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Previous editions of the Littoral News
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December

Littoral News

December 1, 2020

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 From the Director

In December, Let's Celebrate the Coast

Man, do we need something to celebrate.

 

No one wants to read a recitation of the challenges we have faced during the past year as Americans and people who care about the coast, much less those burdens unique to our own lives and paths.

 

So, as we head into the shortest days of the year, which will bring to many the cold winds of winter, lets focus on celebration.

 

Let’s celebrate the coast. Let’s celebrate the salt life.

 

Click here to read the rest of the Director's Note

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COMING UP

 2020 End of Year Giving Campaign

This has been a tough year, but you’ve kept coastal conservation alive. 


In the coming days, you may receive a letter from us reporting on our year and asking for your continued support. 


You make an impact on the coast, you make an impact on the American Littoral Society. As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, please consider making a donation to the American Littoral Society’s end of year giving campaign by visiting www.littoralsociety.org/annualappeal.

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Giving Tuesday

 
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According to a Giving USA 2019 report, only 3% of philanthropic giving across income levels in the United States, goes to the environment and that is up from previous years. As coronavirus persists, sea levels continue to rise, while water and air pollution levels increase. Your support is integral to the health of our local waterways and communities!

The American Littoral Society is participating in #GivingTuesday today because we need your support. Today we celebrate the mission of promoting the study and conservation of marine life and habitat, protecting the coast from harm, and empowering others to do the same; and honor all the work that would not be possible without supporters like YOU. Now more than ever the coast, your coast, needs your help.

DONATE
 
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Zero Waste Workshop for the Holidays

Wednesday, December 9 
6 – 7:15 p.m.
Click here to register

 

Join Littoral Society Education Director, Nicole Haines, as she discusses ways to reduce waste during the holiday season.

 

This workshop will include:

  • giving & receiving zero waste gifts
  • plastic pollution 
  • easy switches
  • the problems with microfibers
  • fast fashion
  • giveaways and more!
 
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Northeast Chapter Annual Holiday Party

Saturday, December 12
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Free, Virtual Attendance via Zoom

Click Here to Register

 

Join us for the virtual Northeast Chapter Holiday Party via Zoom this holiday season.

 

Join Don, Alexandra, and Lisa for a presentation about the goings on at the American Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter throughout 2020. View stunning photos of Jamaica Bay, local wildlife and birds, and the hardworking staff and volunteers who made coastal conservation in the "Jewel of New York City." We'll be presenting the Second Annual Volunteer of the Year Award.

 

As usual, the party will contain an “Ugly Auction”, a Silent Auction, door prizes, fun events, slide presentation, plus a never before seen vintage (1986) video of our director Don Riepe (aka Don Diego) in a Flamenco Dance performance at Lincoln Center.

 

If you would like to donate a Silent Auction or Ugly Auction item please contact Don@littoralsociety.org or call (917) 371-8577.

 

If you're unable to make a donation, but would still like to attend the celebration, please contact Alexandra Kanonik at alexandra@littoralsociety.org.

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Climate and Resilience Education Task Force Meeting with NJ's First Lady

Monday, December 7

3:30 p.m.

Free, Virtual Meeting

Click Here to Register

 

The Climate and Resilience Education Task Force is hosting New Jersey’s First Lady Tammy Murphy for a timely discussion on comprehensive climate education.

 

New Jersey is the first state in the nation to integrate interdisciplinary climate education standards across the curriculum, in a bold effort to address the looming climate change crisis. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/38WmtJr

 

Ms. Murphy will discuss how New Jersey's initiative came about and then participate in a Q and A, facilitated by a Youth Steering Committee member, to help us imagine how New Jersey's model could be replicated in New York State.

 

The regular Task Force meeting will follow Ms. Murphy's segment.

 

The Climate and Resilience Education Task Force was launched in May 2018 by the National Wildlife Federation and is supported NOAA, FEMA and Con Edison.

 

The Task Force is dedicated to increasing access to interdisciplinary climate and resilience education, and associated professional learning opportunities, in New York City's K-16 schools.

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Jamaica Bay Task Force Meeting

 

Wednesday, December 9 

6:30 - 9 p.m.

