HackensackHackensack RiverRiver OysterOyster Project:Project: IntegratingIntegrating VolunteerVolunteer MonitoringMonitoring toto DevelopDevelop aa BenthicBenthic RestorationRestoration PlanPlan BethBeth Ravit,Ravit, Ph.D.Ph.D. NickNick VosVos--WeinWein MeredithMeredith ComiComi JohnJohn PonticorvoPonticorvo Funding provided by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission CollaborativeCollaborative EffortEffort •• RutgersRutgers UniversityUniversity •• HackensackHackensack RiverkeeperRiverkeeper •• NY/NJNY/NJ BaykeeperBaykeeper •• ExploreExplore 20002000 MiddleMiddle SchoolSchool (Hudson County Schools of Technology) •• NewNew JerseyJersey MeadowlandsMeadowlands CommissionCommission (NJMC)(NJMC) WHYWHY THISTHIS SEMINAR?SEMINAR? AudienceAudience SurveySurvey •• WhatWhat typetype ofof organizationorganization dodo youyou workwork for?for? –– Government/RegulatoryGovernment/Regulatory AgencyAgency –– WatershedWatershed OrganizationOrganization –– Water/WastewaterWater/Wastewater TreatmentTreatment –– University/HigherUniversity/Higher EducationEducation –– TeacherTeacher (K(K--12)12) –– Other?Other? WHYWHY THISTHIS SEMINAR?SEMINAR? AudienceAudience SurveySurvey •• DoesDoes youryour organizationorganization useuse volunteers?volunteers? •• How?How? –– CollectCollect WaterWater QualityQuality DataData –– DataData EntryEntry –– DataData AnalysisAnalysis –– OutreachOutreach –– Other?Other? WHYWHY THISTHIS SEMINAR?SEMINAR? AudienceAudience SurveySurvey •• DoesDoes youryour organizationorganization partnerpartner withwith locallocal groups?groups? –– SchoolsSchools (K(K--1212 && Universities)Universities) –– ScoutsScouts –– WatershedWatershed OrganizationsOrganizations –– BusinessesBusinesses –– CivicCivic GroupsGroups –– Other?Other? * HACKENSACKHACKENSACK RIVERRIVER HistoryHistory ReservoirMeadowlandsHackensackReservoirMeadowlandsHackensack RiverRiver WatershedWatershed DistrictDistrict 210 square miles (20,750 acres) 1133245 -milesquare-square long milesHackensack miles River proper 45141287 municipalities total river & stream miles 9 2 states Wood! 3 counties ! 64 municipalities Wood Little Ridge 9 1.5 millionRidge directFerry consumers of potable water Moonachie Rutherford Moonachie CC Ridgefield E aa .. rr R ll u ss u tt t a h a e dtdt Lyndhurst rfo rd The meadowlandsN. Bergenare “the largest and best exampleGuttenberg of brackish N. Arlington Secaucus wetlands in the harborW. New York ecosystem and one of the lastUnion open space Kearny City areas in the urban core.” –US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1998 UnitedUnited StatesStates GeologicalGeological SurveysSurveys 19401940 21,000 wetland acres 19951995 7,000 wetland acres Dark black shapes indicate development since the previous map PollutionPollution Pollution Land Use Neglect PollutionPollution Challenges Strategies Achievements •• HistoricHistoric AbuseAbuse –– HeavyHeavy Industry,Industry, ChemicalChemical Mfg.,Mfg., GasGas Mfg.Mfg. –– ChromiumChromium –– PCBPCB –– DDTDDT –– DioxinDioxin –– HeavyHeavy MetalsMetals PollutionPollution Challenges Strategies Achievements EncourageEncourage local,local, statestate && federalfederal govgov’’tt toto forceforce thethe responsibleresponsible partiesparties toto cleanclean upup thethe historichistoric contaminationcontamination EducateEducate thethe publicpublic PollutionPollution Challenges Strategies Achievements •• ConductedConducted numerousnumerous workshopsworkshops regardingregarding municipalmunicipal stormwaterstormwater andand runoffrunoff •• PhasePhase 22 municipalmunicipal stormwaterstormwater regulationsregulations adoptedadopted •• HoneywellHoneywell LandLandPollutionPollution UseUse PPollutioollutionLandn Use Neglect LandLand UseUse Challenges Strategies Achievements •• ImproperImproper zoningzoning ofof riverriver frontfront propertyproperty •• FillingFilling wetlandswetlands •• DestructionDestruction ofof watershedwatershed forestsforests forfor developmentdevelopment •• TransportationTransportation infrastructureinfrastructure fragmentingfragmenting wetlandswetlands andand otherother importantimportant habitatshabitats •• ImperviousImpervious CoverCover •• CombinedCombined SewerSewer SystemsSystems inin olderolder citiescities LandLand UseUse Challenges Strategies Achievements EducateEducate citizenscitizens regardingregarding theirtheir rightsrights underunder thethe publicpublic trusttrust doctrinedoctrine WorkWork withwith local,local, countycounty andand statestate agenciesagencies toto correctcorrect planningplanning andand zoningzoning problemsproblems andand proactivelyproactively helphelp toto createcreate newnew mastermaster plansplans DemandDemand thatthat thethe statestate appliesapplies thethe highesthighest protectionprotection underunder thethe CleanClean WaterWater ActAct toto ourour drinkingdrinking waterwater