Rehabilitating Drowning Marshes
by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
Salt marshes are an essential component of coastal ecosystems, performing services that benefit both wildlife and people. They are among the most diverse habitats on Earth, rivaling coral reefs and tropical rain forests. They provide essential food, refuge, and nursery habitat for more than 75% of fish and shellfish and foraging habitat for a variety of birds. Salt marshes remove carbon from the atmosphere and store it below ground, helping to reduce the impacts of climate change. There is also a lot of research that shows they absorb wave energy and reduce storm damage, protecting our coastal communities. A recent study showed that the back bay marshes of Ocean City reduce flood damages by 15% annually. We all also know they are majestic, calming, and beautiful.
With the documented loss of marshes right at the Institute (see Views From the Tower summer 2024 for info), we are taking action. Beginning in early October, the partnership of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Philadelphia District), NJDEP, and The Wetlands Institute are initiating a beneficial use of dredged material project. Clean dredged sediment from the NJ Intracoastal Waterway will be used to increase the elevation of low marsh areas
that have fallen 2 to 3 feet below the ranges for healthy marsh. The goal is to reestablish suitable levels of tidal flooding and allow the marsh to flourish for decades to come, potentially offsetting sea level rise by more than 100 years.
area on Scotch Bonnet Island, within the Cape May Coastal Wetlands Wildlife Management Area
We expect the construction phase to take 6-8 weeks, and have scheduled the project for later fall when there are much lower levels of wildlife usage of the marsh. This should help minimize short-term impacts while maximizing the long-term benefits.
Dredging will be in the vicinity of Nummy Island. A sand and mud slurry will be pumped though a floating pipeline and spread onto a section of marsh managed by NJDEP as part of the Cape May Coastal Wetlands Wildlife Management Area, just south of Stone Harbor Boulevard and adjacent to TWI. This placement will smother the existing marsh grasses, but the new surface is designed to be at appropriate elevations for new marsh grass colonization. Our experience on similar projects indicates that the muddy surface takes about one year to stabilize before it starts to recover. New grasses from the natural seedbank begin to grow in the second growing season. Planting does not seem to accelerate the recovery time of the placement areas; allowing natural recovery is typically the best approach.
For the past several years, a large group of scientists and engineers have been planning and designing this project, and working to understand the marsh’s condition and needs. We have a strong commitment to monitoring and managing the site to ensure the best possible outcomes. This effort will provide important opportunities for natural resource managers, local municipalities, and state and federal partners to see first-hand how clean dredged materials can be used to rehabilitate drowning marshes.
Stay up-to-date by scanning the code below, or visiting our website at wetlandsinstitute.org/scotchbonnet.
Channel dredging area, outlined in orange. Placement area is in white.
Dredge material placement on Great Flats
Placement
The Wetlands Institute Stone Harbor Blvd.
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
Amanda Lyons, Research & Conservation Coordinator
Brian Williamson, Research Scientist
Education
Danielle Meeker, Aquarist/ Environmental Educator
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: Starting September 23, 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.
Marsh Musings
by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
Tick tock, where did summer go? It happens every year. We wait patiently for its arrival and then wonder where the time went. The interns have come and gone, but once again enriched us with their energy, curiosity, and discoveries. Summer Nature Program participants filled every space of the Institute with their delight and excitement. Our staff and hundreds of volunteers once again rescued close to another 100,000 horseshoe crabs on Delaware Bay, reTURNing the Favor and helping to strengthen the fabric of the migration marvel and spawning spectacle. The research team and stewards are out documenting nesting and tracking banded birds on our beaches. We are finishing out another terrapin nesting season and with it the wonders of secondchance orphaned hatchlings.
They will make their way to schools around the state for head-starting, returning next spring to be released back into the wild to help bolster their declining populations. The education teams are gearing up for school programs, field trips, and homeschool programs, rolling right into the next season of program offerings.
It’s always busy here and all the staff work every day to make a difference for the marshes, their special inhabitants, and for all of you that explore, discover, and connect with this special place. We also work to benefit everyone that lives, vacations, or visits our coastal community to experience the richness of this lifestyle. As fall is upon us, we will be working with our project partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NJDEP and bringing a marsh rehabilitation project home to the marshes adjacent to TWI. This project will be highly visible and
will afford us wonderful opportunities to share our work directly with you, and also with natural resource managers and municipalities that are striving to benefit from the coastal resilience marsh restoration affords us all. Check out the cover story, and visit wetlandsinstitute. org/scotchbonnet for more information.
It is through the generosity of each of you that The Wetlands Institute flourishes. Your membership, program support, and donations are foundational to the work we do. More than half of our annual revenue is derived through private philanthropy. It comes in gifts of all sizes; from tiny philanthropists that sell lemonade to help the terrapins, to gifts underwriting specific programs, to the many donors who make multi-year pledges to help us build capacity. Whatever the size, each gift allows us to work to ensure these marshes are here for generations to come and our programs remain strong and vibrant for the next generations as well.
