First sign of spring in the watershed

Skunk cabbage, perhaps the first harbinger of spring, pokes through the snow in boggy places all over the Navesink watershed every February.  These plants are adapted to cold conditions and have one of the longest growing seasons of the native perrenials.  The small purplish leathery swirl will transform into the familar large green fan-shaped leafed plant of the boggy of the forest and shaded stream peripheries.  The plants in this picture were photographed near the Nut Swamp Brook on February 17, 2013.

Nut Swamp Brook Cleanup (Sunnyside Rec Area)

After two snowed out tries the Nut Swamp Brook cleanup Phase One finally took place on February 17, 2013.  Thanks to the Monmouth County Park System for permitting us to hold the event at the Sunnyside Recreation Area and thanks to the Park Service's volunteer coordinator Melissa Kelly for getting the word out.  As always special thanks to Monmouth Clean Communities and John Minton for providing bags, equipment and for hauling the collected debris away.

All toll an estimated 1,500 lbs. of debris including many big tires and over 100 lbs. of dangerous to handle smashed window glass were removed.  Our volunteers were Cory Pasmowitz, Sue Pasmowitz, Josephine Gruber, Bill Murphy, Gerry Lingner, Chris Creighton, Jose Villagran, Renie Low, Sam Sugarman and Bonnie Sugarman.  THANK YOU ALL!!

                                             Happiness is a clean park and a clean watershed!

                                          It took 58 cleanups to find our first motorcycle!

                                          Window glass is particularly difficult to collect safely

                                         The family that cleans together......

                                            The fruits of three hours of hard work.

 

NSRG Plans Nut Swamp Creek Cleanup Feb 3