A Message from the Manager...
As summer began, so began a return to the “new normal" for the JC NERR staff. The renovation of the Cousteau Center is almost completed, staff members are back to the office and out in the field, and we expect to restart programs at the Life on the Edge exhibit soon. Volunteers joined us for Trails Day on June 3rd to conduct a cleanup and refresh of the Grassle Trail, and research experiences for undergraduates have commenced. The reserve system also held its first in-person meeting since the start of the pandemic. Reserve Managers from across the country met in Washington, DC, with our NOAA partners to discuss emerging coastal challenges such as climate change, DEIJA initiatives and expansion of the reserve system. Reconnecting in person with our coastal colleagues and friends was a welcome return from Zoom interactions over the past two years. Meetings were also held with several New Jersey legislators and staff that provided opportunities to convey the value and benefits of the reserve system in general and the Cousteau Reserve in particular to the environmental and economic sustainability of our coastal resources.
New grants have been awarded ranging from a baseline assessment of the impacts of wind energy on fish and fish habitat, evaluation of public access to coastal resources, use of eDNA to assess fish community structure and biodiversity, and development of a white paper for habitat restoration in Barnegat and Great Bays. Habitat restoration represents a key investment area for the Cousteau Reserve in the coming years, the product of major funding from several federal agencies including NOAA. Funding will be used to develop staff capacity, especially with respect to shallow water habitat mapping, an important capability given the impacts of climate change on shoreline and marsh sustainability. These are just a few examples of the stellar work and success that staff has had with competitive grant programs.
I look forward to continuing to reconnect in person with our many partners, volunteers and supporters in the near future.
With warm personal regards,
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Bringing Outreach to the Outdoors
Some welcome program changes at the JC NERR!
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The JC NERR has brought back some in-person events this spring and summer, including attending outdoor fairs, festivals, and student events. Our two most popular summer events, the Teachers on the Estuary (TOTE) professional development workshop and Creature Feature programs, both have returned in some form. Our professional development workshop will be partially in-person, while Creature Features are outdoor only in the JC NERR’s “wet lab”, an sheltered, screened-in space perfect for outdoor activities while staying out of summer sun. While there are still some COVID-19 policies in place in order to ensure everyone's safety, having some events back in some form or another has been welcome change for staff. The JC NERR’s education coordinator, Kaitlin Gannon, is excited for this summer’s programs. |
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“The last in-person TOTE workshop and Creature Feature programs were in 2019! While these programs are not 100% “back to normal” due to some continued COVID-19 restrictions, it’s great to be offering something in-person. I’m also happy to be attending outdoor events again and seeing partners, volunteers, colleagues, teachers and students I haven’t seen in-person for years.” Some programs such as Lunch N’ Learns, Eco Evenings, and other science talks will continue to be conducted virtually. These have been doing well in a virtual platform and will continue to be conducted this way, for now. “We take these COVID-19 policies very seriously, and therefore, our programs are not 100% back. But that’s ok! We want to make sure everyone can have fun and learn while staying safe and healthy”
- Kaitlin Gannon
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Upcoming summer program!
While it may feel like the summer is already slipping away, we still have more to come! Don't forget, we have graduate student & Margaret A. Davidson Fellow Taylor Armstrong's presentation about harmful algal blooms in September. Learn more below!
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Phytoplankton, harmful algal blooms, and the water quality variables that impact them
When: Thursday, September 8th, 2022 from 6:30pm-7:30pm
Presented by: Maryland graduate student and Margaret A. Davidson Fellow, Taylor Armstrong
How to register: Click here to register
Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that make up the base of ocean food webs and important for all water bodies. However, some phytoplankton can produce toxins that have dire consequences for public health, water resources, and local economies. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a global concern in both freshwater and coastal systems, taking over a waterbody when there are optimal nutrients, light, temperature, salinity, water flow, and minimal competitors/predators. Graduate student, Taylor Armstrong, will go through what causes harmful algal blooms, what harmful algal bloom species occur in New Jersey, why they are increasing in frequency and duration, what is being done to combat harmful algal blooms, and her project working with the JC NERR as part of the Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship program.
