State of the Raritan Conference and Awards Ceremony

State of the Raritan

Status and trends from across the region, where do we go from here?

Friday, June 9, 2017

Douglass Student Center, New Brunswick, NJ

9th Annual Sustainable Raritan Conference and Awards Ceremony

Our 2017 conference showcased a series of status and trends reports by Raritan stakeholders from across the region. Presentations described several decades of change in key indicators of watershed health for the Raritan River, basin and bay. And during lunch, keynote speaker, Andrew Johnson of the William Penn Foundation reflected on the strategic approach developed and applied through the Delaware River Watershed Initiative to address the same types of issues we face in the Raritan. What do these reports say about the health of the Raritan and what are the key concerns that still need to be addressed? How do we best leverage existing resources to tackle them? These are a few of the questions panelists and participants considered during this day long conference.

We also presented the 2017 Sustainable Raritan River Awards to recognize outstanding achievements in efforts to revitalize, restore and protect Raritan River resources and to make the Raritan region a premiere place to live, work and raise a family. Eight recipients were recognized. You can follow the link below to learn more about them and their good works for a more sustainable Raritan.

New at this year’s conference was a Data Blitz. The Data Blitz — a series of eleven five-minute long lightning talks — covered a broad range of topics highlighting current academic research, community actions, policy and planning efforts by stakeholders across the Raritan region. Each talk was supported by a poster, and the conference closed with a poster session and networking reception.

If you missed the conference or want to learn more about the presentations and talks, check out the links below, or contact Sara Malone for more information.

Also, watch for our announcement of next year’s conference — our 10th Annual!

Links to more information:

Conference Presentations

Welcome
- Sara Malone and Dr. Carrie Ferraro, Welcome and Rutgers on the Raritan
Status and Trend Reports
- Dr. Richard Lathrop, State of the Raritan Report, Volume 1 and Updates
- Dr. Jay Kelly, Assessing Forest Health in Central New Jersey: Effects of Deer and Invasive Plant Species
- Jeffrey L. Hoffman, Status of Raritan Groundwater Resources
- Kimberly A. Cenno and Jack Pflaumer, 2016 NJDEP Integrated Water Quality Report
- Elizabeth Schuster, Scoping for a Healthier Raritan Watershed for Nature and People
- Isabelle Stinnette, Habitat Restoration Projects and Opportunities in the Raritan
Keynote Address
- Andrew Johnson, An Overview of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative: Alignment and Collaboration to Accelerate Conservation and Measure Impact
Panel and Audience Discussion, Where do we go from here? (summary comments)
Data Blitz – Eleven Lightning Talks
- Daniel Mayer, Restoring Duke’s Brook: A Story of Collaboration
- Mike Stepowyj, Sediment Survey of the Lower Raritan River
- Meredith Comi, Citizen Science Monitoring for Pathogen Indicators Along the NJ Raritan Bayshore
- Mara Tippett, It’s Time to Test your Well! What Motivates Homeowners to Monitor Their Drinking Water?
- Zoe Linder-Baptie and Alexa Schatzmann, Locally Driven Policies to Help Improve Water Quality in the Raritan River Basin
- Dr. Beth Ravit and Sandra Meola, Microplastic Pollution in the Raritan River
- Dr. Aamani Rupakula, Anaerobic Biodegradability of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Raritan River Sediments
- Dr. Josh Kohut, Introducing Rutgers Students to NJDEP Sampling and Quality Control Standards
- Dr. Margaret Christie and Jennifer Walker, Impacts of Sea-level Change and Human Activities in the Raritan River
- Brittany Musolino, A River-Friendly Vision for the Raritan Basin
- Anthony Vastano, Raritan River Fish Cam
Poster Session
- Daniel Mayer, Duke Farms – Dukes Brook 2017 CREP Restoration
- Mike Stepowyj, Sediment Survey of the Lower Raritan River
- Meredith Comi, Citizen Science Monitoring for Pathogen Indicators Along the NJ Bayshore
- Mara Tippett, It’s Time to Test your Well! What Motivates Homeowners to Monitor Their Drinking Water?
- Zoe Linder-Baptie and Alexa Schatzmann, Locally Driven Policies to Help Improve Water Quality in the Raritan River Basin
- Dr. Beth Ravit and Sandra Meola, Microplastics in Urban Freshwaters: Conduit for Persistent Organic Pollution
- Dr. Josh Kohut, Introducing Rutgers Students to NJDEP Sampling and Quality Control Standards
- Dr. Margaret Christie and Jennifer Walker, Impacts of Sea-level Change and Human Activities in the Raritan River
- Brittany Musolino, A River-Friendly Vision for the Raritan Basin
- Alex Ambrose w/Krasnuk, Walker, Weber and Viera, Mapping the Physical and Historical Features of the Lower Raritan
- Rosy Tucker w/Kapagantula, Gilardi, Schumm, Ray and Hudyha, Flood Inundation Modeling for the Raritan River
- Ian Baker w/Hess, Huang, Kerr, Nausbaum, Purus and Warina, Raritan River Real-Time Hydrological Observatory
- Daryl Krasnuk, Improving Watershed Health Through Habitat Restoration and Storm Water Management in the Raritan River Basin
- Daryl Krasnuk, Urbanization and Groundwater Recharge in the Raritan River Watershed
- Dr. Nicole Fahrenfeld, Microplastics as Emerging Contaminants in New Jersey Surface Water
- Susan Welkovits, Raritan River Park Connector Trail (poster), Raritan River Park Connector Proposed Trail (handout)
- Dr. Kristi MacDonald, Biodiversity Initiatives to Protect Water in the Upper Raritan Region
- Subhasis Giri, Assessing Land Use Intensity on Stream Health Using Macro-Invertebrates
- Anthony Vastano, The Raritan River Fish Cam: A Live View of Fish Passage on the Raritan River
- Angela Gorczyca, Waiting 2 – 3 Days to Swim in a Stream After a Rain Event May Increase Safety: Raritan Headwaters Dips into Bacteria Monitoring
- Dr. Jie Gong, Inundation Risk Information System (IRIS) Viewer: A Convergence of Big Spatial Data and Cloud Computing for Flood Mitigation
- Alex Mossavir, Where the Pipe Ends: The Fate of PPCPs in the Raritan River Watershed
- Samuel Wieczerzak, Characterization of PPCP-degrading Microbes in River Sediments

