Volunteers Sought For Salt Marsh Restoration In Waretown

WARETOWN, NJ — Ducks Unlimited and its partners are seeking volunteers for hands-on salt marsh restoration work at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education in Waretown on Oct. 5–9 and Oct. 19–23.

The work will take place at the Lighthouse Center, which is located within the Upper Barnegat Bay Wildlife Management Area. Volunteers will work alongside conservation professionals to help restore more natural water movement across the marsh using what Ducks Unlimited described as low-cost, low-tech restoration techniques.

According to the announcement, volunteers will place salt hay in historic ditches to slow tidal flow and dig shallow runnels to improve drainage and tidal exchange. The effort is part of a broader project to restore coastal habitat at the Lighthouse Center and Upper Barnegat Bay Wildlife Management Area.

The announcement states that historic ditching and other alterations have changed how water moves across the marsh. That, according to the announcement, has contributed to erosion and limited the marsh’s ability to build elevation naturally.

The larger restoration project combines several approaches aimed at improving salt marsh health, wildlife habitat and coastal resilience. In addition to the volunteer-supported work, the broader effort includes beneficial use of dredged material and other restoration techniques.

“This is a great opportunity for people to get directly involved in conservation and see how relatively simple techniques can make a meaningful difference for coastal wetlands,” said Ben Langey, Ducks Unlimited regional biologist. “Volunteers will be working right alongside our biologists, engineers, and partners to help improve this marsh for wildlife and make it more resilient for the future.”

The Lighthouse Center includes a range of coastal habitats that support resident and migratory birds and other wildlife, according to the announcement. The project is a collaborative effort involving Ducks Unlimited, New Jersey Fish & Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, the Natural Resource Education Foundation of New Jersey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program, New Jersey Department of Transportation Office of Maritime Resources, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and academic partners.

Registration is available through SignupGenius, and additional information is available from Ben Langey at 315-412-5272.