supplysupply WorkWork withwith allall partiesparties toto developdevelop plansplans forfor eliminationelimination ofof allall CombinedCombined SewerSewer SystemsSystems LandLand UseUse Challenges Strategies Achievements • Conducted workshops for municipal officials regarding the benefits of open space acquisition • Worked with a coalition to establish open space trust funds in both Bergen and Hudson Counties • Worked with the state legislature to create the Meadowlands Conservation Trust • Convinced state administration to reclassify entire water supply watershed as category 1 • Initialized the revocation of Combined Sewer permits replaced by Combined Sewer elimination permits • New Meadowlands Master Plan rezoning 8,400 acres of wetlands as open space LandLandNeglectNeglect UseUse PollutionLandLand UseUseNeglect NeglectNeglect Challenges Strategies Achievements •• LackLack ofof publicpublic accessaccess toto thethe riverriver •• CulturalCultural disconnectdisconnect ofof watershedwatershed residentsresidents •• ContaminationContamination ofof aquaticaquatic foodfood chainchain •• OvercomingOvercoming preconceivedpreconceived notionsnotions ofof pollutionpollution levelslevels NeglectNeglect Challenges Strategies Achievements •• EcoEco--ProgramsPrograms –– EcoEco--Cruises,Cruises, PaddlingPaddling Center,Center, EcoEco--Walks,Walks, RiverRiver CleanupsCleanups •• EncourageEncourage thethe establishmentestablishment ofof aa pedestrianpedestrian pathpath andand waterwater trailtrail •• AdvocateAdvocate forfor thethe creationcreation ofof riverfrontriverfront parks,parks, boatboat rampsramps andand marinasmarinas NeglectNeglect Challenges Strategies Achievements •• 1717 milesmiles ofof riverfrontriverfront pedestrianpedestrian walkwayswalkways inin place,place, underunder constructionconstruction oror inin thethe planningplanning stagestage •• HackensackHackensack RiverRiver WaterWater TrailTrail ActionAction PlanPlan •• SponsoredSponsored NYNJERCKSNYNJERCKS 33--dayday sourcesource toto baybay paddlingpaddling eventevent •• LaurelLaurel HillHill Park,Park, MillMill CreekCreek PointPoint ParkPark && RiverRiver BargeBarge ParkPark andand MarinaMarina NeglectNeglect Pollution Land UseNeglecNeglectt TheThe HudsonHudson--RaritanRaritan EstuaryEstuary AnAn extraordinaryextraordinary collectioncollection ofof rivers,rivers, harbors,harbors, bays,bays, beaches,beaches, uplands,uplands, andand primalprimal mud.mud. WHYWHY RESTORERESTORE THISTHIS ECOLOGICALLYECOLOGICALLY IMPORTANTIMPORTANT SPECIES?SPECIES? •• Water filtration capacity to improve overall water quality •• Increase species diversity of fish population •• Enhance benthic habitat with complex reef structure Oysters are “keystone” species. WEBWEB OFOF LIFELIFE OysterOyster reefsreefs provideprovide refugerefuge forfor aa varietyvariety ofof marinemarine organismsorganisms includingincluding anemones,anemones, barnacles,barnacles, crabs,crabs, andand fish.fish. ForFor thisthis reason,reason, oystersoysters areare consideredconsidered aa ““keystonekeystone”” speciesspecies becausebecause theythey linklink benthicbenthic andand pelagicpelagic foodfood webswebs creatingcreating anan interconnectedinterconnected foodfood web.web. ResearchResearch hashas shownshown thatthat overover 3030 speciesspecies ofof fishfish areare associatedassociated withwith oysteroyster reefs,reefs, includingincluding juvenilejuvenile stripedstriped bass,bass, tautogtautog,, blackblack seasea bass,bass, andand adultadult blackblack drum.drum. THETHE AMERICANAMERICAN OYSTEROYSTER CrassostreaCrassostrea virginicavirginica OYSTERSOYSTERS AREARE NATURALNATURAL FILTERSFILTERS AnAn adultadult oysteroyster cancan filterfilter 1010 quartsquarts ofof waterwater perper hour.hour. DenseDense populationspopulations ofof filterfilter--feedingfeeding shellfishshellfish cancan havehave basinbasin--widewide waterwater qualityquality effects.effects. Oyster spat Flat worms Blue claw crab Oyster drills Tautog Barnacles Sea squirts Killies Grass Shrimp Mud crabs Mussels Anemones Striped sea bass Flounder Mud snails REASONSREASONS FORFOR DECLINEDECLINE OFOF OYSTEROYSTER POPULATIONPOPULATION •• OverharvestingOverharvesting •• PollutionPollution •• DredgingDredging •• SiltationSiltation •• DiseaseDisease REEFREEF RESTORATIONRESTORATION BAYKEEPERBAYKEEPER’’SS RESTORATIONRESTORATION EFFORTEFFORT CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION OFOF KEYPORTKEYPORT REEFREEF (2001)(2001) CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION OFOF NAVESINKNAVESINK REEFREEF (2003(2003--PRESENT)PRESENT) HOWHOW DOESDOES BAYKEEPERBAYKEEPER BUILDBUILD OYSTEROYSTER REEFS?REEFS? CreateCreate aa layerlayer ofof surfsurf clamclam shellsshells soso thethe oystersoysters dodo notnot getget buriedburied inin thethe sedimentsediment PlantPlant aa layerlayer ofof oystersoysters