If you are a supporter, thank you. If you haven’t supported us recently, please consider helping us make a difference.
Making Our Mission Happen
by Elizabeth Hefner, Development Team
The Wetlands Institute is not merely a building, it is a gateway for experiential education that enriches connection, drives community building, and draws generations together.
Sandra Mackin Mezzanotte's grandparents and parents met in Ocean City. In the late 1960s, Sandra’s parents purchased a home in Ocean City. Captivated by the majestic beauty of Avalon's coastline, Sandra’s father-in-law, Dr. John Mezzanotte, purchased land on 9th Street following the 1962 Great Storm. He soon built a home that became a haven of joyful summer memories but also served as a poignant reminder of the coast's vulnerability.
“Our family history is intertwined with a deep appreciation for the area's natural beauty, and inspires our family's dedication to the protection and study of these delicate coastal ecosystems so future generations may also enjoy their splendor,” shared Sandra. The Mezzanotte family's dedication to supporting The
Wetlands Institute is rooted in their multigenerational connection to the southern shores of New Jersey.
While the Mezzanotte’s history is their foundation for their commitment to The Wetlands Institute, they also understand the linkage between The Wetlands Institute’s research, conservation, and education programs. 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.
The Wetland Institute’s scientists work tirelessly to discover, develop, and implement groundbreaking solutions to the threats these ecosystems, their wildlife, and our coastal communities face. We focus on sentinel species that are foundational to marsh ecosystems. Using state-of-the art tools and working on multi-disciplinary teams, we advance knowledge to create positive change. Whether we are working to understand how wildlife are utilizing
restored or created habitats, discovering important information about the life needs of declining species, or evaluating marsh response to changing conditions, the marsh is our laboratory and classroom.
Achieving our mission to promote appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of wetlands and coastal ecosystems through our programs in research, conservation, and education would not be possible without every individual who supports us. More than half of our funding is from individual donors with gifts, large and small, that drive our excellence.
Thank you to each of you who support our work. The future is bright because of our friends and donors, like you, who are fueling our mission and providing hope for a future filled with lush marshes, healthy coastal ecosystems, abundant wildlife, knowledgeable stewards, and caring and engaged communities.
Notes From a Nest Box: A Successful Swallow Season
by Meghan Kolk, Conservation Scientist, and Devin Griffiths, Marketing & Communications Specialist
If you've ever visited us here, you've likely seen the gourd towers on our back lawn and the rectangular wooden boxes spread around the property, and you may have wondered who they're forand more importantly, whether or not they work.
These are nesting structures for two of North America's most exicting aerialists - Tree Swallows and Purple Martins. We've been monitoring these species since 2016, and this year's results were the best ever.
Tree Swallows
All 10 of our nest boxes housed Tree Swallow pairs, who raised 43 fledglings. 91% of their hatchlings reached fledge age. This year, we constructed new, larger boxes to accommodate Tree Swallows and their large broods, and also identified more favorable locations for them, which contributed to their success.
Fun Fact
• Tree Swallows can supplement their insect diets with fruits and berries - something no other swallow can do
Purple Martins
We have 24 nesting gourds on site, and they were all occupied by pairs of these gorgeous swallows. They successfully reared 90 fledglings, and 94% of the Purple Martin nestlings reached fledge age.
Fun Facts
• Purple Martins eat and drink strictly on the wing; they skim the surfaces of water sources and scoop up water with their bills
• In the eastern U.S., they breed almost exclusively in humanmade houses
Partnership & Collabor ation: A Cornerstone of Excellence and Innovation in the Seven Mile Island Innovation Lab
by
Steve Rochette, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director, The Wetlands Institute
No one organization can solve the most complex or difficult societal and environmental issues. Moving beyond the status quo and taking bold action is not always neat and linear. Thus, it’s no surprise that the work to beneficially use clean, dredged sediment to enhance drowning marshes has only been possible through extensive partnership and collaboration. More than five years ago, the Seven Mile Island Innovation Lab (SMIIL) founders – the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of New Jersey, and The Wetlands Institute –came together to change this and make progress to restore and enhance drowning marshes, while managing navigation in the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway. It could clearly be a win-win situation with benefits across the board, if we could pull it off.
SMIIL is a test bed and think tank to advance and improve dredging and marsh placement techniques in coastal New Jersey. Located within the 24 square miles of marshes and bays behind Seven Mile Island, SMIIL has become a proving ground for using sediment to provide uplift and enhanced resilience for ecosystems and coastal communities.
