​From September 22–25, members of the American Littoral Society traveled across the country to San Francisco, California, to participate in the 2026 Restore America's Estuaries (RAE) Coastal & Estuarine Summit. The national conference brought together coastal restoration practitioners, scientists, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, and environmental professionals to exchange ideas, share research, and explore innovative approaches to protecting and restoring America's coastal ecosystems.

Advancing Intertidal Reef Restoration Along Delaware Bay
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Senior Habitat Restoration Coordinator Julie Schumacher-Carroll presented Advancing Intertidal Reef Design and Techniques in Delaware Bay: Sustaining Critical Horseshoe Crab and Shorebird Habitat during a session highlighting projects supported by the National Estuary Program Competitive Grants.

Since 2013, the Society has worked to restore eroding beaches along the Delaware Bayshore, where coastal habitats provide critical spawning grounds for horseshoe crabs and feeding areas for migratory shorebirds, including the federally threatened Red Knot. An important component of this work has been the construction of intertidal reef structures designed to reduce wave energy, retain restored beach sediment, and improve the long-term sustainability of these habitats.

Although these reef structures have provided valuable protection, exposure to waves, tides, sediment movement, and other environmental conditions can alter their shape and effectiveness over time. Through the National Estuary Program Competitive Grant, the Society is revisiting three previously restored locations—Moores Beach, Thompsons Beach, and Dyer Cove—to improve existing reef structures and explore alternative construction materials and techniques.

Julie's presentation highlighted the team's ongoing efforts to evaluate plastic-alternative reef materials while monitoring structural integrity, biodiversity, oyster recruitment, and horseshoe crab and migratory shorebird use of the protected beaches. The project represents an important step toward developing restoration techniques that are both ecologically beneficial and adaptable to changing coastal conditions.

As this work continues, the Society looks forward to sharing additional findings and inviting volunteers to participate in future reef-building events, affectionately known as "Shellabrations."

Building Better Habitat: The Evolution of Delaware Bay Restoration

Habitat Restoration Technician Kerstin Axe presented Building Better Habitat on Delaware Bay during the Summit's "Advances in Design" session, highlighting the evolution of the Society's restoration techniques and the increasing scale of its coastal resilience projects.

Through a compelling visual journey, Kerstin illustrated how the Society's restoration work has progressed from relatively small-scale shell-bag reef installations to complex, large-scale hybrid breakwater systems designed to protect vulnerable coastal landscapes.

Her presentation showcased the importance of adapting restoration designs to site-specific conditions, ecological objectives, and lessons learned through long-term monitoring. By comparing earlier restoration projects with more recent efforts, including the extensive breakwater construction at the mouth of the Maurice River, Kerstin demonstrated how innovation, collaboration, and practical field experience continue to shape the Society's approach to habitat restoration.
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The presentation also emphasized that successful restoration extends beyond the initial construction phase. Long-term monitoring, maintenance, and adaptive management are essential to ensuring that restored habitats continue providing ecological and coastal protection benefits well into the future.

Bringing Communities Together Through the Shark River Roundtable
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Habitat Restoration Operations Specialist Quinn McHerron delivered a presentation developed by Habitat Restoration Project Manager Zack Royle titled Shark River Roundtable: Bringing Communities Together on a Regional Level in the Face of Climate Change, as part of the "Learning from Restoration Efforts" session.

The presentation focused on the Society's ongoing work to bring together communities surrounding the Shark River watershed in Monmouth County, New Jersey, to address shared challenges associated with flooding, shoreline erosion, habitat degradation, and climate change.

The Shark River Roundtable brings representatives from five municipalities—Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Neptune City, Neptune Township, and Wall Township—together with county and state agencies, environmental organizations, technical experts, and other stakeholders. Through this collaborative forum, participants can identify common concerns, exchange information, and explore regional solutions that extend beyond individual municipal boundaries.

Quinn's presentation highlighted the importance of building relationships and establishing a shared vision before restoration projects reach the design and construction stages. The Society's role in the Shark River watershed demonstrates how meaningful coastal resilience planning requires not only technical expertise, but also sustained communication, community engagement, and coordination among diverse partners.

By sharing the Roundtable's approach with a national audience, the Society helped demonstrate how regional partnerships can support more coordinated and effective responses to increasingly complex coastal challenges.

Building Resilience with Nature: Lessons from New Jersey's Living Shorelines
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Habitat Restoration Program Manager Shane Godshall presented Building Resilience with Nature: The Role of Living Shorelines in New Jersey's Coastal Future…if Not the Nation during the Summit's "Living Shorelines" session.

Drawing on the Society's extensive experience implementing nature-based restoration projects throughout New Jersey, Shane discussed the ecological and community benefits of living shorelines, including shoreline stabilization, reduced wave energy, enhanced biodiversity, and improved resilience to coastal storms and rising sea levels.

His presentation emphasized that successful restoration requires far more than an innovative design. Collecting reliable baseline data, developing strong partnerships, engaging regulatory agencies early in the planning process, and establishing long-term stewardship strategies are all essential components of effective coastal restoration. Equally important is the involvement of local communities through education, outreach, and hands-on opportunities to participate in restoration activities.

Shane also used his presentation to honor the late Capt. Al Modjeski, the Society's longtime Habitat Restoration Program Director, whose passion, leadership, and unwavering commitment to coastal conservation helped shape the organization's restoration program.

