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Institute Grant Archives

The information on this page pertains to Watershed Institute grants and grantees from years past. For information from 2009 or earlier, please contact the Program Coordinator at [email protected]

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce our 2020-2021 project grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide a little over $30,000 in project funding to four New Jersey organizations. Given impacts to organizations by COVID-19, it was determined that all projects chosen would be fully funded. As with previous grant cycles, projects funded this year seek to move toward a stronger, healthier New Jersey through the implementation of our Targeted Actions.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the summaries below. We also look forward to having these grantees present their projects and lessons learned at the end of 2021.

Camden City Garden Club
Youth Empowering Watershed Education & Action ($6,219)
For the second year, The Watershed Institute will be funding part of this paid-internship program for Camden youth. This program will inform and educate youth about water conservation issues, training them in practical ways to share their education with residents, civic groups, and local officials, while providing the tools to sustainably address water quality issues within their community. The youth in this program will function as Watershed Ambassadors to Camden, facilitating ongoing education of substantial segments of the city’s population. From contributing in community gardens to Children’s Garden water exhibits, students will share water conservation, environmental science knowledge, and skills with the community as they work to protect and conserve water in Camden neighborhoods. They will also be providing fresh fruits and vegetables for approximately 5,000 residents in Camden where, due to the pandemic’s effects, food insecurity has become even more prevalent.

Great Swamp Watershed Association
Virtual Water Quality Education Programming ($8,500)
This program will help Great Swamp Watershed Association obtain equipment and training necessary to virtually deliver high-quality educational water quality programming throughout the Passaic River region. Multiple learning and presentation methods will facilitate program delivery during COVID as well as in the future. The training and equipment will also help the organization deliver programming to a broader range of students in the long term. Often students in underserved communities like Paterson and Newark do not have the funding for busing and extended field trips to areas like the Great Swamp. Virtual educational programming will help these students better understand their connection to their local waterways and be advocates for environmental justice and clean water in their communities. By working with teachers, providing materials such as data sheets, dichotomous keys, and food web constituent data before the lesson, the staff can collect water quality data in the field and stream it live (macroinvertebrates and all) into the classroom or onto students’ laptops.

Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership
Citizen Science Monitoring for Pathogen Indicators: Lower Raritan River ($8,500)
This project will advance the work of the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership in communicating civic science-gathered water quality data at non-swimming public beach access sites. This data will help inform the public and decision makers about recreation around these sites. The Lower Raritan is actively used for fishing, boating, and in some cases, swimming at public access points. However, there is limited information about pathogen levels at these sites that have a direct effect on human health. Having access to pathogen data during the spring and summer is critical for people to make informed decisions about recreating on the water. Specifically, the project will support the continued development of outreach, educational, and interpretive information for the Spanish speaking community. Analysis of water quality data, triangulated with land use and other data, will help better frame impacts and inform future study areas.

Musconetcong Watershed Association
Tracking HABs in unmonitored recreational waters in the Musconetcong Watershed ($8,472)
The headwaters of the Musconetcong River, Lake Hopatcong, experienced blooms in 2019 that threatened recreational safety and economic stability. With training and professional grade equipment, the Musconetcong Watershed Association River Watcher volunteers and staff could help NJDEP identify more sites with potential HABs, notify landowners and the public, and reduce impact to people, livestock, and wildlife. Much of the lower Musconetcong Watershed is agricultural land, and a number of farms have small ponds that livestock and/or wildlife have access to. Farm ponds contaminated with fertilizer run-off or direct manure and urine contamination are prime places for algae to thrive. The Musconetcong Watershed Association will work in partnership with North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development to help provide information for local farmers on HABs and their effects. They will also test these ponds and help local farmers determine if they need to call NJDEP. Volunteers will also learn how to collect data at sites of concern, using sampling equipment, and pass it on to NJDEP.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce our 2019-2020 project grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide $30,000 in project funding to six New Jersey organizations. As with previous grant cycles, projects funded this year seek to move toward a stronger, healthier New Jersey through the implementation of our Targeted Actions.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the summaries below.

American Littoral Society
Connecting through the River ($3,000)
Stories will be shared from communities of people of diverse cultural backgrounds so that bridges may be built between how we can all connect to our rivers and how we can all participate in protecting them.