Each of the founding partners had its own unique charges and missions but
they were complementary to solving problems. The Army Corps had the funding and need to clear navigation channels with limited places to put sediment. They also had a renewed focus on dredging innovation and knew that sediment had significant ecological value. The State of New Jersey owns and manages thousands of acres of vulnerable marshes and has a strong interest in the co-benefits that
healthy marshes provide for wildlife, public recreation, and our coastal communities. The Wetlands Institute has a mission to promote understanding and stewardship of marshes and the expertise and knowledge of salt marsh systems and environmental factors to help plan, monitor, and move projects forward in ways that are most beneficial to the marshes and wildlife that depend on them.
Through partnerships, design, construction, monitoring, and adaptive management, SMIIL efforts have leveraged maintenance dredging to complete 8 projects totaling more than 85 acres and trialed a suite of nature-based solutions including elevated nesting habitat creation (Ring Island and Great Flats), and marsh edge protection, mudflat creation, and marsh enhancement (Sturgeon, Gull and Scotch Bonnet Islands).
SMIIL partners have worked with numerous other federal, state, and local government agencies; nonprofits; academia; consultants; and, of course, the dredging industry. There are more than 30 scientists working in SMIIL with the help of a 50+ member Working Group. The knowledge being gained here is being rapidly shared for implementation elsewhere.
Trusted partnerships with a focus on creating change for the betterment of our marshes and coastal communities is at the core of the work of SMIIL. New Jersey is now a national leader in beneficial use projects using sediment for marsh restoration thanks in large part to the work happening right here.
Luing Family Internship Program
Coastal Conservation Research Interns
Amanda Lyons, Research & Conservation Coordinator
This summer, five Coastal Conservation Research Program interns contributed their passion, energy, and exciting insights to our work. Interns participated in long-term monitoring of Diamondback Terrapins and coastal birds, conducted independent projects that deepened our understanding of coastal wildlife, developed essential skills in the field and lab, and built connections and memories that will last a lifetime. We were particularly fortunate to have two second-year interns to share their experience and expertise with our new arrivals.
Returning intern Darby Brant investigated trends in barnacle occurrence on Diamondback Terrapins. Her research determined that barnacle infestation has increased significantly since 2020, and highlighted potential health risks associated with barnacles that are located posteriorly or intrude into terrapins’ shells. Returning intern Kaycee Doherty explored nest site characteristics preferred by coastal birds in natural marsh, enhanced marsh, and marsh areas targeted for dredged material placement this autumn. Kaycee found that to keep their eggs safe from flooding, Clapper Rails strategically build nests higher in the grass when ground elevation is lower. Abigail Hemric examined the effects of elevation, soil type, and vegetation on Diamondback Terrapin nest site selection to inform future planning for restoration of the Salt Marsh Trail. Her work clarified the elevation threshold above which terrapins
Educating While Engaging
Brooke Knapick, Director of Educational Program Development
This year’s Luing Family Internship Program Environmental Education Interns spent 12 weeks leading public education programs and interacting with visitors of all ages, while braving the mud, bugs, salt water, and sun to create the best visitor experience possible. They worked hard and through it all developed the skills needed to continue their careers in the environmental education field. Each year, interns are asked to develop and implement an education project of their choosing that is personally and/or institutionally beneficial. The development of individual projects assists them in honing skill sets that are essential to creating fundamentally successful programs or initiatives within the field of environmental education.
Emily Cook (Bucknell University) enhanced the Seashell Sunday program by introducing a new identification guide titled, Seashell Sunday: Common Beach Finds. Using Canva, a graphic design software platform, this booklet will be distributed at the end of the Seashell Sunday presentation and be available for download as part of the Virtual Wetlands Experience on The Wetlands Institute’s website. Kaelin Drey (Stockton University) created Conservation Conversation, a two-part Science Feature series, focusing on two keystone species present in salt marsh ecosystems, the Northern Diamondback Terrapin and the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab. Created using Prezi, an interactive presentation software, Conservation Conversation aspires to influence visitors to create a positive impact on our
choose to nest. Logan Stewart assessed the prevalence of the Terrapin Fluke, an intestinal parasite, in Diamondback Terrapins, collaborating with our Jeannie Morris Fellow, Garrett Maggio, who is researching the parasites. Logan determined that parasite load is generally lower than it was in 2014, and parasite occurrence is similar between Stone Harbor and Avalon. Mary Castellani studied foraging patterns of American Oystercatchers on Delaware Bay beaches and created an interactive web narrative to share the findings of the ongoing Delaware Bay Oystercatcher Project. This web narrative will be available soon on our website!
ecosystems. Paige Jarocki (University of Delaware) developed a new Creature Feature focusing on coastal nesting birds that will be the premiere Creature Feature on World of Wings Wednesday, a new conservation-themed programming day debuting in Summer 2025. The presentation will include an interactive PowerPoint Presentation, a variety of bird artifacts and live prey animals available in the Secrets of the Salt Marsh Aquarium at The Wetlands Institute. Gregory Maccarone (Rowan University) created the overarching theme of World of Wings Wednesday. Seeing this idea from concept to reality, Greg developed the title and marketing for the program along with a specialty Salt Marsh Safari activity and eight alternating bird crafts to provide both education and enjoyment to visitors.