Reflecting on Capt. Al's legacy, Shane encouraged fellow practitioners to connect people with the environments they are working to protect, get their feet wet and hands sandy, and approach difficult restoration challenges with creativity, courage, and determination. Above all, he encouraged attendees to carry forward Capt. Al's infectious enthusiasm and willingness to take on ambitious projects—to be the dynamo that drives meaningful change.

Research Posters Highlight Emerging Restoration Priorities

In addition to the technical presentations, Society staff contributed research posters highlighting ongoing projects and emerging areas of scientific inquiry.

Although Zack Royle was unable to attend the Summit in person, his poster, Incorporating Animal Welfare Science into Coastal Restoration, was displayed during the conference.

The poster explored research underway at Kimbles Beach along Delaware Bay, where Zack is investigating the behavior of horseshoe crabs before and after tagging. By examining whether tagging procedures influence the behavior or well-being of individual horseshoe crabs, this research seeks to better understand how scientific monitoring practices may affect the species they are intended to help conserve.

The work represents an important expansion of the Society's restoration monitoring approach. While traditional project evaluations often focus on physical habitat conditions, vegetation establishment, shoreline stability, and species abundance, incorporating animal welfare considerations may provide additional insight into how restoration and monitoring activities influence the wildlife that depend on these habitats.

Kerstin Axe also presented a research poster titled Restoring Ecologically Beneficial and Resilient Infrastructure at the Mouth of the Maurice River, highlighting one of the Society's most ambitious coastal restoration initiatives. For more information on the mouth of the Maurice River project, please see this blog.

Leadership, Collaboration, and Professional Connections

Beyond presenting their work, Society staff played active roles in supporting the Summit's broader program.

Shane Godshall, Quinn McHerron, and Kerstin Axe each served as session moderators, helping coordinate presentations, facilitate discussions, and keep their respective 90-minute sessions running smoothly. Their involvement contributed to productive exchanges between speakers and attendees while demonstrating the Society's leadership within the coastal restoration community.

Quinn also volunteered to assist Summit organizers, presenters, and attendees with general conference needs, helping support the successful operation of the event.

Executive Director Danielle McCulloch spent the conference connecting with restoration practitioners, nonprofit leaders, and representatives from organizations across the country. These conversations provided opportunities to strengthen existing relationships, develop new partnerships, and share the Society's mission and accomplishments with a broader national audience.
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Participation in professional conferences like the RAE Summit is especially valuable because coastal restoration is an evolving field. New materials, emerging research, changing environmental conditions, and lessons from completed projects continually influence how restoration practitioners approach their work. Bringing together professionals with different backgrounds and experiences helps ensure that successful ideas can be shared, refined, and applied across geographic regions.

Exploring San Francisco and Strengthening Team Connections

While the Summit provided a packed schedule of presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities, Society staff also took advantage of their time on the West Coast to explore the San Francisco area.

Team members visited several of the region's well-known destinations, including Fisherman's Wharf, Mission Dolores Park, Golden Gate Park, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, Muir Woods, the Marin Headlands, and Rodeo Beach. The group also experienced the city's iconic Tonga Room.
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These experiences offered opportunities to appreciate a different coastal landscape while spending time together outside their usual work environment. For a team accustomed to working long days in the field, coordinating complex restoration projects, and navigating the challenges of coastal construction, the trip provided a welcome opportunity to strengthen relationships and reflect on their shared commitment to conservation.

Bringing Lessons Home to New Jersey

The 2026 Restore America's Estuaries Coastal & Estuarine Summit reinforced the importance of collaboration, innovation, and long-term commitment in addressing the challenges facing America's coasts.

For the American Littoral Society, the conference was an opportunity not only to showcase the organization's growing portfolio of restoration projects, but also to learn from the experiences of practitioners working in coastal environments across the country.

From experimenting with alternative reef materials and restoring extensive tidal marsh systems to advancing animal welfare research and building regional resilience partnerships, the Society's contributions reflected the breadth of its work and its commitment to continually improving coastal restoration practices.

As staff return to their ongoing projects throughout New Jersey and Jamaica Bay, they bring with them new perspectives, strengthened professional relationships, and renewed enthusiasm for the work ahead.
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Protecting and restoring our coasts requires more than individual projects—it requires a community of dedicated people willing to share knowledge, embrace new ideas, and work together toward a more resilient future. The American Littoral Society is proud to be part of that national community and looks forward to continuing the work of turning innovative ideas into meaningful restoration outcomes.

​Along the shores of Barnegat Bay in Lacey Township, New Jersey, the Forked River Beach community has experienced decades of shoreline erosion, habitat loss, and increasing vulnerability to coastal flooding. Since 1995, more than 150 feet of shoreline have disappeared, with erosion accelerating following Superstorm Sandy in 2012. In some locations, the shoreline had deteriorated so severely that high tides were bringing bay water into nearby homes. Recognizing the urgent need to protect both the community and the surrounding ecosystem, the American Littoral Society and its partners undertook an ambitious restoration project designed to stabilize the shoreline, improve water quality, and bring an important natural habitat back to Barnegat Bay.

