GSWA

Plant for Pollinators Plant Sale Overview
2024-04-01 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom Webinar, Morristown, NJ, United States
There has been a change in speaker for this webinar.
To launch Day 1 of our 4th Annual Native “Plant for Pollinators” sale, GSWA’s Education, Land Steward, and Water Quality Associate, Ginger Van Ryzin, will provide an in-depth look at each of the 37 selections being offered as individual species and within six kits suitable for a range of garden conditions. Ginger will review why native plants are important, cover the new species in this year’s sale, and delve into the various pollinator species these native plants will particularly attract. Learn more about how to start, add, or amend your growing native pollinator garden. You’ll leave energized knowing the amazing benefits these 37 different native species can bring to your yard and you’ll be ready to shop the sale.
We will also walk you through our online storefront, simple ordering process, and amazing online resources on the site.
If you’re considering starting or expanding your native pollinator garden, you’re going to want to check this out! You will receive your Zoom link prior to the start of the webinar.
While this speaker program series is free for all participants, a suggested donation of $5-$10 is appreciated to help offset the cost of bringing you these nationally recognized speakers. :-)
Mark Your Calendar: Apr 1, 1:30 PM – Native Plants for Pollinators online sale opens Apr 1 @ 1:30 PM and runs through Apr 19 @ 5 PM. Learn more about native pollinator plants, gardening, and GSWA’s online plant sale HERE.

Stream Assessment Training- FREE
2024-04-07 13:00 - 16:00 | Morristown & Morris Township Library, 1 Miller Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
Unless there’s obvious pollution in the river or stream, to the untrained eye, the water may look healthy. But is it? This free training session, led by Sandra LaVigne, GSWA Director of Water Quality Programs, will provide you with all the necessary skills to make your own determinations. There will be an indoor training which will be hybrid for those who can not attend in person. This session teaches you how to conduct visual and biological stream assessments and recognize environmental factors that could impact stream health. This will be followed by a outdoor field training to practice your new-found skills at a local stream site. By the afternoon, you will be fully trained in visual and biological stream assessment. And if you are ready to take that next step, consider becoming a stream monitoring volunteer!
Tools and supplies will be provided. It gets a little messy so wear your boots and bring clean shoes to change into afterward. Preferred volunteers are 15 or older.

Plant Program Panel / Q&A
2024-04-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom Webinar, NJ, United States
3 friendly, local native plant enthusiasts with years of experience will be available in an interactive webinar to help answer your questions and share advice about choosing, planting, growing and sustaining native plants. You will be able to email questions in advance or ask them during the webinar.
Bridget Daley has been an avid gardener for 20+ years. In the last few years, she has immersed herself in learning about and planting native plants. In her yard, Bridget has been shrinking the lawn and removing non-natives — many of which she previously planted — including common invasives like English ivy. So far she has replaced them with 71 species of native plants, including trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Bridget also co-led, with fellow Rutgers Environmental Steward Joan Maccari, the creation of Madison Public Schools Pollinator Habitat, a community project that replaced lawn and non-native shrubs with 600 native plants. She is a member of the Madison Environmental Commission.
Jess Miller is a designer by trade and a native plant geek in her off time. She is a volunteer with the NPSNJ and maintain a Little Native Seed Library outside of her South Orange home. She works with her local community to add native plants to local parks and schools. Jess’s goal is for more people to know how easy and inexpensive it can be to add native plants to your yard!
Bianca Wright is a gardener and landscape designer with over 20 years of experience. She worked for design-build firms, private studios as well as a public garden before starting habitats&gardens LLC in 2021 to offer landscape design and plant installation. Bianca strives to create adaptive and resilient gardens by embracing nature’s dynamics, integrating ecological horticulture and principles of green infrastructure. She volunteers with several community groups to help raise awareness around native plants and bring them to local parks and schools.