2024 CCRP Interns, L to R: Abigail Hemric, Kaycee Doherty, Mary Castellani, Logan Stewart, Darby Brant.
2024 EE Interns, L to R: Emily Cook, Paige Jarocki, Kaelin Drey, Gregory Maccarone.
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Thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success!
Hosted by
- Presenting SponsorsTHE DILLER FAMILY AND FOUNDATION
LARRY L. LUING FAMILY FOUNDATION
Archer & Greiner P.C.
Avalon Flooring
Burke Subaru
Drs. Timothy & Rosemary Clay
Hays Sheet Metal
High Hopes Farm
The Mottola Group
PSEG
RJ Soens Group / Compass RE
Seven Mile Times
John & Amy Swanson
Jon Tullis
Washington Inn
The Wermuth Family
Laura Wilson & Mark Menting
- Bronze Level -
AKRF
Atlantic Capes Fisheries, Inc.
Avalon Home and Land
Owners Assn.
Brandywine Developers, Inc.
Brown & Brown Insurance
Ray & Ellen Burke
Cold Spring Fish and Supply Co.
Concentus Wealth Advisors
Cooltronics, Inc.
CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC
James J. Donohue & Carol A. Mager
Fleming Wealth Management
Hafetz & Associates
Lois & Barry Hamilton
Deborah & Michael Hays
Lund’s Fisheries
Phil & Fran McCabe
OceanFirst
PMI Saltwater
PM Pools & Spas
Jane Rakestraw
RBC Wealth Management / The Boland Investment Group
Scarborough Marine Group
Hank & Julie Schellenger
Schultz & Williams
ShopRite of Hunterdon County
Lenore Tedesco & Nancy Fribley
Amy & Philip Welsh
Westside Meats
Autumn Happenings
As we head into “Locals Summer” down at the shore, The Wetlands Institute is open daily from September 3-20, 2024. Unless otherwise stated, all activities are free with admission and occur onsite at The Wetlands Institute. For more information, visit wetlandsinstitute.org/events.
Salt Marsh Safari
11 AM & 2 PM Daily
Watch our award-winning film, Secrets of the Salt Marsh, then join us for an interpretive marsh walk along our elevated walkway and onto the dock overlooking Scotch Bonnet creek!
Creature Feature
12:30 PM Monday & Friday
During this live animal presentation, get up close and personal with turtles, fish, crabs, sea stars and urchins, mollusks, horseshoe crabs, or the popular animals of Finding Nemo
Aquarium Feeding
12:30 PM Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday
Help us feed the local marine life! We will open up feeding three times each week so you can see the octopus eating crabs and the horseshoe crab gobbling shrimp.
Tidepool Shop
Catch o’ the Day
Wednesday 12:30 PM
Get your feet wet (or wear waders!) as you discover what swims in the back bays. Help us drag seine or dip nets through the water to find crabs, shrimp, fish, and more.
Seashell Sunday
12:30 PM Sunday
Seashells at the seashore! Join us to learn all about seashells, how to collect them without harming the environment, and touch an assortment of live mollusks and cool artifacts.
Winter hours and activities start September 23, 2024. Starting then, The Wetlands Institute will be open on Saturday and Sunday only. Please check our website calendar for programming updates as we transition from autumn to winter hours.
Our Tidepool Shop is home to a wonderful variety of nature-themed books and gifts, local artwork inspired by the shore, and wearable items that express your love for all things wild.
Our lightweight hoodie is perfect for early autumn days, or layering on cooler nights. It's a super-soft blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester, and features a terrapin image drawn by our own Tidepool Shop Manager Kimberly Dmytro. She also designed our new Diamondback Terrapin mug, which fits comfortably in the hand and is ideal for holding your favorite hot beverage.
At 3½ inches long, our pewter horseshoe crab is perfect for adorning your beach-house bookshelf... and it was designed specifically for us, so you won't find it anywhere else! And why carry a field guide when you can wear one! This heavier, cotton-rich T-shirt features illustrations of all the herons you're likely to encounter down at the shore - and they're done in eco-friendly water-based ink, for a lighter impact on the planet.
Come on in and check out the Tidepool Shop. It's open every day from 9:30am to 4:30pm through September 20, 2024. Starting September 23, we will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Can’t visit us? Call and purchase by phone, or browse online at tidepool-shop.myshopify.com 24/7! We will ship your purchase anywhere in the United States.
A non-profit organization studying, preserving, and protecting wetlands and coastal ecosystems 1075
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.