Why Living Shorelines Matter

Living shorelines offer a nature-based approach to protecting vulnerable coastal areas from erosion and flooding. Unlike traditional shoreline stabilization methods that rely exclusively on hardened structures such as bulkheads and seawalls, living shorelines incorporate natural materials and ecological processes to reduce wave energy, stabilize sediment, and create habitat for fish, shellfish, and other wildlife. These projects can provide multiple environmental benefits while helping coastal communities become more resilient to storms and rising sea levels.
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At Forked River Beach, the need for a living shoreline was particularly evident. In addition to extensive erosion, the area had experienced the loss of a natural resource that once helped protect Barnegat Bay's shoreline: oysters. Historically, Barnegat Bay supported more than 12,000 acres of eastern oyster reefs, but today nearly all of those natural populations have disappeared. Oyster reefs serve as natural breakwaters, reducing wave energy, while also providing important habitat for marine organisms. Oysters also filter suspended particles from the water, helping improve water clarity and overall ecosystem health. Restoring oyster habitat at Forked River Beach presented an opportunity to address shoreline erosion while reintroducing some of these valuable ecological functions.

Building the Forked River Beach Living Shoreline
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Beginning in 2021, the American Littoral Society worked alongside local, state, federal, nonprofit, and private partners to construct a series of seven offshore oyster reefs along the Forked River Beach shoreline. Located approximately 100–200 feet offshore, the reefs extend from near the mouth of the Forked River south toward a lagoon at the end of Beach Boulevard.

The project involved installing 168 individual reef segments arranged in double rows to create approximately 1,400 linear feet of protective reef structures. Each segment consists of modified HESCO units, galvanized steel wire baskets with an interior rock core surrounded by compartments filled with recycled shell. The rock provides structural stability, while the shell creates suitable surfaces for oyster attachment and growth. The reefs are designed to reduce the force of incoming waves, limit further shoreline erosion, and provide habitat for a variety of aquatic species.

A particularly exciting component of the project was the introduction of approximately 32 million live oysters through shell seeded with oyster larvae. These oysters were intended to establish populations on the constructed reefs and, as they mature, potentially contribute to the natural recruitment of additional oysters throughout the project area.

The project also incorporated recycled shell collected through the American Littoral Society's Shuck It, Don't Chuck It! shell recycling program, demonstrating how discarded shells from local restaurants can be returned to coastal waters to support habitat restoration.

Construction of the living shoreline was completed in October 2023.. Although construction is complete, ongoing monitoring and maintenance remain important components of the project as the reefs continue to develop and respond to changing environmental conditions.

Monitoring Results: A Shoreline Showing Signs of Recovery

Since installation, monitoring efforts have provided encouraging evidence that the living shoreline is achieving several of its primary restoration objectives. One of the most significant findings has been a dramatic reduction in nearshore erosion. Prior to restoration, between August 2018 and January 2022, the project area experienced an average erosion rate of approximately 95 cubic yards of sediment per month. During the final nine months before restoration, that rate increased to approximately 143 cubic yards per month. Following restoration, monitoring documented a reduction to just 14 cubic yards per month, representing an approximately 85% reduction compared with the longer-term pre-restoration average.
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These findings suggest that the constructed reefs are successfully reducing wave energy, helping protect the shoreline from continued sediment loss. Based on an assumed relationship between shoreline erosion and suspended sediment, the monitoring report also estimates that this reduction could prevent approximately 113 tons of sediment from entering surrounding waters each month. This estimate is particularly meaningful because reducing sediment inputs can help improve water clarity and support healthier aquatic habitats throughout Barnegat Bay.

Oysters Are Returning to Forked River Beach

Perhaps one of the most exciting outcomes of the restoration project has been the continued establishment and expansion of oysters throughout the constructed reefs. Monitoring conducted between 2022 and 2026 documented a remarkable increase in oyster occupancy across the reef structures:

• 2022: 17.86% of reef units had oysters detected, representing the initial seeded oysters.
• 2025: Oyster occupancy increased to 70.55%.
• 2026: Oyster occupancy reached 86.90%.

​Even more encouraging is the increasing presence of oysters on reef units that were not originally seeded. In 2025, the estimated probability of oyster presence was approximately 91% on seeded units compared with 64% on unseeded units. By 2026, those probabilities had nearly converged, reaching approximately 88% and 85%, respectively.

This substantial increase in oyster presence on unseeded reef units is an important indicator of the project's developing ecological value. It suggests that oysters are successfully colonizing additional habitat beyond the locations where they were initially introduced, although further monitoring is needed to determine the extent to which natural reproduction and recruitment are driving this expansion.

The increasing distribution of oysters is especially promising given the historic decline of oyster populations in Barnegat Bay. As oyster populations develop, the reefs have the potential to provide increasing habitat complexity, filtration benefits, and ecological value over time.

Creating Habitat and Supporting Biodiversity

Beyond reducing erosion and supporting oyster growth, the constructed reefs are already providing habitat for a diverse community of aquatic organisms. Biological monitoring identified 22 additional species or organism groups beyond oysters associated with the reef monitoring structures. Among these were mud crabs, skilletfish, and striped blennies, all commonly associated with oyster reef habitats. Fish trapping also documented American eel, oyster toadfish, and pinfish within the restored reef area, while no fish were captured in the comparison trap located outside the reef area during that sampling effort.

