First “Two River” Seminar and Middle School Estuary Day Great Success

Part one of the two-part Two River Seminar and Estuary Days collaboration between the Borough of Rumson and Monmouth University School of Science kicked off on September 26, 2019. The collaboration is part of a broader education-based partnership between Rumson and Monmouth University centering on the environment and wildlife of the Navesink and Shrewbury rivers.

The collaboration between Rumson and Monmouth University will continue with a second Estuary Day and with the “Rivers Alive: Wildlife and Habitats of the Two River System” seminar at Bingham Hall scheduled for October 24 at 7:00 pm.

Part one of the program began with a series of field trips for seventh graders of Forrestdale School and concluded with the public presentation of “Our Watershed as a Living Laboratory” seminar at Bingham Hall. The presentation focused on the historic and growing scientific questions surrounding the rivers and current research efforts supporting the watershed’s health.

The Estuary Days program is a three-phase, interactive learning experience for seventh grade science classes. Led by Monmouth University faculty and assistants, students visited three waterfront stations of the Navesink River Estuary to study the water quality, wildlife, and wetland habitats and benthic fauna (the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers.)

Students measured the water temperature, salinity and pH with LaMotte™ test kits and a YSI™ (Yellow Springs Instruments) data sonde and captured, identified and numbered the fish using haul seine transects throughout each assigned hour.

“The value of studying marine and environmental science in the field and instilling a conservation ethic among our students and citizens cannot be overestimated,” Monmouth University’s School of Science Assistant Dean John A. Tiedemann said. “The Monmouth Marine and Environmental Field Station will allow our faculty to be at the forefront of marine and estuarine research and education in the region. Partnering with a community like Rumson, who value our coastal resources, makes this initiative even more special and rewarding.”

“We are very excited about our partnership with Monmouth University and the Urban Coast Institute,” Borough of Rumson Mayor Joseph Hemphill said. “It was great to see a full day of activity and education, starting with the Estuary Day events with the students and ending with a very informative seminar on the two-river system. We are all looking forward to the next session.”

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