Do you remember when the sounds of summer were made up of children’s laughter and the whirring of bicycles until the sun went down? Lately, summer sounds like kid’s fingers tapping on tablets and air conditioning units raging. If the tethers of technology weren’t enough to keep kids indoors this summer, the record-breaking heat waves have driven those soothing sounds of summers’ past from our outdoors.
But with help from the PSEG Foundation, the Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) plans to restore enthusiasm in the next generation of environmental stewards.
GSWA educates more than 2,500 students annually, reminding young people of New Jersey’s natural landscapes. Whether it’s group hiking during a full moon on a summer night, Friday evening kayaking across the Passaic River, or community themed stewardship activities; the GSWA is dedicated to ensuring the garden state’s nickname doesn’t become a relic of the past.
“I grew up in New Jersey and spent a lot of time in and around the Great Swamp. I am so grateful to contribute to protecting and educating about this amazing ecosystem” said Alex Sloane, Education and Water Quality Associate at Great Swamp Watershed. “I have really enjoyed learning about the diverse communities that are connected to the Great Swamp in one way or another, and I feel this work of building community around our shared natural resources is more important than ever. Not only is the Great Swamp a wonderful ecosystem to explore, it is also a lifeline for so many species, including humans”.
“I grew up in New Jersey and spent a lot of time in and around the Great Swamp. I am so grateful to contribute to protecting and educating about this amazing ecosystem. Not only is the Great Swamp a wonderful ecosystem to explore, it is also a lifeline for so many species, including humans.”
– Alex Sloane, Education & Water Quality Associate at GSWA
“It is through generous partners like the PSEG Foundation that we can all truly make a difference in our communities,” said Executive Director Sally Rubin. “We protect our waters, we protect our open space, we educate our children, and we advocate for the environment.”
Environmental sustainability is one of the three core pillars of the PSEG Foundation’s mission. We’re proud to support the local GSWA for over 20 years and counting.
“Humans only have a few basic necessities to survive and it’s vital that we’re helping young people focus on topics such as clean water, because they are the environmentalists of our future,” PSEG Foundation President and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Calvin Ledford said.
The GSWA’s mission is to protect and improve the health of the Passaic River through science, education, land preservation and stewardship, and advocacy.
“I think the Great Swamp Watershed Association is very important because they teach children about the environment and why it’s important to protect it,” said Chris Obropta, water resources specialist at Rutgers. “So by creating a whole young generation of environmentalists, that’s what is going to save this planet.”
To learn more about the Great Swamp Watershed Association, visit their website today!
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