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Rutgers University Byrne Seminar Series
Inspiring students through science, education, training, & stewardship!
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Our staff was very excited to give a group of Rutgers undergraduate students an inside glimpse into JC NERR projects and programs through instruction of a series of Byrnes seminar sessions during this past spring semester! The seminar featured Rutgers research conducted by renowned faculty and staff at the JC NERR, Haskin Shellfish Research Lab and the Office of Research Analytics at the NJ Agricultural Experiment Station. It is also offered in collaboration with the Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy (i.d.e.a.) led by Sunita Kramer and Veronica Armour. The Academy connects first-year students with “big ideas” and emerging areas of research through Rutgers University’s vast network of centers and institutes.
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Some of the topics covered during the seminar series included:
- Use of an Autonomous Undersea Vehicle to classify bottom habitat & track fish acoustically
- Citizen science efforts to reduce marine debris
- Impacts of wind energy on fish & habitat
- Phytoplankton dynamics & harmful algal blooms
- Communicating science through a climate change lens
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“I always enjoy opportunities to highlight issues people often don’t know about or consider as they pursue everyday activities such as eating shellfish. The students were engaged and creative in brainstorming to develop solutions, some of which were not feasible, others that are being pursued, and still others that were novel and merit further pursuit. It was a stimulating and enjoyable experience.”
-David Bushek, Professor of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University; Director, Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
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“Many of the students were surprised by the scale of what is being developed in the ocean for renewable energy, and they were curious about the process for how decisions around tradeoffs among fisheries and energy production are considered.”
-Daphne Munroe, Associate Professor, Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University
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“This was my first in-person presentation since COVID restrictions imposed in early 2020; while the option to present virtually was offered, I do feel physical presence lends itself to more interaction and "organic" building of conversation between presenter and audience. There were a few students in the audience who I conversed with during the Q&A period (an analogy would be tennis match in which active "volleys" are more common than simply the return of a serve for a point) that I feel may not have gleaned the same experience through a computer screen.”
-Gregg Sakowicz, JC NERR SWMP Technician and Field Researcher
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“The students were active and engaged, posing thought-provoking questions not only about how to communicate potentially sensitive topics such as climate change to different audiences, but also how to navigate difficult conversations. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to provide some tools for these students, who are so passionate about climate change, that they can use to start having these conversations. On top of that, the communication fundamentals that we covered can be applied to any discipline, and enhance their skills in whatever field that they pursue.”
-Amy Plantarich, JC NERR Communications & Outreach Coordinator
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Community Science Eel Monitoring Project
How is year 1 going, and where are we headed for year 2?
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Since 2008, our neighbors to the north at the Hudson River NERR have been successfully monitoring glass, or juvenile, eels in various sites along the Hudson River with help from local citizens. Now, through a 2020 transfer grant, this fun and slimy citizen science opportunity will be offered at the JC NERR within the next couple of years. The two-year grant project, titled “Adopting program coordination methods and best practices to launch community-driven research efforts on the American eel (Anguilla rostrata)” and funded by the NERRS Science Collaborative, includes team members from the JC NERR, HR NERR, and Stockton University. During the project period, the team will work together in testing potential monitoring/field work sites, pilot trainings with volunteers and teachers, and transfer the HR NERR’s best practices for program implementation. In addition, outreach materials and tools will also be developed.
