by Dr. Lenore Tedesco, Executive Director
As we roll into another summer down at the shore, I am reminded once again how lucky we are. Summer is a time of incredible energy, and The Wetlands Institute is buzzing with excitement and discovery. Our education programs are peaking with summer visitors, visitor programs, guided nature walks, and on-the-water kayak, paddleboard, and Skimmer tours – and the undergraduate interns are here bringing their own burst of energy to the season.
The research and conservation department is very busy working with the interns on their projects, working on terrapin conservation efforts, monitoring the salt marsh response to restoration efforts, coordinating the reTURN the Favor program volunteers and conducting horseshoe crab surveys, stewarding the beaches to protect beach nesting birds and educate the public on their needs, and working on several grant-funded projects to track and understand the needs of wading birds on the marsh islands and along the Delaware Bay.
While we are truly busy all year ‘round, summer brings a different busyness. In many ways, it’s the time when all of our efforts come together in a fantastic display of connections. It’s a wonderful time to be at The Wetlands Institute because the sense of community and connections are felt by all of us. Schoolchildren releasing the diamondback terrapins they helped care for throughout the year is truly a treasured time when they take steps toward becoming stewards of these fragile marshes and make lasting connections to this community of caring. The gleeful ah-ha moments joyously shared (often loudly) by children in Summer Nature Programs are always a delight and make me hopeful for a future filled with environmentally aware and engaged protectors of these special places. The bonds and connections formed among undergraduate interns in both the Environmental Education and Coastal Conservation Research Program are remarkable as they discover the impact they can have by their personal actions, which is a testament to the importance of these opportunities, and watching how they develop over the course of their work is inspiring.
There are so many ways that The Wetlands Institute’s work, programs, and the opportunities we provide collectively build a community of caring and stewardship. It’s really magical, and the most incredible part is that everyone can be a part of it. Whether it starts with a visit, guided walk, participation in a program, volunteering, or purchasing a membership, TWI is a welcoming place that is just waiting for you to be a part of the community of education, conservation, and caring that brings lifelong enrichment to all that join us. Come for a visit and join our community. If you are already a part of the community, bring a friend and give them the gift of community, too.