GSWA 2023 Water Quality Report Card - Free
2024-05-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Morristown & Morris Township Library, 1 Miller Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
GSWA will present the 2023 Annual Water Quality Report Card. Join us for an evening briefing about the state of the water throughout the Great Swamp Watershed and the Upper Passaic River. Sandra LaVigne, our Director of Water Quality Programs, and our dedicated Stream Team of Citizen Scientists collect water quality data throughout the year to determine the health of our riverine ecosystems and the state of the water. This data forms the core of our water quality report and guides GSWA as we work together with state, county and municipal agencies as well as our local community members to protect and improve our streams.
Here’s what you’ll learn:

Assessments based on the combined data from visual, chemical, and biological assessments from each of our 21 sampling sites
Information about PFAS in our stream water and the new EPA Regulations on PFAS in drinking water
History and issues facing our streams, including our newest stretch of the Passaic River from Little Falls to Garfield.

This is your chance to:

Get informed about the state of our water.
Ask questions and have your water quality concerns addressed by an expert.
Become part of the solution for a healthier Passaic River.

Don’t wait! Register now for this free event today. Visit GreatSwamp.org or call 973-538-3500. (Donations are appreciated to help offset expenses.)

Plant for Pollinators Webinar #1: From Wasteland to Wonder: Biodiversity Shifts
2025-01-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar, NJ, United States
PLEASE NOTE – REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 5PM DAY-OF. TO RECEIVE A REPLAY OF THIS AND ALL 4 “PLANT FOR POLLINATOR” WEBINARS, REGISTER FOR THE FULL SERIES HERE.

From Wasteland to Wonder: Biodiversity Shifts That Can Heal the Earth with Basil Camu
Our kickoff 2025 Plant for Pollinators webinar will provide an engaging overview of how we can improve our yards for biodiversity by working WITH, rather than against, nature. Join Basil Camu, a treecologist, arborist, and author who will focus on specific, actionable steps we can take to improve our yards for biodiversity, starting with simple changes and moving towards more radical ecological shifts that can help protect regional biodiversity. Basil is co-founder of Leaf & Limb tree care company in Raleigh, N.C., and author of “From Wasteland to Wonder: Easy Ways We Can Help Heal Earth in the Sub/Urban Landscape.”
Please consider a $10 donation for each webinar you attend. Your gift helps us continue improving the quality, diversity, and draw of the speakers we provide and covers the increased program costs of securing our them and their information-packed presentations.

This is the first of four monthly webinars for our highly anticipated annual Plant for Pollinators program.
Register for all four of the four-part webinar series here! This streamlined registration not only guarantees timely reminder emails with the Zoom link for each of the four talks, but also ensures that you receive recording links for all four webinars within 48 hours of each talk’s conclusion.
For those only interested in specific talks, you can register individually for the 3 remaining webinars at the links below:
Thursday, February 27, 7-8 PM – Native Garden Transformations with Bianca Wright
Wednesday, March 19, 7-8PM – The Secret Lives of Wild Bees with Nick Dorian
Monday, March 31, 7-8 PM – 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale Overview with GSWA’s Hazel England

Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale, opening April 1 and closing April 18. Click here for details!

SOLD OUT: Breakfast Briefing: Geology and Humans—The Making of the Great Swamp
2025-02-20 08:00 - 09:30 | Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ, 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. Please email ifilippini@greatswamp.org and ask to be added to the Waitlist for the Breakfast Briefing.
Get ready for a fascinating opportunity to explore the natural and human-influenced evolution of our local wonder, the Great Swamp.
Our Breakfast Briefings are back! Join us for a continental breakfast and a fascinating journey back in time through the Great Swamp. Presenter, Pat Wells, will trace the region’s transformation from a volcanic landscape to a swamp, farmland, and finally, a protected refuge. We will we explore the Great Swamp’s historical and ecological insights and the rich context about the land’s past. Come enjoy the ride!
Pat Wells is a historian, an educator, and a storyteller, and has been leading the Chatham Township Historical Society since 2015. She is an active volunteer with the Friends of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Pat is surrounded by history and resides at the historic Noe-Miller Farmstead, a 250-year-old property overlooking the Great Swamp.
This is a fantastic event for history buffs, nature lovers, and anyone curious about how the Great Swamp became the ecological treasure it is today. Registration is limited and needed to get an accurate headcount for the breakfast.