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So far, we have been up to a great deal during Year 1 of this project. Volunteers jumped in to kick things off, assisting the JC NERR staff with making eel mops in mid-February. This was the first time we had a group of volunteers safety return to the JC NERR since the start of the pandemic, and was therefore a special event. We invited volunteers back a few more times to help us at various stages of making the eel mops. We couldn't have accomplished nearly the amount that we did without their help! |
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There were also reciprocal visits of staff to the JC NERR and Hudson River NERR. Project team members learned from each other, shared best practices and reviewed NJ specific challenges to consider when it comes to future monitoring. Kaitlin Gannon visited the Poughkeepsie/Kingston NY area in early/mid-March to observe volunteer trainings, data collection methods and fyke net installations.
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In April, HR NERR Education Coordinator Chris Bowser traveled to the JC NERR to join Kaitlin in providing an informational seminar to interested teachers and volunteers about eel biology, discuss plans for year two, and how they can get more involved in the project.
We also found two collection sites that we will officially start monitoring in year two! The JC NERR hopes this eel monitoring program will strengthen relationships between the Reserve and surrounding communities, as well as provide useful information about the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) to fisheries managers.
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After the conclusion of the grant period, this citizen science opportunity will be open and ready for community members to participate by fall 2023. Stay tuned for more announcements!
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National Trails Day 2022! |
For the past few years, the JC NERR has been gathering to give our trail some TLC in celebration of National Trails Day! While our trail cleanups the past two years had been internal to our JC NERR staff, we were very excited to be able to welcome back our volunteers for this year's celebration, held on June 3rd! Not only did we do some much needed clearing out for the trail's paths, we also cleared out our old "wet lab" to be converted into an outdoor classroom for this summer's Creature Feature children's program series!
Huge thanks to all of the volunteers that joined us to show the trail some extra love!
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Spring Migration Celebration Returns!
2nd Annual Backyard Bird Photo Contest
We received such wonderful engagement last year we decided to bring it back for year 2: the Backyard Bird Photo Contest! From May 13th-May 27th, we celebrated the return of our feathered friends with our community from all around New Jersey.
The results? To put in one word...INCREDIBLE! We received 65 photo submissions, 6 of which were from our first-ever Junior Naturalists. 396 total votes locked in this year's winners, and we are very excited to show you those that came out on top!
Congratulations to all winners, the competition was neck and neck! We are looking forward to bringing back this celebration of the spring migration along the Atlantic Flyway next year!
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Please DO NOT save and/or distribute any photos. They are the property of each photographer.
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Category #1: "Best Close-Up"
Snowy Egret
Photographer: Penelope Ayers
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Category #2: "Finest in Flight"
Osprey & Bald Eagle
Photographer: Kelly Hunt
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Category #3: "Backyard Birds"
Northern Cardinal
Photographer: Susan Packard
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Category #4: "Coastal Captures"
Great Blue Heron
Photographer: Gerald Wilders
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Category #5: "Out on a Limb"
Great Horned Owl
Photographer: Marian McSherry
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NEW! Category #6: "Feathered Friends"
Pileated Woodpeckers
Photographer: Gerald Wilders
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Junior Naturalist Top Favorite
White-faced Ibis
Photographer: Caroline Czekanski
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Junior Naturalist Top Favorite
Eastern Bluebird
Photographer: Russell Czekanski
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Have you checked out our short films? Winners from the NERRS Filmfest! |
Each year, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System hosts a FilmFest contest in conjunction with the system-wide annual meeting. The goal of the NERRS FilmFest is to highlight the Reserves, our partners, and the amazing coastal resources we protect. This year, the JC NERR submitted two films: "NERRS News - Sharing stories on the benefits of estuaries on coastal communities, critters, and you!" and "Rig-It-Right with WeCrabNJ!". Both films won awards that were announced during the FilmFest premiere last fall.
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NERRS News - Winner of Marsh Mud Award for Most Captivating
It's NERRS News! Check out our film that shows the many different benefits of estuaries (also called ecosystem services) on coastal communities, critters, and you. Portrayed through the metaphor of a fictional news channel with breaking news stories, commercials, and witty characters, this short film is fun for the whole family!
