Restoring Marshes at the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary
by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
The Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary is a truly remarkable place, and an important refuge on 7 Mile Island. This 21-acre site boasts a mature Atlantic Maritime Forest and both fresh and tidal wetlands. These forests were once widespread on barrier islands and mainland coasts, but due to coastal development, they now make up less than 1% of the habitat in New Jersey. Their proximity to the sea and the forces that shape them combine to make them unique and special places to explore.
During spring and fall, the Sanctuary is an important migratory stopover for songbirds, dragonflies, and butterflies. Sparrows, robins, thrushes, and woodpeckers make it their winter home. In the summer, the Sanctuary houses dozens of species of nesting songbirds. Black-crowned Night Herons roost on-site, you can find egrets feeding in the tidal marsh, and Ospreys are common sights as they gather sticks and branches to fortify their nests on the back-bay islands. The Sanctuary also provides important habitat for a variety of reptile and amphibian species, and bats can be seen around dusk, particularly during migration.
For several years, The Borough of Stone Harbor and The Wetlands Institute have collaborated to manage the Sanctuary. Over the past 4 years, a major focus has been on the restoration of its tidal and freshwater wetlands. A number of non-native, invasive plants – common reed (Phragmites australis) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in particular –
have become established there, crowding out native vegetation and degrading wildlife habitat. In response, the Borough launched the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary Habitat Restoration Project to restore native vegetation and wildlife habitat for colonial wading birds, migratory and resident songbirds, tree frogs, and other wildlife that use the Sanctuary.
Step one was to manage the invasive plants in the wetlands. This was done in the fall of 2021 via application of an herbicide specifically shown to have relatively low toxicity to birds, mammals, and fish. Under permit from NJDEP, licensed professionals treated the invasive plants using a Marsh Master (a low ground-pressure vehicle that can work in marshes) and a hose sprayer or backpack sprayer, depending on the area being treated.
The initial management was highly successful, leaving tall stands of dead reeds and restoring the marsh water cycle, but the restoration team was concerned about the millions of seeds of the invasive plants still in the marsh soils and sought a way to prevent them from germinating and repopulating the marsh. To tackle this problem, in the spring of 2022 they mulched the dead reed stalks and left them covering the soil for one full growing season to prevent seed germination. In late March of 2023, a small group of restoration ecologists hand-raked and removed a few small patches of mulch to test if the seedbank would sprout during the 2023 growing season. The invasive
plants did not return, thus clearing the way for restoration to proceed.
This spring, restoration experts planted 500 native broad-leaf cattails in the wetter areas of the freshwater marsh. They also spread 20 lbs. of seeds around the 3-acre wetland, including a number of native grasses, flowering plants, pollinator favorites, and plants that provide food and cover for wildlife. This fall, more than 45 native shrubs were planted on the slightly higher hummocks in the marsh.
The effective management of invasive vegetation at the Bird Sanctuary requires a multi-year treatment program. We will continue to monitor the site and adaptively manage as needed, but the goal is to reestablish a self-sustaining ecosystem. These invasive plants will need continual attention: we have eradicated purple loosestrife in the past, but It spreads aggressively via wind-borne seeds and its return has already been documented –likely from backyard gardens. Everyone has a role to play in protecting the Sanctuary and helping its biodiversity thrive. You can do your part by removing purple loosestrife from your own garden.
The Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary is a special place for plants and animals, and a walk on its trails transports you to another time and place and provides a wonderful respite from the busy days of summer and all year-round. Check the Bird Sanctuary website to learn more.
Marsh Musings
by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
Deborah A. Hays, Chair
James Donohue, Vice-Chair
Hank Schellenger, Treasurer
Annie Ulichney, Secretary
Jeffrey Alderton
Timothy Jon Clay
John Flynn
William Hankowsky
Margaret McAllister
John Millar
Staff
Leadership
Jeannie Morris
Jon Tullis
Amy Welsh
William Wermuth
Francis J. White III
Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
Anne Brickley, Director of Administration
Dr. Lisa Ferguson, Director of Research and Conservation
Brooke Knapick, Director of Educational Program Development
Carol Wyland, Director of Finance Research & Conservation
Julie Blum, Research Scientist
Samantha Collins, Research Scientist
Meghan Kolk, Conservation Scientist
Brian Williamson, Research Scientist Education
Kelianne O'Shea, Environmental Educator
Erin Rawls, Outreach Coordinator
Development & Communications
Devin Griffiths, Marketing and Communications Specialist
Leah Satterfield, Office Assistant Finance
Terrie Campbell, Finance Administrator
Christine Whaley, Finance Analyst Administration
Kimberly Dmytro, Tidepool Shop Manager
Michael Fridmann, Facilities Manager
Visit Us
Hours: Open Saturday and Sunday 9:30 to 4:30. Check our website for Holiday Hours.
