AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program

10/03/2023

Ambassadors got to visit their Host Agencies for the first time! Seems like they had great first days!

Looking to partner with the Watershed Ambassador for your area? Visit our website to find their contact information: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm

We are still looking to fill WMA 6, SWP N, and SWP S. Visit our recruitment website for more information: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey

09/26/2023

Ambassadors received more training at the Forest Resource Education Center, including the beloved Enviroscape!

They spent the day learning about projects, presentations, and the Enviroscape from their Team Leader, Cameron Shapiro.

AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection NJDEP’s Water Resource Management

09/22/2023

Ambassadors had a great time at Project WET training this week! They spent the day learning about different activities that they can bring into classrooms throughout their watershed!

Thank you to Pat Heaney of The Watershed Institute for such a great workshop! Another thank you to Jeff Hoagland for a tour of the Butterfly House!

Looking to book an ambassador for your classroom? Visit our website to find contact information for your local ambassador: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm

AmeriCorps New Jersey AmeriCorps New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection NJDEP’s Water Resource Management

09/21/2023

What a fantastic end to our training at Stokes State Forest! Ambassadors spent their final day practicing stream assessments and learning about freshwater mussels.

Thank you to Robert Somes from NJDEP Fish and Wildlife for teaching us about mussels!

A final BIG thank you to Erin Stretz of The Watershed Institute for teaching us all about streams, and for the School of Conservation and Stokes State Forest for hosting us! We are truly thankful for your invaluable assistance to our program!

AmeriCorps New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection AmeriCorps New Jersey NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation

09/18/2023

Another great day of stream training at Stokes State Forest! Ambassadors spent the day learning more about stream assessments and macroinvertebrates. These ambassadors are macro masters!

Thanks again to Erin Stretz of The Watershed Institute for her stream assistance and Stokes State Forest and the School of Conservation for hosting us!

NJDEP’s Water Resource Management AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation

09/15/2023

Stream training is off to a great start! Ambassadors spent their first day at Stokes State Forest learning all about high gradient stream assessments and bonding with group activities.

A big thank you to Erin Stretz of The Watershed Institute for her assistance and leadership during these training days!

Another thank you to the School of Conservation and Stokes State Forest for hosting us!

AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation

09/13/2023

Ambassadors spent this 9/11 National Day of Service attending a clean up. Thank you to our ambassadors and AmeriCorps for honoring the sacrifices of those we lost and those whose lives were forever changed.

Special thank you to NJWAP alum and Palmyra Cove Nature Park Naturalist and Educator Mason Kramer for his leadership and help in organizing this event!

With all of our combined efforts we were able to remove about 16 bags of trash from Palmyra Cove Nature Park!





AmeriCorps New Jersey NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

09/13/2023

Welcome new ambassadors! 🥳

Ambassadors had a great first day of service at Monmouth Battlefield State Park! They spent the day learning about the program and bonding with a scavenger hunt!

🤔What advice do you have for our new cohort?

08/30/2023

🌚

SUPER BLUE MOON
As we know, the full moon is when the moon appears completely illuminated, an occurrence that happens monthly.
A ‘blue moon’ is the term traditionally used to describe an "extra" full moon, in a year which has 13 full moons instead of 12. One lunar cycle (the time it takes the moon to repeat its’ cycle), takes 29.53 days. There are 365 days in a calendar year, or roughly 11 more days more than 12 lunar cycles. The extra days accumulate and then every two or three years, there is an extra full moon in the year.
The blue moon is typically defined as the third full moon in a season that has four full moons.
A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon comes closer to Earth in its elliptic orbit and can appear up to 15% larger and 30% brighter. This may happen a few times per year.
A super blue moon occurs when both things happen- the third full moon in a season with four, as well as the moon in close range from the earth. These happen on average, every 10 years, though the next one is not until January 2037.
The super blue moon will rise on the night of Aug. 30, at 9:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

08/28/2023

We have filled all of our full time positions at this time, but we are still looking to fill several part time positions. Please share with anyone who might be interested!