Thanks to our Sponsors

Multi-year Sponsors

Bald Eagle Level Sponsor

Osprey Level Sponsors

In Memory of

Ann McGovern Suydam

Special Thanks to

Chancellor Richard Edwards, Rutgers University – New Brunswick

Dean James Hughes, Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy

Dean Robert Goodman, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences

The Sustainable Raritan River Initiative is independently funded. For information about how to support our efforts, contact Sara Malone at sara.malone@rutgers.edu or by calling 848.932.2720. Thank you!

Photo Credit: “Aerial view of the Raritan River Bridge at left with Old Edison Memorial Bridge paralleling it, in Middlesex County on the Garden State Parkway of New Jersey”, from Tichnor Brothers Collection, Boston Public Library, digitalcommonwealth.org

	October 2019
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
		1	2	3 Eat the Invasives Potluck Eat the Invasives Potluck Starts: 6:00 pm Ends: October 3, 2019 - 9:00 pm Location: The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, 353 E Hanover Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA Description: You’re invited to the Eat the Invasives Potluck Frelinghuysen Arboretum Thursday, October 3 6 – 9 PM Join us for a potluck featuring invasive species & local cuisine. Free & family-friendly. Water and tea, plates, and utensils provided. Invasive-centric dishes are encouraged, but feel free to bring anything locally foraged, grown, harvested, or homemade. Please bring enough to share! Wondering what to bring to an invasive species potluck? Locally hunted venison, foraged berries and herbs, or anything from your garden will be welcome additions. If you missed the wineberry harvest, or are lucky enough not to have any invasives lying around, feel free to bring something wild, homemade, or just local. All are welcome at this event, so please come whether or not your dish is invasive. We look forward to seeing you there! https://www.fohvos.info/event/eat-the-invasives-potluck/ More details... Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands Annual Meeting Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands Annual Meeting Starts: 7:30 pm Ends: October 3, 2019 - 9:30 pm Location: Kingston Firehouse, 8 Heathcote Road, Kingston Description: BILL FLEMER ON PRINCETON NURSERIES--FRIENDS OF PRINCETON NURSERY LANDS ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAM Thursday, October 3, 2019, 7:30 PM at the Kingston Firehouse, 8 Heathcote Road in Kingston In 1913, William Flemer Sr. bought three farms in Kingston to expand his Springfield, NJ nursery. From that beginning, Princeton Nurseries grew to become one of the world's largest and most respected producers of ornamental plants. Four generations of the Flemer family, together with many of their Kingston neighbors, lived and worked there. William (Bill) Flemer IV will tell the story, with pictures, of the people and the land that make up that history. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. More information at https://fpnl.org/ http://www.kingstongreenways.org/ More details... • •	4	5 Miltown Day Miltown Day Starts: 9:00 am Ends: October 5, 2019 - 3:00 pm Description: Rain Date, Sunday, October 6th. 9AM to 3PM. Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership will have a table. Milltown Day occurs the First Saturday of October annually. Milltown Day begins at 9:00AM Event held at Gloria Bradford Park Violet Terrace Milltown, NJ 08850 More details... Fest 2019 - The Watershed Institute Fest 2019 - The Watershed Institute Starts: 6:30 pm Ends: October 5, 2019 - 11:00 pm Location: 31 Titus Mill Rd, Pennington, NJ 08534, USA Description: Now in its 44th year, the Watershed FEST is an annual themed evening of great food and excellent company. Enjoy cocktails, dinner, a fabulous dessert buffet and coffee bar along with a chance to bid on great items and experiences (such as travel to unique vacation spots, outdoor activities, dining packages) and more! Proceeds from many generous individual and corporate sponsors, as well as private donations and a silent auction, provide the support to continue the Watershed mission to protect and restore clean water and healthy habitats in central New Jersey. Read more at https://thewatershed.org/fest/ Contact E-mail bgiglio@thewatershed.org More details... • •