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Click Here to Register

 

The fall meeting of the Jamaica Bay Task Force will be a virtual event open to all and include updates and information regarding initial or ongoing projects and programs in the Jamaica Bay areas of Brooklyn and Queens Counties, NYC. 

 

Among those speaking at the session will be Don Riepe, Director of the American Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter; Alexandra Kanonik, Jamaica Bay Program Manager for the American Littoral Society, Dan Mundy Jr, Vice President of Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, and Alex Zablocky, Executive Director of the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy.

 

The task force dates back to 1984 and has been an influential catalyst and outlet for public review and input to projects affecting Jamaica Bay. 

 Northeast Chapter News

Winter Waterfowl Workshop Success

A total of 51 people came out in person for the Winter Waterfowl virtual workshop on Saturday, November 21, while more than 300 others participated via the Facebook Live broadcast. 

 

The program featured the 30-plus species of ducks, geese, loons, swans, cormorants, and grebes that spend winter in Jamaica Bay. 

 

At the moment, more than 10,000 Brant Geese and 1,000 Snow Geese are currently in the bay along with many Bufflehead and Ruddy Ducks.

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SIGHTS & SOUNDS

American Littoral Society Launches

New Restoration Project in Barnegat Bay

The “spud barge” is packed up and on-site!

 

It signals that the Littoral Society is beginning a new oyster reef project in Barnegat Bay. The work will help improve water quality, enhance the environment and add add natural protection for shoreline communities.

 

Many thanks to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NJ Department of Environmental Protection for their support, guidance and partnership!

 

Stay tuned for updates on this project, which will be posted on the Littoral Society website.

 
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Veterans Day Recognition

The American Littoral Society would like to thank all veterans for their service and extend special recognition to the many service members who have helped with our work along the Delaware Bay.

American Littoral Society Receives Resilient Communities Grant

The American Littoral Society has received a $500,000 grant to improve horseshoe crab and shorebird habitat at South Jersey’s Fortescue Beach, while also making the shore more resistant to coastal storms and sea level rise.

 

The grant comes from the Resilient Communities Program, a collaboration between Wells Fargo and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) that aims to help communities better prepare for and respond to climate-related natural disasters by investing in green infrastructure.

 

Click here to read the full story

 
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Littoral Society Awarded $4.9 million Grant

to Restore Mouth of Maurice River

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today announced more than $37 million in new grants from the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) that will support coastal resilience projects in 25 states and U.S. territories. The 46 grants announced today will generate $55 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $92 million.

The American Littoral Society, a membership-based coastal conservation organization headquartered in Highlands, New Jersey, was awarded $4.9 million for its proposed work Restoring Ecologically Beneficial and Resilient Infrastructure at the Mouth of Maurice River (NJ).  

 

Click here to read the full story.

JOIN US

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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

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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.

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 & CANCELATIONS

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The American Littoral Society will be postponing or canceling upcoming public events 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:

 

New Year's Day Walk, Sandy Hook, NJ - Friday, January 1

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November

Littoral News

November 1, 2020

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 From the Director

The Littoral Society Wants You

to Become a Lorax

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is ever going to get better. It's not.”
~ The Lorax, Dr. Suess

 

When I think of an advocate, I often think of the Lorax, the iconic conservation figure created by Dr. Suess. The Lorax spoke for the trees, which had no tongues.

 

The lesson of the Lorax was that there are things that must be cared for, resources that need to be stewarded. Often we need someone to remind us what we have or what may be lost. We need someone to speak out on behalf of the things that can’t speak for themselves – whether trees or horseshoe crabs.

 

Without an advocate we might not even hear about important things until they are gone.

However, what may be the saddest aspect of the Lorax is that there was just one, fighting a lonely battle.

 

Click here to read the rest of the Director's Note

COMING UP

Join Us for the 5th Annual Lobster Run

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Saturday, Nov 7
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
On the Streets of Your Hometown
Or the Asbury Park, NJ Boardwalk

Virtual and In-Person Options
Click Here to Register

 

The 5th Annual Lobster Run is ON! 