08/25/2023

💦 We are now accepting applications for our next term of service!

🚨Please share!

We are excited to announce that our full time position living stipend had gone up $10,000 for a total of $25,000 distributed biweekly over the 10 month term! 💰

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

Why be an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field
✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills
✅Learn field work and citizen science methods
✅Enhance your ability to manage programs and events
✅Build your professional network
✅Increase your knowledge of local and state government
✅Make lasting friendships ❤️
✅ and more!



New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection NJDEP’s Water Resource Management AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey

08/22/2023

Save on NJ sales tax when you shop certain supplies during the sales tax holiday. For a list of eligible items, visit bit.ly/NJsalestaxholiday

08/21/2023

💦 We are now accepting applications for our next term of service!

🚨Please share!

We are excited to announce that our full time position living stipend had gone up $10,000 for a total of $25,000 distributed biweekly over the 10 month term! 💰

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

Why be an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field
✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills
✅Learn field work and citizen science methods
✅Enhance your ability to manage programs and events
✅Build your professional network
✅Increase your knowledge of local and state government
✅Make lasting friendships ❤️
✅ and more!



NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey

08/17/2023

💦 We are now accepting applications for our next term of service!

🚨Please share!

We are excited to announce that our full time position living stipend had gone up $10,000 for a total of $25,000 distributed biweekly over the 10 month term! 💰

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

Why be an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field
✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills
✅Learn field work and citizen science methods
✅Enhance your ability to manage programs and events
✅Build your professional network
✅Increase your knowledge of local and state government
✅Make lasting friendships ❤️
✅ and more!



New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey NJDEP’s Water Resource Management

08/15/2023

💦 We are now accepting applications for our next term of service!

🚨Please share!

We are excited to announce that our full time position living stipend had gone up $10,000 for a total of $25,000 distributed biweekly over the 10 month term! 💰

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

Why be an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field
✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills
✅Learn field work and citizen science methods
✅Enhance your ability to manage programs and events
✅Build your professional network
✅Increase your knowledge of local and state government
✅Make lasting friendships ❤️
✅ and more!



AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection NJDEP’s Water Resource Management

08/14/2023

What is a SWP Ambassador?!

SWP or Source Water Protection Ambassadors are part time members who serve 25-30 hours a week, for a total of 900 hours September - May. This is ideal for those who are early in their career path or have another job/ are in graduate school.

We are looking for applicants for our Northern (Cedar Knolls NJ) and Central (Ewing NJ) SWP locations.



🚨Please share!

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

Why be an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field
✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills
✅Learn field work and citizen science methods
✅Enhance your ability to manage programs and events
✅Build your professional network
✅Increase your knowledge of local and state government
✅Make lasting friendships ❤️
✅ and more!



New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection NJDEP’s Water Resource Management AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey

08/12/2023

💦 We are now accepting applications for our next term of service!

🚨Please share!

We are excited to announce that our full time position living stipend had gone up $10,000 for a total of $25,000 distributed biweekly over the 10 month term! 💰

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

Why be an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field
✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills
✅Learn field work and citizen science methods
✅Enhance your ability to manage programs and events
✅Build your professional network
✅Increase your knowledge of local and state government
✅Make lasting friendships ❤️
✅ and more!



AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

08/11/2023

We are still hiring!! We are specifically looking for applicants in North Jersey, the Raritan Region, and the Cape May area.

If you live in one of those areas/ are willing to relocate this could be the position for you!!

Find application information here: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm

There are both full time and part time positions available!

08/04/2023

We Need Your Help!

If you see any sick or dead deer, please fill out the new Deer Disease Sighting form below. Videos &/or photos are encouraged.

Deer Disease Sighting Form:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/9b78601c90204f2ca10af035b54af06d

Your input is critical for NJ Fish & Wildlife’s quick response to potential disease outbreaks in New Jersey’s deer population. The valuable information you provide will add to decades of data on deer health and mortality in the state.