Camden City Garden Club
Youth Empowering Watershed Education & Action ($5,500)
This program will inform and educate youth about water conservation issues, training them in practical ways to share their education with residents and local officials, while providing tools to sustainably address water quality issues within their own neighborhoods.

NJ Tree Foundation
NJ Tree Foundation Pruning Parties ($3,000)
The pruning parties will educate residents in the CSO communities of Camden, Gloucester City, Newark, and Trenton about the importance and purpose of green infrastructure while teaching them how to complete green infrastructure maintenance and providing them with tools to apply the lessons learned.

Rahway River Watershed Association
Rahway River Water Quality Monitoring and Public Engagement ($8,000)
The Rahway River Watershed Association will recruit and train a volunteer stream team to conduct macro-invertebrate sampling and visual assessments along sections of the Rahway River.

Sourlands Conservancy
STREAM (Sourland Team of Resource, Ecology, and Aquatic Monitors) Phase 2 ($5,000)
Building on the first phase of STREAM, funded during the 2018-2019 grant cycle, phase 2 of STREAM will train and certify volunteers to collect Tier III data on aquatic macro-invertebrates and conduct habitat assessments. The information gathered will then be submitted to NJ DEP.

Teaneck Creek Conservancy
Teaneck Creek Conservancy Restoration Educational Outreach ($5,500)
The purpose of this project is to explain the construction and restoration taking place by Bergen County at Teaneck Creek Park. Teaneck Creek Conservancy is responsible for disseminating educational resources about the environment and plans to educate communities about Stormwater Canyon as THE demonstration project for stormwater management practices in the region.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce our 2018-2019 project grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide nearly $34,000 in project funding to five New Jersey watershed organizations.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the summaries below.

Great Swamp Watershed Association
Addition of Microplastics Sampling to GSWA Water Monitoring Protocol ($10,000)
This purpose of this project is to design a protocol for monitoring microplastics in the non-navigable waters of New Jersey. This monitoring protocol will be used to conduct two rounds of microplastics sampling in the Great Swamp Watershed, and will be shared with other environmental organizations.

Lake Hopatcong Foundation
Homeowners’ Guide to Lake-Friendly Living ($3,450)
This project will build off of relationships from the lake groups of neighboring states, as well as the Jersey-Friendly Yards Program, to gather accumulated knowledge and create a customized Homeowners Guide to Lake-Friendly Living for residents of the Hopatcong watershed.

Musconetcong Watershed Association 
Mudsnails in the Musconetcong: Engaging Stakeholders to Limit Environmental Risks ($6,900)
This project aims to encourage proactive approaches toward addressing the recent discovery of invasive New Zealand Mudsnails in the Musconetcong River. A review of existing data as well as additional sampling will be conducted to determine the extent of the invasion and the impacts to stream ecology. Musconetcong Watershed Association will also work with the recently established Aquatic Invasive Species Decontamination workgroup to establish an agreed-upon decontamination procedure, as well as distribute public education materials.

South Jersey Land and Water Trust 
Expansion of River Friendly Program ($7,270)
Building off of a Watershed Institute grant from the previous year, this project will extend the geography of South Jersey Land and Water Trust’s River Friendly School program, as well as expand the appeal of the program offerings by incorporating Next Generation Science Standards into the lesson plans.

Sourlands Conservancy
STREAM: Sourland Team of Resource and Ecology Monitors ($5,800)
This project will establish a Sourland Stream Monitoring Program to monitor priority sites in the Sourland Mountain region. Initial assessments will monitor habitat quality and macroinvertebrates. Results will be presented in a white paper, shared through public presentations, and used to strengthen baseline data in the event of potential future impacts such as development and pipelines.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce our 2017-2018 project grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide nearly $48,000 in project funding to six organizations from across New Jersey.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the summaries below.

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space
Building Partnerships and Awareness for Water Resource Protection ($4,621)
This project will involve the conversion of two mowed lawn detention basin into native wildflower meadows. Grant funds will be applied toward staff time for project planning, as well as educational signage at each site to inform the public and encourage broader adoption of basin conversion projects by both public and private landowners.