6	7 Heroes of the Harbor 2019 Heroes of the Harbor 2019 Starts: 6:00 pm Ends: October 7, 2019 - 10:00 pm Description: Waterfront Alliance Date and Time Mon, October 7, 2019 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT Location The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers Pier 61, Chelsea Piers 23rd Street and West Side Highway New York, NY 10011 This year we are thrilled to honor Congressman Jerrold Nadler, for being a longtime champion of our ports; LANGAN, for their award-winning leadership in resilient and sustainable engineering and design on our waterfronts; and landscape architect and MacArthur Fellow Kate Orff, for her work addressing climate change through designing adaptive and resilient urban habitats. Reserve your place today! Sponsorship ($2,500+) commitments made by June 30 will be listed on the formal, printed invitation. Please contact Megan Loeb at mloeb@waterfrontalliance.org or 212.935.9831 x109 with any questions. I look forward to celebrating with you! Sincerely, Roland Lewis President and CEO More details... •	8 CJTU - Stepping up your Entomology Game CJTU - Stepping up your Entomology Game Starts: 7:30 pm Ends: October 8, 2019 - 9:30 pm Location: American Legion Hall, 137 New Market Road, Dunellen, NJ Description: Tuesday, October 8, 2019 John Miller Stepping Up Your Entomology Game John Miller Entomology simplified to identify the various insects trout feed on and in turn make you better at selecting an artificial to match the hatch. By learning the habitats of different insects, along with their behavior and the corresponding fish behavior you will be more effective in catching selective trout that often times seemed impossible before. John grew up in the Catskill Mountains, in upstate New York. He began tying flies and flyfishing at an early age, perfecting his skills on the Esopus, Kaaterskill, Plattekill, Beaverkill and Schoharie Rivers. Stonefly His knowledge of aquatic entomology and photography have enabled him to capture stunning photos that have appeared in several books, including the “Orvis Pocket Guide to Mayflies” by Dick Pobst, “Catching Shadows” by Rich Strolis, “Fusion Fly Tying” by Greg Senyo, “Selectivity” by Matt Supinski, and the re-release of Al Caucci ‘s “Mayfly ID Guide”. John’s work has also been in many magazines as well, Catch Magazine, Chasing Silver, Hatches, Fly Fisherman and more. He’s also appeared in Fly Fish America as well. For more than 20 years, John has been a guide and fly-fishing instructor, and an Orvis Endorsed guide since 2002. He mastered his skill of Entomology with colleagues Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi. He guided in West Michigan at The Gray Drake Lodge where he honed his skills at fly fishing for Great Lakes steelhead. Weather it’s steelhead in the Great Lakes or chasing wild trout in the Catskills, you’ll find John near some piece of water guiding clients, fooling big browns or photographing the things that trout eat. For more info, visit www.cjtu.org More details... •	9	10 Micro-plastic Research Training Micro-plastic Research Training Starts: 8:00 pm Ends: October 10, 2019 - 9:00 pm Location: 70 W Front St, Keyport, NJ 07735, USA Description: Thursday, October 10 Micro-plastic Research Training 8:00pm - 9:00pm Keyport Borough 70 W Front St, Keyport, NJ 07735 Volunteers Needed! Join us as we begin a new project to monitor local beaches along Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay for microplastics and their impacts on local wildlife. Discover how to take samples and report data. https://www.savecoastalwildlife.org/calendar/2019/10/10/bayshore-watershed-meeting More details... Green Infrastructure Planning and Implementation Workshop Green Infrastructure Planning and Implementation Workshop Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: October 10, 2019 - 9:00 pm Description: Struggling with localized flooding or unhealthy waterways? This course will help municipalities with green infrastructure planning and implementation to mitigate localized flooding and reduce the amount of pollutants entering local waterways. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program has completed green infrastructure plans for over 150 municipalities in New Jersey. This course will help you understand how to use your plan to address stormwater problems in your community. If a plan is not already available for your municipality, we will share with you how to develop one. If you are part of the Sustainable Jersey program, there are 35 points available for green infrastructure planning and another 45 points available for green infrastructure implementation that will be discussed at this workshop. COST: FREE DATE: Thursday, October 10, 2019 TIME: 7-9pm LOCATION: North Haledon Free Public Library Meeting Room 129 Overlook Avenue North Haledon, NJ 07508 Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-B39WSVnBmGVQF6L-Gad04UTD_Hqb2CjuxtWkHI7q9npTPw/viewform Questions? Contact Sara Mellor at saramellor@envsci.rutgers.edu or call (848) 932-6747. More details... • •	11 FREE Raritan River boat trip on the R/V Rutgers FREE Raritan River boat trip on the R/V Rutgers Starts: 1:30 pm Ends: October 11, 2019 - 4:00 pm Description: FREE Raritan River boat trip on the RV Rutgers! October 11 @ 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm You are invited to join us on a Raritan River boat trip on the RV Rutgers. The boat trip will be Friday October 11th from 1:30-4 pm. This is a rare opportunity to see the Lower Raritan from the water! The RV Rutgers is a 20 passenger landing craft that can navigate the lower Raritan River and estuary. The R/V Rutgers is operated by the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences. See here for more information on the boat. On this tour we will identify our pathogens monitoring locations, highlight significant landmarks, and bring out binoculars for bird watching. We will likely get a chance to see eagles, osprey, cormorants, kingfishers, herons, egrets, and more. This tour is hosted by the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership, Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County, and Rutgers, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources. Please note we have a limited number of seats – this is a first come first served trip! Register here: http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/event/free-raritan-river-boat-trip-on-the-rv-rutgers/ Our trip will depart from the Morgan Marina in Sayreville: 8000 Gondek Dr, Parlin, NJ 08859 More details... •	12
13 LRWP - Clean-up in Jamesburg LRWP - Clean-up in Jamesburg Starts: 10:00 am Ends: October 13, 2019 - 12:00 pm Description: October 13 clean-up in Jamesburg! October 13 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Our Middlesex County Parks friends have made a special request for our October 13 clean-up: “can the LRWP help rally a team to clean-up the run-off areas near Jamesburg Lake”? The clean-up areas we will focus on are not streams, not quite detention basins, but on depressions in the landscape that collect run off and LOTS of trash. Heavy stormwater flows then funnel the trash right into Jamesburg Lake. Yuck! On Sunday October 13 we will meet at 10 am in the kennel parking lot at 652-654 Old Stage Road. Look for the Middlesex County Corps signs and truck, and the LRWP turtle. For this event please wear long pants with closed toe shoes – boots or sneakers are best. And be sure to dress in layers! Our Parks friends suggest that everyone wears bug spray. Our clean-up will run 10-noon. Pre-registration requested. Register here: http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/event/save-the-date-october-13-clean-up-in-jamesburg/ More details... Earth Care Day Earth Care Day Starts: 11:00 am Ends: October 13, 2019 - 3:00 pm Location: 300 Gordon Rd, Matawan, NJ 07747, USA Description: Earth Care Day hosted by EarthShare New Jersey Time & Place 11 AM to 3 PM Cheesequake State Park, 300 Gordon Rd, Matawan, NJ Join us at Earth Care Day 2019! We'll be busting myths about bats at our Bats: Creatures of the Night presentation. This free family friendly day features environmental experiences that raise awareness of the air, water, land and wildlife around us! There’s no better way to learn about nature than by being right in the middle of it. The day features hand on educational exhibits, scavenger hunts, forest explorations, bird walks, family volunteer experiences, critter and creature meetings, bat talks and so much more! Food trucks will be available for lunch, but plan on coming early and staying till the end! Registration is required for some activities and can be done at the information table the day of the event. We hope to see you there! http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/events/v/011/10/2019/13/ More details... River Day Trip River Day Trip Starts: 8:00 am Ends: October 13, 2019 - 3:30 pm Description: Hunterdon County Division of Parks and Recreation Time: 8:15 AM to about 3:30 PMLocation: Arboretum Ages: 8 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult) Cost: $40 per person New for 2019! If you purchase 3 river trips at full price, you will get $5 off any other river trip for 2019. Must purchase all at the same time. If the trip is canceled, you must move to another trip. Your leaders will fit you with a lifejacket and paddle, drive to the river, discuss maneuvering techniques and canoe