Events Around the State

Timekeeper Volunteer for 2014 NJ Geography Bee held at Rowan University, Glassboro

Forestry Station Volunteers at 2014 NJ Envirothon, Stokes State Forest

Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center, May 2014 NJWAP Meeting

UWEP Training at Pequest NREC

Yes! It was time to learn how to fish at Pequest Trout Hatchery & Education Center in Oxford, NJ (Warren County). The Urban Watershed Education Program (UWEP), a Hackensack Riverkeeper program, helps students in urban areas connect with the environment. Several student groups will have a classroom day learning about climate change and non-point source pollution, a fishing day learning how to fish and why our estuaries are critical, and a water testing day learning water chemistry and getting on a pontoon boat. 

Participating Watershed Ambassadors learned how to teach each water chemistry test including dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphates, nitrates, pH, turbidity, and salinity. Once we had a handle of the kits, we learned about types of fish in the Newark Bay estuary system including the tidal portions of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers as well as their characteristics and important notes. 

Various fish and crustacean species are contaminated with PCBs and dioxins stemming from Agent Orange dumping from the Diamond Alkali Company during the Vietnam War. There are over 70 responsible parties (RPs) who have caused major chemical pollution of the Newark Bay Complex. If you would like to learn more about fish advisories and the history of pollution in the Newark Bay, click here.

After getting a better understanding of the environmental situation, we went out to the Education Pond to learn how to fish. Overall, a very successful day of fishing for many of us-- I caught 7 Rainbow Trout! It seemed like the Rainbows were the only ones biting, but the Education Pond is stocked with Brook and Brown Trouts, as well.

Eric (WMA 10) and Chris (WMA 5) patiently waiting

Ambassadors and Jodi from HRK casting out!

Jon Dugan (WMA 7) and Steve (WMA 14), our resident fishermen!

Me with my largest catch of the day!

It was my first time fishing EVER, and I really did have a ton of fun. I definitely want to continue my fishing adventures and share with the UWEP students how a city girl like me is not too different from them!

Volunteering with City Green

I can't say enough about this local organization which has quickly become a very meaningful component of my service term with NJWAP and my career thus far. 

City Green is a non-profit group focusing on building and supporting local agriculture in urban communities in northern New Jersey through education on public health, nutrition, and the environment. These efforts help promote social justice and environmental equality in local urban cities. For more on City Green's mission and vision, click here.

Raking in compost into garden beds at the Schultheis Farm :)

Through their Urban Agriculture intern program, I have assisted City Green in a variety of projects including but not limited to:

• Go Green! Conference, an educational program for local middle school environmental club students on nutrition and environmental sciences
• Seeding in trays and flats in their on-site greenhouse
• Direct seeding and transitioning plants from trays to ground on the Schultheis Farm
• Volunteer engagement during Wednesday Volunteering Days
• Off-site garden maintenance at Rosa Parks Community Garden in Paterson
• Harmony Project, environmental education program for local students (5/22 & 5/29)
• Field Trips with local students (May 2014)

Weeding and rotating beds at Rosa Parks Community Garden, Paterson, NJ

These skills and experiences that I have been building with City Green are helping me prepare for my future in sustainable food systems research. Every member of City Green's staff has been nothing but friendly and helpful from Todd the Farm Manager to Claudia the Program Operations Manager. Executive Director Jennifer Papa was gracious enough to share her path with me when I interviewed her for my NJWAP career interview goal! I am looking forward to future events and volunteering with the organization. We are "growing strong" each and every day!

For more information on volunteering with City Green, click here.

School Presentations in and out of WMA 3

As a Watershed Ambassador, a crucial component of the service term is providing environmental education activities to local schools. Sometimes, we head out of our WMAs to assist other local Ambassadors or because of relationships we built with past connections. Whenever I am asked to give a presentation, I give an emphatic "yes" because I understand just how important it is to teach students of all ages the various aspects of the environment and what we can do to protect it.

A thank you card from a grateful student :)

As of the beginning of May 2014, I have conducted 40 presentations within WMA 3 and 25 presentations out of my WMA (mainly in WMA 4). I have presented for students as young as second grade up to college level classes at William Paterson University and Ramapo College. Communities that I have presented in include Ringwood, Oakland, Wanaque, Wayne, Pompton Lakes, Passaic, Clifton, and West Orange. 
 