Great Swamp Watershed Association
Enhancement & Expansion of Downstream Water Quality Monitoring ($10,000)
This project expands the current water quality monitoring program offerings of GSWA and supports new relationships with downstream communities. Toward this end, a new monitoring site will be added in Livingston, NJ, and a five-week bacteria monitoring parameter will be added to three downstream sites. Additionally, a “Test the Tap” program for local residents will be launched in three downstream communities. Results will be shared in a public presentation as well as an annual Water Quality Report Card.

Natural Resource Education Foundation of New Jersey
Experience Jersey Friendly Yards at the Lighthouse Center ($3,821)
This project aims to increase awareness and participation in the Jersey Friendly Yards program by residents of the Barnegat Bay watershed, and thereby reduce polluted stormwater runoff. Towards this end, a free four-part workshop series, as well as tours of local Jersey Friendly Yards, will be offered to both residents and local municipal officials.

Rahway River Watershed Association
Water Quality Assessment and 5-Year Monitoring Plan ($9,800)
This project will involve improving the availability of water quality data for the Rahway River watershed and developing a long-term water quality monitoring plan. The Rahway River Watershed Association will establish and train a water quality monitoring team to conduct visual assessments, and conduct a systematic review of existing water quality data for their watershed. The results of these two activities will be summarized in a draft water quality assessment report and the organization’s first annual water quality report card. This knowledge will in turn be used to create a 5-year water quality monitoring plan.

Save Barnegat Bay
Save Barnegat Bay EcoCenter Nonpoint Education of Municipal Officials ($10,000)
This project will organize a four-part educational workshop series for municipal officials in the Barnegat Bay watershed who are interested in solving nonpoint source pollution by using green infrastructure and other best management practices to naturally capture, hold and infiltrate stormwater. The workshop series will be based on the National Nonpoint Education of Municipal Officials (NEMO) Network outreach program.

South Jersey Land and Water Trust
River Friendly School Program ($9,676)
This project will adopt the River Friendly School Certification Program in New Jersey’s Lower Delaware watershed region. One pilot school will be certified, and outreach will be conducted to solicit future school applicants.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce our 2016-2017 project grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide nearly $52,000 in project funding to six organizations from across New Jersey.

As with the previous grant cycle, projects funded this year are consistent with the priorities identified as a part of our recent strategic planning efforts and seek to move toward a stronger, healthier New Jersey through the implementation of our Targeted Actions.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the summaries below!

Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
CU Maurice River Watershed Stewards Program – Phase II ($10,000)
After successfully kicking off a watershed stewardship outreach campaign in the Maurice River watershed last year, CU Maurice has been awarded a grant from The Watershed Institute for a second consecutive year in order to launch the next phase of their project. This year the project will move from education toward implementation. In addition to presentations and outings related to topics such green infrastructure and stormwater management, residents and local businesses will also be offered the opportunity to receive recognition for putting their knowledge into action! Through CU Maurice River’s 2017 Eco-Friendly Property Certification Program, residents and businesses who successfully implement eco-friendly management projects will be able to receive certification through three separate tiers, as well as a plaque to display in commemoration of their achievements. For more information, contact Karla Rossini at karla.rossini [at] cumauriceriver.org

Great Swamp Watershed Association
Downstream Expansion of GSWA Water Quality Monitoring ($10,000)
The Great Swamp Watershed Association will expand their water quality monitoring program to include four downstream sites along the Passaic River that currently lack adequate monitoring. The territory served under this expanded mission will be the 55 square miles of the Great Swamp Watershed, plus the 80 miles of the Passaic River from Millington Gorge to Newark Bay. The new data will be added to the organization’s annual Great Swamp Watershed and Upper Passaic River Water Quality Report Card, thereby making local water quality data more readily available to residents, municipal officers and other stakeholders. Great Swamp will also host two public education events to share their results and to discuss issues affecting the Passaic River, as well as one “how-to” workshop focused on watershed stewardship projects. For more information, contact Sally Rubin at srubin [at] greatswamp.org or visit greatswamp.org/blog/2017-stream-monitoring-agenda

Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership
Developing a “State of the Lower Raritan Watershed” Report ($10,000)
The EPA-Rutgers Raritan River Project recently compiled data related to historic sources of pollution within the Lower Raritan Watershed, but this information remains difficult to access and place into the context of specific community concerns and actions. Working with this EPA data and other data sources, the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership will establish a baseline statement of historic pollutant impacts and present a summary “State of the Lower Raritan Watershed Report” which will be available online and distributed to municipal leaders and watershed stakeholders. This project will also result in the creation of a metadata infrastructure for reporting future Lower Raritan Watershed data, and pave the way for future projects such as a volunteer water quality monitoring program, a sample analysis plan, and a green infrastructure feasibility study. The organization will conclude their project with a State of the Watershed presentation to engage local stakeholders and generate data-to-action steps. For more information, contact Heather Fenyk at hfenyk [at] lowerraritanwatershed.org

Musconetcong Watershed Association
Building Public Consensus: Collecting Water Data with Citizen-Built Sensors ($9,000)
The Musconetcong Watershed Association will expand water flow data collection on the Musconetcong River by initiating a pilot community science project to build and deploy a low-cost sensor— designed by Stroud Water Research Center— with the assistance of the Raritan Valley Community College engineering faculty and students. There are currently only two USGS streamflow gages on the Musconetcong River. The new sensor will measure water flow and effluent dilution levels downstream from a wastewater treatment plant. This data will help to both inform the public on how lake level management and weather conditions influence downstream flow and water quality, as well as to garner public support for green infrastructure and stream restoration projects. Educational materials and signage will be produced, and the sensor data will be displayed on the organization’s website and distributed to local municipalities in a summary report. For more information, contact Alan Hunt at alan [at] musconetcong.org

South Jersey Land and Water Trust
Breathe Life Back into SJLWT Monitoring and Public Education Programs ($9,910)
This project will revive the Oldmans Creek Watershed monitoring program and examine how the watershed has changed since the South Jersey Land and Water Trust last gathered data ten years ago. Local volunteers will be recruited and trained to collect water quality data. With this data, staff will produce educational material to be shared online, and conduct public presentations on the state of the watershed in local schools and townships. The data will also be used to identify cleanup needs and support strategic habitat restoration, green infrastructure and land preservation project proposals. For more information, contact Christine Nolan at cnolan [at] sjlandwater.org

Whippany River Watershed Action Committee, Inc. 
Rain Garden Education Project at Municipal Library ($2,500)
This project will provide public education related to a rain garden installation at a local municipal library. In addition to signage that will be installed near the rain garden, there will be several stormwater management lectures hosted at the library and educational material will be made available online. This project will support a larger goal of enhancing public knowledge and interest in green infrastructure and stormwater management. For more information, contact Arthur Vespignani at art724 [at] aol.com

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce our 2015-2016 project grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide nearly $43,000 in project funding to six organizations from across New Jersey.

As with the previous grant cycle, projects funded this year are consistent with the priorities identified as a part of our recent strategic planning efforts and seek to move toward a stronger, healthier New Jersey through the implementation of our Targeted Actions.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the map summaries below! [Expertise Grantees are listed at the bottom of the page.]

Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
Empowering Citizens to Become Maurice River Watershed Stewards” – $7,953
CU Maurice will begin an intensive outreach campaign to generate awareness and to educate riverfront property owners, along with other landowners in the watershed. This program aims, via community workshops, events, and outreach materials, to encourage environmentally friendly property management techniques that will benefit local water quality. This educational campaign will pave the way for the development of a River Friendly Resident certification program.

Flat Rock Brook Nature Association
Flat Rock Brook Water Quality Monitoring Program” – $2,500
This project seeks to improve Flat Rock Brook’s water quality monitoring protocols, and to educate students and volunteers on proper monitoring procedures in order to compile (and subsequently share) information that will lead to improved understanding of the local watershed. Students and core volunteers will participate in water quality testing efforts for a local pond and the brook on a seasonal basis and promote their findings to the broader community.

Great Swamp Watershed Association
SWaMP – School Water Monitoring on the Passaic” – $10,000
Great Swamp will expand the geographic scope of their SWaMP program for high school and college students, which provides hands-on experience with water sampling and analysis, as well as a personal connection to the river and a deeper understanding of how the health of local waterways impacts the environment. This year’s program will also be expanded to include a civics component for the students following data collection and analysis.