safety, and guide you down the river. We paddle for about two hours, stop for lunch, and paddle about two more hours. We are flexible with each trip’s time, which depends in part on natural forces, such as wind and water levels. Our aim is to return to the Arboretum by 3:30 PM, give or take an hour. Saturday, June 29: Upper South Branch or Musconetcong River Sunday, July 14: Lehigh River Saturday, July 27: Merrill Creek Reservoir Sunday, Aug. 11: Delaware, Martins Creek to Phillipsburg Saturday, Aug. 31: Delaware, Phillipsburg to Riegelsville Sunday, Sept. 8: Delaware, Kingwood to Bull’s Island Saturday, Sept. 28: Delaware, Martins Creek to Phillipsburg Sunday, Oct. 13: Upper South Branch or Musconetcong River Saturday, Oct. 26: Leaders’ Choice PLEASE NOTE: Due to water levels or other circumstances, it may be necessary to pick an alternative river. Leaders may make this change at any time to provide a safe and fun experience. **PLEASE NOTE: Must register by Wednesday before the trip. If we do not have enough paddlers, a trip will be canceled Thursday morning. More details... RHA Old Fashioned Country Fair RHA Old Fashioned Country Fair Starts: 11:30 am Ends: October 13, 2019 - 4:00 pm Description: Raritan Headwaters Association - Old Fashioned Country Fair Fall brings brightly colored leaves, cooler temperatures and Raritan Headwaters’ annual Old Fashioned Country Fair! The event, sponsored by the organization’s Board of Trustees, has heralded the start of autumn since 1980. Proceeds from this popular event support RHA’s mission to protect the water in our rivers, our streams and our homes through environmental education, community well testing, stream monitoring and cleanup, research, and open space preservation. The watershed region we protect, located in Hunterdon, Morris and Somerset Counties provides clean water for over 1.8 million people in New Jersey and is an area of extraordinary natural beauty, wildlife habitat, and notable historic and cultural resources. Our Old Fashioned Country Fair attracts thousands of guests each year from the Somerset Hills region and beyond. Some of the highlights of this year’s Fair include: Country Music Wagon rides drawn by Clydesdale horses; Children’s area featuring pumpkin painting, clean river race game and scarecrow dressing; Pumpkin Sling; and Local, seasonal food cooked fresh by Bex Eatery. This is a fundraising event for RHA and a great opportunity for you to help! https://www.raritanheadwaters.org/event/old-fashioned-country-fair/ More details... D&R Greenways 30th Anniversary Celebration D&R Greenways 30th Anniversary Celebration Starts: 5:00 pm Ends: October 13, 2019 - 7:00 pm Location: St. Michael's Farm Preserve, Hopewell, NJ 08525, USA Description: D&R Greenway Trails-to-Table Walk & Bonfire at St. Michaels Farm Preserve, Hopewell October 13, 5-7 p.m. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, D&R Greenway invites the public to their October Trails-to-Table event at Hopewell’s St. Michaels Farm Preserve. Come for an easy trail walk, followed by a bonfire and refreshments by Boro Bean of Hopewell. The evening showcases the land trust’s newest TravelStorys mobile app. The tour activates smartphones at twenty points of historic and natural interest upon St. Michaels preserve trails. The tour was created in honor of the children who once lived on the property and is “designed to give children ways to find a home in nature.” With stories about geology, birds, wild mint, and the bridge named for former Hopewell leader David Knights, “The sounds of nature feed the soul, and provide a means of centering and peace.” This event honors D&R Greenway’s partnership with the Hopewell community to preserve over 400 acres of land. Four exceptional birders will be honored for their volunteerism which includes the collection of data on the birds of St. Michael’s Farm Preserve. They are leader Sharyn Magee and Juanita Hummel, Beth Nichols and Hannah Suthers. The family-friendly walk and bonfire will take place Sunday, October 13, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Participants should wear closed shoes suitable for uneven terrain. Bring water and insect repellant. Guests are asked to enter off Hopewell’s Princeton Avenue and park near and gather at the restored barn. Suggested donation is $30 per family or $15 per person and includes the guided tour and refreshments from the Boro Bean, Hopewell. To register, email rsvp@drgreenway.org or call Deb Kilmer at (609) 924-4646, ext. 132. Proceeds support D&R Greenway’s New Jersey land preservation and stewardship mission. For more