General Admission: Members: Free. Non-members: $12 Adults, $10 Children 4-12.
The threats to marsh ecosystems have shifted since The Wetlands Institute was first founded more than 50 years ago. At that time, a primary focus was to address wetland loss to development. Early research at the Institute, done through a partnership with Lehigh University, focused on oil spills and impacts to coastal birds from DDT, as documented in Rachel Carson’s seminal book Silent Spring. Notably, The Wetlands Institute’s founders prioritized public education in an effort to change opinions and expectations about the importance of preserving and protecting marshes and coastal ecosystems. In a poignant reminder of the environmental insults of the past, Ray Burke (later in this newsletter) reminds us how far we have come together for positive change.
The Institute’s early work made a difference, and today our applied research programs continue to make great strides. Today’s pioneering work focuses on addressing the complex problems these ecosystems face due to climate change and especially rising seas. Like before, the prevailing sentiment has been that we really couldn’t change things. But we are, and this impact is being felt across the spectrum of wildlife that depend on marshes, too.
The intentional linkage between our research, conservation, and education programs is a distinctive strength that is making all the difference. Applied research informs best conservation practice; engaging conservation programs create positive change for habitats and wildlife; connecting people to stewardship through education creates lasting change. This collaborative interface of the various aspects of our work is key to the progress we are making.
The Wetlands Institute is resolutely focused on serving our mission to preserve, protect, and steward our marshes and coastal ecosystems. Our work to elevate marshes in their fight against sea level rise through innovative projects is giving hope to marsh preservation and with it critical habitat for the wildlife that depends on healthy marshes.
These are important times. What happens here now matters on a larger scale. Let’s continue to set the expectation that we can affect change and help solve complex problems that seem out of reach. It is only impossible until someone does it. With your support, we are well on our way.
Gooey Beaches and Backwaters
by Ray Burke, Wetlands Institute Supporter
Raising a family of marsh wanderers meant that my parents, like so many others, were used to welcoming home wet, muddy children with their similarly afflicted pets. On one particular day in August 1965,
however, there was a significant departure from the normal pattern of wet and muddy. On that day, everybody was wet and muddy… and oily. Tar balls had migrated from the Stone Harbor and Avalon beaches inland to the beach waters of Jenkins Sound. I had encountered tar balls on the beach all summer, and every beach dwelling had a bucket of kerosene soaked rags at the front door to clean off tar from feet and legs. It was a situation almost unimaginable today but considered just an annoyance at the time.
I had been noticing that the waterline and mooring lines on my old wooden rowboat at Shell Bay were oily as well at low tide and could see that the marsh grasses were trapping oil, and even the family oyster bed at the mouth of Gravely Run Stream was involved.
I remember asking my Dad where all this
oil was coming from. His theory was that some of the dozens of ships sunk off the beaches by German U-Boats (1942-43) were breaking up and releasing the oil trapped in their holds. He commented that during World War II people would stand on the beach after dark and watch burning offshore. The “Battle for the Atlantic” had come to America. At twelve years old, this was my first real encounter with mass environmental degradation.
The oily summer of 1965 has left a lasting impression on me and created a lifetime of awareness that the coastal environment I love is vulnerable to human activity.
Today that concern is even greater, but I know that there is hope because the Institute is not sitting idly by. Instead, they are finding innovative solutions to combat today’s greatest threats.
Evolving Threats, Advancing Solutions
by Elizabeth Hefner, Development Team
Today, the threats to the marsh look different than they did in 1965. While development pressures continue to be a danger, now the impacts most acutely felt are from rapidly rising seas. They manifest as the increased frequency and intensity of coastal storms, nuisance sunny-day flooding, and continued species decline. At The Wetlands Institute, we are actively committed to discovering, developing, and implementing solutions to address these complex threats.
New Jersey is now a national leader in marsh restoration through sediment addition because of the know-how of the partners in the Seven Mile Island Innovation Lab – The US Army Corps of Engineers, NJ DEP, and The Wetlands Institute – and the tools we’ve
developed right here. We have studied how these marshes are changing and how best to help them, and have successfully created strategies to restore them.
