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Lunch & Learn: Riparian Buffers and our Rivers

Zoom Webinar NJ, United States

Registration closes January 20, 11:00 AM   Take it to the Riverbank: Waterfront views may be popular, but what happens when we develop too close to a waterway? Riverside plants, or "Riparian Buffers" act as filters to slow and clean polluted runoff protecting our streams, groundwater and downstream land areas. Grab your lunch and join us for a FREE Zoom webinar as we learn about how trees, shrubs, and grasses perform this essential service. We will look at examples of functioning riparian buffers and talk about those that have needed restoration for many years due to human activity. While this program is free for all participants, a small donation is always appreciated to help offset the cost of staff time.  :-) You will receive the webinar Zoom link via email prior to the start of the program. Check out the last webinar in this 3-part series: January 27 "PFAS in our Water."  

Free – $40.00

Lunch & Learn: PFAS in our Waters

Zoom Webinar NJ, United States

Registration closes January 27, 11:00 AM   Join us for an in-depth talk about GSWA’s PFAS sampling project. In 2022, GSWA undertook a large-scale PFAS sampling project throughout our watershed. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are long-lasting, human-made chemicals that are ubiquitous in our everyday lives and our environment. This talk will cover the results of our sampling efforts, what you should know about these persistent chemicals, how state and local governments are addressing the issue, and what you can do to help. While this program is free for all participants, a small donation is always appreciated to help offset the cost of staff time.  :-) You will receive the webinar Zoom link via email prior to the start of the program.

Free – $40.00

Evening Briefing: Wasps – The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect

Zoom Webinar NJ, United States

Registration closes February 21 @ 5 PM Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect Speaker: Eric Eaton FREE Zoom Webinar   Wasps - people love to hate them. However, contrary to popular belief, wasps serve 2 important roles in our ecosystem: 1) they are pest controllers, hunting other insect species and keeping their population in check which prevents garden and crop decimation, and 2) they are pollinators for nearly 1000 plant species.     Join acclaimed author Eric Eaton as he deconstructs our misconceptions about the often-vilified wasps and talks about the invaluable ecosystem services wasps provide. He will also challenge us to shift the outdated mindset of what really constitutes a "yard" or "garden" and help homeowners think more holistically about what really constitutes beneficial species. When homeowners understand how their gardening decisions, such as pesticide usage or determining certain species should be exterminated, it can impact local ecology. Eric will offer a new perspective on often-maligned species and broaden our perspective on several elements of gardening for natives. Eric Eaton has authored "Insectpedia" (Princeton Univ. Press, 2022) and "Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect." He is a writer and entomologist specializing in hymenoptera (a large […]

Free – $40.00

CONDO Development Plan – Informational Zoom Webinar

Zoom Webinar NJ, United States

CONDO Development Plan may significantly DEGRADE our GREAT SWAMP WATERSHED Conservation Management Area The proposed S/K Mt. Kemble development plan is for a 96-unit residential, multi-family condominium complex including affordable housing with a community clubhouse, playground, pool, and dog park. This 15.5-acre, triangular shaped, forested parcel flanks Route 287 on one side and the Mt. Kemble office complex on another side. The third side bumps up against wetlands which connect to GSWA's 73-acre Conservation Management Area (CMA) under Route 287. Converting woods to pavement and rooftops significantly increases impervious surface cover. This increases stormwater volume, likely resulting in downstream flooding, added nonpoint pollutant loading, and erosion of both Silver Brook and Great Brook. GSWA strongly opposes this proposed development* and we are deeply concerned about the environmental impact we anticipate on our freshwater wetlands, water quality, recharge, and stormwater. Following are some of our major concerns: Encroachments into freshwater wetlands, encroachments into and alteration of the wetland transition areas (buffers). In some cases, these wetland encroachments would necessitate importing large amounts of fill that would be needed to recontour buffer areas or will be covered by impervious surfaces. Significant increases in pollutant loading to Silver Brook due to the fact that the […]

Free – $40.00

What’s the Buzz About Native Bees?