These findings demonstrate how constructed oyster reefs can provide much more than shoreline protection. By creating complex underwater structures, the reefs offer shelter, feeding opportunities, and habitat for a variety of marine organisms, contributing to the overall ecological richness of Barnegat Bay.
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Water quality monitoring has also produced encouraging findings. Although no statistically significant differences in measured water quality parameters were observed between the restoration and control areas, the project area met New Jersey's applicable estuarine surface water quality standards for all measured parameters. Continued monitoring will help researchers better understand how the developing oyster populations may influence water quality over time.

A Community Effort with Lasting Benefits

The Forked River Beach restoration project represents more than an investment in shoreline protection; it demonstrates the value of collaboration between conservation organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, local businesses, and coastal communities.

Throughout the project, the American Littoral Society hosted 12 stakeholder and community meetings to share updates, gather feedback, and involve residents in the restoration process. Additionally, 39 volunteers contributed approximately 720 hours toward project implementation, including students from Monmouth University, Stockton University, Ocean County College, and the Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science. These partnerships helped transform an eroding shoreline into a developing coastal habitat that provides both ecological and community benefits.
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While continued monitoring and maintenance will be necessary to evaluate the project's long-term performance, the results to date are encouraging. Reduced erosion, expanding oyster populations, and increasing biodiversity demonstrate the potential of nature-based restoration to address multiple coastal challenges simultaneously. Forked River Beach is becoming an example of how protecting coastal communities and restoring natural ecosystems can go hand in hand. As the reefs continue to develop, the project will provide valuable lessons for future living shoreline initiatives throughout New Jersey and beyond.

Coming off of the recent Nor'easter, the Society's New York office Don Riepe, Alex Kanonik and 6 intrepid volunteers headed out by boat on October 1st to conduct a survey of debris post-storm, and to conduct a shoreline cleanup on one of the marsh islands in Jamaica Bay.

​We also wanted to highlight that this activity would not be possible without support from a grant from the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, and additional generous support from Resorts World NYC. Thank you to the funders that help support our cleanup efforts in Jamaica Bay this season.

A recent study by our partners at PennEnvironment found microplastics in every tributary to the Delaware River. The American Littoral Society has long advocated for reducing Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) pollution in the Delaware River, and that work is directly connected to the microplastics problem. Research suggests that sewage can carry other contaminants, including microplastics and PFAS. That means reducing CSO pollution in Philadelphia would also reduce the amount of microplastics and PFAS entering the Delaware River watershed. ​

Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments less than 5 mm that come from clothing fibers, packaging, and everyday consumer products. They break down but never disappear, fracturing into smaller and smaller particles that move easily through water and accumulate in wildlife, sediments, and even human organs. Microplastics absorb PFAs, meaning you'll likely find one where you find the other.  
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PFAs, per-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances, are a group of synthetic compounds used in things like nonstick cookware, firefighting foam, and the automotive industry. They have incredibly strong bonds, meaning they will not break down on their own, hence the nickname, "forever chemicals". They also mimic amino fatty acids, which tricks the human body into storing them. This can result in immune suppression, various forms of cancer, and reproductive harm.  ​

The connection between sewage pollution and microplastics matters because many pollutants move through waterways attached to solids. In a combined sewer overflow event, solids that contain sewage, organic matter, and other pollutants bypass treatment and enter nearby rivers. That means when Philadelphia’s combined sewer system overflows during storms, the city isn’t just discharging bacteria and nutrients, it’s discharging microplastics attached to fecal solids directly into the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. That makes solids capture one of the most practical ways to reduce multiple pollution problems at once. 

Wastewater research helps explain this concept. A 2025 study on microplastics in wastewater treatment plants found that “the specific quantities of microplastics along the sludge treatment lines were steady, implying the comparable behavior of micro-particular pollution to total suspended solids.” Total suspended solids, or TSS, are particles suspended in water. In other words, the study suggests that microplastics follow solids—a connection that helps explain how they can escape with solids during CSO events. Another 2024 study of PFAS found that they also accumulate in solids, similarly to microplastics.

In short, microplastics and PFAs both bind to solids, and Philadelphia’s CSO system releases solids. Therefore, every CSO event is also a release of harmful "forever chemicals". Improving CSO mitigation won’t solve the region’s microplastics and PFAs problem entirely, but it would meaningfully reduce the amount entering the Delaware River Watershed.  ​

For Professional Engineer Andrew Kricun, that connection points to the need for action from water utilities: "Wastewater utilities can do a great deal to reduce exposure to microplastics and PFAs in our environment. Since these harmful chemicals adhere to solids, optimizing solids capture at treatment plants and minimizing combined sewage overflows will significantly reduce the public health risk from microplastics and PFAs." 

Improving solids capture is something that the Philadelphia Water Department could reasonably do to reduce both CSO, microplastic, and PFAs pollution. Philadelphia currently relies on skimming boats to remove solids and floatable from CSO outfalls. These boats are slow, inefficient, and incapable of capturing fine solids that carry microplastics and PFAs. ​

​Read more:

Philadelphia Inquirer: Microplastic pollution found in 100% of Delaware River tributaries tested

Microplasics Journal: Fate of Microplastic Pollution Along the Water and Sludge Lines
in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants
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​ACS ES&T Water: Occurrence, Fate, and Removal of PFAS in Small- and Large-Scale Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the United States

PennEnvironment: Microplastics in the Delaware River Watershed

​This fall, I was fortunate enough to lead several bird walks as a Coastal Birding Guide for the American Littoral Society. These bird walks were designated for the spectacle that is fall migration within Sandy Hook’s pristine habitats. A broad window from September through October bestows flourishing waves of avian migration that is a natural phenomenon to behold. I was determined to provide guests with an engaging learning experience, fully immersing them in the presence of these incredible birds as they prepare for their long-distance migration down to their southern wintering grounds. Each event presented fruitful experiences and unforgettable memories with a highlight bird species for each occasion.