New Jersey Tree Foundation
Camden/Newark Treekeepers: Workshops and Booklets – $9,500
Through a series of workshops and informational materials, this initiative will empower New Jersey residents as urban forestry stewards. There will be a strong emphasis placed on the impacts and benefits of trees on local watersheds, including the role of trees as a component of green infrastructure and the importance of long-term tree maintenance to improve watershed health. This year’s workshops will also include the development and distribution of tree care booklets to encourage proper maintenance of trees as urban green infrastructure.

Save Barnegat Bay
This Way to Barnegat Bay!” – $8,249
Through in-class lessons and teacher training workshops, Save Barnegat Bay will provide hands-on learning experiences to students of Ocean County, and provide valuable resources for educators to continue the program in their own classrooms in the future. These age-appropriate lessons have been correlated to the Next Generation Science Standards and it is anticipated that they will reach hundreds of students in the coming year. This project will specifically target those schools that have minimal access to the Bay through other means, whether because of distance or budget cuts that have restricted field trips.

Whale Pond Brook Watershed Association
Restoring a Watershed: A Community Takes Action” – $4,750
Whale Pond Brook will develop and host a series of informational workshops designed to educate adults and teenagers about the importance of the local watershed. These workshops are meant to inspire attendees to take action that will ensure the survival and maintain the beauty of the Whale Pond Brook watershed, and encourage participants to become a voice for the environment and their communities. Session topics include an overview of watershed ecosystems, rain gardens as stormwater management, macroinvertebrate sampling, and advocating for your watershed.

Expertise Grants

Musconetcong Watershed Association – $500 External Expertise
To increase the accessibility of water quality information by translating materials and signage into Spanish

Great Swamp Watershed Association – $500 Internal Expertise
To sponsor staff attendance at the 2016 New Jersey Land Conservation Rally

Delaware River Steamboat Floating Classroom SPLASH – $280 Internal Expertise
To sponsor staff attendance at the 2016 Watershed Congress along the Schuylkill

Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership – $500 Internal Expertise
To sponsor staff attendance at the 2016 Urban Waters Federal Partnership Training

Save Barnegat Bay – $400 External Expertise
To increase the climate resiliency of beach access point restorations through coordination with a native plant specialist

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce the 2014-2015 grantees! Through the generosity of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Institute was able to provide approximately $42,500 in project funding to nine organizations from across New Jersey.

Over the past year, with input from watershed organizations, expert peers, conservation allies, and our funder, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Watershed Institute taken on the process of strategic planning in an effort to better serve the needs of New Jersey’s watersheds, as well as the organizations that work to protect them. The projects funded this year are consistent with the ideals and priorities identified as a part of those efforts, and the Watershed Institute looks forward to a successful grant cycle.

Learn more about the awardees and their projects through the summaries below!

Cooper’s Ferry Partnership   $1,500
“Camden SMART Initiative Forum”
The Watershed Institute has provided funding to sponsor speakers at the 4th Annual Camden SMART (Stormwater Management and Resource Training) Initiative Forum, to be held in the City of Camden in March of 2015. More information about the Camden SMART Initiative can be found here.

Great Swamp Watershed Association   $6,850
“Great Swamp Passaic Municipal Alliance” 
Great Swamp Watershed Association will work to engage, educate, and encourage collaboration among the members of the newly formed Passaic Municipal Alliance, which includes a variety of municipal stakeholders from across the watershed. GSWA will provide a series of water-themed presentations to Alliance members at meetings, which will be supplemented by print and web-based resources

Hunterdon Land Trust   $5,127
“Natural Resource Management and Public
 Outreach”
Hunterdon Land Trust will target private landowners to increase local awareness of the threats to water resources and what actions residents can take to protect those resources. This project will focus on topics like removing invasives and replacing them with native species, wetlands restoration, erosion control, etc. Outreach efforts will include an educational video series, volunteer events, and the Hunterdon Land Trust Community Map.