Please email Izzy (ifilippini@greatswamp.org) with questions or cancellations.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) makes every effort to assure all programs and events go off as planned. Should an event be cancelled due to severe weather or other unexpected reasons, GSWA will promptly notify all registrants via email and the event page will reflect the status. To accommodate people on the waitlist, participants needing to cancel should do so ASAP. Cancellations made less than 48 hours in advance will not be refunded unless it is due to a health emergency. Unused registration fees may be converted into a tax-deductible donation.

Plant for Pollinators Webinar #2: Practical Gardening
2025-02-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar, NJ, United States
Native Garden Transformations with Bianca Wright
Dig into the nuts and bolts of how to practically garden with natives. Area native plant expert, landscape designer, and gardener, Bianca Wright, has slowly transformed her central New Jersey yard from “standard suburban yard” to “native plant hotspot.” She has created rain gardens and transformed her lawn into native packed garden beds. This FREE Zoom webinar offers practical steps, design advice, and ways to add creatively to a new or existing native garden. You will also get tips on the ongoing care of your native garden through the year, with tricks to help you get the most out of gardening native.
Please consider a $10 donation for each webinar you attend. Your gift helps us continue improving the quality, diversity, and draw of the speakers we provide and covers the increased program costs of securing our them and their information-packed presentations.

This is the second of four monthly webinars for our highly anticipated annual Plant for Pollinators program.
Register for all four of the four-part webinar series here! This streamlined registration not only guarantees timely reminder emails with the Zoom link for each of the four talks, but also ensures that you receive recording links for all four webinars within 48 hours of each talk’s conclusion.
For those only interested in specific talks, you can register individually for the 3 remaining webinars at the links below:
Wednesday, January 29, 7-8 PM – From Wasteland to Wonder: Biodiversity Shifts That Can Heal the Earth with Basil Camu
Wednesday, March 19, 7-8PM – The Secret Lives of Wild Bees with Nick Dorian
Monday, March 31, 7-8 PM – 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale Overview with GSWA’s Hazel England
Registration closes at 5 PM the day of each webinar. A Zoom link will be emailed to early registrants 24 hours prior to the start of the webinar and again by 5:30 PM day-of. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The webinar is recorded and all registrants will receive the replay link within 48 hours of the end of the webinar.
Please email ifilippini@greatswamp.org with any questions!

Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale, opening April 1 and closing April 18. Click here for details!

Breakfast Briefing: Colonial-Era Herbs and Vegetables at the Wick House Garden
2025-03-11 08:00 - 09:30 | Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ, 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
Step back in time and discover the fascinating world of colonial-era gardening.
Join us for a special Breakfast Briefing as members of the Northern New Jersey Unit of The Herb Society of America (NNJU-HSA) reveal the history and uses of herbs and vegetables cultivated at the Wick House Garden in Jockey Hollow. Learn how Mary Wick and her daughter, Tempe, may have relied on these plants to endure the brutal winter of 1779-1780, and explore the ongoing efforts to preserve and interpret this historic garden.
Painstakingly researched and maintained by the NNJU-HSA in partnership with Morristown National Historical Park, the 18th-century herb and vegetable garden reflect the agricultural heritage of its time. Efforts have also been made to restore the colonial atmosphere of the entire farm, including the nearby barnyard, orchard, and open fields. Today, the Herb Society continues to steward the Wick House Garden at Jockey Hollow, ensuring its legacy remains intact.
Whether you’re a history buff, an avid gardener, or simply curious, this event offers a unique opportunity to connect with the past — while enjoying a light breakfast. Space is limited, and registration is required to ensure an accurate headcount.
About the Presenters:
🌿 Tish Cassa – A longtime educator in the Harding and Tewksbury school systems and an active member of the NNJU-HSA. Her in-laws, David and Cary Cassa, donated their home in Chatham Township to GSWA in the late 1970s, forming the foundation of GSWA’s endowment fund. Her husband, George Cassa, served on GSWA’s Board for many years.
🌿 Jane Riley – A dedicated member of the NNJU-HSA for over 20 years, she is also actively involved in the Harding Township Historical Society and the New Vernon Garden Club. Jan oversees the garden at the historic Tunis-Ellicks House in Harding Township.
🌿 Jan Malay – Chair of the Northern New Jersey Unit of The Herb Society of America, retired attorney, and former GSWA staff and Board member.