​September marks the peak southward migration of warblers, vireos, flycatchers and other songbirds. Fascinatingly, songbirds migrate at night utilizing the rotation of stars in the night sky as their celestial compass. Once day breaks, many of these nocturnal migrants make landfall within forested areas to refuel before continuing on with their migration. Much of our September walks were led throughout the north end of Sandy Hook, in a patch of maritime forest referred to as “Bug Light” by local birders and fishermen. During the fall, Bug Light is a treasure trove for birders as it acts as a vital pit stop for our migrating songbirds. 

​​Perhaps my most memorable moment from this past September was when I got my lifer Connecticut Warbler while leading a walk. In birder terminology, a “lifer” or “lifebird” refers to a new species of bird that you’ve encountered for the first time in your life. We birders rarely achieve a lifer while leading a bird walk of our own. However, on September 9th, during our Fall Warbler & Shorebird Walk, an unexpected feathered friend graced us with its presence. I remember feeling my heart skip a beat when an olive-yellow warbler popped into view from a dense patch of mugwort, briefly perching on a snag just three feet in front of us. Frantically, I lifted up my binoculars to see the distinct white eye-ring characteristic of a Connecticut Warbler. “Connecticut Warbler!!!” I shouted excitedly. As luck would have it, the bird cooperatively popped up from the understory a few more times, giving guests great views through their binoculars. Sharing this incredible lifebird with our guests is an experience that I will forever cherish.

​​One of the most exciting things about bird migration is the unpredictability of it all. You can reliably expect days of active migration based on weather patterns and other environmental factors. However, birding during migration can oftentimes be a mixed bag. You never truly know what you’re going to get. Our “Sunset Birding Walk” on September 18th seemed to be one of those uncertain days. As I led the group down the bike trail near Guardian Park, activity seemed still and quiet. Luckily, the silence was only temporary as Earl Wolverton, a friend of the Society, would soon spot a gorgeous adult Red-Headed Woodpecker. The brightly colored woodpecker put on quite the show for everyone attending as it flew directly overhead, traversing from one tree to the next. This Red-Headed Woodpeckers is one of many that are currently on their transient flight down to their southeastern wintering grounds. After the phenomenal looks of the Red-Headed Woodpecker, we ended the tour on the Spermaceti Cove boardwalk where Chris Zook, Rowan Semsel, and Jeffrey Mowan, all friends of the Society, each spotted a Common Nighthawk. The evening ended with a gorgeous fiery sunset to top off a wonderful birding excursion.

​October brings an additional wave of migrants to the Hook, many of them arriving from breeding grounds in the taiga. These boreal specialists include yellow-bellied sapsuckers, brown creepers, ruby-crowned kinglets, and golden-crowned kinglets. Our Fall Songbird & Shorebird Migration walk on October 7th, was a highly productive day. Tiny golden-crowned kinglets were omnipresent throughout the first half of the walk and decorated nearly every cedar tree in sight like Christmas ornaments. Brown creepers and yellow-bellied sapsuckers stealthily crawled up the trees while a prominent movement of yellow-billed cuckoos took us all by surprise. Typically a secretive, canopy-dwelling species, these yellow-billed cuckoos offered incredible views as they cut through the maritime forest, chowing down on spotted lanternflies and other insects.

​As we continued on, fellow birders notified us of a western kingbird that has recently been seen along the Bug Light trail. Luckily, the kingbird stayed long enough for us to find it as it swooped in dramatically overhead to catch insects. Normally seen in the western United States, western kingbirds can be expected to wander off course and end up along the east coast every year. Despite being lost, this western kingbird seemed relaxed, preening up its feathers for several minutes and providing guests with an amazing view of a rare species. Hopefully it will find its way back west after enjoying its stay at Sandy Hook.

​This experience has been an absolute joy of mine and reminds me why I devote so much time into this passion. Sharing these wonderful experiences of the natural world with the community is so special. I feel as though my experience with the American Littoral Society has strengthened my path toward an environmental career and I look forward to what the next chapter has to offer. 

Philadelphia’s rivers and creeks are becoming more important than ever as summers grow hotter and longer. From Bartram’s Garden to Pennypack Creek, people across the city rely on these waterways for recreation, shade, and relief from extreme heat. But pollution from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) makes the water unsafe after storms, limiting where people can safely enjoy the outdoors. As the city faces more intense rainfall and rising temperatures, clean rivers are essential for public health, recreation, and climate resilience. 

Philadelphia has an older sewer system that mixes stormwater and sewage in the same pipes. When heavy rain hits, the system overflows and sends untreated wastewater into rivers and creeks. These events cause bacteria levels to spike, making the water unsafe for activities like paddling, wading, or cooling off along the shoreline. At the same time, extreme heat is one of the city’s most dangerous weather hazards, and access to cool water and shaded green space can reduce health risks for thousands of residents. 