We hope you’ll join us wherever you’re most comfortable, whether it’s on the boards in Asbury Park, NJ, on the streets of your hometown, or in your local park. 

 

If you plan to join us in person, please read through all the COVID-19 guidelines and regulations on the registration page before registering.

 

Register for the in-person or virtual race at www.raceforum.com/lobster.

 2020 End of Year Giving Campaign

This has been a tough year, but you’ve kept coastal conservation alive. 


In the coming days, you may receive a letter from us reporting on our year and asking for your continued support. 


You make an impact on the coast, you make an impact on the American Littoral Society. As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, please consider making a donation to the American Littoral Society’s end of year giving campaign by visiting www.littoralsociety.org/annualappeal.

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Northeast Chapter Annual Holiday Party

Saturday, December 12
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Free, $20 donation requested


Join in the fun and adventure of a virtual Zoom party including an "Ugly Auction," a Silent Auction, Entertainment, games, contests, and prizes. The American Littoral Society Northeast Chapter holiday party is a great event for adults and kids as well.


For more information and a Zoom link to the party contact Don Riepe, Director the Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter, at don@littoralsociety.org.

 
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Winter Waterfowl Virtual Workshop

Saturday, November 21
10 - 11:30 a.m.
Free via Zoom Webinar
Contact Don Reipe for Link


Join us online for a virtual tour of Jamaica Bay's abundant waterfowl. Learn about biology, behavior and how to identify the over 25 species that we regularly see in the bay. 


Kids are invited. Virtual event will be conducted via Zoom. For more info and a link to the program e-mail don@littoralsociety.org.

Save the Date for Giving Tuesday

 
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Tuesday, December 1 


Please support the American Littoral Society on GivingTuesday. 


Leading up to, and on GivingTuesday you can expect to hear from us about the impact your donation can make on the work we do with advocacy, conservation, and education for coastal conservation.

2020 Spooky Walk

Ends Friday, November 6
Interactive Map and Virtual Guided Tour
Free

 

Don't miss it, friends.

 

The 2020 Virtual Spooky Walk will only be available for a few more days. Don't miss your chance to follow our guide and travel through a space between time and technology to glimpse the darker side of Sandy Hook's history. These tales retreat to their lairs on November 6.

 

Together, we will brave the memories of those unfortunate souls who have faced death, despair -- and all the phantoms that lie in between.

 

Take heart, and prepare yourself.

Proceed, If You Dare

The Virtual Spooky Walk is for entertainment purposes only. The stories told are embellished based on stories passed down over the years. Not all spots on the tour are accessible if walked on your own. Please stay within the public areas of Sandy Hook.

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Neutral Palette

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Colorful Palette

Celebrate the Society's 2020 Spooky Walk

with this limited edition apparel!

Two Eye-Catching Designs Available
Purchase through Bonfire.com
Neutral Palette
Colorful Palette
Scroll Through Styles for Shirt Colors and Sizes


While the Virtual Spooky Walk ends soon, the commemorative shirts will continue to be available for purchase via Bonfire. Purchase will support coastal conservation in New Jersey, New York, and beyond. Shirts come in a variety of style and sizes (short and long sleeve, as well as sweatshirt, with kids' sizes available. Prices vary depending on style of shirt.


Available in neutral or colorful palettes, the shirt's design is custom artwork by the extremely talented Colleen Kong-Savage, who came to us through Catchafire, an organization that matches professionals who want to donate their time with nonprofits who need their skills. The Littoral Society has access to Catchafire services through the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.


About the Artist: Colleen stepped away from her signature paper-collage style to create this year’s Spooky Walk t-shirt. She is the illustrator of the picture book, The Turtle Ship by Helena Ku Rhee, and a graphic designer who helps businesses and nonprofits shape their visual brand identities. Visit her online at https://CKongSavage.com. You can also follow her on Instagram (@KongSavage), Twitter (@KongSavage), or on Facebook (KongSavageArthouse).

 Northeast Chapter News

October is peak time for migrating hawks and falcons along our coast. The Littoral Society and partners held a hybrid event (virtual and live) on Sunday, October 18 about this amazing phenomenon. Participants saw presentations by naturalists who have been following these movements for many years.

