. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spring Tour - Great Falls of the Passaic River
Dr. Barrett is former director of the Passaic River Institute of Montclair State University. The area, which is now a National Historic Park, was re-landscaped in 2015 and 2018 providing spectacular views! $10 per person, 15 person limit Meet at 72 McBride Ave Ext, Paterson, NJ 07501 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spring Pine Barrens Tour with Emile DeVito
Join the RRWA for this special treat inside the protected area of the Franklin Parker Preserve. Emile is guaranteed to lead us on an entertaining, educational and engaging adventure! • Registration required $15 per person, 15 person limit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How are Road Salts Impacting Our Environment?
AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador Heather Miara will be providing a virtual presentation about the impacts of road salt on our environment as well as a way to get involved in monitoring these impacts in your own neighborhood! If you have any interest in monitoring a local stream's changes in salinity throughout the winter (which is a quick and easy process!) or how to use road and sidewalk salt at home, please join in to view this virtual program to see how you can become a citizen scientist and be a part of this important effort! This event is FREE! Registration Required. Registration closes 24 hours before the event! An email will be sent to you with a link to the zoom presentation the day before (February 17). THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED. CLICK TO VIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WINTER SHOREBIRDS -- THIS EVENT WAS POSTPONED DUE TO THE WEATHER!
Join the Rahway River Watershed Association and the Lower Raritain Watershed Partnership at Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy for for a short walk to enjoy the seasonal and winter migrants of New Jersey’s waters. Turn your eyes to the shoreline and you will find a plethora of migratory aquatic birds. Common Loons, Horned Grebes, Long-Tailed Ducks and Red-Breasted Mergansers are just some of the species that can be expected. The Raritan Bay Waterfront Park in South Amboy provides the opportunity to see these magnificent migrants as they pass through or rest before heading back north for the Spring and Summer. The walk will be guided by RRWA intern and bird enthusiast Jordan Parham! • Binoculars are recommended This event is free however registration is required Meet at the Gazebo at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Representation Matters: Black and Brown Voices in New Jersey's Environmental Community Addressing the Organizational Culture and Under-Representation of People of Color in New Jersey Environmental Non-Profit and Government Agencies THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED. TO VIEW, CLICK THIS LINK – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwVF066dj1k
Join the RRWA and former Deputy Director for the NJDEP Debbie Mans for an important roundtable discussion on the subject of the representation of people of color in the environmental community. Current Deputy Director for the NJDEP Olivia Glenn will be our Keynote speaker and we have several very exciting panelists. Respond to the event for more information and to receive updates, including a detailed agenda, coming soon.
REGISTER BY EMAILING – debbie@twentytwentypublicaffairs.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hawk Rise Raptor Ramble Bird Walk at Hawk Rise Sancuary, Linden
Look for late fall migrants and resident birds settling in to the wooded wetlands at Hawk Rise. We'll walk over the salt marsh and have great views of the Rahway River to look for wading birds. Led by New Jersey Audubon. This hike is free, however we ask that you register at the url below so that we can best prepare. https://hr-songbirdsearch20.eventbrite.com Meet at Hawk Rise Sanctuary - 8AM Register here: https://hr-songbirdsearch20.eventbrite.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Explore the Pine Barrens $15 per person Join us for a special experience – Autumn in the Pine Barrens with New Jersey Conservation Foundation's Manager of Science & Stewardship, and RRWA Vice President Emile DeVito! We will be going out with a small group to explore and see what we can find in NJCF's Franklin Parker Perserve. This expansive property, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s largest, encompasses 16 square miles in the heart of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Learn more about the Preserve Call 908-472-6152 to register. Meeting location provided upon registration.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SPANKTOWN SPLASH CANOE & KAYAK RACE Race Info 2:30PM – Check in at the Rahway Yacht Club1706 Paterson St., Rahway NOTE: CREDIT CARDS ARE NOT ACCEPTED, SO BE SURE TO BRING CASH FOR BEVERAGES!