information: email rsvp@drgreenway.org or call Deb Kilmer at (609) 924-4646, ext. 132 More details... • • • • •	14	15 NJA Floodplain Managers 15th Annual Conference NJA Floodplain Managers 15th Annual Conference Starts: 12:00 am Ends: October 17, 2019 - 11:59 pm Location: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, NJ, USA Description: One Water: Connecting the Dots of Floodplain Management Floodplain management encompasses a number of natural resources and man-made systems that share a common denominator – water. Floodwater, stormwater, wastewater, surface water, groundwater, and tidal water are all connected in some way, especially in a small, densely developed, water-rich state like New Jersey. As we experience more frequent and intense storms and precipitation events, and as we continue to develop and redevelop our communities, understanding these interconnections becomes critical to protecting people and property, enhancing the beneficial functions of natural resources, and maintaining water systems and infrastructure in the most efficient, cost-effective manner. The 2019 NJAFM annual conference will bring people together from various sectors in order to promote multi-objective outcomes, by identifying common ground and overlaps in the respective work that we do. Looking at floodplain management from this perspective allows us to consider a full range of water-related impacts and to leverage our collective energy and resources to achieve common goals. In addition, the conference provides an opportunity to recognize floodplain management professionals through the NJAFM awards and the NJAFM/FEMA Community Rating System awards. As always, Continuing Education Credits will be available for Professional Engineers, Professional Planners, Certified Floodplain Managers and Municipal Construction Code Officials. For more information or to register: https://www.njafmconference.org/ More details... •	16	17 Raritan River Monitoring via Facebook Live Raritan River Monitoring via Facebook Live Starts: 10:00 am Ends: October 17, 2019 - 11:00 am Description: Want to know how citizen scientists take action to monitor the health of our waterways? Want to learn about the Raritan River and the tools and techniques used to gauge bacteria levels at sites along the Raritan River? Please join the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership and Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Middlesex County (RCE) for a “Facebook Live” event when we will demonstrate how we gather data and other information on water quality for public access sites along the tidal portions of the Raritan River. We are designing the event for classroom engagement, and welcome student questions! We anticipate the program to run 45 minutes – 1 hour. We will build the event schedule around registrant demand. Once you have registered, project coordinators will reach out to you with more details. For more on our Summer 2019 Pathogens Monitoring Program: http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/2019/05/24/raritan-river-pathogens-monitoring-summer-2019/. Register for Facebook Live Event Here: http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/event/raritan-river-monitoring-via-facebook-live/ This project is supported through grants from the Interstate Environmental Commission (IEC) and Rutgers’ Sustainable Raritan River Initiative (SRRI). More details... •	18	19 Central Jersey Trout Unliminted 2019 Fall Banquet Central Jersey Trout Unliminted 2019 Fall Banquet Starts: 6:00 pm Ends: October 19, 2019 - 10:00 pm Description: Central Jersey Trout Unlimited 2019 Fall Banquet Saturday, October 19th 2019 at 6:00 pm The members of Central Jersey Trout Unlimited Request the pleasure of your company at our 2019 Fall Banquet. The evening will include a delicious meal, raffle prizes and time spent with friends and supporters of Central Jersey Trout Unlimited. Please join us as we celebrate our continued efforts to conserve, protect and restore the coldwater fisheries of New Jersey. Save the Date: October 19th, 2019 For information contact: Marsha Benovengo at 732-780-7185 or casabeno@msn.com Saturday, October 19th 2019 at the Grillestone Restaurant 2377 U.S. Highway 22 West Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 Tickets on sale at: https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=Y4Y3YT Cash Bar Drinks 6pm, Dinner at 7pm. More details... •