 

The Raptorama Festival was a huge success, with about 200 viewers on the virtual portion and about 75 in-person attendees to the live event in a safe, socially distanced setting.

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The Restoration Corps skeleton crew did some great work planting and removing invasive weeds and grasses in Frank Charles park to improve the pollinator habitat that they helped to create there.

 

R-corps participants also planted 1,000 shrubs and wildflowers at Frank Charles Park on the edge of Jamaica Bay. 


In October, Northeast Chapter Director Don Riepe also took a NY state assemblywoman and two staff out on a boat for a tour of Jamaica Bay.

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

Advocacy Organizations Call on ASMFC to Complete Action for Protecting Menhaden

A number of organizations called on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to follow through on efforts to help protect a crucial fish species.

 

That effort was rewarded on Oct. 28 with a vote by ASMFC's Atlantic Menhaden Management Board to reduce the Atlantic menhaden quota by 10 percent.

 

The decision established a quota of 194,400 metric tons for the 2021 and 2022 fishing years. Atlantic menhaden are a primary food source for numerous sportfish populations, especially striped bass.

 

Click here to read the full story.

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Vineland School Students & Staff

Help Install Rain Garden

Students and staff at Anthony Rossi Elementary School in Vineland, NJ partnered with the American Littoral Society, Rutgers Cooperative Extension and the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) to install two rain gardens on school grounds. 

 

Students from several classrooms received education, both in class last Spring and virtually, to help prepare them for the planting and ongoing care of the gardens. 

 

The Vineland Public Schools maintenance department worked hard to complete excavation, while school staff, along with team members from the Littoral Society, Rutgers, and ANJEC, completed the installation.

 

Together participants planted native, drought-resistant perennials that not only beautify school property, but also will attract butterflies and other pollinators while conserving one of our planet's most vital natural resources - water. 

 

Click here to read the full story on the Littoral Society blog.

Webinar: Return to the Delaware River

The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed hosted a webinar on Monday, October 5 to share information on a project seeking to promote fair and equitable opportunities to “get more people, more often, in more places” swimming, paddling and enjoying the 27 mile stretch of the Delaware River flowing past Philadelphia, Camden and Chester. 

 

The Water Center, University of Pennsylvania, and the American Littoral Society, with the support of the William Penn Foundation, are creating a “road map” of possible improvements and a process to advise policy makers on preferred paths for relatively short-term action that would result in better water quality in targeted areas of the Delaware River in order to support swimming, wading, and paddling. 

 
 
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Ladder Helps Fish Scale Dam

Fish in Wreck Pond can now climb further into the watershed thanks to a ladder over the Old Mill Dam.

 

This summer the American Littoral Society installed New Jersey's first fish ladder in order to give anadromous fish, like alewife and blueback river herring, which spend most of their lives in the ocean but lay eggs in fresh water, renewed access to a former spawning area. 

 

The ladder is the next step in the ongoing effort to restore Wreck Pond and its watershed. 

 

Click here to read the full story.

JOIN US

Help Prepare for a Safer Future

Feeling #grateful to be high & dry this Thanksgiving?

 

The Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve wants us all to prepare for a safer future.

 

Help by taking this survey and sharing with friends who live in coastal #NJ or love to visit. Survey closes on 11/20!

 

Click here to take the survey.

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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

Image
 

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.

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.

Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

Our Contact Information
*{{Organization Name}}*
*{{Organization Address}}*
*{{Organization Phone}}*
*{{Organization Website}}*


*{{Unsubscribe}}*

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October

Littoral News

October 1, 2020

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 From the Director

If We Love Our Neighbors,

We Protect the Places They Call Home

Habitat is home.

 

Just like in our own homes, coastal habitats are defined and made unique by their locations, specific features or characteristics, and who shares the neighborhood.

 

For example, bays, estuaries, coastal marshes and the ocean all have salt water but the level of salinity varies in each, making them as different as Highlands, NJ is from the New Jersey Highlands.

