Another Successful Year Mentoring Participants from NJDEP’s Youth Inclusion Initiative

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has launched its third annual Youth Inclusion Initiative. The program hopes to enrich young participants, who may not have the opportunity to explore open spaces in their community, with hands-on environmental field experience under the tutelage of NJDEP professionals and mentors.

This year’s youth consists of 47 participants from ages 16-20 that hail from five different community-based organizations. These partners include Neighborhood Improvement Association (Trenton), Rutgers-Camden, Groundwork Elizabeth, Ironbound Community Corporation (Newark), and The Work Group (Camden).

Over the course of this six week program, the youth participated in a curriculum that showcased career pathways in the water resources and natural resources management fields. Participants learned through classroom instruction and by receiving some in-field experience across sectors regulated by NJDEP such as touring an air monitoring station, visiting a trout hatchery, conducting stream assessments, and practicing proper tool and equipment recognition at a state park. After their time with the initiative is through, they will have nurtured the skills to pursue these job opportunities and develop a deeper appreciation for our environment.

Princeton Hydro representatives Mark Gallagher, Dana Patterson, and Michael Rehman, CERP, PWS led one of the mentorships. This is the second year NJDEP’s Division of Land Resource Protection Mitigation Unit invited Princeton Hydro to teach a portion of the program. The goal in participating was to educate the youth about the importance of restoring native landscapes and explore the job responsibilities of environmental scientists, water resource engineers, geologists, ecologists, pesticide applicators, and regulatory compliance specialists, while building upon and cultivating  fascination with nature.

The Abbott Marshlands in Trenton, New Jersey

The program kicked off with a presentation in Mercer County Park Commission’s Tulpehaking Nature Center located in John A. Roebling Park. After learning about the history of the site from representatives from Mercer County and Friends of the Abbott Marshlands, Princeton Hydro discussed opportunities for careers in conservation and gave a brief overview of the restoration efforts in the park to eradicate the invasive Common Reed (Phragmites australis). Prior to heading out to explore the Abbott Marshlands, the northernmost freshwater tidal wetlands on the Delaware River, the Princeton Hydro team went through a health and safety briefing, a very important part of our job, to make sure everyone was aware of the potential risks and exposures.

Princeton Hydro team members and NJDEP’s Environmental Specialist Jessica Klein led the participants through the park. Right away, the first group witnessed one of nature’s marvels when they spotted a Northern Red-bellied Cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris) laying her eggs along the side of the main road. Participants learned of the marshland and surrounding upland’s rich cultural significance. On their trek through this natural oasis, they followed in the footsteps of the Lenape, a tribe of Native Americans who regularly visited and eventually settled in the area at least 13,000 years ago. These early nomadic people relied on the land for food, fuel, and other readily available resources until they were displaced due to European settlement along the Delaware River. Learn more about the Abbott Marshland cultural history here.

Eventually, the group made it to the area of the restoration site. Here, the students gained a better understanding of the harsh effects that invasive species have on an ecosystem. The 3000-acre freshwater tidal marsh provides habitat to many rare and endangered species, but it has experienced a significant amount of degradation due to monoculture of the invasive Common Reed. In order to improve the area’s biodiversity and elevate visitors’ recreational experience, Princeton Hydro implemented a restoration plan that aimed to eradicate the aggressive non-native plants within a 40-acre stretch of the marsh and enable native plants like Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica) to flourish. Learn more about this project.

NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette surprised the Rutgers-Camden group with his joyful presence. After giving a zealous speech to the class, he accompanied them on their journey to the marshland.

Overall, participants had fun learning how to use a field guide to identify invasive species found within the area. They were taught how to differentiate them with native flora like sensitive fern, poison ivy, and wild rice. With a wide survey of the marshland, the youth were taught about wetland delineation and got a peek into the process of using a hand auger and a Munsell Soil Color Book to identify wetland soils. Utilizing binoculars, the last group was lucky to spot a Northern Harrier, an uncommon visitor for the marshland, soaring circles in the sky in search of prey. The rare sighting led to the successful end of the final tour.

The NJDEP Youth Inclusion Initiative began on July 6 and culminated on August 16 with a graduation and NJDEP Career Day where students had the opportunity to meet and discuss career options with various organizations who tabled at the event, including Princeton Hydro.

To learn more about the NJDEP education program, click here. If you’re interested in learning more about Princeton Hydro’s ecological restoration services, click here.

• Environmental Education
• Invasive Species Management
• Natural Resource Management
• Wetland Restoration