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Commercial and recreational crabbers rely heavily on NJ estuaries to either make a living or catch some dinner using “Chesapeake-style” commercial crab traps. Boat traffic, incorrectly set gear, vandalism, shifting tides, and storms can unfortunately result in lost or damaged gear. These lost pots are called “Ghost Pots” and they continue to fish, accumulating blue crabs and other species that become trapped in the ghost pots. This has an impact on our estuaries and the enjoyment of the estuaries in various ways.
Using the proper gear is essential in preventing ghost pots. Check out this video from JC NERR Education Coordinator Kaitlin Gannon to learn how you can "Rig-It-Right"!
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Offshore Wind & Impacts on Fish Communities
A Rutgers University project under the direction of JC NERR Research Coordinator Thomas Grothues began sampling for an assessment of offshore wind farm construction and operation on fisheries resources last December. Two days at sea in and around the proposed wind farm site allowed water sampling for the collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) by project partners from Monmouth University while the Rutgers team collected video of pelagic fish distribution and listened for tagged fish.
Stay tuned for more on what these assessments inform about future offshore wind initiatives!
(Spiny dogfish - One of many to
visit the camera!)
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Keeping Our Coastal Bays Resilient
New Research Consortium project aims to track changes & inform management of the Barnegat & Great Bays
Last December, the JC NERR, along with multiple other NJ partners and institutions, were awarded a grant to fund the implementation of the newly-established New Jersey Consortium for Resilient Communities. In addition to the JC NERR, partners include Monmouth University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Stockton University, NJ Sea Grant Program, Montclair University, NJ Institute of Technology, and Rutgers University. The goal of this project, titled “Barnegat Bay and Great Bays Resilience Observing Network: Tracking the Changing Environment to Inform the Management of Estuarine Resources” is the integration of climate change research, resiliency planning, and monitoring data to inform the proactive adaptation and management of estuarine resources.
The outcome of the JC NERR and Rutgers University portion of the project is to provide an improved understanding of the information needs of estuarine resource managers to support proactive resilience strategies.
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Check out our new Grassle Marsh Trail Scavenger Hunt! |
Hot off the press! We have just released a new Grassle Marsh Trail Seasonal Scavenger Hunt: "Fun in the Sun"! This pack not only features new versions of our sensory guide, bingo card, and species checklist activities, but also has a BRAND NEW activity: Birding Bonanza!
The best part? Not only can these scavenger hunts be enjoyed on our trail, but they can be enjoyed anywhere in NJ, from your backyard to your local park, and more!
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Our Coastal Center is Getting a Facelift!
Back in March, construction began on what was once the JC NERR screened-in front porch, located off of our main classroom space. While this space was well utilized for breakout space when the weather permitted, it was not being used to its fullest potential. This space's transformation to a four-seasons space so that it can be utilized throughout the year is almost complete! This space will not only provide much needed breakout room space for events/meetings taking place in our main classroom (with two doors & windows connecting the spaces), but will also have main entry doors from the outside, providing the ability for a second separate meeting space.
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That's not the only space that is getting some TLC. On the other side of the wall, our classroom space has gotten some upgrades. Donations of mobile tables and chairs from what was once an off-site Rutgers University space gives our classroom the flexible layout potential it needs. New luxury vinyl flooring that matches the new breakout room has also been installed, as well as an ADA accessible sink. Soon to come are blackout-style window treatments that will aid in daytime usage of the Smart Board projector.
With partnerships from many local and regional entities that utilize our spaces to hosts meetings and events, these spaces will further foster those relationships, as well as provide the opportunity to make new ones.
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But it doesn't stop there! If you have seen our dorm spaces in the past, you may have noticed two "VIP rooms" located toward the back of the building. These rooms are larger, and housed multiple beds and a separate bathroom. While one of these spaces will remain a dorm room, the other has begun a transition to a JC NERR staff conference & collaborative space. What was once a storage space in the dorm room has been converted to a kitchenette, with new appliances to be installed soon. |
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What’s next? As construction on these spaces is nearing completion, we have just received word that our grant application for Phase 2 plans for our Coastal Center has been awarded! Stay tuned for more on what additional renovations will be coming to the JC NERR!