 

Likewise, in all of those salty places, plant and animal life differs, as does the energy of the water (waves, tides, currents), and the human influence on them through such things as construction, boating or fishing. Those elements and so many others intertwine to determine who in the coastal and marine environment lives where.

 

Click here to read the rest of the Director's Note

COMING UP

 
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2020 Annual Meeting

 

Saturday, October 24
Noon - 1 p.m.
Link Will be Sent to Members


Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, and our best efforts to keep everyone safe and healthy, the Society will not be hosting a Members Day celebration in 2020. However, we will be gathering for a virtual 2020 Annual Meeting via Zoom. 


Members in good standing will hear from Executive Director Tim Dillingham and Board of Trustees Chair Tally Blumberg on the state of the Society and vote in the annual Board of Trustees Election. 


If you are a member in good standing, you will receive a meeting announcement and ballot in the mail and via email. We ask that you carefully review the notice and, if you’re unable to join us on the 24th, return the ballot by mail. 


If you need to check your membership status, please reach out to Diana Lucatelli via email at: diana@littoralsociety.org.

 
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Shop at AmazonSmile on Prime Day to
Help Us Keep Caring for the Coast

Tuesday, October 13 and

Wednesday, October 14 

 

Amazon's Prime Day(s) is Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Wednesday, Oct. 14 and will feature thousands of deals exclusively for Prime members, making it one of the biggest shopping days of the year.


You can get great deals and support the American Littoral Society's efforts to care for shorebirds and seals, horseshoe crabs and wetlands by designating us as your charity of choice and shopping through AmazonSmile.

 

Click this link to have Amazon donate to the Littoral Society when you shop on AmazonSmile.

 
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Virtual Rain Barrel Workshop

Thursday, October 15
7 - 8 p.m.
Click Link to Register

 

Attend a virtual rain barrel workshop over Zoom, then pick-up the barrel and supplies at our office to make it yourself at home!


Pick-up barrel and supplies on Friday, October 16 between 8 am and Noon OR Monday, October 19 from 3 - 7 pm at the American Littoral Society Delaware Bayshore Office, 1025 N 9th Street, Millville, NJ 08332.

 

For more information, email Education Outreach Coordinator Zach Nickerson.

 
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 Raptorama Festival

Sunday, October 18 
Virtual program 1 - 2 p.m. 

live presentation 2 - 4 p.m. 
Online  
Free


October is peak time for migrating hawks and falcons along our coast. Learn about this amazing phenomenon and see presentations by naturalists who have been following these movements for many years. 


Some of the program will also be live. For more information and a link to the program contact Don Riepe, Littoral Society Northeast Chapter Director at don@littoralsociety.org.    

 
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Zero Waste Workshop

Wednesday, October 21 
6 – 7:15 p.m.
Click here to register

 

Join Littoral Society Education Director, Nicole Haines, as she goes through ways to lessen your waste. This workshop will include:

  •  pollution facts
  • easy switches
  • how to do a trash audit
  • the problems with microfibers
  • fast fashion
  • giveaways and more!

2020 Spooky Walk

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Beginning Oct. 19
Interactive Map and Virtual Guided Tour
Watch Our Social Media for Link
Free


Every year, around Halloween, the American Littoral Society hosts an after-dark tour of Fort Hancock in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. 


Our Spooky Walk has always been one of our most popular annual events, thanks in no small part to the stories and history imparted by our intrepid guide Jeff Dement (who moonlights as Littoral Society Fish Tagging Director).

 

Unfortunately, due to precautions surrounding Covid-19, we can't host large, in-person activities this year.

However, we've come up with a way to help you do the Spooky Walk on your own. And we've created a special T-shirt to commemorate the occasion.

 

Beginning Oct. 19, the Littoral Society website will offer an interactive map of the places we typically visit on the Spooky Walk, with links to videos that will enable Jeff to act as your virtual guide and teller of tales.

 

So, make sure your hurricane lantern is in working order and locate your oilskin jacket, so you're prepared for the 2020 Spooky Walk on Sandy Hook.

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Neutral Palette

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Colorful Palette

Celebrate the Society's 2020 Spooky Walk

with this limited edition apparel!

