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"Is that a basketball hoop in the middle of the wetland?" one bewildered volunteer exclaimed. At the volunteer roadside cleanup at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, the participants never know what they might find alongside the public roads that bisect the refuge properties. The annual clean-up, held this past Saturday April 19th, was one of two volunteer-led stewardship days held on the refuge this past week in an early celebration of both Earth Day (April 22nd) and National Volunteer Week (April 20th - 26th).
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Great Swamp NWR) is part of the Lenape National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which consists of four national wildlife refuges in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. To cover so much ground, volunteers are an essential component of assisting the refuge staff in maintaining habitats and trails. At Great Swamp NWR, there are nearly 200 volunteers that contribute around 18,000 hours every year in areas ranging from invasive flora removal to greeting visitors at the Visitor Center. While around two-thirds of the volunteers contribute time each week at the refuge, the remaining third visit the refuge on only a handful of occasions each year to accomplish special projects.
The Friends of Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Friends), a non-profit organization that supports the refuge, have partnered with the employees of a local business, the Brother International Corporation, on volunteer projects at the refuge for 14 years each April. For the last five years, the volunteers have been working on the enhancement of the White Oak Trail, a popular trail next to the refuge visitor center. These hardworking volunteers have made vital contributions that have seen the trail change from a dirt path that would often flood, to a much more accessible, permanent path comprised of sections of boardwalk and stone dust. The 16 volunteers that joined refuge staff and the Friends this past April 16th, continued their work on the White Oak Trail, in addition to also having spruced up the gardens around the Visitor Center and constructing portable sections of boardwalk for another trail system on the eastern side of the refuge. The volunteers were also treated to a generous lunch provided by the Friends. Friends' board Vice-President and refuge volunteer Randi Emmer, stated that "the impact Brother and its employees have on the refuge each year is very visible and very important to all of us." That sentiment was shared among the volunteers, with one volunteer offering that "we strive to create an extraordinary day with our "Environment Day" and (Great Swamp) never fails to give that to us."
The volunteer efforts continued just a few days later with the annual roadside cleanup and another long-time partner. Again in cooperation with the Friends and volunteer group workday coordinator Walter Willwerth, volunteers from the Amazing Feet Running Club provided their time for a third year in a row to remove trash from the public roadsides that bisect the refuge property. Despite overcast skies, the volunteers remained upbeat as they hauled out four truck bed-loads worth of trash from the wetland habitats. Having broken up into six different teams, the volunteers were able to cover a significant portion of the refuge property. Many passing bicyclists shared their gratitude for the volunteers, thanking them for improving the natural habitat. For Amazing Feet liaison Jodi Lee Alper, the group is "always looking forward to another clean-up adventure!"
The many volunteers at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge have left an indelible mark on the refuge and its visitors. To learn more about volunteering on the refuge, please visit the Get Involved section of the refuge webpage located here: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/great-swamp/get-involved