Join Us! The Rahway River Watershed Association, the Friends of the Rahway Library, the Rahway Chamber of Commerce, & the Rahway Yacht Club host the Spanktown Splash Canoe & Kayak Race! Categories: Canoe/Kayak $35 per person Registration Required Call 908-472-6152 to register Age 18 & above. Life vests required. We will be practicing a responsible social distancing protocol. Masks and social distancing are required. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STREAM SCHOOL Wednesday Sept. 16 Thursday Sept. 17 Friday Sept. 18 Sunday Sept. 20 We have finally worked out the kinks in our Stream School program. We are offering the powerpoint portion of the program virtually, and then one stream side in-person class. In lieu of having folks sit in front of a monitor for an entire day, we are providing the information on 3 consecutive evenings, details below. The exact location of Sunday's stream side session TBD.
Get involved in your community. Monitor water quality in local rivers and lakes. This intensive workshop will introduce volunteers to water quality monitoring in the Rahway River Watershed. Learn stream side techniques for visual and biological assessments including the identification of benthic macroinvertebrates. Join the Rahway River Watershed Association Stream Team and become part of a community-based monitoring program. It is our goal to train citizen scientists in assessing the health of the Rahway River. After training, participants will be able to assess physical conditions and identify macroinvertebrate populations to determine the quality of water and health of the river. The program is free and open to the interested public ages 16 and above who are willing to commit to ongoing involvement with program. To sign up click the "Ticket Link" below. Stream School will be taught by Erin Stretz of the Watershed Institute located in Pennington, NJ and is funded by a grant from the Watershed Institute. Sunday's session will include a light breakfast and afternoon snack. For more information, contact Clea Carchia, RRWA Executive Director, at cleacarchia@outlook.com. This is a free workshop, however we ask that you only register if you are serious about attending, joining our volunteer Stream Team, and becoming involved in our water quality monitoring program. This workshop is presented by the Watershed Institute and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, in partnership with the Rahway River Watershed Association, South Mountain Conservancy, and Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs. REGISTER AT – https://thewatershed.doubleknot.com/event/stream-school-with-blended-virtual-and-field-training/2722338 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Take a Walk on the Wild Side! Ernest L. Oros Wildlife Preserve - Woodbridge Saturday September 19th
RRWA Vice President, and Manager of Science and Stewardship for NJ Conservation Foundation Emile DeVito, will lead an ecology walk in search of plant and animal life in Ernest L. Oros Wildlife Preserve. The Preserve is a biodiversity hotspot in an otherwise highly developed area. We will be practicing a responsible social distancing protocol. Masks are required. There is a 15 person limit to insure distancing can be maintained. This event is free. Registration is required. Call 908-472-6152 to register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Joy of Backyard Birdfeeding Registration Required, call Clea at 908-472-6152 to register
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nature Photography Traveling Exhibit
Unfortunately our traveleing exhibit was stalled at the Linden Library due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The public will get a chance to view first, second and third place, and people’s choice winners, plus a select group of honorable mention photographs in a traveling exhibit. TRAVELING EXHIBIT February 6 to February 28 March 2 to April 9 April 11 to April 24 May 1 to May 30 June 1 to June 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Native Plant Garden Maintenance Workshop AND Wednesday April 15th, 7:30PM to 9PM
The Native Plant Garden Maintenece Workshop was given virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Learn how to maintain: Rain Gardens, Pollinator Gardens, Wildflower Meadows and Residential Native Plant Gardens Native Plants are popular for use in rain gardens, pollinator gardens and in home landscapes because of their adaptability to our soils, resistance to insect and disease problems and natural beauty! Yet, like all gardens, native plant gardens need some tender love and care (TLC) too! This workshop will discuss routine maintenance of your garden such as watering and mulching. We’ll talk about pruning trees and shrubs in your garden. To keep your garden from getting too overgrown, how and when to cut back perennial herbaceous plants will be described. Native plants are fun to share, so we will discuss methods of propagating your plants to keep them healthy and provide plant material for other gardens! The workshop will include hands-on demonstrations in a rain garden, so please dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear for working outdoors. (April 15th: Classroom lecture only) The event is free, but registration is limited. Register at:
OPENING RECEPTION Friday February 7th from 6 to 8pm Join us for an opening reception of our Nature Photography Contest winners! The exhibit will be featured at five Union County locations starting at the Rahway River Watershed Association offices and environmental information center, The Watershed Learning Center. Light refreshments will be served at the opening. No reservation required. The event is free.
FREE! Union County photographer and educator Jacki Dickert (www.lightdance.org) is passionate about the beauty of nature. Her images reflect an open and creative way of viewing the natural world. She has exhibited at photography clubs, libraries and nature centers all over the state.
