The SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group was recently awarded a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to continue installing agricultural, stormwater, and riparian reforestation projects across an expanded geographical area. Now the SCMUA-WRWMG will be able to utilize NJDEP funding to work throughout all of Sussex County’s watersheds w

To celebrate the successful restoration of Sparta Glen Brook last year, the WRWMG and Trout Unlimited are organizing a free fall event for the whole family.  All are welcome!

Location: Sparta Glen Park (located off of Glen Road in Sparta)

Date: October 21, 2017 Time: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Activities Include:

-Dedication Cere

The Pope John Middle School Robotics Club recently worked with the WRWMG to learn how to properly manage stormwater on the school’s campus. Through hands-on science labs and a stormwater walk around the building, students were able to see how stormwater flows across the parkin

The protective tree shelter surrounding an American sycamore that was planted along the Paulins Kill River five years ago is getting ready to be removed. The tree shelters are designed to have a perforated seam that begins to split when the tree’s diameter is wide enough to survive

The Wallkill River Watershed Management Group organized a week long stormwater day camp fo

Kristine Rogers of the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group and Reenee Casapulla of the SCMUA recently worked together to design the 2017 county building display at the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show. The display focused on the SCMUA’s recycling program and the WRWMG&r

Kristine Rogers, Education Specialist for the SCMUA-WRWMG, recently worked with volunteers and staff of the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge to assist with their Nature Rocks summer day camp for children ages 8-12. During this 8-week program, participants learn about a diverse range of topics related to nature including, orienteering, kayaking, fishing, wildlife photograp

Pope John Middle School Robotics Club members participated in an educational field lesson led by the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group. Through games, discussion, and hands-on activities, the stud

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation recently awarded the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group funding to build green infrastructure stormwater management projects at Memory Park in Newton and at McKeown Elementary School in Hampton.

While traditional stormwater management practices are designed to quickly move rainfall away from buildings and roads through pipe

Are you a college graduate looking to get your foot into the environmental field? Then, the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador program may be for you!

As a watershed ambassador, you will be required to complete 1700 hours of service over a 10 to 12 month period in which you will conduct

Amanda Hayes, AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador for the Wallkill River Watershed, recently organized a water chestnut pull at Wawayanda State Park. Participants kayaked and canoed around Lake Wawayanda and removed invasive water chestnut plants by hand. Without volunteer assistance, wate

Local Girl Scouts, High Point High School students, and family members of the WRWMG recently participated in a litter clean-up at Wheatsworth Park in Hardyston as part of national

Members of the Fred S. Burroughs Chapter of Trout Unlimited recently participated in a Mosquito Control Awareness Litter Clean-Up that was organized by the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group, Sussex County Clean Communities, and the Office of Mosquito Control.

Participants listened to a

To celebrate national Mosquito Control Week, the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group has teamed up with Sussex County Clean Communities and the Sussex County Office of Mosquito Control to organize litter clean-ups throughout the county. Join us at a clean-up location near you to he

Three gray tree frogs (Hyla versicolor) were recently spotted camouflaged on a log and in the rocks at a USDA-NRCS wetlands reserve program restoration site. The animals were utilizing the newly installed shallow water habitat pools. Shallow water habitat pools are intended to be season

The WRWMG recently organized a ribbon cutting ceremony at McKeown Elementary School in Hampton Township to celebrate the successful installation of its first rain garden at the school. Event

Click on the following link to purchase tickets for the rain barrel workshop:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rain-barrel-workshop-make-and-take-tickets-35138408927

7th grade students in Mrs. Botti’s life science classes recently worked alongside the WRWMG to plant 500 sycamore and gray birch saplings provided by the NJ Tree Foundation. The trees were planted behind the Sparta Middle School in an area next to the Wallkill River.

Students at McKeown Elementary School in Hampton Township participated in a rain garden maintenance day with the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group. The students assisted the WRWMG with weeding and mulching the garden and laying down river stone. The day’s work helped to

20 Merriam Avenue Elementary students in 1st, 2nd, and 4th grade recently worked alongside the SCMUA-WRWMG to plant native trees and shrubs in Newton’s Memory Park. The students also learned how people cause water pollution by littering, over fertilizing their lawns, and not picking up their pet’s waste. Students then brainstormed ways that they can reduce the amoun

On May 30, 6th and 7th grade Halsted Middle School students participated in a litter clean up at Memory Park in Newton. The event was organized by Amanda Hayes, AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador, with assistance from the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group.

Bags of garbage

Yesterday, The Nature Conservancy and the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group hosted a tree planting day along the Paulins Kill River for 13 Selective Insurance employees. The workers were given an opportunity to have a paid work day to participate in community service projects

Advanced Placement Environmental Science students at High Point Regional High School participated in a streamside tree planting day at Wantage Dog Park. Amanda Hayes, the WRWMG’s AmeriCorps NJ Watersh

Amanda Hayes, AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador for the Wallkill River Watershed, organized a rain barrel workshop at the Fairgrounds for the Master Gardeners of Sussex County. Amanda highlighted the benefits of rain barrels for decreasing the amount of polluted stormwater that enters loca

The Open Space Institute, with funding provided by the William Penn Foundation as part of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, sent a film crew to Sussex County to tell the story of the Paulins Kill Reforestation Corridor and the SCMUA-WRWMG's work with other conservation partners and community volunteers. Click here to view the video