Two Eye-Catching Designs Available
Purchase through Bonfire.com
Neutral Palette
Colorful Palette
Scroll Through Styles for Shirt Colors and Sizes


Unfortunately, due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, the American Littoral Society's annual Spooky Walk is going virtual in 2020. But you can still celebrate Halloween with us, while supporting coastal conservation in New Jersey, New York, and beyond, by purchasing a t-shirt, long sleeve, or sweatshirt, (kids' sizes available). Prices vary depending on style of shirt.


Available in neutral or colorful palettes, the shirt's design is custom artwork by the extremely talented Colleen Kong-Savage, who came to us through Catchafire, an organization that matches professionals who want to donate their time with nonprofits who need their skills. The Littoral Society has access to Catchafire services through the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.


The shirts are available now and you should purchase yours by Oct. 10 if you want them in time to wear on Halloween. However, they will continue to be available through the end of the month.


About the Artist: Colleen stepped away from her signature paper-collage style to create this year’s Spooky Walk t-shirt. She is the illustrator of the picture book, The Turtle Ship by Helena Ku Rhee, and a graphic designer who helps businesses and nonprofits shape their visual brand identities. Visit her online at https://CKongSavage.com. You can also follow her on Instagram (@KongSavage), Twitter (@KongSavage), or on Facebook (KongSavageArthouse).

NORTHEAST CHAPTER NEWS

 
 

National Wildlife Federation and Partners Receive NOAA Grant

to Promote Climate Resilience Education in NYC

The results of climate change are becoming ever more evident. Yet, according to an article in GRIST by Miyo McGinn, most American kids graduate high school “without any formal education about a crisis that is already harming their communities and fundamentally reshaping life on Earth."

 

The National Wildlife Federation - along with the American Littoral Society - is trying to change that by providing quality curricula and programs that advance climate literacy through the Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC™) program.

 

The RiSC program was first launched in 2017 in six New York City public schools by Brooklyn College, the National Wildlife Federation, and partners with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

 

Click here to lean more

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

 
 

Fall Equinox Walk

Every year at the turning of the seasons, the American Littoral Society conducts a public Equinox Walk around our headquarters building in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. In 2020, due to safety precautions linked to Covid-19, we are inviting you to join us for a virtual walk to welcome the beginning of Autumn.

 

Revisit the walk with Littoral Society hosts, Jeff Dement, Fish Tagging Director, and Nicole Haines, Education Director, as they guide you through the flora, fauna, history and sights of Sandy Hook, NJ on one of two days each year when the day is divided equally between daylight and darkness.

Old Mill Dam Fish Ladder

Old Mill Dam is located in Spring Lake Heights New Jersey next to The Mill Lakeside Manor. The dam has acted as the main obstruction for migrating fish species for over 100 years. The American Littoral Society is pleased to announce that they have installed and opened a 60-foot Alaska-Steeppass Fish Ladder on Old Mill Dam. This fish ladder will allow fish to access nearly an additional mile of optimal spawning habitat.
 
 
 
 

Littorally Local at Home Presentation

In case you missed the livestream on Facebook: Join Tim Dillingham, Executive Director of the American Littoral Society, and Littorally Local Host Committee Co-Chairs Kristen Hall and Heather Robinson on Saturday, September 12, at 6 pm for an update on the Society's efforts to care for the coast during this unprecedented time.

 

The Story of Plastic Webinar

 

In case you missed the live stream: The American Littoral Society recently hosted a virtual screening of "The #StoryOfPlastic," a documentary about the ugly truth behind the global plastic pollution crisis. It was followed by this webinar/panel discussion about the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it.

 
 

RESTORATION NEWS

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An aerial view of Cooks Beach in Cape May County, NJ with near shore engineered oyster reefs designed to help maintain and protect the restored beach from storm surge and waves.

Best Restored Shore Awards Spotlights Littoral Society Beach Restoration Project

An American Littoral Society restoration project has been honored by the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) as one of the Best Restored Shores in the United States.

 

The work at Cooks Beach in Cape May County, NJ is one of three projects highlighted as part of ASBPA's second annual Best Restored Shores awards. The program recognizes projects that apply natural and nature-based solutions to enhance the nation's shorelines. 