This challenge affects families across the city, especially those who depend on local rivers and creeks for recreation and relief. Neighborhoods without easy access to pools or air‑conditioned spaces rely even more on outdoor areas near water. If Philadelphia doesn’t address CSO pollution, residents will have fewer safe places to cool off during heat waves, fewer recreational opportunities, and greater public health risks. Cleaner water would create healthier communities, stronger ecosystems, and more equitable access to nature. ​

Local parks already show what’s possible. Bartram’s Garden offers free boating and fishing programs on the tidal Schuylkill, giving Southwest Philadelphia families a chance to get on the water. Pennypack Creek provides miles of shaded trails and fishing spots that stay cooler than surrounding neighborhoods. These spaces are vital community assets and cleaner water would expand what they can offer.  

Philadelphia is not alone in facing this challenge. Chicago once struggled with severe river pollution and frequent CSO events. Over the past two decades, the city invested heavily in sewer modernization, stormwater tunnels, and water quality improvements. Today, people swim in the Chicago River during organized events, and riverfront recreation has become a major part of city life. Chicago’s progress shows that cleaning up urban waterways is possible—and transformative. 

Philadelphia can follow that example. By supporting efforts to reduce CSO pollution and improve water quality, residents can help shape a future where rivers and creeks are safe, vibrant places to gather, cool off, and connect with nature. 
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This work builds on ongoing efforts to improve stormwater management, expand access to riverfront parks, and strengthen community connections to local waterways. Cleaner rivers support our mission to create healthy communities, protect natural spaces, and ensure everyone has access to safe outdoor recreation especially as the climate continues to change. As one resident said, clean water is “a necessity for life...so it’s up to us to take care of it.” ​

This spring and summer, the American Littoral Society partnered with the national park service for our second consecutive year of the Junior Ranger Angler Program. This program brings children’s age 10 to 16 out to Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook. Each session runs approximately three hours and has a maximum of twelve attendees. 

​The clinic starts with a quick safety and overview presentation at the American Littoral Society office. Junior anglers learn about different hazards of the beach, including waves, tides, and rip currents. Fishing safety is covered to ensure fish are handled carefully and no fingers get bitten… we give a quick overview of some basic marine biology and the importance of keeping our ecosystem healthy. 

​After the presentation we go outside to do a casting lesson. To ensure that every junior angler has the fundamental idea of how to cast a spinning rod and reel. All levels of experience are accepted. We are more than happy to teach somebody for the very first time.

The remainder of the clinic is spent on the beach catching fish. Each Junior Angler is provided their own rod and reel. We also provide hooks, weights and bait. Spread along the beach each junior angler enjoys their time casting and being outside. Much of the summer we have been catching summer flounder, clear nose skates, dogfish, and bluefish. Lots of support from myself, our fish tagging program intern Maggie, the Restoration Corps crew, the National Park Service Rangers, and park service volunteers Chris and Kay. 

​​The American Littoral Society is home to the largest and longest running volunteer fishing program in the nation. We bring that fish tag program to this event and tag all the fish that are caught. It is a fantastic way to instruct kids about fishing, get them outside and give them a window into the world of marine science.

​Many college students choose environmental majors because they want to get out of the office and into the world around them. They want to get their hands dirty, see the impact of their work, and make a real difference. Getting that hands-on experience, however, is not always easy, especially for community college students. Unlike 4-year universities, many community colleges do not offer consistent, in-the-field experiential learning opportunities for students. Most opportunities that are offered are outside of class time and costly, forcing many students to spend their free time and money to gain career experience outside of school while balancing other responsibilities.

Careers in environmental science require skills. Students need to be provided with opportunities to practice techniques, use technology and equipment, and problem solve in the field. Through this new initiative, students will have the opportunity to use field equipment and technology, visit an active habitat restoration site, and participate in a real environmental survey, all while completing their college courses. This program will bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world coastal conservation.
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Coastal Conservation in Action is about making sure that hands-on experience is not limited to those who have the time and resources to seek it out on their own. By bringing field work directly to the class, we can give community college students the place to build practical skills, gain confidence, and see what a career in environmental science could look like. Our goal is not only to have students leave with the knowledge they need, but the experience, confidence, and connections that prepare them for future roles in the environmental field. 

Example Field Experiences
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Choose from one of our existing field experiences or work with us to create an activity specifically for your course and your students.

• Coastal Field Techniques: A crash course on environmental field equipment and technology, followed by the opportunity to put it to use at a habitat restoration site!
• Oyster Reef Biological Assessments: Take a trip to one of our active restoration sites and measure oyster growth, conduct quadrat sampling to assess biodiversity, and measure water quality.
• Beach & Marsh Restoration Survey: Conduct pre-restoration monitoring to learn how to select sites for habitat restoration. Learn how to conduct a vegetation survey, sand grain size analysis, and use “blue technology” to assess the baseline site condition.
• Dune Grass Planting: Learn about the coastal dune system and visit one of the Littoral Society’s restoration sites to contribute to a real restoration initiative that helps preserve the ecosystem.

To learn more about this program and how to get your students involved,

Contact Michelle Rebilas, Director of Education

​michelle@littoralsociety.org       

On August 24, the Society worked with NJDEP and Monmouth County to organize a tour of the Shark River watershed as part of New Jersey Flood Safety Week. The tour brought decision-makers into the field to see where flooding is occurring, hear directly from communities, and explore how restoration and nature-based solutions can become part of a larger regional resilience strategy.

