langosta Lounge.
COMING UP 
Junior Ranger Angler Program at Sandy Hook, NJ The National Park Service and the American Littoral Society are partnering to teach young children how to fish. Inspired by the thrill of catching your first fish, the Junior Ranger Angler program encourages kids to enjoy the vast recreational opportunities of our national parks.
The initial event on Sandy Hook was held Wednesday, April 20 and everything went swimmingly, except that we forgot to catch any fish. Children in attendance learned the basics of casting, knot tying, lure/bait selection, and “reading” a beach.
The program is part of the National Park Service Junior Ranger program and encourages young people - age 11 and up, with a supervising adult - to earn their Junior Ranger patch and certificate by participating in a series of fishing activities in a national park and then sharing their experience with a park ranger.
Future events will be held on May 7, June 4 and July 18, with a short introduction at Littoral Society headquarters, followed by hands-on experience on a nearby beach. For more information or to make reservations, please call 732-872-5970 or go to the Junior Ranger Angler post below.
Wingin' It: Spring Migration Bird Walks Saturday, May 7 6 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 17 8 - 10 a.m. Meet at American Littoral Society HQ GPS: 18 Hartshorne Drive Highlands, NJ $10 for members, $20 for nonmembers
Join “bird nerd” and Littoral Society Director of Development, Membership and Outreach Lindsay McNamara for a spring migration bird walk on the Hook. After meeting at Littoral Society Headquarters, we'll walk the paved multi-use pathway to Horseshoe Cove (about 1.5 miles) looking for seasonal bird visitors.
Please dress for the weather, wear closed-toe shoes, bring water and binoculars if you have them. The Society also has Nikon 8x42 binoculars for participants to borrow during the walk. Let’s get birdy!
Contact [email protected] with any questions. 
Jamaica Bay Task Force Meeting Tuesday, May 10 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Via Zoom
Tune in to a Zoom meeting and hear about the various projects and proposals for Jamaica Bay from US Army Corps of Engineers, the NY Department of Environmental Protection, Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, and the American Littoral Society. For detailed agenda e-mail: [email protected].
Among the topics on the agenda are: A new management plan for the Jamaica Bay Refuge (via the Littoral Society's Don Riepe); a ribbed mussel study update; discussion of a living shoreline project; and a wetland restoration update.
To join Zoom Meeting, use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86101641850?pwd=bkt4Undua0JrTHJSQWpjMFB5Qm9kUT09.
Or, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 861 0164 1850 and password: 466509
Junior Ranger Angler Saturday May 7 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sandy Hook Unit Gateway National Recreation Area Highlands, NJ Free, Register here
The National Park Service and the American Littoral Society are partnering to teach young children how to fish. Join us for a day of surf fishing and instruction on the beach.
We will cover the basics of casting, knot tying, lure/bait selection, and “reading” a beach. All skill levels are welcome. Rods, reels, and tackle will be provided. Children ages 11 and up are welcome with a supervising adult.
Please register at the link NJDEP | NJ Saltwater Recreational Registry Program for the NJ Saltwater Fishing Registry, complete, print, and bring the form with you to the in-person program. Please bring your lunch and snacks. You can also call 732-872-5970 for more info or to make a reservation. 
Build a Rain Garden Webinar Create a Creek-friendly Yard
Wednesday, May 11 Sessions at Noon and 7 p.m. Virtual - Link Will Be Emailed After Registration Register for the Noon session. Register for the 7 p.m. session.
Join us for Rain Gardens 101 – a virtual workshop to learn more about rain gardens and how you can build one at home! When you attend, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up for a 30-minute consultation where you’ll work one-one one with a Rutgers landscape architect to plan a customized rain garden for your property.
Visit https://www.sjwatersavers.org/makeover/ for more information on the South Jersey Landscape Makeover Program.
Rumson Environmental Commission Hosts Panel Discussion on the Benefits of Native Plants Wednesday, May 11 6 - 8 p.m. Rumson's Bingham Hall 40 Bingham Avenue Rumson, NJ Free, More Info
Join the Rumson Environmental Commission and American Littoral Society for a panel discussion on Going Native, which will focus on the benefits of bring native plants to your yard.
In addition to Littoral Society staff, the panel will include representatives from the Rumson Garden Club, NJ Audubon Society, Sickles Market, and Flower to the People.
Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Tagging Select nights May 13-June 29 Free, Registration Required
The American Littoral Society is looking for volunteers to participate in our horseshoe crab tagging program along New Jersey’s Delaware Bayshore. Horseshoe crab tagging is a great way for volunteers of all ages to encounter these pre-historic looking creatures up close. No experience is required, beach captains will train all volunteers on site.
Interested in participating in the largest horseshoe crab tagging program in the Delaware Bay? There are limited spots and they do fill quickly, visit www.horseshoecrabtagging.org to register.
Downe Township Horseshoe Crab Festival Saturday, May 14 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Fortescue State Street Downe, NJ Free, More Info
Stop by the Downe Township Horseshoe Crab Festival and say hello to the Littoral Society. We will be discussing our horseshoe crab tagging program and habitat restoration work.
The festival will be set up at multiple outdoor sites along Fortescue’s beautiful bayshore to entertain visitors with live music, games, educational exhibitors, artists, craftsman, eco tours, food vendors and many more activities.
