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.

Stone Harbor, NJ - On February 17, 2019, The Wetlands Institute is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of its founding. The non-profit organization has a mission to preserve, protect and steward wetlands and coastal ecosystems and fulfills its mission through programs in research, conservation and education.  The Wetlands Institute was founded...

by Brooke Knapick Environmental education for our youth is key to ensuring a future for the wetlands and coastal ecosystems. For many years, The Wetlands Institute has maintained long-standing partnerships with local schools in both Middle Township and Ocean City. Beginning in 2016, we extended these partnerships to include schools...

by Dr. Lenore TedescoThis summer, I wrote about the sea of plastic and its impact on marine life. I spent a lot of time working with the Boroughs to craft appropriate ordinance language and educate the councils on the issues. I also challenged everyone to do something about it by finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle in our daily...

by Evelyn Rider, Herbert Mills Legacy Society Member Having been a member of the Wetlands Institute for nearly 20 years, I decided to include The Wetlands Institute in my estate planning. The natural world of the shore is both enjoyable and important to me. As a young child, I loved being outside! Nature was a big part of my life. My...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director As I write this column, the monarchs are migrating and the marsh has taken on a multitude of colors reminding us of the changing seasons. By now, you all know that my internal clock is tuned to the annual cycles of migrations and changing patterns of vegetation. As a geologist by training, I...

by Dr. Lenore TedescoMilestones are significant and here at The Wetlands Institute we are about to celebrate a milestone. The Wetlands Institute turns fifty in 2019. Fifty years is a notable achievement and especially for a small non-profit. It’s a great time to reflect on the past and also to look to the future. It’s a wonderful opportunity to...

Coastal Conservation Research Program It was a busy, muddy summer with the Coastal Conservation Research Program interns. We were able to learn so much through their contributions, and had a great time doing it! The crew of six– all undergraduates or recent graduates – helped us collect data to monitor diamondback terrapins, coastal birds,...

In July, Quest for the Best Foundation awarded the Institute with a two-year grant of $82,698 to support the Diamondback Terrapin Conservation program. Grant funds are in support of the headstarting program, mark and recapture work, intern support and the Terrapins in the Classroom Program. The grant also provides funds to support the expansion...

by Brian Williamson In an effort to fill gaps in our knowledge of behavior and survival of juvenile terrapins, we initiated a telemetry study to track movements of head-started juvenile terrapins this summer. We are partnering with Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT), a wildlife tracking company based in Cape May County, New Jersey, to test the...

by Anne Galli For 50 years the Wetlands Institute has been moving forward founder Herb Mill’s vision for a coastal research, conservation and education facility supported by a community convinced that coastal wetlands are of paramount importance. Step by step, day-by-day, project-by-project. Some of the initiatives have been consistent, ongoing...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director Another summer is screaming by. Part of me can’t believe it’s going by so quickly, while another part of me is excited by all the wonderful accomplishments of the team here. Hundreds of children are exploring the marsh and beach and connecting to nature through Summer Nature Programs. Thousands of...

Jamie is our new Manager of Advancement, and helps coordinate fundraising and marketing efforts at TWI. Her passion is connecting people with environmental issues, encouraging them to support projects which impact quality of life and the environment. A marketing internship, and then entry-level positions with environmental nonprofits taught her...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco I often wonder about my role, my contribution, my impact. Perhaps it’s because I think about the impact the average American lifestyle has on the environment so much that it has become alarming. I am talking about our disposable society, and the starkest, in your face awareness comes when you actually open your eyes and look...

by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director For the past 4 years, scientists at The Wetlands Institute have been working as part of a project team that includes the US Army Corp of Engineers, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, The Nature Conservancy and many others working to understand if we can provide ecological benefit to marshes...

It’s mid-May as I muse. It’s been a busy few weeks for me – 4th annual native plant sale, World Series of Birding, Return the Favor Horseshoe Crab rescue walks, the Conservation Wine Series release with Jessie Creek Winery, and the Spring Shorebird and Horseshoe Crab Festival. All of these opportunities reconnect me to the natural world and to...

by Brian Williamson As the weather warms up and vacationers begin to arrive, local turtles, especially nesting diamondback terrapins, will be on the move as well. Here are some guidelines for what to do, and not do, if you see a turtle this summer. Be aware of turtles on roadways. If you see a turtle on the road, carry it across in the direction...

by Deborah A. Hays, Chair of the Board of Trustees I have had a special relationship with The Wetlands Institute for decades, both visitor and volunteer. Every time I step onto the Institute’s grounds I am amazed by the bustling activity. Whether it is butterflies and birds filling the gardens, ospreys raising their chicks, children exploring...

by Kimberly Dmytro “There is nothing quite like the new Tidepool Shop at The Wetlands Institute…” – Camperways, September 1991. Nearly 30 years ago the Tidepool Shop and Front Desk were one and the same. In 1990, because of a generous grant in memory of William Millar, the Tidepool Shop expanded into it’s current space, at the heart of the main...

Yay! Spring! I have always felt connected to nature and that connection extends to the changing of the seasons. The rhythm that accompanies the earth’s cycles as the days get longer and the sun gets brighter permeates the Institute. It feels as if the marsh is stretching and coming awake from a long slumber. While we haven’t had the luxury of a...

Every spring, Delaware Bay host the largest concentration of spawning horseshoe crabs on the Atlantic Coast. Surveys estimate 300,000-1,300,000 horseshoe crabs annually come ashore onto NJ Bayshore beaches and are in greatest numbers during spring tides in May and June. Their population has been significantly reduced from overharvesting and...