Zoom Webinar Morristown, NJ, United States

Registration closes March 21 @ 5 PM What's the Buzz About Native Bees? Speaker: Heather Holm FREE Zoom Webinar   When you see bees buzzing around your garden, that's a good thing. It means they are doing their jobs...pollinating! Pollination is essential in growing flowers and plants - basically all the food we consume as animals on this planet.     Join biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author, Heather Holm, for a lively discussion about our friends, the bees, and all they do for our ecosystem. Not a fan of bees? All the more reason to attend this webinar. The fear of bees can be very real for many different reasons, but perhaps at the end of this presentation, fear will be replaced with fascination and an understanding of their amazing diversity, and what homeowners should be doing to promote their busy buzzy presence in our yards. You will receive the webinar Zoom link via email prior to the start of the program. NOTE: This presentation is LIVE only, it WILL NOT be recorded. Mark your calendar for the last webinar in this 4-part series and the start of the plant sale: Apr 3, 12-1 PM - GSWA Native Pollinator Plant […]

Free – $40.00

Native Pollinator Plant Sale Overview

Zoom Webinar Morristown, NJ, United States

Registration closes Monday, April 3 @ 10 AM   Join Hazel England, GSWA Director of Education, Outreach, and Land Stewardship (our resident pollinator expert) for an overview of the native pollinator plants and plant kits available at our 3rd annual online Native Pollinator Plant Sale. Choose from a variety of individual species to create or enhance your own garden in ways that best fit your needs. To simplify garden design and provide some additional savings, many of the species are also sold in a variety of garden kits. Each kit is designed for specific garden sizes and conditions. Learn how different plants can help you build out your pollinator garden to attract the widest  variety of insects throughout the growing season along with suggestions for plant pairings you will want to attract specific pollinators. Discover why this type of garden benefits your yard, your neighborhood, and our shared watershed. 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 […]

Free – $40.00

Evening Briefing: Gardening for Pollinators

Zoom Webinar NJ, United States

If you build it, they will come. Imagine you and your family relaxing in your yard, watching the butterflies, dragonflies, hummingbirds, and other beautiful pollinators and wildlife frolicking in your pollinator garden. This doesn't have to be a distant dream - it's an attainable reality! Join Hazel England, GSWA Director of Education, Outreach, and Land Stewardship (and our resident pollinator expert) on Zoom for the low-down. Learn the appropriate native plants you will need to attract pollinators and why this type of garden benefits your yard, your neighborhood, and our shared watershed. This program is brought to you in collaboration with Long Hill Twp. Library.   Register for the zoom webinar HERE! Be sure to scroll down to "Native Plant & Pollinator Talk: with Hazel England & the Great Swamp Watershed Association Wed. 4/5 7pm (via Zoom)" and check "Yes, I want to attend"

How’s the Water? GSWA Quality Report Card – Free Zoom Webinar

Zoom Webinar Morristown, NJ, United States

How's the water? That is the most common question we get from onlookers when we are out collecting water quality samples. Join Sandra LaVigne, GSWA's Director of Water Quality Programs, for an in-depth recap on the health of our streams and water quality data results from 2022. Bring your questions for the Q&A session at the end. A Zoom link will be sent to you post-registration. This program is brought to you in collaboration with Long Hill Twp. Library. Register for the Zoom webinar HERE! Be sure to scroll down to “Passaic River Report Card: with Sandra LaVigne & the Great Swamp Association Wed. 4/12 @ 7pm (via Zoom)” and check “Yes, I want to attend”     “The earth, the air, the land, and the water are not an inheritance from our forefathers but on loan from our children. So we have to handover to them at least as it was handed over to us.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Evening Briefing: The American Eel

Zoom Webinar Morristown, NJ, United States

Registration for this program closes @ 5 PM on April 19   Let's face it, for many people, eels may not be easy to like. They can make many people feel... uneasy. Is an eel a snake? Is it a fish? They don't fit in any clear category. Some may think of eels as a tasty sushi roll. And yet to others, eels are mysterious creatures with a very interesting life cycle. They are predators in freshwater streams helping to regulate the population of other animals. They are also a significant source of food for fish, mammals, turtles and birds. Humans have been fascinated with eels for centuries, working to learn as much as they can about them. Yet we do not have all the answers. Nature has a way of keeping us guessing. One thing we do know is that eels are ecologically important and can be used as a bio-indicator for pollution to determine the health of their environment. Join us for a FREE Zoom webinar as we delve into the fascinating world of eels and their unique life cycle, brought to you in collaboration with the Long Hill Twp. Library. Register for the zoom webinar HERE! Be sure […]

POSTPONED: How’s the Water? GSWA Water Quality Report Card Webinar

Zoom Webinar NJ, United States

This program has been postponed. It will be rescheduled as an in-person Breakfast Briefing. Please stay tuned...    How's the water? That is the most common question we get from onlookers when we are out collecting water quality samples. Join Sandra LaVigne, GSWA's Director of Water Quality Programs, for an in-depth recap on the health of our streams and water quality data results from 2022. Bring your questions for the Q&A session at the end. A Zoom link will be sent to you post-registration. “The earth, the air, the land, and the water are not an inheritance from our forefathers but on loan from our children. So we have to handover to them at least as it was handed over to us.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Free – $40.00