Enviroscape Presentation at E.G. Hewitt Elementary, Ringwood

One opportunity to highlight is NJDEP Take Our Kids to Work Day in Trenton. I, along with several other Ambassadors, held workshops related to watershed and river health focusing on fish species. "Fashion a Fish" from Project Aquatic WILD and "Sum of the Parts" from Project WET were huge hits-- every kid and parent who attended had a great time! Moreover, we coordinated an outdoor table where we had live macroinvertebrate samples for kids to view. Many walked away from the table excitedly saying, "That was the coolest table here!" which made me extremely happy-- all is a day's service. :D

Presenting at SCMUA Earth Energy Fest, Lafayette

While the service term is winding down, there are still numerous presentations on my calendar as the average school year in New Jersey ends in late June. Much more to look forward to!

Newark TreeKeepers

The NJ Tree Foundation conducted a special winter session of the TreeKeepers workshop series through Newark's Office of Sustainability. The program was hosted by Greater Newark Conservancy, a local non-profit specializing in environmental stewardship through environmental education, community greening and gardening, job training, and advocacy for environmental justice. 

This series of workshops was extremely beneficial to my understanding of New Jersey's trees and overall tree biology and maintenance. Each workshop focused on a specialized subject area related to trees:

1. Tree Biology and Basic Identification
2. Tree Diseases
3. Tree Pruning and Maintenance
4. The Environmental Significance of Trees 

The workshops were led by Newark Renaissance Trees Program Coordinator, Elena Lopez.

 

Elena and I after the Tree Pruning workshop

Elena was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the workshop series and topics. She led a very friendly group of residents and treehuggers to their TreeKeepers certification. Many have started local pruning clubs in various Newark wards! 

To read more about our successful winter workshop session at GNC, read on here.

Final TreeKeepers workshop session!

 

MLK Day of Service

On January 20, 2014, numerous AmeriCorps groups and citizen volunteers joined United Way of Monmouth County to help rebuild house in Union Beach, NJ. This was a highly publicized event with many people on hand including NJ Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno. Volunteers met at the Union Beach Firehouse and were treated to breakfast before heading out to one of four sites in Union Beach.

The NJWAP group helped about a Union Beach family who was living in the upstairs portion of their house due to the damage incurred on the first floor during Superstorm Sandy. We got drywall up on the majority of the walls and ceilings when we noticed people shuffling around more than usual. Turns out, we had some special visitors-- U.S. Senator Cory Book and Congressman Frank Pallone! They came out to make NJ residents aware of the service we were performing and even put up a sheet of drywall together with some United Way volunteers. We even got a group picture with Cory Booker-- go NJWAP!

(Photo credit: Thalya Reyes)

Senator Booker and Congressman Pallone helping out! (Photo credit: Thalya Reyes)

After our day of service was complete, I walked away feeling so content that I was able to help a NJ family with my fellow service members. Superstorm Sandy affected numerous individuals and families throughout the region, and many still need assistance in getting back on their feet. If you are interested in volunteering, a great place to start is Jersey Cares-- keyword search "disaster."

NJWAP Year 14 along with Cory Booker and Frank Pallone!

"Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth." -Shirley Chisholm

ANJEE Conference 2014

The Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education (ANJEE) hosts an annual conference where educators, scientists, and environmentalists can share their thoughts, experiences, and information with others. This year's conference was held in Princeton, NJ from January 24-25, 2014. 

ANJEE logo (soon to be changed!)

The two-day event is jam-packed with speakers, workshops, tabling, and meetings. I was thrilled to see representatives from the NJ Geographic Alliance from Rowan University-- my department colleagues! I was able to attend various workshops on topics including Eco Schools, climate issues with Climate Reality Project, sustainable town development, and animal advocacy. It was wonderful networking with the individuals a part of such wonderful institutions across the state some of whom were former NJ Watershed Ambassadors like Allison Kohler, the School Programs Coordinator at Fernbrook Farms in Chesterfield, NJ (Mercer County) and Heather Desko of the Watershed Protection Unit at NJ Water Supply Authority (NJWSA).

Genesis (red-tailed hawk) from Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford, NJ (Burlington County) (Photo credit: Thalya Reyes)

If you are interested in joining ANJEE and a regional ANJEE group (North, Central, South), go to their website to find out more!