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Pre-Conference Field Trip 1
NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
Thursday September 27– Saturday September 29, 2012
Hackensack Meadowlands and Delaware Bay Salt Marsh Restorations, New Jersey
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General Background
This field trip includes visits to two of the world’s major salt marsh restoration projects in the world. Hackensack Meadowlands is the site of a large-scale urban salt marsh restoration in the New York City metropolitan area. The Delaware Bay salt marsh project is a 15-year restoration of 8700 hectares of coastal salt marshes on Delaware Bay in southwestern New Jersey in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Hackensack Meadowlands consists of tidal and non-tidal wetlands, and coastal uplands associated with the Hackensack River Estuary in northern New Jersey across the Hudson River from New York City. Although the meadowlands were once known as the site of large landfills and decades of environmental abuse, recent successful restoration efforts have begun to reverse the detrimental impacts. Despite ecosystem degradation, the area now supports significant concentrations of waterfowl, wading and shore birds, raptors, anadromous and estuarine fish and terrapins. Research and restoration initiatives are focusing on restoring tidal hydrology, targeted fill removal, and invasive species control. Research supported by the National Science Foundation and the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute on carbon fluxes from the marshes with eddy covariance (EC) towers will be featured.
Delaware Bay, a major estuary along the eastern seaboard of the USA, is listed as one of the top four critical shorebird migration sites in the country and is host to the world’s largest breeding population of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) in the world. The bay includes tidal marshes and non-tidal zones that have sustained impacts from urban and industrial pollutants, overfishing, non-sustainable shellfish harvesting and invasive species. The tour will feature several salt marsh (Spartina alterniflora) restoration sites along the western shoreline of Delaware Bay in southern New Jersey, including hydrologic salt marsh restoration from former salt hay farms and restoration through removal of invasive reed grass (Phragmites australis).
Tour Highlights
- Hackensack Meadowlands — remediation and restoration efforts
- Delaware Bay — salt marsh restoration — salt hay farm removal/Phragmites control
Cost: US$335
(Includes transportation to and from all sites, lunches for 3 days, and hotel on Friday night September 28 during tour)
- Lodging for base hotel is not included in cost
- Contact base hotel to make your own reservation if you wish to stay there
- Dinner for 3 days not included in cost
Base Hotel:
Best Western Robert Treat Hotel
50 Park Place, Newark, New Jersey 07102-4398
USA
Phone :
Fax :
Web : www.rthotel.com
Field trip departure time from base hotel:
Transportation will leave from base hotel at 8 am Thursday September 27 and Friday September 28.
Min/Max Participants: 12/30
Related Links
- New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
- PSEG Biodiversity and Habitat
- PSEG Estuary Enhancement Program
- View travel map of field trips
- View photo slideshow
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For Additional Information:
Lynn McCready
OSU EcoSummit Coordinator
Olentangy River Wetland Research Park
The Ohio State University
352 W. Dodridge Street
Columbus, Ohio 43202 USA
Work:
Cell :
Email:
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