Dear Friends; Like you, we are all just beginning to find our footing in this uncertain time. The Wetlands Institute Board of Directors and Staff hope that you and everyone in your family are staying healthy and well during this unprecedented situation in our lives. If you haven't already done so, and it's allowable where you are, spend some time...

by Danielle Meeker Home to some incredible creatures, the Aquarium is an ever evolving and changing place. As Aquarist, it is my responsibility to provide our animals with the best possible care. Often times, the quality of animal husbandry is dependent on equipment. In the past few months, with the use of newly received endowment funds from the...

by Danielle Meeker With fond memories of being an Environmental Education Intern at The Wetlands Institute (TWI), it is with much excitement and fulfillment that I take on my new permanent role as Aquarist/Environmental Educator. As a longtime summer resident of Wildwood, interning at TWI combined my emerging passion for both Environmental...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director It’s 2020, and we’re kicking off another great year at the Institute. We had so much to celebrate in 2019, our 50th Anniversary. It was a wonderful year when we all took time to learn more about our history and reconnect with old friends who make up the fabric of this great organization. I continue to be...

by Devin Griffiths These days, there's a change in the air. It carries the breath of spring and the promise of warmth, evening light, and renewal. There’s something else, though, and for many it fills the air with a sense of electric anticipation: Spring migration is almost upon us. Birders everywhere are gearing up for one of nature’s great...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director It’s hard to believe but fall is here. I know it’s true because the marsh is no longer green but instead a mosaic of green, brown, tan, purple, and red. Some of the winter birds have taken up their residence in the marsh, while some of our summer friends are still here. It’s that special time of year so...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director As our year of celebrations for the 50th Anniversary comes to a close, it’s fitting to reflect upon the remarkable legacy of research and conservation that underpins the impact of The Wetlands Institute. During the conceptualization of The Wetlands Institute and for all the years since, the critical need...

by Christina Faulk This summer, in our 50th year, The Wetlands Institute introduced our first ever endowment campaign. An organization with a great history as strong as ours surely also has a promising future. Thanks to you, the 50th Anniversary Endowment Campaign is close to reaching its goal of raising $3.5 million to secure that future. To...

Now and Into Our Future, by Dr. Lisa Ferguson These days at The Wetlands Institute, when we set off to conduct our research, we see the ties to our history in everything around us. From the expansive, green acres of salt marsh that are protected thanks to our founders’ vision and the many individuals who supported this quest; from the 20-year-old...

Coastal Conservation Research Program We spent a productive and fun summer with the interns in the Coastal Conservation Research Program. The interns spent time on the marshes, beaches, and roads contributing to our ongoing monitoring projects; delved into independent research projects of their own; and gained new experience with data collection...

My name is Erin Rawls and I am the new Outreach Coordinator at The Wetlands Institute. I was born and raised in sunny Clearwater Florida, and grew up exploring the mangroves and beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Growing up in Florida meant experiencing a lot of unique wildlife, including actually seeing an alligator crawl out of the sewer! I...

A Haven For Weary Wanderers, by Devin Griffiths These days around the marsh, there’s change in the air. As I write this, summer has just started to wane, the edges of the light shifting away from the harsh brightness of mid-year towards the more subtle tones of autumn. The Osprey chicks are just shy of fledging, juvenile Yellow-crowned...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director The Wetlands Institute is securing our future through the 50th Anniversary Endowment Campaign. Achieving our $3.5 million goal will allow us to invest in the people and programs that define The Wetlands Institute and our future. We are well on our way to achieving and even surpassing our goal. We are...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director On June 22, 2019 more than 300 of our friends and supporters joined us on a glorious day in celebration of a wonderful milestone – the 50th Anniversary of the founding of your Wetlands Institute. For 50 years, this organization has had remarkable, positive impact in this community. In fact, the vision and...

Meet Samantha Collins Sam joined The Wetlands Institute as a Research Scientist in early April. Before arriving she served as the Refuge Ornithologist at Rockefeller Refuge researching avian species of concern to better inform conservation, management and restoration. She served as a biologist with the Bird Banding Laboratory where she managed...

Coastal Conservation Research Program The 2019 Coastal Conservation Research Program interns have been fully immersed in their summer at the Institute, learning new skills, contributing to our projects, and developing their own individual studies: Tully Frain*, University of Connecticut Zachary Hulmes+, University of Rhode Island Jamie Infanti*,...

The Wetlands Institute is pleased to announce our 50th Anniversary Endowment Campaign to raise $3.5 million. Our 50th Anniversary is an ideal moment in our history to seek endowment support, and building our endowment is the most important investment we can make. Staying true to our mission, we will invest in the people and programs that define...

by Amy Swanson, Supporter I grew up in a small blue-collar town outside Philadelphia. Most families had both parents working to make ends meet, and some lived in poverty. If college was a goal, then a scholarship was needed. I had a passion for science that started early. In elementary school I wanted to know how things worked. In junior high I...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director It’s spring in the wetlands and the marshes are vibrant and full of life. So too is the Institute, with the undergraduate interns settled in for a remarkable learning experience and personal discovery. Visitors come in every day to learn about this wonderful environment, and grandparents, parents and...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director Fifty years ago, the founding of The Wetlands Institute marked a milestone in the history of the conservation movement. In 1969, Herbert Mills and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) made a stand for wetland protection on a national stage, and they did it here in South Jersey. Mills, then WWF Executive...

Stone Harbor, NJ (April 22,  2019) – The Wetlands Institute (TWI) and Ørsted U.S. Offshore Wind (Ørsted) are pleased to announce a partnership to execute this year’s “ReTURN the Favor NJ” project, an annual campaign that is implemented by TWI and partnership organizations to support recovery of the state’s horseshoe crab population. Each spring...

The Wetlands Institute and Sturdy Savings Bank reaffirmed Sturdy Savings Bank’s commitment to supporting The Wetlands Institute’s mission of promoting appreciation, understanding and stewardship of wetlands and coastal ecosystems through our programs in research, conservation and education.

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director It’s 2019, and it’s a very special year for all of us at The Wetlands Institute. This is the year we are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Institute’s founding. The milestone is providing a perfect opportunity for us to look back at the remarkable history of the organization and celebrate all the...

by Brooke Knapick, Director of Educational Program Development As The Wetlands Institute prepared to celebrate its 25th Anniversary, Education leadership at the time wrote the following: “What are The Wetlands Institute’s plans for the next twenty-five years? What roles are we planning to play in the field of research, education and conservation?...

As we celebrate 50 years since the founding of The Wetlands Institute, it is an opportune time to explore our roots, and reflect upon our journey.