Please email Izzy (ifilippini@greatswamp.org) with questions or cancellations. Ticketing closes at 3/10 at 5:00 PM.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) makes every effort to assure all programs and events go off as planned. Should an event be cancelled due to severe weather or other unexpected reasons, GSWA will promptly notify all registrants via email and the event page will reflect the status. To accommodate people on the waitlist, participants needing to cancel should do so ASAP. Cancellations made less than 48 hours in advance will not be refunded unless it is due to a health emergency. Unused registration fees may be converted into a tax-deductible donation.

Plant for Pollinators Webinar #3: The Secret Lives of Wild Bees
2025-03-19 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar, NJ, United States
The Secret Lives of Wild Bees with Nick Dorian
You’ve probably heard “Save The Bees,” but do you know which bees need saving? Join us for an in-depth look at the many native, non-colony forming bees which native plants can help attract! Over 4000 species of bees inhabit North America, and most don’t live in hives or make honey. In fact, wild bees come in every size, shape, and color you can imagine, and they live all around us, hiding in plain sight. Dr. Dorian will introduce you to the wild bees of New England. We’ll examine their varied lifestyles, habitat needs, and the intricate relationships they have with native flowering plants and other insects. Come away with clear action items for how to appreciate, and help these important pollinators in your yards.
Please consider a $10 donation for each webinar you attend. Your gift helps us continue improving the quality, diversity, and draw of the speakers we provide and covers the increased program costs of securing our them and their information-packed presentations.

This is the third of four monthly webinars for our highly anticipated annual Plant for Pollinators program.
Register for all four of the four-part webinar series here! This streamlined registration not only guarantees timely reminder emails with the Zoom link for each of the four talks, but also ensures that you receive recording links for all four webinars within 48 hours of each talk’s conclusion.
For those only interested in specific talks, you can register individually for the 3 remaining webinars at the links below:
Wednesday, January 29, 7-8 PM – From Wasteland to Wonder: Biodiversity Shifts That Can Heal the Earth with Basil Camu
Thursday, February 27, 7-8 PM – Native Garden Transformations with Bianca Wright
Monday, March 31, 7-8 PM – 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale Overview with GSWA’s Hazel England
Registration closes at 5 PM the day of each webinar. A Zoom link will be emailed to early registrants 24 hours prior to the start of the webinar and again by 5:30 PM day-of. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The webinar is recorded and all registrants will receive the replay link within 48 hours of the end of the webinar.

Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale, opening April 1 and closing April 18. Click here for details!

Plant for Pollinators Webinar #4: Overview and Plant Sale Kick Off
2025-03-31 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar, NJ, United States
5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale Overview with GSWA’s Hazel England
As we gear up for our 5th annual “Plant for Pollinators” sale opening at noon on April 1, join GSWA’s Hazel England for an in-depth look at the 37 native perennials that will be offered. Come learn why we should choose natives, the “how-to’s” of going native, and the wildlife value of the species being offered this year. Hazel will delve into the variety of pollinators these specific plants expect to attract, and provide in-depth information on how our plant kits work together to offer color and nectar throughout the growing season. Learn how to start, add, or amend your growing native pollinator garden. Leave with your shopping list of “must have” plants in preparation the sale opening.
Please consider a $10 donation for each webinar you attend. Your gift helps us continue improving the quality, diversity, and draw of the speakers we provide and covers the increased program costs of securing our them and their information-packed presentations.

