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Signs of Spring Hike @ the Refuge

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - Orange Trailhead approx 77 Meyersville Rd., Green Village (Harding Township), NJ, United States

Step outside for this relaxing, family-friendly, guided tour of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge's Orange Trail. Enjoy a Spring preview in the great outdoors - the red-winged blackbirds and eastern phoebes are the first to get the memo that it's time to return and start nesting, while woodpeckers and spring peepers make their presence known more by sound than by sight. Some of our forest critters will also be scampering about. We will catch witch hazel in bloom, skunk cabbage beginning to emerge, and depending on our winter, the pussy willow may be bursting its buds. Additionally, non-native plants like crocuses and snowdrops will be starting to bloom. These are all indicators that Spring is on the way. This trail can get super wet/muddy, so muck boots/wellies are recommended. The full hike will be under two miles. GSWA members: Free, non-members: donation appreciated.   We will meet at the end of Meyersville Rd, Green Village (83 Meyersville Rd is the closest street address). Click HERE to view the map.  Coordinates: 40.726674, -74.457729

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

Test the Tap – Residential Water Sampling

Summit Free Public Library 75 Maple Street, Summit, NJ

  GSWA and The Summit Free Public Library are offering local residential well & public water testing at a discounted rate. Why test the water inside your house? To take back the tap! The water you drink every day can have impacts on your family’s health. Colorless and tasteless particles can become a health risk without your knowledge. Testing your public or well water is an opportunity to expose any potential areas of concern with the health of your water at discounted prices. Working through Garden State Labs, we can offer this testing at lab-cost.       Basic Well Water Package: $125 We constructed this package specifically for Great Swamp watershed residents based on the geography of the land and past data. Testing includes Total Coliform + E. coli, Nitrate, Iron, Manganese, Lead, and Arsenic. Basic Public Water Package: $65 If your water isn’t from a well but is instead from a municipal source (you pay for your water), this package is for you. It includes pH, Lead, and Total Coliform + E. coli. Additional Testing for Well and Public Water Test add-ons are available for additional fees (due when you drop off your sample on March 30) Please […]

Get Tickets Free – $10.00

REGISTRATION CLOSED: Vernal Pool Exploration Hike

Great Swamp Watershed Association's CMA 1 Tiger Lily Ln, Morristown, NJ, United States

This event has reached max capacity. To be placed on a waitlist, or if you have registered and are unable to attend, please email [email protected].    With temperatures rising, the forest floor will be hopping with new life as frogs and other amphibians crowd into shallow puddles of water to breed and lay their eggs. These puddles, called vernal pools, provide a perfect opportunity to learn more about Mother Nature here in New Jersey. But we have to hurry! They disappear quickly. This annual Vernal Pool Exploration provides a fun, outdoor learning experience for kids and adults alike. Discover the differences between a spring peeper, a chorus frog, and a wood frog. Find out how far an endangered spotted salamander will walk to find a mating pool. And, learn how much everything we have come to appreciate about the springtime depends upon a few unassuming puddles of water on the forest floor. Warm clothing and waterproof footwear, especially hiking boots, are strongly recommended. GSWA members: Free, non-members: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-17. Register at GreatSwamp.org or call 973-538-3500. Registration is required.

Sold Out Free – $40.00

Hike the Path of a Glacier

Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area Visitors Center 1 Mars Ct., Boonton, NJ, United States

Looking for a more challenging hike? Spend the afternoon with us for a unique experience where we will hike the path of a glacier and observe some unusual glacial erratics (stones and rocks that were transported by the glacier and then left behind after the glacier melted). Along with way we will stop to check out Tripod Rock, a 180-ton boulder balanced on three smaller boulders. It's truly a sight to behold. A little further on we will see Bear Rock, one of NJs largest glacial erratics, along other fascinating signs of the Wisconsin Glacier that retreated over 18,000 years ago. This is an intermediate hike with some rigorous conditions. Be sure to pack your binoculars, water, and snacks. Location Coordinates:  40.94671186514669, -74.38827526886288

Get Tickets Free – $40.00

Native Pollinator Plant Sale – An Overview

Zoom Webinar Morristown, NJ, United States

Registration closes April 1 @ 10 AM Join Hazel England, GSWA Director of Education, Outreach, and Land Stewardship (our resident pollinator expert) on Zoom to learn how different plants will help you build your pollinator garden to attract a variety of insects along with the plants you will need to attract 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 and simple ordering process with an overview of the native plants and plant kits available at our 2nd annual online Native Pollinator Plant Sale. Choose from 28 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, 20 of the species are also sold in 6 different garden kits of 5 species each. Each kit is designed for specific garden sizes and conditions. If you're considering starting or expanding your native pollinator garden, you're going to want to check this out! Registration is required. You will receive your Zoom link prior to the start of the webinar. The 2022 "Plants for Pollinators" Online Sale runs April 1 - April […]