2 City Hall Plaza, Rahway, NJ 07065 Saturday September 28th 10am to noon The Classroom Session will explore: • Local spots for finding wildlife and beautiful scenery • How to get the most out of whatever kind of camera you have • Best practices for photographing animals as well as landscapes • Tips for creating compelling compositions • Using light to your advantage • Safety and ethics in the outdoors • Basic photo editing • Sharing your photos (printing, online, clubs, contests) Union County photographer and educator Jacki Dickert will be leading this workshop. Jacki is passionate about the beauty of nature. Her images reflect an open and creative way of viewing the natural world. She has exhibited at photography clubs, libraries and nature centers all over the state. She is an active member of the Camera Naturalist Photo Club, a delegate to the NJ Federation of Camera Clubs, and an Ambassador for the Adoramapix printing company. A Field Session will be given on October 19th. Hands on assistance will be given during a guided photo walk.
Come One! Come All! Join the Rahway River Watershed Association, the Central Jersey Stream Team, the Rahway Library and the Rahway Environmental Commission to help clean up the Rahway River! This year we are tackling the area just upstream from the Milton Ave Bridge.
VISUAL & BIOLOGICAL STREAM ASSESSMENT TRAINING Come out and learn how to monitor
The Rahway River Watershed Association welcomes Stephanie Feigin from Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ to give an educational presentation about the bats of NJ. Bats have a reputation of being spooky or dangerous, but they are actually some of the most beneficial animals to people. All of New Jersey's bats are insectivores. They feed on a huge variety of night-flying insects, including the beetles that devour our crops, the gypsy moths that denude our forests, and of course, those awful mosquitoes. A single little brown bat can eat 3,000 mosquito-sized insects per night! Stephanie is a Wildlife Ecologist for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ. She is CWF’s lead ecologist running the bat project. She is responsible for projects designed to protect and enhance habitats for forest bats throughout New Jersey. Stephanie received her B.S. in Ecology & Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University in 2013. Stephanie will bring a LIVE BAT to the preentation! $5 per person Call 908-892-7229 for more information
The RRWA and the Rahway Environmental Commission have partnered up on a project to put 3 demonstration gardens at the site of the Rahway River Watershed Associaiton's new office and environmental information center, the Watershed Learning Center. A day-time pollinator garden will attract birds, butterflies, bees and any manor of beneficial insects. The garden will provide food and a place for these important members of our biological community to live. A night-time pollinator garden will attract moths and other nocturnal insects, which will in turn attract bats, an important ally in our battle against mosquitos! A rain garden will function to reduce the amount of roof runoff by directing it to the garden. Native plants will soak up stormwater before it has a chance to make it to the river, thereby helping to reduce flooding. This project is made possible by a grant from ANJEC. Volunteers are needed on SATURDAY OCTOBER 6TH to prepare the beds and paths for the garden. Please come rested and prepare to do some work. No need to go to the gym this day! You can come any time within the 10am to 3pm window and stay as long as you wish. Any contribution of your time is appreciated! Proper attire would be – weather appropriate pants, shirt and shoes that you won't mind getting dirty. Food and beverages will be provided for volunteers! Please call Clea at 908-892-7229 for more information about Volunteer Day.
The RRWA will be holding our FREE water quality monitoring training workshop on Saturday October 13th at the Cranford Community Center from 10am to 1pm. This will be our only training session this fall, so if you are interested in finding out more about the quality of the water in the Rahway River, and the condition of habitat that surrounds it, join us. This is your opportunity to Give Back by participating in a program that benefits the community in which you live. Join our Stream Team and learn streamside tequniques for visual assessment monitoring. Perform your first assessment and get a free Stream Big t-shirt! Registration is Required. Call Clea at 908-892-7229 to register
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH We apologize for canceling the last scheduled cleanup, but the threat of thunderstorms, THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT NEVER CAME! made the prospect of doing it dangerous. The plan for September 8th is – there will be 2 teams -- one "river team" to assist the Central Jersey Stream Team in locating and securing items from the riverbed to be pulled out of the river by ropes, and one "bank team" to pull the items up and out of the river. For anyone else, there is ALWAYS trash that needs to be picked up, so everyone of all ages is needed! A late lunch will be served after the cleanup at 337 E Milton, directly across from the cleanup site, in the new Rahway River Watershed Association office! Call Executive Director Clea Carchia at 908-892-7229 with any questions. Call Tim Valente at 732-675-1426 if you would like to donate food for the event. Pot luck is welcome!
