April E-News

Happy Earth Day! 
GSWA'S NEW WEBSITE
We are so excited to announce that GSWA's brand new interactive website went live this Earth Day, April 22. We encourage you to explore the new site to learn all about the Great Swamp Watershed and Passaic River. Some highlights include:  
We Have a Winner!
 
With a long, last leap, Lucy the Leopard Frog was the first to splash down in the vernal pool, winning our 2017 Earth Day Frog Derby.

Congratulations to Lucy, and to all those lucky supporters that sponsored our "Jersey Girl." You will be joining GSWA staffers on an exclusive, behind-the-scenes hike through the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.

We thank you all for your generous contributions and want you to know that everyone who supported our frogs is a winner because you benefit from the programs and activities that GSWA undertakes to protect and improve our waters and lands.

There is still time to help GSWA even though our "phibs" have completed their journey. We are close to the sponsorship level that will get us a 100% match from our anonymous donor. But you have to sprint to the finish line with us now, so that we are at that level by midnight tonight, Saturday, April 22. So please help, your donation will be doubled if we reach our $5,000 goal tonight.
Do You Have A Pool In Your Yard?
Credit: Liz West
By Jim Northrop, GSWA Volunteer
 
I mean a vernal pool ---- not a swimming pool (the man-made, permanent, in-ground facility, where the water source is human, not just from nature). Even if you do not have a vernal pool of your own, we need to appreciate the value they bring to us.

Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands created from local surface water runoff. They are covered by shallow water for variable periods from winter to spring, but may be completely dry for most of the summer and fall. The N.J. Div. of Fish and Wildlife estimates that 3,000 -- 5,000 vernal pools occur annually in New Jersey.

GSWA HOUSE TOUR TO FEATURE GLYNALLYN CASTLE
You're invited to GSWA's 2017 Home & Garden tour, taking place on Wednesday, June 21.

This year's tour will spotlight the Glynallyn Castle, a 32,000 square foot mansion in Morris Township that has been carefully restored in recent years. Full of secret passageways and even a dungeon - this remarkable 66 room home will captivate your imagination. Register here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Watchung Reservation Hike,4/26
 We will be explore scenic gorges, visit the remnants of the deserted village of Feltville, and hike alongside the Blue Brook.

Open Space for Storm Resiliency, 5/9
Learn how the restoration and transformation of urban residential areas can improve flood storage potential.

Great Swamp Scavenger Hunt,5/20
We will provide you with a route to travel, questions to answer, and a list of treasures to find throughout the 55-square-mile Great Swamp Watershed and Passaic River region.
 
Stream Assessment
Stream Assessment Training, 5/21
Learn all of the skills necessary to conduct visual and biological stream assessments. Afterwards, you'll be ready to join our elite group of Stream Team volunteers. 

Great Swamp Watershed Association  Great Swamp Watershed Association - GreatSwamp.org
Protecting our waters and our land for more than 35 years

ph. (973) 538-3500 * e. [email protected] * w. GreatSwamp.org
Street Address: 568 Tempe Wick Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 300, New Vernon, NJ 07976