We are making great strides, documenting the needs of sensitive species and working to reduce impacts to them. Research projects are banding and tracking Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night Herons, studying the habitat needs of American Oystercatchers, and tracking Black Skimmers through banding and telemetry studies. We have also been addressing the plight of diamondback terrapins for more than 30 years and are developing a better understanding of their needs and contributing to efforts to help.
Institute teams are advancing essential conservation programs. To date, the efforts of TWI staff and volunteers through our reTURN the Favor program have saved over 1,000,000 horseshoe crabs. The marsh is not just our laboratory; it's our classroom. Nearly 17,000 children and young adults participated in formal education programs with The Wetlands Institute last year.
You, our friends and donors, are an essential part of making our work possible. Your support allows us to solve complex problems, create change, and hope for the future of our marshes. Thank you.
Partner Spotlight: Education Collaboration
Designing the Future
by Dr. Jonathan Hubler, Assistant Professor, Villanova University
The Wetlands Institute (TWI) and the Villanova University (VU) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have teamed up to offer a Senior Capstone project for students to perform geotechnical evaluation and design for elevating the Salt Marsh Trail. Dr. Jonathan Hubler is serving as the faculty advisor for two groups (ten students total) of senior civil engineering students at VU who are enrolled in the Senior Capstone course. Dr. Brian Harris from the US Army Corps of Engineers and Dr. Lenore Tedesco from TWI will serve as industry advisors for the project. The project will culminate with a final design and presentation by students in April 2025. The student project teams will design the elevated road for a 25-year design life by considering future scenarios of sea level rise and ground subsidence. It is anticipated that VU students will visit
TWI and perform soil testing to evaluate properties for modeling performance of the new elevated roadway embankment across the wetlands. Students will consider tidal impact, sea level rise, environmental impact, and use of dredged materials for roadway embankment construction. Dr. Harris and Dr. Tedesco will mentor the students throughout the project and provide feedback as they consider design alternatives to elevate the road to meet 2050 sea level rise projections.
“This is an exciting collaboration that offers Villanova students a capstone project that incorporates geotechnical, hydraulic, and coastal engineering,” said Dr. Hubler, “The students are looking forward to visiting TWI and applying their previous coursework to a real-world design application.”
Visualizing Resilience
by Sean Burkholder, Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania
The Wetlands Institute (TWI) has been collaborating with The Environmental Modeling Lab (EMLab) at the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design over the past 5 years to collect data, visualize landscape change, and assist in the development of marsh resilience strategies through the beneficial use of sediment. The two teams have worked closely to merge cutting-edge remote sensing techniques, such as structure from motion elevation surveys and remotelysensed multispectral data of the EMLab, with the ongoing research and education agendas of The Wetlands Institute. This collaboration has also provided students at the University of Pennsylvania with a
valuable real-world case study through which to better understand the dramatic changes taking place along the coastline and the tools we have to monitor, model, and represent them.
With the site and subject matter expertise provided by TWI staff, the outputs of the collaboration can describe important landscape transformations such as wetland re-establishment on dredge placement areas. Beyond the simple visual assessments possible with standard drone imagery, the calibrated multispectral surveys can provide a species-specific understanding of the transforming wetlands that can be linked more directly to the essential habitats the wetlands provide.
Most recently, this collaborative effort used SLAMM (Sea Level Affecting Marsh Migration) models to provide projections showing the likely future conditions around The Wetlands Institute. The data provided from these models was then used to inform the resilience planning of the Institute, which included beneficially used sediment paired with other habitatfocused coastal protection. The longterm goal of this work is to imagine a more resilient facility and landscape for The Wetlands Institute that can continue to provide its research and educational functions for years to come.
UPenn students flying a UAV over the Institute
Students learning to operate the UAV
Cone penetrometer measurements on the Salt Marsh Trail
Students establishing base stations and drone guidance system at TWI
Research & Conservation
Selfish Shellfish? Increased Barnacle Infestation Rates of Diamondback Terrapins
by Brian Williamson, Research Scientist
Each year at The Wetlands Institute we incorporate new projects designed to investigate emerging and long-standing questions about the organisms we study. While we have been working with terrapins for decades, much remains to be learned about these important members of the saltmarsh community and how the changing marsh affects this species. In 2024, we had the opportunity to investigate a potential trend we noticed over the past several years - a possible increase in the number of terrapins with barnacles growing on their shells. While many think of barnacles as growing mainly on rocks and other inanimate objects, they sometimes colonize marine animals as well, attaching themselves to sea turtles, terrapins, horseshoe crabs, and the skin of whales. Though this may seem harmless, studies have shown that barnacles can be harmful to shell growth and potentially cause other health issues.