The festival is in honor of the annual spectacle of the horseshoe crab spawning, which brings thousands of horseshoe crabs to New Jersey’s Delaware Bayshore. Downe Township, NJ, which is a certified horseshoe crab sanctuary, has been welcoming the largest numbers of crabs in the area for many years.
Festival attendees will have the opportunity to learn about how they can help horseshoe crabs and why they are so important to the endangered bird, the red knot, and to humans, too.
Jamaica Bay Spring Migration Bird Walk Saturday, May 14 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center 175-10 Cross Bay Blvd Queens, NY Free, Registration Required
Join Don Riepe, the Littoral Society's Jamaica Bay Guardian, for a hike around the ponds and gardens during the peak spring bird migration to look for the many species of warblers, tanagers, grosbeaks, shorebirds, and many other species that are making their way through the parks and natural areas of NYC.
Learn about bird behavior, migration and how to identify them in the field. This is a partnership program with NYC Audubon, the American Littoral Society, and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. Kids welcome. Free. For more info contact: [email protected]
Horseshoe Crab Walk Monday, May 16 6:30 - 8 p.m. Meet at: Lot B Sandy Hook Unit Gateway National Recreation Area $10 members/ $20 non-members
Join the American Littoral Society for an evening walk at Sandy Hook to learn about some of our oldest friends, 445 million years that is!!! Watch your step as we walk along the sand and wade within the water as they will be crawling at your feet. Experience the excitement of holding one of these ancient creatures as the sun sets over the bay.
Contact Littoral Society Education Director Nicole Haines with any questions: [email protected]. 
Slade Dale Volunteer Restoration Day Saturday, May 21 10 a.m. - Noon GPS: 2235 Sea Point Drive Point Pleasant, NJ Free, Registration Required
We need your help to fill the cribbings at our Slade Dale marsh restoration project with new branches and Christmas trees.
Located in New Jersey's Point Pleasant Borough, the Sanctuary’s pine-oak forest, hardwood swamp, and salt marsh provide a space of protected wilderness in an otherwise heavily developed coastal area of NJ. The salt marsh at Slade Dale helps protect uplands from flooding during storms. It also provides nursery habitat for fish, and foraging habitat for birds such as osprey, egrets, and bald eagles.
The shoreline has eroded approximately 300 feet since 1930, and almost all low marsh habitat has been lost. Our restoration project began in 2018 with the installation branchbox breakwaters and cribbing that could be packed with recycled trees in order to reduce the force of water flowing through the area and help retain sediment near the shoreline.
Please dress to get muddy and wet. We will have a limited supply of chest waders. We will also supply gloves. Please also bring water and a snack.
Chincoteague / Assateague Weekend Thursday - Sunday May 19-22 Chincoteague, VA Cost: $595 person (double occupancy) $150 single supplement
Join the American Littoral Society for a Spring wildlife bonanza weekend along the Delmarva coast. Participants are likely to see nesting Bald Eagles, Osprey, migrating warblers, shorebirds, white and glossy Ibis, Herons, Egrets, Marbled Godwits, Clapper Rails, wild ponies with young of year, Delmarva fox squirrels, sika deer, red fox, and maybe an otter or two.
Cost includes three nights lodging at the lovely Refuge Inn, 3-hour boat tour of island, 2-hour Safari bus tour of backwater marshes, welcome seafood dinner at a local restaurant, evening programs and star watch, plus guided hikes at Chincoteague Refuge and Assateague National Seashore. On the way home we’ll stop at Bombay Hook Refuge to look for avocets, purple martins, bluebirds, and other wildlife.
The Inn has an indoor heated pool, jacuzzi, sauna, exercise room, conference room and sun/star observation deck. Breakfasts at Inn included in price. Chincoteague has great crab cakes, local oysters, fresh seafood, and the famous bumbleberry pie.
What to bring: Clothing for warm and cool weather including jacket (hat, gloves) for the boat ride, shorts/etc. for warm weather (it can be in 70’s), raincoat, binoculars, bathing suit, flashlight – and a sense of humor! Let me know if you need a ride or want riders. Van rental if needed, add $150 per person shared cost.
For more info and reservations call (917) 371-8577 e-mail: [email protected].
FROM OUR DIRECTOR NJ & NY Back Environmental Talk with Funding Committments
The governors of New Jersey and New York demonstrated recently that they aren't simply talking about the environment but are willing to make significant financial commitments to address climate change and clean water issues.
In keeping with the global theme for this year’s Earth Week (Invest in Our Planet), NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) announced the launch of the Natural Climate Solutions Grant Program, a blue and green carbon grant program that is providing $15 million for projects that create, restore and enhance salt marshes, sea grass beds, forests and urban parks to sequester atmospheric carbon in the fight against climate change.
Almost simultaneously, New York announced new and strengthened protections for wetlands. 
"We have long been advocates for protecting and restoring tidal wetlands, as well as restoring the capacity of habitats to sequester carbon in the fight against climate change," said Tim Dillingham, Executive Director of the American Littoral Society.
Littoral Society Director Talks Coastal Conservation at Long Branch Library
On April 7, the Long Branch Library's hosted American Littoral Society Executive Director Tim Dillingham for a discussion of coastal conservation projects. The evening was presented by Art for Sea.
MARINE NEWS |