(Funding for these projects has been provided via two awarded PAC Grants from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program.)
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Name that Raptor: Spotted on the GMT! |
There are many species of creatures that call our Grassle Marsh Trail their home. How do we know? Critter cams!
Around the trail, we have motion-activated cameras installed that help capture snapshots of elusive creatures. Over the years we have spotted a diverse array of species that we may have never spotted in this way otherwise.
Can you name the species of raptor below?
Keep an eye out on our social media for more snapshots of spotted critters!
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New Faces at the Cousteau Center
Summer interns are here, let's meet the crew!
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Back in June, we welcomed this year's summer undergraduate interns: Salvatore Fricano, Jamin Brako, and Celin Escobar-Gonzalez, to the JC NERR! Sal currently is a rising senior at Rutgers University. Jamin and Celin came us to from the Garden State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, an alliance with seven NJ universities. Jamin attends Rutgers University - New Brunswick, and Celin attends Essex County College. Our three interns are spending 8 weeks with us this summer, and are responsible for the creation and presentation of a main research project. In addition, they will have the opportunity to be engaged in field-based experiences, professional development mentoring, and networking with peers and professionals.
Celin is working with JC NERR Education Coordinator Kaitlin Gannon to connect with K-12 educators in overburdened local communities, assess their needs regarding new cross-curricular climate change education standards, and brainstorm how the JC NERR can provide support and suggest appropriate resiliency solutions. Jamin and Sal are working with Thomas Grothues on two separate, yet related projects. Jamin is working to collect, organize, store, and serve sonar and passive acoustic data from the JCNERR's remote acoustic observatory. Sal is analyzing the effects of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating System's (OCNGS) shutdown, and how the cooling water impacts the larval fish assemblage of Barnegat Bay, for which the JCNERR serves as a control site.
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From left to right: Salvatore Fricano, Celin Escobar-Gonzalez, Jamin Brako |
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Cousteau Snapshots
A look into what's coming up for the JC NERR!
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RUMFS & JC NERR Open House Returns! Sept. 17th
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Rutgers University Marine Field Station (RUMFS), and we invite you to join us in the celebration! On Saturday, September 17th, RUMFS and the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR) will be hosting an Open House unlike anything you have seen in the past! Rutgers is open again, and we are looking forward to welcoming back our beloved community & sharing the important work that was not only done in the past but continues to this day.
This year we are expanding the event to be held at both RUMFS & the JC NERR, with an all-outdoors twist! Here's a sneak peek of what we have in store:
- Interactive booths at the JC NERR and RUMFS featuring past and present research projects, touch tank with local species, graduate student projects, & more!
- Children's activities
- Trail Walks at the JC NERR
- 50th Anniversary Merchandise
- Invited Speakers
This year's Open House will be all-outdoors, rain or shine! Stay tuned for more information. We hope to see you there!
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National Estuaries Week - Sept. 17th-24th
Mark your calendars! September 17th-24th marks this year’s National Estuaries Week celebration! Each year, the week-long campaign is carried out through events, programs, and content shared on social media. This year, the theme is #WadeIn!
Stay tuned for announcements on how we will be celebrating #NationalEstuariesWeek this year! You can also participate in NOAA’s annual National Estuaries Week Photo Contest! Keep an eye out for when they open their contest, and get some inspiration from last year’s winners while you wait!
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JACQUES COUSTEAU NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE
130 Great Bay Boulevard
Tuckerton, NJ 08087
609-812-0649
#iheartestuaries
#MyReserveOurCoasts
Stay Connected
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The JC NERR promotes informed use and management of our coastal environment and communities through science, education, and stewardship. |
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