Creating a Lasting Connection

by Jessica Ward, Wetlands Institute Supporter

Every summer since I was born, I’ve stayed with my family in Stone Harbor, and in those twenty-one summers, there has never been a year that did not include countless days visiting The Wetlands Institute. When I was young, my parents and I would spend any sunny day walking down the path to the water, keeping an eye out for diamondback terrapin nests and hoping we would get to see an Osprey. If it were a rainy day, I’d spend hours looking at the fascinating animals in the aquarium and learning as much as I could about them from the kind staff. In any conditions, a trip to the Institute was something that would make my day better.

As a college student focusing on environmental science, hearing about the important work being done to restore the marshland and aid endangered species is something I look forward to. I recently had the opportunity to volunteer for a horseshoe crab walk hosted by the Institute where I helped record population numbers and aid crabs that had been flipped over. It was a cold and rainy Friday night, but in that moment, I could not think of anything I would’ve rather been doing. It was so fulfilling to be out on that beach with those incredible animals, and that was all possible because of the Institute. The Wetlands Institute has given me incredible experiences my entire life, and I support them because I want everyone to have not only those opportunities, but a healthy, beautiful environment to enjoy them in.