This is the final of four monthly webinars for our highly anticipated annual Plant for Pollinators program.
Register for all four of the four-part webinar series here! This streamlined registration not only guarantees timely reminder emails with the Zoom link for each of the four talks, but also ensures that you receive recording links for all four webinars within 48 hours of each talk’s conclusion.
For those only interested in specific talks, you can register individually for the 3 remaining webinars at the links below:
Wednesday, January 29, 7-8 PM – From Wasteland to Wonder: Biodiversity Shifts That Can Heal the Earth with Basil Camu
Thursday, February 27, 7-8 PM – Native Garden Transformations with Bianca Wright
Wednesday, March 19, 7-8PM – The Secret Lives of Wild Bees with Nick Dorian
Registration closes at 5 PM the day of each webinar. A Zoom link will be emailed to early registrants 24 hours prior to the start of the webinar and again by 5:30 PM day-of. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder. The webinar is recorded and all registrants will receive the replay link within 48 hours of the end of the webinar.

Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale, opening April 1 and closing April 18. Click here for details!

Plant for Pollinators Webinar Full Series
2025-03-31 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar, NJ, United States
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
Each Zoom link will be emailed to registrants 24 hours prior to the start of the webinar and again by 5:30 PM day-of. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder.
Registration closes 5-7 PM the day of each webinar. Those registering after the closeout period will be unable to participate live, but will receive the replay link within 48 hours.
This is the place to register all four monthly webinars for our highly anticipated annual Plant for Pollinators program. This streamlined registration not only guarantees timely reminder emails with the Zoom link for each of the four talks, but also ensures that you receive recording links for all four webinars within 48 hours of each talk’s conclusion.
For those only interested in specific talks, you can register individually at the links below:
Monday, March 31, 7-8 PM – 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale Overview with GSWA’s Hazel England
Previous talk:
Wednesday, January 29, 7-8 PM – From Wasteland to Wonder: Biodiversity Shifts That Can Heal the Earth with Basil Camu
Thursday, February 27, 7-8 PM – Native Garden Transformations with Bianca Wright
Wednesday, March 19, 7-8PM – The Secret Lives of Wild Bees with Nick Dorian
Please consider a $10 donation for each webinar you attend. Your gift helps us continue improving the quality, diversity, and draw of the speakers we provide and covers the increased program costs of securing our them and their information-packed presentations.
Please email ifilippini@greatswamp.org with any questions!

Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale, opening April 1 and closing April 18. Click here for details!

SOLD OUT: Breakfast Briefing: A Watery History of Jockey Hollow - How It Shaped the Land and Lives
2025-04-16 08:00 - 09:30 | Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ, 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
This event is sold out. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, or if you need to cancel, please email ifilippini@greatswamp.org
What does Jockey Hollow have in common with your morning coffee? Water, of course!
Join us for the April Breakfast Briefing as Eric Olsen explores how water has shaped Jockey Hollow’s history—from the resourceful Lenape people and Revolutionary War soldiers to early industries and modern conservation efforts. Water is the lifeblood of any landscape, and Jockey Hollow’s streams and rivers have influenced human activity for generations. Without it, history might have looked a lot drier—literally.
Enjoy a light breakfast as we dive into how water has woven together history, ecology, and preservation in Jockey Hollow. Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover, or conservation advocate, this engaging talk will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the past—and a renewed commitment to protecting its future.
Don’t let this opportunity trickle away—space is limited, and registration is required!

