Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education

Surveying vegetation and sinking in marsh mud are my two favorite activities 💞

Scientists from NREF, the Nature Conservancy, the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, and Duke Farms spent this past week performing in-depth vegetation surveys on the Lighthouse Center salt marsh. The data collected from these surveys will help us determine how to best restore it to be a better habitat for wildlife and a better protective buffer against coastal storm surges.

These first few weeks of Nature Discovery Camp at the Lighthouse Center have been so much fun! From immersive presentations on wildlife to creating imaginative structures and crafts, campers have been making lifelong memories while discovering the natural wonders of Barnegat Bay. 🐠🐢🌱🐚
Registration for Weeks 4-9 is still open! Visit nrefnj.org for more information and to register now!

It's the perfect day to take a moment to appreciate our national bird, the bald eagle. Happy Independence Day! 🦅

A few of our staff and board members had a great night out at Fantasy Island on LBI on Thursday! Thanks to the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce for hosting!
Southern Ocean Chamber

Join us at the Lighthouse Center tomorrow, Saturday June 12th, for a volunteer workday! Help us prepare for the 2026 season of our summer camp by working with us to maintain our trails and tidy up our meeting spaces inside the Lighthouse Center main building. Learn more on our website (link in bio).

Join us on Sunday, May 31st for a morning of nature photography and environmental education. Led by wildlife experts and longtime photographers Josh Gant and Roger Thomas, we’ll walk around the Lighthouse Center’s various hiking trails, capturing the beauty of natural scenes and wildlife. We will be running this program in two sessions: one from 8:00AM to 9:45AM and one from 10:15AM to 12:00PM. Feel free to join us for just one session or both!

This event is open to the public and free to attend! Donations are optional and are always graciously accepted.

Elijah Berrios and his fellow Waretown-area scouts started installing the kiosk at the entrance to the Lighthouse Center, as part of his Eagle Scout project. Looks fantastic and will be a great addition to our outreach program!

Another Earth Day, another Barnegat Bay Environmental Educators Roundtable in the books. 🌎💚💙
We loved hosting the Ocean County Soul Conservation District for the 29th Annual Roundtable, which invited us to explore how Earth Day has shaped our collective understanding of environmental stewardship, and how we can foster a sense of wonder in future environmental stewards and inspire students to protect nature.
Can’t wait for the next one!

Mondays, am I right?
Scientists from NREF, the Nature Conservancy, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, and Rowan University spent their Monday surveying the salt marsh at the Lighthouse Center in Waretown, NJ for an ongoing Living Shoreline restoration project. We may or may not have emerged from the marsh muddier than when we entered it 🤷.

Check out the upcoming events happening this spring at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education!