Participants included a broad group of public leaders, including Belmar Mayor Caitlin Donovan, Avon-by-the-Sea Mayor Ed Bonanno, Wall Township Mayor Erin Mangan, Monmouth County Commissioner Erik Anderson, Assemblywomen Margie Donlon and Luanne Peterpaul, and staff representing U.S. Senator Cory Booker and Congressmen Frank Pallone and Chris Smith.

They joined NJDEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak, Chief Resilience Officer Nick Angarone, municipal officials from all five Shark River communities, and regional partners to see flooding concerns and restoration opportunities firsthand.
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Having local, county, state, and federal leaders together created an important opportunity to compare priorities across municipal boundaries and discuss the funding, policy, and agency coordination needed to move resilience projects forward.

​Seeing Solutions on the Ground

During the tour, Society staff shared both the history of the Shark River and examples of what resilience can look like on the ground.

Executive Director Danielle McCulloch discussed how oyster reefs, sandy shorelines, marshes, and other natural features historically helped buffer the watershed and how communities can move from isolated projects toward a more coordinated regional strategy that uses dredged sediments, community participation, and innovative tactics and partnerships.

At the South Riverside Living Shoreline in Neptune Township, Restoration staff Zack Royle and Julie Schumacher showed how sediment placement, planted berms, dunes, and native vegetation can stabilize shoreline, restore habitat, and help protect South Riverside Drive and nearby homes.

Zack discussed the opportunity to work with NJDOT to use clean dredged sediment more strategically throughout the watershed. Julie highlighted another essential part of successful restoration: long-term community relationships and trust, including the Society’s partnership with the Shark River Cleanup Coalition and local leaders.
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The site illustrates a central principle of our work: projects can provide benefits for both people and wildlife when restoration and community resilience are planned together.

​Bringing the Watershed Together

As Commissioner Ed Potasnak emphasized, flooding does not stop at municipal borders. Neither can resilience planning.

Capt. Al Modjeski and other Society staff helped reconvene the Shark River Environmental Roundtable to bring Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Wall Township, Monmouth County, state agencies, scientists, and community organizations around the same table.

The Roundtable gives municipal leaders a place to identify shared challenges and pursue solutions that may be difficult for any one community to tackle alone. Those conversations helped create the foundation for the regional work now advancing through Monmouth County and the Resilient NJ Municipal Assistance Program, with partners including Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute.

​Our role is often to connect the pieces: local priorities, restoration expertise and experience, community voices, agency expertise, funding opportunities, and partners who can help move good ideas toward implementation.

The Flood Safety Week tour grew from that work. Society staff helped NJDEP and Monmouth County shape the route, coordinate municipalities and agencies, invite elected officials, and select sites that showed both the challenges communities face and the solutions already taking shape.

​Turning Dredged Sediment into a Resource

One of the most promising opportunities in Shark River is finding better uses for clean sediment already being removed from navigation channels.

The Society, Monmouth County, Shark River communities, and other partners are working with NJDOT’s Office of Maritime Resources to better connect routine navigation dredging with shoreline and habitat restoration.

Instead of treating dredging and resilience as separate issues, suitable sediment could be used to rebuild marshes and beaches, stabilize eroding shorelines, create protective shoals and islands, and support living shorelines and other nature-based projects.

The longer-term goal is to connect future dredging cycles with restoration needs across the watershed treating sediment as a resource and using public investments in navigation to produce additional benefits for habitat and community resilience.

The Society is pursuing additional funding to create a watershed-wide Coastal Resilience and Beneficial Use Plan for Shark River. The proposed work would evaluate flooding, shoreline change, habitat, dredging cycles, sediment resources, navigation needs, and community priorities. The team would identify potential restoration and sediment-placement sites and advance priority locations toward conceptual design.

Potential projects could include marsh restoration, living shorelines, bay beach restoration, strategic sediment placement, marsh islands, shellfish habitat, and other natural and nature-based approaches. Municipal officials, residents, businesses, marinas, agencies, and community organizations would help determine which projects rise to the top.
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The goal is to identify the problems, agree on priorities, develop projects, line up sediment and funding, and move toward design and on-the-ground construction.

Resilience Also Requires Better Rules

Building resilience also means prioritizing policies to support safer communities.
While New Jersey is spending significant public resources to address flooding that already exists the state also needs to ensure that new development does not create tomorrow’s flood problems using yesterday’s assumptions.

That is why the NJPACT REAL rules are an important part of this conversation. The rules update New Jersey’s flood, coastal, stormwater, and wetlands standards to better account for future sea-level rise, heavier rainfall, and changing flood conditions. Infrastructure and development being built today should be designed for the conditions they are likely to experience over their useful lives. Designing for future conditions can help reduce avoidable flood damage and the long-term costs borne by homeowners, communities, and taxpayers.

The REAL rules were adopted January 20, 2026, but DEP is currently considering an extension of the period during which qualifying projects can continue under the older standards. That extension proposal is still listed as pending adoption.
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For communities like those surrounding Shark River, resilience requires investing in solutions for existing vulnerabilities while adopting strong, science-based standards that avoid creating new ones.

The Work Behind the Projects

Much of resilience work happens long before construction begins.