About the Presenter: Eric P. Olsen has been with Morristown National Historical Park as a park ranger and historian since 1989. His historical research and interpretation have included Jockey Hollow, Stark’s Brigade, Cross Estate, Ford Mansion, and more. Known for his engaging first-person portrayals of 18th-century figures, Eric brings history to life through immersive storytelling. He holds a B.A. in History from Rutgers University and studied at the Cooperstown Graduate Program in History Museum Studies through the New York Historical Association.
Bonus Event: Don’t miss the Spring Encampment at Jockey Hollow, happening May 3–4, 2025. Visit Morristown National Historical Park’s website for updates and full details: https://bit.ly/3RmFiKR.

Please email Izzy (ifilippini@greatswamp.org) with questions or cancellations. Ticketing closes at 4/15 at 5:00 PM.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) makes every effort to assure all programs and events go off as planned. Should an event be cancelled due to severe weather or other unexpected reasons, GSWA will promptly notify all registrants via email and the event page will reflect the status. To accommodate people on the waitlist, participants needing to cancel should do so ASAP. Cancellations made less than 48 hours in advance will not be refunded unless it is due to a health emergency. Unused registration fees may be converted into a tax-deductible donation.

GSWA 2024 Water Quality Report Card on Zoom
2025-04-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom Webinar, Morristown, NJ, United States
Zoom in for an evening presentation of the 2024 Passaic River Water Quality Report Card. This is the place to learn about the state of the water throughout the Great Swamp Watershed and the Upper Passaic River. Sandra LaVigne, GSWA Director of Water Quality Programs, and our dedicated Stream Team of Citizen Scientists collect water quality data throughout the year to determine the health of our riverine ecosystems and the state of the water. This data forms the core of our water quality report and guides GSWA as we work together with state, county and municipal agencies as well as our local community members to protect and improve our streams.
Here’s what you’ll learn:

Assessments based on the combined data from visual, chemical, and biological assessments from each of our 21 sampling sites
Information about PFAS in our stream water and the new EPA Regulations on PFAS in drinking water
History and issues facing our streams, including our newest stretch of the Passaic River from Little Falls to Garfield.

This is your chance to:

Get informed about the state of our water.
Ask questions and have your water quality concerns addressed by an expert.
Become part of the solution for a healthier Passaic River.

Don’t wait! Register for this free Zoom event today! (Donations are appreciated to help offset expenses.)

Breakfast Briefing: Honey Bee Health & Nutrition
2025-05-20 08:00 - 09:30 | Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ, 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
Start your morning with purpose at our next Breakfast Briefing, featuring Jim Muchmore—Honey Bee Ambassador, beekeeper, and steward of Muchy’s Bee Farm. As an active member of the Morris and Somerset County Beekeepers Association (mscbees.org), Jim is deeply committed to reversing the alarming decline of honey bee populations and, in particular, preventing the spread of harmful pathogens to our vital native bee species.
Honey bees are under stress. From pests and pathogens to pesticides and, increasingly poor nutrition, multiple threats are weakening colonies and putting essential pollination services at risk. In this engaging presentation, Jim will take us behind the scenes of modern beekeeping, highlighting how dedicated beekeepers help sustain healthy hives—and how those efforts ripple across entire ecosystems.
Enjoy a light breakfast prior to the start of the presentation.
Get tickets below: GSWA Members: Free | Non-members: $10 (Adult), $5 (Child).
About the Presenter: More than ten years ago, Dr. James Muchmore turned a lifelong interest into action, beginning his beekeeping journey with just two hives. Facing the challenges of overwintering bees, he gradually grew his apiary and, after several seasons of success, now plans to manage ten hives.
Before focusing on bees, Dr. Muchmore worked in cancer research, specializing in drug resistance and clinical nutrition. Drawing on this scientific background, he now collaborates with local and regional beekeeping communities to address one of the most pressing issues facing bees today: nutrition.
Bees rely on a diverse, nutrient-rich diet of pollen and nectar to stay healthy. When floral resources are scarce, colonies suffer. That’s why Jim champions GSWA’s Plant for Pollinators initiative. Thanks to our community of dedicated participants, native plantings are on the rise throughout our region—supporting not only pollinator bees, but also butterflies, birds, and the broader web of life that depends on native nectar sources.