Thank you!

08/04/2023

👀 that just as we have a state bird (American Goldfinch) and a state tree (Red Oak), New Jersey has a state soil?

Downer soil 🌱, which is found in the Coastal Plain region of South Jersey (including the Pinelands), is a deep, well-drained soil developed in areas where rivers and ocean once covered the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain.

Most of our Downer soils underlay woodlands consisting of mixed oaks including chestnut, black-jack, white, black, scarlet and post oaks, as well as hickory, and pines such as pitch pines, shortleaf pines, and Virginia pines. Blueberry and bracken fern provide the shrub layer under the trees 🌲

Read the full article by the Ocean County Soil Conservation District at https://soildistrict.org/digging-deeper-downer-soil/ 👈

📸: U.S. Department of Agriculture

08/03/2023

07/27/2023

! 🤗📸

💦 We are now accepting applications for our next term of service!

Application deadline is Sunday August 6!

To find more information about program requirements, and how to apply, please visit: https://www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/recruitment.htm



AmeriCorps AmeriCorps New Jersey NJDEP’s Water Resource Management New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

07/27/2023

Happy New Jersey Day!

07/26/2023

🪨👀

Introducing franklinite, our official state mineral!

With Sussex County possessing the largest concentration of franklinite in the world, the mineral joins the long list of (rock)stars that call Jersey home.

Learn more about franklinite at the Sterling Hill Mining Museum.

07/25/2023

🚨 EXTENDED DEADLINE
Application deadline is Sunday August 6!

There is still time to apply to be a Watershed or SWP Ambassador!

Please share!

07/20/2023

Look at this bee. It's absolutely loaded!

Bees eat nectar and pollen and help pollinate plants by carrying pollen from flower to flower. Got bees? We'd love to see 'em!

📷 Mike Budd/USFWS

07/19/2023

Deadline is fast approaching! Please share! We still have multiple open positions!

04/01/2022

Happy ! Led by Watershed Ambassador Melissa Belen-Gonzalez, volunteers came out to clean up Corson's Inlet State Park!

20 volunteers, comprised ofOcean City residents, Ocean City Environmental Commission members, and Ocean City High School Student Environmental Association members, cleaned up 11 bags of trash, 4 chairs, a bucket and an instrument case!

Some common trash items found were cigarette butts, some cigar butts, toothbrushes, glass bottles/glass pieces, aluminum cans, plastic litter, several fishing lines (some with hooks still attached), and a long piece of wire from a crab trap. This is over 600 pounds of trash removed from the watershed! 👏👏👏

This was one of our AmeriCorps Week events in partnership with New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites!

❤️🅰️

For more information on the program and upcoming events in NJ State Parks, please visit: https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/americorpsweek/

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection New Jersey H2O AmeriCorps New Jersey

03/31/2022

03/31/2022

that with the arrival of spring, mourning cloak reveals its finery? 🦋

As the weather warms, one of the first species of butterfly you’ll likely see emerging in New Jersey is the mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa). These distinctive beauties have velvety, dark maroon wings, with bold yellow edges and an inner line of bright blue spots.

British entomologist L. Hugh Newman once compared them to a girl who, impatient about having to be in a period of bereavement, defiantly lets a few inches of bright dress show below her mourning outfit.

Other species often spotted by New Jerseyans in early spring – or even late winter – include eastern commas, question marks and spring azures.

About 124 species of these warm-weather, diurnal insects can be found in the Garden State. Most are resident species – that is, they’re known to overwinter in New Jersey at some stage in their life cycle.

Others don’t overwinter, but migrate into the state each year from warmer climates. The most famous of these are the monarchs, which begin arriving in New Jersey in mid- to late spring. They congregate in large numbers at Cape May in the fall before embarking on their annual epic journey to Mexico.

Sources: Encyclopedia of New Jersey (Rutgers University Press, 2005); naba.org/chapters/nabanj/images.html; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphalis_antiopa