20	21 LRWP Meeting LRWP Meeting Starts: 10:00 am Ends: October 21, 2019 - 12:00 pm Description: October 21 LRWP meeting October 21 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm The October LRWP meeting will be held Monday October 21 from 10-noon in the Middlesex County Planning Offices at 75 Bayard Street, New Brunswick, NJ – 5th floor mid-size conference room. Parking is validated for those parking on floors 5 and higher in the RWJ Wellness Parking Deck located at 95 Paterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Be sure to bring your ticket to the meeting for validation. More details... •	22	23 Imagine a Day without Water Imagine a Day without Water Starts: 12:00 am Ends: October 23, 2019 - 11:59 pm Description: Imagine: No water to drink, or even to make coffee with. No water to shower, flush the toilet, or do laundry. Hospitals would close without water. Firefighters couldn't put out fires and farmers couldn't water their crops. Some communities in America already know how impossible it is to try to go a day without our most precious resource: Water. But many Americans take water for granted every day. Imagine a Day Without Water 2019 is the fifth annual day to raise awareness and educate America about the value of water. Last year, over 1,000 organizations came together. Will you join us in 2019? Register: http://imagineadaywithoutwater.org/signup More details... •	24 NYNJ Baykeeper 30th Anniversary Autumn Gala NYNJ Baykeeper 30th Anniversary Autumn Gala Starts: 7:00 pm Ends: October 24, 2019 - 10:00 pm Location: Chart House, 1700 Harbor Blvd, Weehawken, NJ 07086, USA Description: 30th Anniversary Autumn Gala October 24 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Save the date and get your tickets here: https://www.nynjbaykeeper.org/event/30th-anniversary-autumn-gala/ Please join us for our Autumn Gala as we celebrate 30 Years of Baykeeper! Enjoy a fun and elegant evening of great music, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, stunning water views and exciting grand raffle prizes! Chart House is accessible by ferry, light rail, bus, minivan, and car. For more information please click HERE. For a full ferry schedule please click HERE. Special Sponsorship Packages Available HERE. To order your tickets via email or phone please get in touch with Elana at elana@nynjbaykeeper.org or 732-888-9870, Ext. 7 To pay by check or money order please mail to NY/NJ Baykeeper, 30 Washington Street, Matawan, NJ 07747 We thank you for your support! More details... •	25	26 Volunteer Day @ Schiff Volunteer Day @ Schiff Starts: 9:00 am Ends: October 26, 2019 - 11:00 am Location: Schiff Natural Lands Trust/Schiff Nature Preserve, 339 Pleasant Valley Rd, Mendham, NJ 07945, USA Description: October 26, 2019 (Saturday) 9-11 am Volunteer Day @Schiff Schiff Nature Center 339 Pleasant Valley Road, Mendham, 07945 Please join us for a day of land stewardship activities at 339 Pleasant Valley Drive. Each Volunteer Day provides the community an opportunity to work side by side with Schiff staff and Board members in a variety of hands-on projects. Depending on the season, we may be removing brush and vines from trails, removing invasive species, restoring fences and bridges, or raking out the Native Garden. Volunteers (16 and under with a parent, please) are encouraged to dress in weather appropriate attire, wear hard toes shoes, and bring a beverage and snack. Walk ins welcome. Contact: 973-543-6004 https://generallibrary.mikulawebsolutions.com/registrationform/formfiles/SchiffRegistrationForm.cfm?eventid=140314&projectid=5 More details... LBWP - Milltown Cleanup LBWP - Milltown Cleanup Starts: 8:30 am Ends: October 26, 2019 - 11:00 am Description: Milltown Cleanup, Saturday, October 26th, 8:30AM to 11AM. Meet at Milltown Borough Hall, 39 Washington Avenue. Michael Shakarjian at mshakar@aol.com or (732) 828-3275 or at our website www.lbwp.org More details... Low Tide Clean up at Donaldson Park Low Tide Clean up at Donaldson Park Starts: 12:30 pm Ends: October 26, 2019 - 3:00 pm Description: Some 30 tires are stuck on the river bottom near Highland Park’s Donaldson Park. The LRWP and our Central Jersey Stream Team friends have wanted to get in there all year. Saturday October 26 is our last chance for a super low tide in 2019, and if the weather holds out we should be able to wrestle these guys out of the muck. Register to Help: http://lowerraritanwatershed.org/event/oct-26-low-tide-clean-up-in-donaldson-park/ More details... D&R Greenway Land Trust Masquarade Ball D&R Greenway Land Trust Masquarade Ball Starts: 6:00 pm Ends: October 26, 2019 - 10:00 pm Description: PRINCETON, October 16, 2019 - D&R Greenway Land Trust’s annual Masquerade Ball takes place on October 26, 6:00 – 10:00 pm at the Johnson Education