Lake Hopatcong Foundation & Musconetcong Watershed Association   $10,000
“Communicating Water Quality Data through Watershed Report Cards and Outreach” 

The Lake Hopatcong Foundation and the Musconetcong Watershed Association will work collaboratively to develop a watershed report card format that can be used as a tool to engage and educate the public about water quality. Once the format is developed, each organization will insert their own collected water quality data and use the report card in their stakeholder outreach efforts.

New Jersey Tree Foundation   $4,000
Camden Tree Keepers
The New Jersey Tree Foundation will host a series of Tree Keeper workshops for residents in Camden who have participated in or are interested in participating in the organization’s street trees program. These workshops will focus on providing residents with the knowledge and tools they need to protect and maintain local street trees, and the importance of green infrastructure in urbanized watersheds.

NY/NJ Baykeeper   $5,965
Green Infrastructure Workshop for Property Owners and Stakeholders”
In conjunction with Rutgers University and Newark DIG, NY/NJ Baykeeper will host a workshop within the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission Sewershed to educate property owners and builders about integrating green infrastructure practices into new and existing construction practices.

Rahway River Watershed Association   $5,000
Community Engagement in Stormwater Management” 

Rahway River Watershed Association will work, in conjunction with students from the Seton Hall University Environmental Studies major, to collect information on watershed enhancement projects throughout the watershed, and will target five municipalities to work with on the passage of a stormwater ordinance.

Sourland Conservancy   $4,000
“Sourlands Stewardship Program”
 
The Sourland Conservancy will work to develop a stewardship certification program designed to meet the specific needs and challenges of the Sourland Mountain region. This program will train residents about best practices to protect the diversity of plant and animal species, and to preserve water resources in the Sourlands.

Engagement Grants

Delaware River Steamboat Floating Classroom – $170
Watershed Congress Along the Schuylkill River

Lake Hopatcong Foundation – $435
North American Lake Management Society Annual Symposium

Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership – $190
New Jersey Future Redevelopment Forum

Sourland Conservancy – $150
2015 ANJEC Environmental Congress

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce the six grantees of the 2013 – 2014 funding cycle of the Watershed Institute Grant Program, which was made possible by funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Learn more about our 2013-2014 grantees using the project summaries below

Bergen SWAN (Save the Watershed Action Network)     $9,150
“Finding Ecological Solutions for Musquapsink and Pascack Brook Flooding”
Bergen SWAN will conduct an assessment to identify potential stormwater improvement and flooding mitigation projects in two municipalities. The resulting inventory report and GIS database will be used for outreach to build community and municipal awareness.

Great Swamp Watershed Association     $15,000
“Expansion of Local Stream Chemical Assessment”
This award will allow Great Swamp Watershed Association to expand chemical water monitoring and simultaneously assess five streams quarterly, including sampling after storm events.

Hunterdon Land Trust     $5,250
“Stewardship of Saeger Preserve”
As part of a larger project, the Hunterdon Land Trust will establish a native wetland and riparian buffer, enclosed with deer fencing. This buffer would result in a variety of benefits, including resiliency to flooding.

NJ Invasive Species Strike Team     $3,386
“Project WISE: Watershed Invasive Species Education”
The Strike Team will partner with at least five watershed groups to educate about local invasive species. They will develop and conduct programs on invasives of concern in each watershed and how climate change may impact invasive species.

Rahway River Association     $12,300
“Reducing Stormwater Flow through Community Awareness”
In collaboration with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program, the Rahway River Association will conduct stormwater management trainings for planning and zoning boards, a rain garden training for the community, and a rain garden practicum for the Rahway River Stormwater Advisory Board, including installation of two demonstration gardens.

South Jersey Land and Water Trust     $10,736
“Climate Smart Habitat Demonstration Projects – Naturalizing Retention Basins”
The SJ Land and Water Trust will implement two demonstration projects to illustrate how to naturalize detention basins and conduct a rain barrel workshop for citizens. Public outreach will include walks of the project sites, a newsletter, and signs.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce the eight grantees of the 2012 – 2013 funding cycle of the Watershed Institute Grant Program, which was made possible by funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The grant program aims to strengthen the capacity and programmatic capabilities of organizations working to protect natural resources in their communities. Learn more about our 2012-2013 grantees using the project summaries below.

