by Sue Slotterback For the past seven weeks children ages 4 through 13 have been having fun getting wet and muddy. They’ve made animal costumes and had a parade, created a project for the Cape May County 4H Fair, presented a whale puppet show, caught fiddler crabs,...

The summer flies by fast when you are immersed in research and conservation projects (and mud and sand…) at The Wetlands Institute. From late May through early August, CCRP interns design and conduct independent research projects, contribute to annual data collection...

by Dr. Lisa Ferguson This year, we were grateful to recognize all the contributions Homer Wesolowski has made to The Wetlands Institute – and our conservation and research projects - with the 2017 Citizen Conservationist Award. In 2011, Homer Wesolowski came to The...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco It's fall in Cape May and that means one thing – it’s time for the great migrations of wildlife headed south. Cape May sits in one of the world’s great migration corridors and in addition to being on one of these great highways, our area is also...

by Carole Forte In 1969, Herbert Mills, then Executive Director of the World Wildlife Fund, founded The Wetlands Institute to draw attention to the dramatic losses of wetlands and the threats that their loss posed to society. The Wetlands Institute has for nearly the...

Shelby Schmeltzle is our new Aquarist and Environmental Educator. She graduated in 2016 from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. Since graduating she has been worked up and down the east coast from Mystic, CT to the Florida...

by Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director The triangle near 118th St between 3rd Ave and Dune Drive has been transformed into an oasis for butterflies, songbirds, hummingbirds, and pollinators of all types. Thanks to a collaboration between the Borough of Stone Harbor’s...

by Allison Anholt, Research Scientist Extra high tides during the new moon in May, combined with warm water temperatures and high sustained winds caused mass strandings of spawning horseshoe crabs on the Delaware Bay over Memorial Day weekend. The water overflowed the...

by Dr. Dottie Ives-Dewey, Trustee My family’s roots in Stone Harbor and Cape May County date back generations to when my maternal grandparents, Hugh and Dorothy Grove, purchased their house on 104th street. Some of my earliest memories include trips to the shore with...

by Allison Anholt The beaches of Seven Mile Island are beautiful beaches. Characterized by tall dunes, shells galore, and nice swimming opportunities, they are attractive to people as well as many species of nesting birds. We are lucky to share our beaches with some...

I joined the Wetlands family in April as the new Outreach Coordinator. I graduated from Stockton University in 2013, with a BS in Marine Science, and a concentration in Marine Biology. While in college, I started my marine biology career as an aquaculturist. From...

Stone Harbor, NJ, May 4, 2017 – The Wetlands Institute has been awarded a $23,700 grant from the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) as a part of the Fund’s focus on reversing the decline of at-risk wildlife around the world. The conservation grant recognizes The Wetlands...

by Samantha Sorbello The common octopus is one of the more interesting inhabitants of our local waters. Typically found offshore, these animals are often caught as bycatch by commercial fishermen. Both in the wild and in captivity, octopus are masters of disguise...

by Sue Slotterback An annual ritual is about to commence along our shoreline. It’s time for the migration and spawning of horseshoe crabs. Known as a “living fossil”, horseshoe crabs date back more than 450 million years! They are closely related to spiders, ticks,...

For nearly 50 years, The Wetlands Institute has conducted important research, undertaken science-based and informed conservation measures, and used science as a basis for our education programs. All of us at The Wetlands Institute value science and understand the...

A Global Day of Giving November 29 To protect them To inspire them To save them The Wetlands Institute has joined #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to...

As a Wetlands Institute Summer Docent, every Wednesday morning from May to September, Stuart Friedman, can be found leading the Avalon Dune and Beach walks at 48th Street and Dune Drive. During these walks, Stu is informative, passionate and committed to educating the...

by by Sue Slotterback, Environmental Educator For several years the headlines have touted the Monarch population is in decline from a series of devastating events and practices. And that’s true for most of the Midwest; however, the news isn’t as dire here on the East...

by Samantha Sorbello, Aquarist / Environmental Educator When you walk through the marsh, you have probably noticed small, round holes in the mud that are home to the fiddler crab. Three species of fiddler crabs, Uca pugilator, U. pugnax, and U. minax are found in...

by Brian Williamson, Research Scientist After many years of being legally harvested in New Jersey, we are very happy to announce that a bill has been passed to officially remove diamondback terrapins from the game species list. The bill was originally proposed in...

Taking the Pulse of the Marsh Wetlands and coastal ecosystems are incredibly dynamic with change being a constant characteristic. Superimposed on their rhythmic changes are intensified pressures related to climate change, sea level rise, and intense human use. As the...

by Allison Anholt, Research Scientist   Taylor Tedesco, Beach Steward Coastal birds such as piping plovers, American oystercatchers, terns, skimmers, and many migratory species of shorebirds use our local beaches in order to roost, forage, and raise young....

Can Dredge Materials be Beneficial to Marshes? by Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director Recently, there has been a lot of talk about opportunities to utilize dredge materials for environmental benefit, especially to help restore wetlands. Scientists at the Institute have...

by Roberta Dean When reading The Wetlands newsletter this winter, I was drawn to the news about this year marking the 25th Anniversary of the Diamondback Terrapin Conservation Project. I immediately realized what that meant to me -- I would be preparing for my 25th...

by Samantha Sorbello Visitors to the aquarium will notice a new exhibit in The Secrets of the Salt Marsh - The Culture Corner. This exhibit invites guests to explore the microscopic world of plankton and learn more about the organisms that make up the base of marine...