A Program for Change
by Devin Griffiths, Marketing & Communications Specialist
The number of challenges facing the natural world today can be overwhelming, and caring for it often seems daunting. Sometimes just deciding where to focus is a Herculean effort. What’s most important, and how do you begin?
Since our inception, we at the Institute have been asking these questions, and have dedicated ourselves to studying and protecting South Jersey’s back bays, beaches, and wetlands, to addressing some of our toughest challenges, and to providing ways for people to get involved in creating change.
Our adoptions program gives everyone the chance to make a difference. When you symbolically adopt a Diamondback Terrapin, American Oystercatcher, or Horseshoe Crab, you provide critical funds directly to conservation of those species - funds that
Working alongside our interns, we began counting barnacles present on the shells of nesting terrapins, and this summer Coastal Conservation Research Program intern Darby Brant helped us to compare these results to counts from previous years using our database of photographs of terrapins. Though more work is required to fully understand this trend, we found that barnacle infestations are significantly more common now than in years past. Many questions remain about barnacle infestation of terrapins, including their long-term impacts, which species of barnacles are present, and what factors may be driving the increase we have observed.
This is a complex and relatively unstudied topic that bridges scientific disciplines, and we hope to collaborate with scientists throughout the region who have expertise on barnacles as well as other terrapin researchers to help us unearth answers to these questions. We plan to continue to monitor trends in barnacle infestation going forward to help us understand the possible impacts it may have on our terrapin population.
allow us to conduct road patrols, maintain barrier fencing, and continue rehabilitation efforts for injured terrapins; purchase American Oystercatcher bands and research equipment; and conduct reTURN the Favor horseshoe crab rescue walks, volunteer training, and conservation efforts. Purchasing an adoption may feel like an abstract action, but it has a concrete and immediate impact on our work to protect and preserve these incredible animals and the coastal areas they call home.
The issues before us are manifold and complex, and while there are no simple solutions, there are easy steps we can all take to move forward, build a better future for the amazing creatures we’re fortunate to share space with, and protect the coastal resources on which they rely. By making a symbolic adoption today, you truly can make a difference.
Check out our adoption options at wetlandsinstitute.org/adopt.
Scotch Bonnet Marsh Restoration Project
For project updates, scan the QR code or check out our Scotch Bonnet page at wetlandsinstitute.org/scotchbonnet
Around the Marsh
Using Nature-Based Solutions to Restore Salt Marshes and Benefit At-Risk Species
by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
This past winter, NJDEP and The Wetlands Institute were awarded a two-year planning grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, National Coastal Resilience Fund through the Department of the Interior. Funds from the grant are being put toward a wetland enhancement project using dredged sediments to uplift the Institute’s Salt Marsh Trail and marsh areas along the trail and near the boat house that have fallen behind relative sea level rise. The Salt Marsh Trail and boat house are between 3.5’ and 4’ elevation and are now regularly underwater during both sunnyday flooding events and storms.
The idea is to use clean dredged material to elevate and widen the trail, reestablish the historic fill line, and raise low-lying areas to create sections of tiered marsh at appropriate elevations to meet ecological goals for wildlife usage. A higher trail system and marsh
Tidepool Shop
area along Scotch Bonnet Creek will also provide infrastructure protection to The Wetlands Institute. This project continues our work to build Institute resilience using nature-based solutions. This effort targets historically filled areas of marsh, and seeks to expand and protect diamondback terrapin nesting areas and create additional high-marsh habitat for other marsh-dependent species. Improvements to the Salt Marsh Trail will also allow for enhanced public and education program access to Scotch Bonnet Creek. The project includes monitoring and site assessment for wildlife usage, adaptive management plan development by the Research and Conservation Department, and mapping and marsh characterization work with the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, it includes support for early career professional training for research assistants and opportunities for undergraduate interns to participate in research and education efforts centered around the enhancement project.
The Education Department will be developing and delivering programs to both formal and informal program participants and visitors to TWI about the project, impacts of climate change and sea level rise on marshes, wildlife and coastal resilience, and the importance of restoring wetlands.
The planning grant includes funding for the development of design plans and construction permits, but actual construction will also need to be funded. The grant program is designed to consider funding for implementation upon successful completion
'Tis the season, and the Tidepool Shop has some wonderful and unique items to help you celebrate the holidays Wetlands-style!
For the nature enthusiasts in your life, we have a collection of whimsical earrings sure to please! Made in the USA from recycled cereal boxes, they're a low-impact way to show a love of all things wild.