Citizens United to Protect Maurice River and Its Tributaries     $5,000
“25 Year Report of Avian Studies on the Maurice River”
CU Maurice River will create and publicize a report based on 25 years of bird survey data. This long dataset allows for a better understanding of changes in the watershed and bird populations. Outreach efforts included strong participation at the Delaware Estuary Partnership’s Science and Environment Summit. .

Crosswick – Doctors Creek Watershed Association     $2,500
“Well Water Testing Initiative”
Crosswicks – Doctors Creek Watershed Association will provide a well-testing service to local homeowners and businesses, with discounts provided to those who sign up as members. The data collected will help provide a clearer picture of groundwater quality locally.

Flat Rock Book Nature Association     $4,500
“Wetland Wonders Educational Program”
Flat Rock Brook Nature Association will develop a wetlands and watersheds educational program for middle school students. New equipment for water quality monitoring will provide hands-on learning for students and important data for the watershed.

Great Swamp Watershed Association     $10,000
“Watershed-Friendly Homes”
With support from the Watershed Institute, the Great Swamp Watershed Association is creating and promoting a watershed-friendly certification program for local homes and families. An interactive website will provide the central piece to this exciting new program.

Musconetcong Watershed Association     $4,513
“Assessment of Habitat, Biological and Chemical Changes Resulting from Removal of Hughesville Dam”
This project seeks to understand the impacts of removing the Hughesville Dam through pre and post-removal physical, chemical, and biological monitoring. Findings, including photo-documentation, will be provided to diverse stakeholders.

New Jersey Highlands Coalition     $4,000
“SaveH2Onj.org: Know and Protect our Water Supply Website”
As part of a multi-faceted outreach campaign, the NJ Highlands Coalition is creating a website providing a central location for information on the importance of the Highlands to our water supplies and tools to help citizens take action..

New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team     $12,000
“Northern Region Expansion”
The New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team will expand their efforts in northern NJ, particularly the Highlands, developing existing and new partnerships to combat invasive species. The project focuses on education and outreach to land owners, nurseries, outdoor groups, and the general public.

Pinelands Preservation Alliance     $8,200
“Barnegat Bay Ecology and Conservation Curriculum and Professional Development”
The Pinelands Preservation Alliance, in partnership with the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, will develop a Barnegat Bay Ecology and Conservation curriculum for grades 7-12.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce the nine grantees of the 2011 funding cycle of the Watershed Institute Grant Program, which was made possible by funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The grant program aims to strengthen the capacity and programmatic capabilities of organizations working to protect natural resources in their communities. Below is an alphabetical listing of the nine projects that received funding through the 2011 funding cycle.

Flat Rock Book Nature Association     $9,530
“Macfadden’s Wetland Transitional Restoration Project”
Macfadden’s Pond is naturally transitioning into a wetland. In order to ensure that it becomes a healthy ecosystem, Flat Rock Brook Nature Association will create a landscape plan for the transitional wetland area, plant native wetland plants, and monitor for and remove invasive plants.

Great Swamp Watershed Association     $10,000
“State of the Streams”
The Great Swamp Watershed Association will compile, analyze and report on past water quality monitoring data, including biological, chemical, and visual data. The resulting State of the Streams report will be available to local officials, residents, and other organizations.

Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership     $3,000
“River-Friendly Program for the Lawrence Brook Watershed”
Through this project, the Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership will create and distribute a checklist for watershed residents, outlining land management practices they can take to protect and restore the environment.

Musconetcong Watershed Association     $7,500
“River Watcher Stream Characterization in Upper Musconetcong River Watershed”
The Musconetcong Watershed Association will develop a plan for expanding their monitoring work into the Upper Musconetcong Watershed, in order to increase understanding of the water quality and ecological conditions of the area.

New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team     $13,670
“NJISST Fundraising and Communications Planning Project”
The New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team will develop a fundraising and communications plan by establishing annual fundraising goals, creating a development and communications committee, conducting a feasibility survey of potential donors, and creating web-based membership/donor materials.

Raritan Headwaters Association     $5,000
“RHA Communications Plan”
The Raritan Headwaters Association was formed by the merger of the South Branch Watershed Association and the Upper Raritan Watershed Association in October 2011. Through this project, RHA will implement a portion of their merger communications plan by enhancing their new website.

