1 Hour Workshops Offered During Session One (4:30-5:30)

1B. Aquatic Invasive Species Toolkit: presented by Karen Byrne and Jim Merritt of Sedge Island Natural Resource Education Center - NJDEP. Explore the world of aquatic invasive species with a toolkit developed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources that tells the story of invasive species through 5 distinct units. Learn to identify aquatic invasive species, explore the contents of the toolkit, and participate in two sample activities. This toolkit is available to nature centers and schools to use throughout the year.

1C. Native Carnivorous Plants presented by Terry O'Leary and Dr. Linda Turi.  Investigate the adaptations, habitat requirements, soil conditions and companion vegetation of New Jersey's native carnivorous plants, including Pitcher Plants, Sundews and Bladderworts. Locations to visit and photograph colonies of carnivorous plants will be showcased through a photo slideshow. Samples of these unique plants will be provided, and a lesson on how to introduce your students to these unique and fascinating plants will be modeled.

1D. Ospreys  presented by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.  Did you know that in 1974 only 50 osprey nests remained in New Jersey? Today, ospreys are a common sight along the Jersey shore during the summer. Learn about their life history, current monitoring techniques, and be enthralled by their amazing comeback! Join Ben as he shares his 10+ years of experience working with this majestic species.  Please dress appropriately for outdoor learning.

1 Hour Workshops Offered During Session Two (5:40-6:40)

2F. The Effects of Climate Change on Barnegat Bay's Natural Resources  presented by Rosemary Higgins and Mindy Voss of NJ Sea Grant Consortium.  During this workshop, New Jersey Sea Grant staff will present two lesson plans, "Shrinking Shorelines" and "The Basics of Ocean Acidification", that explore the impact of climate change on Barnegat Bay's sensitive environmental systems. "Shrinking Shorelines" is focused on helping students understand the cause and effect of sea level rise including the effect of rising seas on Barnegat Bay's Diamondback Terrapin population. "The Basics of Ocean Acidification" explores how excess carbon dioxide has altered the chemistry of estuarine and ocean water and the implications this will have for shellfish species important to Barnegat Bay's maritime economy.

2H. Enviroscape: Teaching about Pollution Prevention  presented by GraceAnne Taylor of Save Barnegat Bay, and Justin Linton, New Jersey Watershed Ambassador for the Barnegat Bay.  The 3-D tabletop Enviroscape watershed model is a powerful teaching tool that provides a hands-on and interactive approach to demonstrating the effects of point and non-point source pollution, and ways to prevent it. Join us for instruction on how to use the Enviroscape, learn about the environmental science topics it covers, and determine how and where you can borrow a model for use in your classroom. Great for both formal and informal educators, and for children of all ages!

2I. Building Ecological Solutions for Coastal Community Hazards presented by Allison Mulch of NJ Audubon and Jim House of Egg Harbor Twp. High School. Learn how students from 7 elementary, middle and high schools created actions to mitigate the effects of coastal community hazards on their own school grounds by following the Eco-Schools program. Teacher, Jim House, will guide you through the process, from setting the groundwork to project implementation, modeled on the work done by his high school students. Lessons from all 7 schools will be accessible for use in your classrooms.

Keynote: Angela Andersen, "The Oyster Farmers"

Award-winning educator and local film producer, Angela Andersen, will showcase her new documentary "The Oyster Farmers". The film highlights the renaissance of the aquaculture industry in the Barnegat Bay watershed. Long Beach Township began collecting oyster shells from restaurants on Long Beach Island last summer for use in restoration efforts in southern Barnegat Bay. From the raw bar to the reef, we will see how it is just a drop in the bucket for the community to lend a hand in restoring the bay. We will play the extended trailer, offering a local look at a global story of an ever growing oyster culture. The film will be featured in several upcoming film festivals!

Angela is the Sustainability Coordinator for Long Beach Township, by profession, and has 30 years of ecologically based community building experience. Recipient of the 2015 US EPA Environmental Champion Award, and 2015 Sustainable Jersey Hero, Angela will share, with great enthusiasm, her heartfelt insights on creative ways to implement pioneering efforts in environmental education.

Native Plant Sale

Don't miss our Native Plant Sale, hosted by Tom Knezick of Pinelands Direct. Tom offers an assortment of perennials, shrubs and trees, perfect for planting this spring. Create vital habitat in your backyard or on school grounds using plants that are native to New Jersey. Please bring cash or check to purchase plants.