 

"We're certainly proud to be honored by the ASBPA for our work, which involves countless local volunteers, as well as the involvement of state and federal partners and funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation," said Capt. Al Modjeski, Restoration Program director for the American Littoral Society. "But equally important is that the project has paid off for the spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds who need these Delaware Bay beaches to maintain their natural lives."
 
Partners on the Cooks Beach project include: Wildlife Restoration Partnership LLC, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Stockton University, NJDEP, and Atlantic Capes Fisheries.

 

Click Here to Learn More about the Project and ASBPA award.

JOIN US

Support the LIttoral Society Through the

NJ State Employee Workplace Giving 

 Are you a New Jersey state employee? Please consider supporting the American Littoral Society through the New Jersey State Employee Charitable Campaign. The Society’s code is 5918.  

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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.

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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.

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.

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September

Littoral News

September 1, 2020

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 From the Director

Water Touches Everything We Do

At the American Littoral Society

I was lucky to have a childhood filled with healthy local waterways. In them I found fish, turtles, an occasional snake and lots and lots of mud. Mostly, they were great places to explore, to be on my own or with my brother, to grow our appreciation for the natural world.

 

“We’re going to the creek” was a common parting call (usually from halfway out the back door) in our house. Waterways were the geography of my childhood, and no doubt put me on the path which led to the Littoral Society.

 

Everyone deserves healthy local waterways. Accessible, healthy local waterways.

 

Click here to read the rest of the Director's Note

COMING UP

 
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Sunset Kayak Tour of Subway Island

Wednesday, September 2
5 - 7 p.m.
Community Boathouse
Bay Breeze Park, 
Beach 88th Street 
Rockaway Beach, NY
Registration required


Join Don Riepe,director of the American Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter, for a sunset kayak tour of Jamaica Bay and its iconic marsh islands as part of the Discover Jamaica Bay: By Land and By Sea Tour Series. 


Spots are extremely limited due to safety guidelines related to COVID-19. Please follow local, state, and federal guidance related to COVID-19 when planning your trip to the event. A face covering is required and social distancing will be practiced throughout the event. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available. Please wear appropriate clothing, and bring sunscreen, a water bottle, a hat, and bug spray!

 

The Discover Jamaica Bay: By Land and By Sea Tour Series highlights city, state, and national parks throughout Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn and Queens. This tour series focuses on the unique environment and ecology of Jamaica Bay, while also highlighting the historical, cultural, and social context of the 10,000 acres of parkland in this 18,000 acre estuary. The tour series is generously supported by Con Edison.

 

Click link to learn more and register.

 
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New York State Beach Cleanup

The kickoff for the 24th New York State Beach Cleanup (NYSBC) is Saturday, September 19.


Like everything in our lives at the moment, Covid-19 is messing with our efforts to clean up the mess on our beaches and waterways!  It's pretty much impossible to hold large scale cleanups and many beaches and parks are prohibiting or limiting group gatherings.


We want to encourage folks to get out by themselves, with their families, within their “pods” or “bubbles” despite this. It takes more than a pandemic to stop our efforts to tackle the problem of pollution – particularly plastic – on the beach!


The State of NY has developed safety protocols which we ask everyone to follow. We suggest that our beach captains hold small cleanups on beaches that are allowing such events, or conducting family or single household cleanups, which should be allowed at most sites.


Please post on your social media using the hashtag #NYSBC2020 as you help clean the beaches. This is individuals taking responsibility and acting to protect their planet. We are, indeed, all in this together – and we want to share the experience as best we can!

 

For more information, please e-mail NYSBC coordinator Lisa Scheppke at lisa@littoralsociety.org.

 
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Jamaica Bay Monarch/Pollinator Festival

Saturday, September 26
10 a.m. - Noon


The Jamaica Bay Monarch/Pollinator Festival is going virtual this year. Participants can join us online to see and learn about the role of butterflies and other pollinators in the Jamaica Bay ecosystem. 


For information and link to the Zoom video e-mail Don@littoralsociety.org and he will send info when available.

