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Getting Things Done Before 2021!
Thursday, December 24, 2020
Although the pandemic kept the WRWMG from hosting its typical in-person community outreach events, it didn’t stop our staff from working hard to complete projects that improve the health of our local rivers and streams! Here’s a look back at what we accomplished in 2020:
- WRWMG completed a porous asphalt paving project in partnership with the Newton Public Schools. Additional porous paving will take place in spring 2021.
- WRWMG completed a rain garden enhancement project at Swartswood State Park and began its first stormwater management project at Sussex County Community College by planting trees and shrubs in a stormwater detention basin on campus. Rain garden construction at SCCC is set to begin in spring 2021.
- WRWMG received approval to construct rain gardens at Sussex Tech and High Point High School. Both projects at planned for construction in 2021.
- WRWMG Education Specialist developed a virtual environmental curriculum for parents and teachers.
- Completed a concrete waste storage facility and covered heavy use area at a local Wantage farm that is designed to prevent cattle waste from contaminating the nearby wetlands
- WRWMG Watershed Director was awarded the DAR Conservation Award.
- Tree maintenance continued at the Paulins Kill reforestation corridor project: WRWMG staff removed 876 and 2,292 stakes off of mature trees this year.
- The Wallkill River Watershed Management Group and The Nature Conservancy planted trees along the Paulins Kill River at 2 new sites in Stillwater.
- WRWMG completed Phase 4 of its Woodbourne Park tree planting project along the Papakating Creek in Wantage. 1,000 trees have been planted since the project began in 2017.
- WRWMG welcomed a new AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador. Even though she only began her term of service in September, she has already organized a successful litter clean-up in Newton’s Memory Park.
- WRWMG Education Specialist partnered with DreamGirls, an organization that aims to educate middle school girls about STEM career options.
- WRWMG received a combined total of $293,000 in funding from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NJ Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, the Watershed Institute, and NJ Future.
- WRWMG helped organize the 2nd annual Northwest NJ Rivers Conference that had a total of 275 participants.