It starts with bringing communities together, building trust, coordinating with agencies, finding technical partners, pursuing funding, navigating permitting, and continuing to move good projects forward when the path is complicated.

The Society does not do that work alone. Progress in Shark River is possible because municipal leaders, residents, state and county agencies, scientists, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and many other partners continue to show up and work together.

Support for the American Littoral Society helps us play a connective role in that process: staying at the table, bringing decades of restoration experience to the conversation, and helping turn community priorities into projects that can make a difference on the ground.

A more resilient Shark River will not come from one tour, one grant, one rule, or one organization. It will come from people and institutions working toward a shared vision and then doing the difficult work of turning that vision into action over the long term.
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That is the work we intend to keep doing.

​In the News

• Severe storms lead to flooding in parts of New Jersey — ABC7 New York
• Can recreating nature in the Shark River stop pollution and flooding? — Asbury Park Press
• Rehabilitating the Shark River — Asbury Park Press

​Bunker Feed the Coast
 
Have you ever seen a patch of rippling ocean that looks like wind moving across the water? Or a flock of birds circling and diving in one place? You may have been watching a school of bunker.
 
Atlantic menhaden, also known as bunker, are schooling fish that fuel our coastal food web.

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​Why Industrial Harvest Deserves Scrutiny
 
Menhaden support two commercial fisheries. The bait fishery supplies anglers, crabbers, and lobster fishermen. The much larger industrial “reduction” fishery turns menhaden into fishmeal and oil used in products such as animal feed and supplements. The Atlantic Coast’s only remaining menhaden reduction plant is Omega Protein’s facility in Reedville, Virginia. According to ASMFC documents, this single company harvests about 67% of the entire coastwide quota. The size and concentration of this industrial harvest have led many groups to call for an end to the reduction fishery.
 
This November, ASMFC will consider new restrictions because such concentrated harvest may leave fewer menhaden for predators and other fishermen.

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​Why the Reduction Fishery Quota Should Be Lowered
 
The latest stock assessment found that scientists had overestimated the menhaden population by an average of 37%. In other words, there were fewer fish than managers thought. Because catch limits were set using that inflated estimate, managers should now reduce fishing pressure and leave more menhaden in the water for the predators that depend on them.
 
ASMFC created an ecological reference point, or ERP, to limit fishing pressure and leave enough menhaden as food for predators, especially striped bass. Yet when managers set the 2026 catch limit, their projections showed a 100% chance that fishing pressure would exceed the ERP target. Although the Board recognized the need for a substantial cut, it chose a higher quota because of concerns about making a large economic change in one year. As a result, managers knowingly adopted a catch limit that was projected to miss their own ecosystem goal.
 
Ospreys provide another warning sign. Observations along the coast have documented declining reproductive success. Research published this year found widespread breeding problems among Chesapeake Bay ospreys and identified reduced menhaden availability as a likely primary cause.
 
Taken together, this evidence supports limits on industrial harvest while maintaining a sustainable bait fishery.

​Two decisions must work together to leave more menhaden in the water.
 
1. Protect menhaden in Chesapeake Bay. The Bay is an important nursery for young menhaden. As these fish migrate, they help feed coastal waters from New Jersey and New York to other parts of the Atlantic Coast.
Draft Addendum II would set how many menhaden the reduction fishery may catch in Chesapeake Bay and when that fishing may occur. We support cutting the Bay’s reduction-fishery cap by at least 50%, spreading the allowed catch more evenly across the season, and reviewing the cap at least once every three years. We also support keeping a separate limit for Chesapeake Bay instead of automatically tying it to the coastwide quota.
 
2. Reduce total catch along the entire coast. We support lowering the coastwide total allowable catch, or TAC, to match the updated science. The revised assessment found that the average estimate of menhaden biomass (the total weight of fish in the population) was 37% lower than previously believed. This means managers had been setting catch limits based on an inflated estimate of how many fish were available.
 
ASMFC established an ecological reference point, or ERP, target for fishing pressure to account for menhaden’s role as food, particularly for striped bass. Yet when managers set the 2026 catch limit, their projections showed a 100% probability that fishing pressure would exceed that target. The Board chose a larger quota, citing concerns about the economic effects of a substantial cut in one year. Managers knowingly adopted a limit projected to fall short of their own ecosystem goal.
 
A year has passed, and managers now have an opportunity to correct that decision. We support cutting the coastwide catch limit by more than 50% from the 2026 level. We also urge managers to choose a limit with a better-than-even chance of meeting ASMFC’s ecosystem target.

​Speak up by October 9
You do not need to be a fisheries expert to participate. Tell managers why healthy coastal waters matter to you.
 

• Send a comment: Email comments@asmfc.org with the subject “Atlantic Menhaden Draft Addendum II and 2027–2029 Catch Limits.” Include your name, your state, your personal connection to the issue, and why stronger protections matter to you. Ask managers to cut the Bay’s industrial harvest cap by at least 50%, spread the allowed harvest more evenly across the season, and make a substantial coastwide catch reduction that meets ASMFC’s ecosystem target.

 

• Use the survey: Follow ASMFC’s public-comment instructions and ASGA’s option-by-option guide can help you understand the choices before you respond.

 
Submit your comments by the October 9, 2026, the deadline for public input on Addendum II.
 
More bunker in the water means more food for the coast we love. Help us make that the priority this November.