Please email Izzy ifilippini@greatswamp.org with questions or cancellations.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) makes every effort to assure all programs and events go off as planned. Should an event be cancelled due to severe weather or other unexpected reasons, GSWA will promptly notify all registrants via email and the event page will reflect the status. To accommodate people on the waitlist, participants needing to cancel should do so ASAP. Cancellations made less than 48 hours in advance will not be refunded unless it is due to a health emergency. Unused registration fees may be converted into a tax-deductible donation.

Breakfast Briefing: Microplastics 5 Years Later
2025-06-03 08:00 - 09:30 | Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ, 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, 07960, United States
It’s been 7 years since GSWA conducted our first microplastics sampling study and 5 years since New Jersey passed the “Get Past Plastics” legislation aimed at reducing our reliance on single-use plastics. Are you curious if it’s made an impact? We certainly were, so we gathered our team and re-sampled the same 10 sites from our 2018 study.
Join Sandra LaVigne, GSWA’s Director of Water Quality Programs, as she reveals the findings of our 2025 microplastics sampling study, shedding light on what effects, if any, these plastic reduction laws have made in our local water. Sandra will also offer practical solutions for all of us to consider adopting to help keep our waterways clean.
Enjoy a light breakfast prior to the start of the presentation.
Get tickets below: GSWA Members: Free | Non-members: $10 (Adult), $5 (Child).
About the Presenter: Sandra LaVigne joined the staff in March of 2016. Prior to joining GSWA she worked as a water quality specialist and restoration ecologist managing water quality programs and restoration projects. Sandra is a native of northern New Jersey and attended Cook College, Rutgers University. Sandra oversees our water quality monitoring efforts and organizes our citizen science volunteers who assist in collecting a wide scope of data throughout the watershed. In 2019, Sandra established and implemented GSWA’s first-ever microplastics sampling protocol and integrated it into her water quality monitoring program.

Please email Izzy (ifilippini@greatswamp.org) with questions or cancellations. Ticketing closes at 4/15 at 5:00 PM.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) makes every effort to assure all programs and events go off as planned. Should an event be cancelled due to severe weather or other unexpected reasons, GSWA will promptly notify all registrants via email and the event page will reflect the status. To accommodate people on the waitlist, participants needing to cancel should do so ASAP. Cancellations made less than 48 hours in advance will not be refunded unless it is due to a health emergency. Unused registration fees may be converted into a tax-deductible donation.

Dark Skies Event – Protect Our Night Sky
2025-08-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Madison Community Arts Center, 10 Kings Rd., Madison, NJ, 07940, United States
Ever look up at night and wish you could truly see the Milky Way?

Light pollution is stealing our stars — disrupting ecosystems and having adverse health effects on both wildlife and humans.
Join Morris Township and Madison Borough for a Dark Skies Event to discover how small changes in outdoor lighting can protect our environment, save energy, and restore the beauty of the night sky.
The evening will begin with a kickoff from Jeff Grayzel, Deputy Mayor of Morris Township (and GSWA Advisory Council member), and Eric P. Range, Madison Borough Council. They’ll be followed by a presentation from Steve Mariconda, a DarkSky International Delegate, who will share how communities everywhere are reclaiming their view of the stars.
This event is open to everyone, but we especially encourage fellow local municipal council, board, and environmental commission members to explore how Dark Sky Ordinances can safeguard our health and bring back our view of the stars for generations to come.
Dark Skies Event is on:
Monday, Aug. 18
7:00 PM
Madison Community Arts Center

Let’s work together to keep the stars shining.

RSVP here: Dark Skies Event Registration