The Loantaka Group of the Sierra Club, in collaboration with the Rahway River Watershed Association present . . . A Water Quality Awareness Workshop Sandra LaVigne, Director of Water Quality Programs at the Great Swamp Watershed Association, will present a brief talk on water quality in our region. Topics include the various ways pollution makes its way into our waterways, the types of contaminents we see in our water, what we test for, the results of recent testing and what we can do to improve the quality of our water. Sandra will present the newly released 2017 GSWA Water Quality Report Card, including the new Downstream Passaic River expansion. The report card shows the status of streams and rivers throughout the Great Swamp Watershed and in the region of the Passaic River between Millington Gorge and Stanley Ave Park in Chatham and Summit. Sandra will also address how our own actions can affect water quality, and what simple life choices we can make to help preserve the quality of water that makes its way to our tap.
Join the Rahway River Watershed Association Stream Team! As part of a new initiative by the Rahway River Watershed Association, and funded by a grant from The Watershed Institute, we are excited to be starting a Water Quality Monitoring Program in the Rahway River Watershed! To kick it off, training sessions will be held on Saturday April 28th and Saturday May 5th. Please call RRWA Executive Director Clea Carchia at 908-892-7229 to register for training sessions. FREE!
All volunteers are invited to celebrate Earth Day with Boy Scout Troop 330, Cub Scout Pack 30 and members of the Rahway River Watershed Association, Rahway Environmental Commission and Clark Environmental Commission in a clean-up of the Rahway River on Saturday, April 21st (with a rain date of Sunday, April 22nd). The clean-up will focus on areas upstream and downstream of the dam at Winfield Park, New Jersey. It is our hope to have enough folks participate that we can have teams work as far upstream as the Garden State Parkway and downstream through Rahway River Park in Clark, Linden and Rahway all the way to Elizabeth Avenue. Plans are to meet at the parking area adjacent to the waterfall of the Rahway River by the dam at Winfield Park at 8:45. This is a great way to celebrate Earth Day and if you haven't participated in an event like this before, you will find it invigorating, and you will feel good about what you have accomplished . . . it is also a lot of fun . . . especially for scouts and young adults as they always find something interesting. This adds both education and adventure to the event. The clean-up will generally be between 9-12, but any amount of time or effort that folks can volunteer is appreciated. There is always a large volume of floatable debris to pick up. This includes tires and of course floatables (cans, bottles, plastics, etc.). The County of Union generously supplies gloves and garbage bags, and we solicit material donations (donuts, bagels, coffee, bottled water, paper towels, hand-wipes, etc.) for all volunteers. Last year, nearly 150 folks participated, including girl scouts, cub scouts, boy scouts, fishermen, local activists and citizens, and we pulled some amazing things from the river. Sponsors came through with coffee, bagels, danish, donuts, cookies, bottled water, and juice boxes, and we had grilled hot dogs for lunch. We also had other giveaways for the participants. All participants should wear jeans, long-sleeved shirts, gloves and boots, and waders are welcome for folks who like to get a little wet. Each participant should bring a standard 5-gallon carry bucket with a handle (put your name on the bottom)...this makes for easy carrying of "stuff" for transfer to the large garbage bags. When we complete the event we do a basic inventory of the "big stuff" that we removed....and within approximately 24 hours Union County Parks removes and disposes of all the trash. There is no RSVP required but if you need more information or think you will attend please let us know by e-mail at rivercleanup@comcast.net Please do not hesitate to forward or let us know if there are any questions . . . hope to see you on April 21st! – Joe Seebode
Volunteers needed for a community clean up Join the Rahway River Watershed Association, NY/NJ Baykeeper and the Rahway Environmental Commission to help clean up the banks of Rahway River behind City Hall and the Library. Sunday, April 15, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM • No registration is required! Meet in front of Rahway Public Library, 2 City Hall Plaza, Rahway, NJ 07065 at 9:45 AM Lunch provided for volunteers after the clean up
The Gallery Space, Rahway River Watershed Association and The Rahway Environmental Commission invite you to join us on Sunday April 8th from 12 noon to 4 pm for a fun, Earth themed event on the grounds of the gallery, located at 1670 Irving Street in Rahway. Get a chance to sign up for fun upcoming events, learn about the BAG IT program and come inside to see the new Earth Month art exhibit inside THE GALLERY SPACE. April is when we celebrate the Earth worldwide. Please join us at The Gallery Space and experience a visual appreciation of our only home in this galaxy, EARTH. The art exhibit will be up for the entire month.