Free

GSWA 2nd Annual Plants for Pollinators Online Sale

Online

2022 Ordering Will Be Open April 1st to 22nd The Great Swamp Watershed Association Native Plant Sale provides a full selection of attractively priced native perennials and simple guidance for planting delightfully alive pollinator gardens that will thrive with minimal care. The Plants for Pollinators Online Sale is operated with the promotion and volunteers from Community Plant Sale Partners that include ten towns and seven community organizations. Our joint goal is to foster broad adoption of native plant gardens across our area to create necessary habitat for the pollinator insects and bird communities that are foundation elements of our local ecosystem – pooling our private yards to create what the popular lecturer and entomologist Doug Tallamy describes as a Homegrown National Park™. Selection – Peruse the native pollinator plant kits and individual species add-ons in the GSWA Native Plant Catalog. How Do I Pick Up My Orders? Order are to be picked up locally at your town’s participating pick-up location. At time of checkout, you can choose from one of the 14 locations to based on the location, date and time that works best for you. CLICK HERE to preview Pickup Locations made available through our Plant Sale Partners. Need Guidance? Take advantage of the Native Garden Planning Resources to […]

Stream Assessment Training – Free and In-person

Summit Free Public Library 75 Maple Street, Summit, NJ

This stream assessment training program is presented in partnership with the Summit Free Public Library. Interested in the health of your local stream? Concerned about clean water? Perhaps you've even considered becoming a stream monitoring volunteer. If any this makes you raise an eyebrow, this free training session is for you! An indoor classroom session, led by Sandra LaVigne, GSWA Director of Water Quality Programs, teaches you how to conduct visual and biological stream assessments, identify macroinvertebrates, and recognize environmental factors that could impact stream health. An outdoor session lets you practice your new-found skills at a local stream site. By afternoon you're fully trained in visual and biological stream assessment!   Tools and supplies provided. It gets a little messy so wear your boots and bring clean shoes to change into afterward. Preferred volunteers are 15 or older. TO REGISTER Scroll down below "details" 

Get Tickets Free

POSTPONED: Nature Knowledge Pub Quiz – in-person

Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, United States

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED. STAY TUNED FOR THE NEW DATE.   Back by popular demand, live and in-person, it's the GSWA Nature Knowledge Pub Quiz! Team up with some friends and come join the fun as we test your knowledge on nature and the environment. Your friends busy that day? No worries - we'll team you up with other enthusiastic players. Multiple choice questions will be themed for each round ranging from beginner to expert level. Sample Question If night active animals are known as nocturnal, what are dawn and dusk active animals known as? Answer Crepuscular   Socialize and refuel your game with free pizza and soft drinks at the mid-game break! The $12 entry fee covers your individual quiz participation, pizza, and soft drinks. Feel free to BYOBeverages! Ages 10 and older are welcome. Teams must have at least one member 18+ years of age to compete. Maximum team size: 3-5 people / maximum number of teams: 10. We will open the windows and doors for plenty of ventilation. This will event fill up fast and space is limited, so register today and get ready to play for prizes and bragging rights!

$12.00

POSTPONED: Water Quality Report Card

Great Swamp Watershed Association HQ 568 Tempe Wick Rd, Morristown, NJ, United States

This event has been postponed due to an unforeseen conflict. Stay tuned for the new date   Participate in-person or via Zoom webinar - it's your choice! (Registration for the Zoom webinar closes  at 5 PM)   How important to you is clean water to you? We drink it, we bathe in it, we swim and kayak in it... Join GSWA Water Quality Director, Sandra LaVigne, for an in-depth review of the water quality in the Great Swamp watershed and in the Passaic River region. This brief presentation will highlight the results of the sampling and testing we performed on our local streams throughout 2021. Sandra will also provide an update on our testing protocol for PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl) manmade chemicals also called "forever chemicals." PFAS is a growing threat to our water. Join us for this informative report on your water with a Q&A session at the end. Registration is required. A Zoom link will be sent to you post-registration.

Sold Out Free

Town-Wide Yard Sale: Madison & The Chathams

This event has already happened. To register for the Saturday, April 29, 2023 spring Yard Sale, click HERE   Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 27 @ 11:55 PM DIGITAL YARD SALE MAP WILL BE SHARED HERE ON APRIL 29, as well as on social media in Chatham and Madison and on popular garage sale sites.   Calling all residents of Madison and The Chathams - Spring is less than a month away! Start planning your Spring cleaning today by registering to host a yard sale on Saturday, April 30. When you register for this community event (below) your address and sale items will be included on a digital, printable map that will be publicized far and wide to potential shoppers. Check your basement, attic, cabinets, shelves, and even your tabletops. This is your opportunity to declutter your home while participating in an event that collectively will keep literally tons of refuse out of our landfills. Simply scroll down and complete the registration form. Registration Fee: $10 tax-deductible donation to benefit Great Swamp Watershed Association. You must be a resident of Madison, Chatham Township, or Chatham Borough to list your sale.  Everyone else... Mark your calendar for April 30th to head out […]

$10.00