K through 12th grade Girls Scouts from the Wallkill Valley Service Unit (Ogdensburg, Hamburg, Hardyston, and Franklin) recently assisted the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group with tree planting along the Paulins Kill River, helping to extend the 4 mile reforestation corridor that adjoi

To celebrate Take Your Child to Work Day, the WRWMG’s partners at The Nature Conservancy organized a tree planting day along the Paulins Kill. Children and employees from both orga

The Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority and the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group recently hosted their 12th annual Earth Energy Day Celebration at the SCMUA’s Recycling Faci

The Sussex County Chapter of Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs recently participated in a tree planting event with the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group. The planting took place along a tributary to the Paulins Kill River at Hidden Pastures Alpaca Farm in Branchville, NJ. Over time, the tree planting will help stabilize water temperature fluctuations, helping to imp

Three Sussex County Community College (SCCC) environmental science lab classes recently participated in a tree planting event at the Sussex County Civil Defense Center across from the Sussex County Library. The students planted 300 trees and shrubs along a tributary to the Paulins Kill. The

Photo Credit: Matthew Gizzi

The WRWMG is proud to announce the continuation of its Earth Day Celebration in partnership with Sussex County Community College and Halsted Middle School.

The WRWMG recently hosted a maintenance event at Memory Park for members of the New Jersey Youth Corps and Trout Unlimited. As part of the event, the volunteers p

On St. Patrick’s Day, Nathaniel Sajdak of the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group had the honor of presenting at the New Jersey Land Conservation Rally alongside Barbara Heskins Davis of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey and Bill Rawlyk of the Open Space Institute. Their presentation

The Wallkill River Watershed Management Group is extremely excited to announce that the New Jersey Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (NJCWRP) has pledged an additional contribution of $20,425 to help fund the continuation of its Wallkill River Floodplain Reforestation Initiative.

The Wallkill River Watershed Management Group has had tremendous success with the implementation of its riparian reforestation, stormwater management, and agricultural outreach and assistance programs. H

2016 was a tremendous year for the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group in terms of on-the-ground restoration projects, community engagement, and conservation partnership building. Take a look at some of the many highlights from the past year!

<

300 native trees and shrubs have been planted on the commercial property behind Chatterbox Drive-In, helping the staff of the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group and The Nature Conservancy meet the fall planting requirements of their restoration grant. The next time you&rsq

The Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group recently teamed up with the Sussex County Division of Engineering and representatives of the Office of Bridge and Tra

The Wallkill River Watershed Management Group recently planned and coordinated a restoration work day for the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors. As part of the event, watershed ambassadors from throughout New Jersey travelled to Sussex County to learn about the benefits of planting tr

Members of the Fred S. Burroughs North Jersey Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Hacklebarney Chapter of Trout Unlimited joined the staff of the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group,The Nature Conservancy, and the Open Space Institute out in the field to assist with the expansion of the P

Students in Dr. Larsson’s environmental science class at Sussex County Community College recently participated in an outdoor lab at Ideal Farms in Lafayette to learn how farming operations can make decisions to protect natural resources, like soil and water. Eric VanBenschoten and Kris

Kindergarten-6th grade students at McKeown Elementary School in Hampton Township assisted the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group with the installation of a rain garden on the school’s property. Rain gardens are vegetated depressions that are planted with native plants to treat

Sparta High School ecology students recently assisted the SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group with the first fall planting day of the 2016-2017 school year. In the course of one day, the students were able to plant over 400 native saplings along the Wallkill River through the generous suppor

As an extension of the work completed in spring 2016, Trout Unlimited has again partnered with the Wallkill River Watershed Management Group to coordinate fall planting activities at Sparta’s Glen Brook Park. Th

The Wallkill River Watershed Management Group recently conducted a presentation for the members of the Crystal Springs Nature Club. The presentation focused on the work of the WRWMG and ways that community members can become involved in restoration work throughout Sussex County. The WRWMG looks forward to bringing the club’s members out to the Sussex Branch Trail to tour

The Delaware River Watershed Initiative is a regional effort led by the William Penn Foundation aimed at encouraging over 50 different conservation organizations to work together to protect and restore significant portions of the Delaware River Basin. Through work in eight targeted regions of the water

Come out to the NJ State Fair in Augusta, NJ on Monday, August 8 to participate in Green Day 2016. As part of this environmentally-themed day, ecological organizations from Northern New Jersey will educate attendees about the work of their organizations and ways that participants can make their lifestyles more ecologically-friendly. With interactive displays, different environme

Kristine Rogers, Watershed Education and Outreach Specialist for the WRWMG, recently attended the Environmental Leadership Program’s Delaware River Watershed Network, sponsored by the William Penn Foundation. Through twelve days of training and peer mentoring, the program helps emerging envi

The SCMUA-Wallkill River Watershed Management Group has designed an educational display at the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show to inform local residents about the work of the WRWMG. The display highlights upcoming projects led by the WRWMG and its partnership networks, including a stormwater management rain garden project at McKeown Elementary School and reforestation floodpla

The SCMUA-WRWMG has partnered with Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program to install stormwater management and green infrastructure projects on the campus of Marion E. McKeown Elementary School in Hampton Township. By capturing stormwater runoff from the rooftop and parking lots