 
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Zero Waste Workshop

Wednesday, September 16 
6 – 7:15 p.m.
Click here to register

 

Join our Education Director, Nicole Haines, as she goes through ways to lessen your waste. This workshop will include:

  •  pollution facts
  • easy switches
  • how to do a trash audit
  • the problems with microfibers
  • fast fashion
  • giveaways and more!
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Virtual Rain Barrel Workshop

Thursday, October 15th
7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Registration link to follow


Watch a live video on how to build your own rain barrel, then pick up the barrel and supplies at the Littoral Society Delaware Bay office in Millville.

 

For more information, contact Zach Nickerson.

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SJ Landscape Makeover Workshops

 

Sign up for our September Virtual Landscape Makeover training sessions. Learn how to build a rain garden at your own home, and possibly get a rebate if you live in our focus area.


For more information and to sign up: https://www.sjwatersavers.org/makeover-sessions/

CELEBRATE YOUR LOCAL LITTORAL ZONE

 
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Donate to Littorally Local

Littorally Local at Home

Join the American Littoral Society for Littorally Local at Home, an annual celebration of all the coast has to offer to support our efforts to protect it. Since 1961, the American Littoral Society has been caring for the coast in New Jersey, New York and beyond. We see the beauty and feel the energy that draws you to coastal communities. With your support, we work to protect and restore that splendor.

 

Your help is needed to continue and expand that work.

 

Visit the online auction from August 29 to September 12 to browse a wide variety of littorally local items and activities! You can choose from a private boat tour of Jamaica Bay or Delaware Bay, a private Zero Waste Workshop for you and your friends and family, original artwork, and other local sites and sounds!

Visit the Online Auction

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

 
 

Raptors Have Returned Webinar

In 1990 there were zero osprey nests in New York City. DDT had interfered with their ability to reproduce and the population crashed.


In this webinar learn about the Littoral Society’s successful efforts to fully restore the osprey to Jamaica Bay from 1990 to today. Spoiler alert, they’re back!

Facebook Live: Cohansey River Canoe Trip

In case you missed it: Join the American Littoral Society's Zach Nickerson and Lucia Ruggiero as they take a paddle on the Cohansey River.
 
 

Restoring Wreck Pond Webinar and Video Series

 
 

On Thursday, Aug. 27, the American Littoral Society's Habitat Restoration Program conducted a webinar on 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.

The virtual discussion came after the release of three videos detailing various aspects of the project. You can find those videos below.

 
 

PART 1: Restoring Wreck Pond

 
 

Part 2: Fish Sampling and Monitoring

 
 

PART 3: Citizen Science Monitoring Program

 

Forked River Living Shoreline Project Presentation

 

The American Littoral Society is preparing for a living shoreline project along a shoreline where the Forked River meets Barnegat Bay in Lacey Twp., NJ. This recording of a webinar and online discussion provides an introduction to the scope and purpose of this restoration project.

 
 

15th Annual Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival

 
 

August is the perfect time to explore the diversity and abundance of NYC's shorebirds, particularly at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, so the 15th Annual Shorebird Festival at Jamaica Bay's was held virtually on August 22, 2020. 

 

If you couldn't be there for the livestream of the event, you can watch the recording here.


The festival was produced by the American Littoral Society, Jamaica Bay-Rockaways Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and NYC Audubon. 


Hosted by Alex Zablocki of JBRPC, the event included a boat tour of Jamaica Bay with Littoral Society Northeast Chapter Director Don Riepe and a puppet show produced by staff at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center. There were also talks by Kevin Karlson, Lloyd Spitalnik, and NYC Audubon senior conservation biologist Kaitlyn Parkins, as well as segments provided by Shirley Chisholm State Park and NYC Parks. 


Click this link to learn more about the festival and interact with JBRPC's Jamaica Bay StoryMap. 

JOIN US

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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.

Image
 

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

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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:

  •  Shore Birds and Wild Edibles Walk, Sandy Hook, NJ - Saturday, September 5
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August

Littoral News

August 1, 2020

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 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

 
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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!

 
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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.

 
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Wreck Pond Virtual Lunch & Learn

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 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.

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