Raritan Headwaters Association     $12,000
“Biological Monitoring Project”
The Raritan Headwaters Association was formed by the merger of the South Branch Watershed Association and the Upper Raritan Watershed Association in October 2011. Through this project, RHA will officially merge the water quality monitoring programs of SBWA and URWA into one.

Sourland Planning Council     $3,046
“Development of a Sourland Planning Council Trustee Leadership Training Program”
The Sourland Planning Council will work with a consultant on training their board members on roles/responsibilities and financial management. This will create a foundation for ongoing board orientation and training.

Whippany River Watershed Action Committee     $17,744
“Streambank Stabilization Design for Urbanized Segment of Whippany River”
Through this project, the Whippany River Watershed Action Committee will work with a consultant to develop a restoration plan for an eroded stream segment, including geographical information systems (GIS) mapping, fieldwork, modeling, and design work.

The Watershed Institute is pleased to announce the eight grant recipients of the 2010 Watershed Institute Grant Program, which was made possible by funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, and the William Penn Foundation. These grant awards aim to strengthen the capacity and programmatic capabilities of organizations working to protect natural resources in their communities. Below is an alphabetical listing detailing their funded projects.

Crafts Creek/Spring Hill Brook Watershed Association     $7,500
“Mansfield Township Residential Stormwater Basin Study”
The Crafts Creek/Spring Hill Brook Watershed Association will work with an environmental engineering consultant to assess existing stormwater basins that appear to be failing, in order to determine if they are functioning as designed and are in compliance with applicable state and local regulations. The results of this study will be compiled into a report with recommendations and presented to the public.

Flat Rock Book Nature Association     $9,625
“Stream and Pond Restoration Project”
Through this project, the Flat Rock Brook Nature Association will survey and record invasive plant populations on their property using GPS (global positioning system) and GIS (geographic information systems). Invasive species will then be removed based on the surveying, and native plants will be installed near removal areas to help create a seed bank of native plants.

Great Swamp Watershed Association     $6,650
“GSWA’s Chemical Assessment Program”
Great Swamp Watershed Association will initiate the first year of a 3-year chemical water quality monitoring effort on the Upper Passaic River. Sampling will occur quarterly at 6 sites, with the assistance of trained monitoring volunteers.

Pequannock River Coalition     $8,460 
“Pequannock River Coalition Seeds Program – Phase 2”
Under a 2009 grant, the Pequannock River Coalition surveyed and removed populations of the invasive plant Japanese knotweed in Riverdale’s Appelt Park. For this project, they will continue to monitor the site for knotweed, and will plant native trees and shrubs in the areas where knotweed has been removed in order to restore habitat and prevent the knotweed from returning.

Pinelands Preservation Alliance     $8,100
“Black Run Community Engagement & Stewardship Project”
In order to increase awareness and stewardship of the Black Run Preserve, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance will create a Preserve map/brochure, hold community meetings, lead Preserve hikes, and hold cleanups on the Preserve. Additionally, they will work with local residents to advocate for zoning changes and protection efforts in the Black Run headwaters.

Rancocas Conservancy     $10,580
“Establishing a Scientific Database to Benefit Conservation and Organizational Growth”
Rancocas Conservancy will inventory habitat types, flora, and fauna on their North Branch property as a prototype for future preservation efforts. Inventory protocols will be developed, and data will be collected and recorded in database.

South Jersey Land & Water Trust     $14,619
“Riparian Buffer Restoration Program”
Through this project, the South Jersey Land & Water Trust will launch a new riparian buffer restoration effort. Working with a variety of project partners, SJLWT will design and conduct 3 riparian buffer restoration projects, to include native plantings and erosion control methods. Volunteers will be recruited to assist in plantings and educational information will be created.

Upper Raritan Watershed Association     $20,000
“Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team – Somerset County Initiative”
Through this project, the Upper Raritan Watershed Association aims to increase the presence of its Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team in Somerset County. URWA will conduct outreach activities and trainings in the county in order to bring in new partners. Working with new and existing partners, properties will be surveyed for emerging invasive species and invasive populations will be removed.

Thank you to the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for making this small grants program possible!

Weston Dam Flagged for Removal

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