Great Falls Tour - Patterson NJ This tour will be led by Kirk Barrett, Asst. Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Manhattan College. Call 908-892-7229 to register. Space is limited. The Great Falls of the Passaic River is a prominent waterfall, 77 feet high, on the Passaic River in the city of Paterson. The falls and surrounding area are protected as part of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, administered by the National Park Service. The Congress authorized its establishment in 2009. Dr. Kirk Barrett, PE, PWS The fee for this tour is $15 *** Note - For those of you that bid on the tour at our silent auction in December, please confirm your attendance with Kirk. You should have received an email or a call. ***
Dont Be Afraid of the Dark –
Environmental Steward Program Make a Difference in 2018: Environmental Stewards Program Comes to Union County This 20 week program takes place on Fridays from 9:30 am to 12:30pm starting January 26th Union County, NJ – Union County residents in search of a meaningful New Year’s resolution have one at their fingertips: the Rutgers Environmental Stewards program is now being offered in Union County. “If working to improve the environment in your community is among your New Year’s resolutions, I encourage you to sign up for the Rutgers Environmental Stewards program,” said Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen. “The program is conveniently located in Westfield, and we are looking forward to welcoming Union County’s very first class of Environmental Stewards.” Environmental Stewards is an award-winning program run by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, a division of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station supported in part by the Freeholder Board. The program aims to provide local residents with an understanding of the science behind the environmental issues impacting their communities. The goal is to enable non-scientists to focus on effective conservation projects and other improvements. On successfully completing the program, participants earn official certification as Rutgers Environmental Stewards. “Every year hundreds of Union County residents volunteer to help with conservation projects in Union County parks,” said Bergen. “The Environmental Stewards program provides the tools and know-how to take this volunteer effort to the next level.” Since the inception of the program in 2005, hundreds of certified Rutgers Environmental Stewards have engaged in projects statewide. One outstanding example is the rain garden at the Cranford Municipal Building. Planted in 2014, the garden is designed to filter pollutants associated with stormwater runoff. It helps to protect the Rahway River, provides a habitat for valuable pollinators, and beautifies the property with native wildflowers including giant hyssop, cardinal flower and purple coneflower. The Environmental Stewards program will hold classroom training sessions beginning Friday, January 26 at the Extension offices in Westfield, at the Colleen Fraser Building in the Union County complex, 300 North Avenue East. Classes are held on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 20 weeks. Experts from Rutgers University and non-profit organizations will guide the participants through topics including energy conservation, climate change, invasive species, open space management, soil health, water resource pollution, environmental policy, protecting pollinators, and habitat conservation. Applications are available online at envirostewards.rutgers.edu. A fee of $250.00 applies. For more information, contact Michele Bakacs at bakacs@njaes.rutgers.edu or 732-398-5274. For information on all Extension programs offered in Union County, including 4-H, Master Gardeners and Master Tree Stewards, visit ucnj.org/rce. Visit the Green Connection at ucnj.org/green-connection for all Union County environmental programs and activities. ___________________________________________ Annual Watershed Conferences NJ Land Conservation Rally: This annual full-day conference, held in March, is organized by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, in partnership with many other NJ environmental groups. ANJEE Environmental Education Conference: This annual conference, held each January, is geared towards both formal and non-formal environmental educators. ANJEC Environmental Congress: This annual conference is geared towards environmental commissions, but is often relevant to watershed groups. Land Ethics Symposium: This annual, full-day conference focuses on ways to create low-maintenance, economical and ecologically balanced landscapes with native plants and restoration techniques. River Rally: This annual national conference, organized by River Network, focuses on both nonprofit management and river conservation. NJ Invasive Species Conference: This conference, hosted by the New Jersey Invasive Species STRIKE Team, offers expert presentations about emerging invasive species science & management issues in the Garden State. |
Big Community Cleanup - Rahway!
Water Quality Awareness Workshop
Rahway River Earth Day Cleanup
Good Clean Fun! 
Green Earth Day at The Gallery Space