Center, One Preservation Place, Princeton. A special highlight will be internationally renowned comic strip artist Patrick McDonnell’s first local book signing event following this week’s release of the Art of Nothing: 25 Years of Mutts and the Art of Patrick McDonnell. Taking place on the weekend before Halloween, attendees will be encouraged to dress as a “creature of the earth,” in celebration of the countless animal species that make their homes on more than 20,800 acres of New Jersey land preserved by the D&R Greenway since its founding 30 years ago. “We are thrilled Patrick McDonnell, a wildlife conservationist and long-time Princeton resident, has agreed to make our 30th anniversary event the first opportunity for local residents to get a signed copy of his wonderful new book that celebrates the 25th anniversary of Mutts,” said D&R Greenway CEO Linda Mead. “Lucky attendees to our Masquerade Ball will enjoy the opportunity to hear Patrick speak about his conservation commitment and see him draw his speciality MUTTS characters first hand.” Comic strip author Patrick McDonnell is the creator of the animal friendly comic strip, MUTTS, which appears in over 700 newspapers in 22 countries. MUTTS has received numerous awards internationally, both for comic strip excellence and for its themes of animal protection. His MUTTS characters appear on New Jersey Animal Friendly license plates and in animated Public Service Announcements for The Shelter Pet Project. Featured at the “paw-ty” will be several dogs and puppies that are available for adoption, provided by SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals, the animal shelter in Skillman. “Preserving natural places and farmlands is important for many reasons, but none more so than protecting habitats for innumerable species of plant and animal life,” added CEO Mead. The event will highlight three 2019 preservation successes, with premiere video shorts: A 36-acre parcel on Steele Gap Road in Bridgewater visited by George Washington & Contintental troops on their way to encampment at Morristown, and later en route to victory at Yorktown, VA. A 10-acre parcel along Route 206 in Montgomery, preserved by Don and Pat Matthews. A small parcel on Hollow Road in Skillman that is an addition to the Stoutsburg Sourland African American American Museum. The ticket price of $150 per person will include a complimentary, signed copy of the new Mutts book, which sells for $40 (hardcopy) and was released nationally October 15. McDonnell uses MUTTS as a platform to advocate for all animals. He strives to see the world through the eyes of animals and to use his voice to speak for them. He was a member of the Board of Directors of The Humane Society of the United States for 18 years. His comic strip is based on the world of Mooch, the curious cat, Earl, the ever-trusting dog, and the other characters who inhabit his beloved comic strip. For more information or to purchase tickets or a sponsorship to the October 26 event go to www.drgreenway.org or call 609-924-4646. More details... • • • •
27	28 Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority Meeting Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority Meeting Starts: 7:30 pm Ends: October 28, 2019 - 9:30 pm Location: 290 River Road, Princeton, NJ Description: Authority Board Meeting Schedule A RESOLUTION SETTING REGULAR MEETING DATES FOR THE STONY BROOK REGIONAL SEWERAGE AUTHORITY FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2016 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT Resolution No. 2015-78 BE IT RESOLVED by the Stony Brook Regional Sewerage Authority: That the regular meeting day of the Authority be held on the fourth Monday of each month, except in November, when it will be held on the second Monday, and June and December when the meeting will be held on the third Monday of the month. http://www.sbrsa.com/ More details... Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority Starts: 7:30 pm Ends: October 28, 2019 - 9:30 pm Location: 50 Polhemus Ln, Bridgewater, NJ 08807, USA Description: Meetings of the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority are held the fourth Monday of each month. Meetings are held in the Authority conference room located in the Administrative Office. Open session meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and there is an opportunity for public participation. Anyone from the public wishing to be heard should arrive promptly for the start of a meeting as the public participation portion is early on the agenda. http://srvsa.org/ More details... • •	29	30	31