Join Us For Do The Swamp Thing 2005 Fifth Annual Celebration of the Swamp

Once again the month of May will be dedicated to celebrating the exceptional recreational, historical, and educational resources abundant in the Great Swamp watershed. The Watershed Association will be publicizing events held from April 24th through the beginning of June at venues throughout the region.

The celebration will begin with a kick-off on April 24th from noon until 4 pm at the Morris County Outdoor Education Center on Southern Boulevard in Chatham Township. Rather than have a formal opening ceremony, this year the participants have opted to have a day-long event, featuring a host of family-friendly activities, educational exhibits, presentations, games and walks, live animals, as well as a Swamp Wildlife Art Exhibit done by the students at the Southern Boulevard School. Admission is $2 per person. The event will be held rain or shine.

Besides the Watershed Association, participants will include the Morris County Park Commission, the Somerset County Park Commission, the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife / Friends of the GSNWR, NJ Watershed Ambassadors, NJ Audubon Society and The Raptor Trust. 

Also scheduled for the month are a series of adult hikes run by the Morris County Park Commission, a program of “kid-friendly” walks at the Somerset County Outdoor Education Center in Basking Ridge, and teacher training for elementary school educators. Of special interest is the 25th Annual Wildlife Art & Carving Show and Sale at the Somerset County EEC, held on April 30th and May 1st from 10:00 am-5:00 pm. Over fifty artists will be exhibiting their wildlife art at this unique show. Realistic woodcarvings, decoys, paintings, sculptures, photographs, and drawings are featured, as well as individual interpretations of animals and plants from around the world. Artists will demonstrate their techniques and discuss their subject matter with viewers. Works will be available for purchase and there will be a silent auction. There is a suggested donation of $4.00. 
Julia Somers, Executive Director of the Watershed Association, said “This year we’d like to use the Do the Swamp Thing Celebration to point out to people how important it is to preserve land and water quality as well as what our organization and our other conservation partners do to uphold the quality of life throughout our region.”

“Do the Swamp Thing” is organized by Great Swamp Watershed Association and sponsored by Kings Super Markets Inc., PSEG, and Recorder Community Newspapers. This year’s celebration includes a four-page advertising supplement in many of Recorder’s local papers, a weekly ad highlighting a wide variety of family activities and publicizing the event on Kings grocery bags.

For updated “Do the Swamp Thing” events and calendar information, check our website at www.greatswamp.org.

Great Swamp Watershed Association was created in 1981 to protect the Great Swamp watershed basin. Celebrating more than 20 years as a non-profit organization, the Watershed Association relies solely on membership and contributions to protect the continued health of our watershed’s area. If you’re not already a member, become one today. For more information and a listing of other events, visit the Watershed Association website at www.greatswamp.org.

# # #