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November 2022
Fall Community Cleanup at the CMA
REGISTERHere come the holidays and oh, the calories we will consume. Let's lean into the spirit of giving together and get some pre-holiday exercise along the way. We could use your help putting our 73-acre wetlands reserve (aka, our Conservation Management Area) to bed for the winter. There's no shortage of things to accomplish on our honey-do list and a crisp, autumn morning is a great time to get outside and get your hands dirty. We will provide you with all the tools you need to participate for as long as you like!
NEW DATE – Breakfast Briefing: Drew Forest Update
REGISTERGet an update on the efforts to save the Drew Forest from development! As you may know, the 53-acre Drew Forest, located on the Drew University campus in Madison, NJ, is in jeopardy of being sold and disappearing forever. The Drew Forest sits within FOUR watersheds, benefiting the community, wildlife, and ecosystem. Among the many benefits it offers, most importantly, The Forest overlies the Buried Valley Aquifer, a sole source aquifer that supplies drinking water to Madison, Chatham Borough, East Hanover, and Florham Park. Join us for an important update led by Friends of The Drew Forest, a volunteer organization created by environmental leaders from Madison and neighboring towns, dedicated…
CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Veteran’s Day Paddle (12:30 – 2:30 PM)
REGISTERDue to rain headed our way, this event has been cancelled. Check back again in the Spring for more paddles. Afternoon Paddle (12:30 - 2:30 PM) Veteran's Day is a wonderful day to get out in the water and reflect on how lucky we are to have what we have thanks to those who fought for our freedom. Enjoy a peaceful paddle with a small group of people as we explore a central portion of the Passaic River, the preserved area of Great Piece Meadows is known for its slow, quite twists and turns. It’s home to wildlife such as great blue heron, salamanders, turtles, mink, muskrat and…
CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER: Veteran’s Day Paddle (10 AM – 12 PM)
REGISTERDue to rain headed our way, this event has been cancelled. Check back again in the Spring for more paddles. Morning Paddle (10:00 AM-12:00 PM) Veteran's Day is a wonderful day to get out in the water and reflect on how lucky we are to have what we have thanks to those who fought for our freedom. Enjoy a peaceful paddle with a small group of people as we explore a central portion of the Passaic River, the preserved area of Great Piece Meadows is known for its slow, quite twists and turns. It’s home to wildlife such as great blue heron, salamanders, turtles, mink, muskrat and more.…
Nature Detective Discovery Hike
REGISTERKIDS...UNLOCK YOUR INNER DETECTIVE LOCATION CHANGED TO OUR CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT AREA What's hiding under those freshly fallen leaves? What's going on in the trees? Let's do some detective work and make some discoveries together! To make the hike as exciting and kid friendly as possible, we have decided to change the location of our hike to the GSWA Conservation Management Area at 1 Tiger Lily Ln in Morristown. It is also the perfect place to set off in hot pursuit of the region’s most-wanted autumn wildlife. Come learn how to identify animals from their tracks, scats (yes, poop) and other clues. Spy on secret hideouts used by birds, insects, and…
Composting: Black Gold for Your Garden – FREE Zoom Webinar
REGISTERNote: registration for this program closes at 5 PM on Tuesday, November 1 Composting Simplified... Put some pep into your garden's step with compost made from your table scraps and outdoor material like leaves and lawn clippings. Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed. Through the compost recycling process, various organic materials, otherwise regarded as waste products, can be added to the garden or lawn as a soil conditioner. The addition of compost will build a better-quality soil for your trees, shrubs, plants and vegetables. Led by Master Gardener, Cheri Wilczek, this FREE Zoom webinar will outline what compost is, its benefits, how to start and build a…
October 2022
Intro to Birding Hike (Intermediate)
REGISTERJoin us for an intermediate-level hike at the beautiful High Mountain Park Preserve. This 4-mile/700 ft. elevation hike features stunning, panoramic summit views of New York City and northern New Jersey. If there has been rain, we may be treated to a waterfall or two. As we turn our eyes to the skies, we will watch for our feathered friends, perhaps even some red shouldered hawks, as the end-of-raptor migration approaches. The Preserve is also home to rare and threatened plants and wildlife including mountain mint and northern long-eared bats, as well as common local species like flying squirrels, wild turkeys, chipmunks, and white-tailed deer. This rigorous hike has some…
Gala & Silent Auction – Oct. 18, 2022
REGISTEROur Silent Auction is Live! Browse, Bid & Donate Here (Auction closes Tuesday, October 18 @ 8:59 PM) Tickets are still available to the Gala Celebration & Silent Auction Tuesday, October 18, 2022 Brooklake Country Club 139 Brooklake Road Florham Park, NJ 07932 Join us for an evening of good food and drink, spirited mingling, and browsing and bidding at our popular silent auction at our biggest fundraising event of the year! This year's Gala keynote speaker, Olivia Carpenter Glenn, will provide a timely overview of the important topic, Environmental Justice. As Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Equity in Region 2 of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),…
NEW DATE! Town-Wide Yard Sale: Madison & The Chathams
REGISTERTHIS EVENT TAKES PLACE SUN, 10/16! Registration is now closed. All you shoppers: Click HERE to view the map of participants Click HERE for to view the list of sale items by location DIGITAL YARD SALE MAP WILL BE SHARED HERE ON OCT 14th, as well as on social media in Chatham and Madison and on popular garage sale sites. Declutter your home before the snow begins falling. This yard sale is open to all residents of Madison and The Chathams. Register by Oct. 12 to have your address and a list of your sale items sale appear on a digital, printable map. Both documents will be linked to our website – GreatSwamp.org – the day prior and will also be published in local media and on town sites. No additional permit needed. Registration Fee: $10 tax-deductible donation to benefit Great Swamp Watershed Association.…
Community Stewardship at the CMA
REGISTERAre you looking for someplace to put all that elbow grease? Don't mind a little dirt under your nails? Join us for a morning of stewarding the land at our 73-acre Conservation Management Area. It takes many hands to keep our CMA in good shape. Work includes clearing and mulching trails, building boardwalks, removing invasive plants and more. Come get in on the action and leave with a sense of accomplishment! We will provide bug spray, sun block, gloves, and all tools you will need. Be sure to wear long pants/long sleeves (good protection from mosquitos) & footwear than could get wet and muddy. Bring a hat and a reusable water…