Our hand-painted ornaments from local artists That Crafty Family are crafted from sustainably sourced cedar and feature some of our local Jersey Shore wildlife - perfect for treading lightly in your holiday decorating.
And if you're searching for an item you won't find anywhere else, we present something truly special from Women of the Cloud Forest - Blanquito! Handcarved from sustainably-harvested balsa wood and painted from photos taken right here at the Institute, these talented women have perfectly captured our hemisphere-spanning plover in all his charm - exclusively for us! For all of you who've been following the incredible story of this little bird, now's your chance to bring him into your home - and each purchase helps provide a source of income to artisans in developing countries.
Our book and gift shop is open on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 to 4:30, so stop in and check out all the great items we have in store. Can’t visit us? Give us a call or shop online at tidepool-shop.myshopify.com.
Winter Happenings
As the snow begins to fall, join us all winter long for activities on the marsh every Saturday and Sunday. Unless otherwise stated, all activities are free with admission and occur onsite at The Wetlands Institute. Visit wetlandsinstitute.org/events for up-to-date information.
Seasonal Science Activities
10 AM to 4 PM Saturday and Sunday
Each month we will offer a new self-guided science activity related to seasonal changes in nature. We provide the supplies and you create the learning!
During this live animal presentation, get up close with turtles, fish, crabs, sea stars and urchins, mollusks, horseshoe crabs, or the popular animals of Finding Nemo. After the presentation, create your very own take-home craft!
Help us feed the local marine life! We will open up feeding once a week so you can see the burrfish eating crabs and the horseshoe crab gobbling shrimp. Aquarium Feeding 11 AM Saturday
Aquarium Teaching & Touch Tank
Learn about local creatures found in the salty waters of the ocean or back-bay! Join an Institute educator for a unique, interactive learning experience as they teach about whelk, sea urchins, sea stars, mud snails, horseshoe crabs, and more!
Join us as we explore conservation issues ranging from Bats to Seafood to Terrapins; dive deeper into the lives of the LenniLenape and the unseen worlds of Ultraviolet-induced Visible Fluorescence and Plankton; or uncover the hidden dangers of Marine Debris and Climate Change.
Miss your favorite animals? You can see them anytime on any day, by visiting the Aquarium Bytes section of our Virtual Wetlands Experience portal on our website: wetlandsinstitute. org/aquarium-bytes
Give the Gift of Membership!
Give the gift of membership and support our mission while getting free admission and members-only discounts. Starting at just $25, they make great gifts for yourself or someone else!
You can purchase memberships on our website, by phone at 609-368-1211, or by visiting The Wetlands Institute.
Adoption programs help you learn more about the coastal animals you love while supporting the work we do to study and protect them. Each program has several options to symbolically adopt an animal and receive an adoption certificate, educational newsletter, and other fun items. Adoptions make great gifts, too! Check them out on our website, wetlandsinstitute.org/adopt
1075 Stone Harbor Blvd. Stone Harbor, NJ 08247-1424
A non-profit organization studying, preserving, and protecting wetlands and coastal ecosystems
~ As a conservation organization, we have a special responsibility to address the global challenges of climate change and sustainability. We are committed to minimizing environmental impacts in all aspects of our operations. Visit our website at wetlandsinstitute.org/about-us/ sustainability/ for more on our sustainability initiatives.
Views from the
Tower
Recharging and Protecting
This year, many of us spent time recharging in nature. Whether bird watching in the backyard, walking the beach, or exploring the marsh, we experienced the peace that nature brings.
At the same time, we have also witnessed increasing threats to our marshes and coastal ecosystems, including sunny day flooding, the never-ending cycle of beach erosion, and coastal storms.
It is in our nature to rise up and meet our toughest challenges, and continue to develop and implement innovative solutions to the greatest threats marshes face – like our work on Scotch Bonnet Island – because the do-nothing strategy is no longer viable; doing nothing is causing harm.
We know it is in your nature to act. Your past support has allowed us to deliver engaging education programs that connect people of all ages to the natural world, and it has enabled us to train the environmental leaders of tomorrow. As you think about your year-end charitable giving, we hope we can count on you again. You truly make a difference. Please, make a gift today.
Thank you for being an integral part of the community and The Wetlands Institute’s family, and for playing a vital role in protecting and preserving our coastal ecosystems.
3 Simple Ways to Give:
• Call 609.368.1211 to donate by phone,
• Complete and mail to: The Wetlands Institute, 1075 Stone Harbor Blvd, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247, or
• Donate online at wetlandsinstitute.org/donate 2024-4QDMA
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