Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship involves volunteer action which recognizes the fact that because human activities have such an impact on the Earth, we often need to take actions which mitigate or remediate the effects of those impacts.

We welcome suggestions for development of environmental stewardship programs at Rutgers, and particularly at Cook College.

Rutgers Opportunities

njserves.org, a site maintained by the serves as home of New Jersey's non-profit and civic sector for mobilizing service, volunteers and donations.  njserves.org connects individuals, government, civic organizations, elected officials, and corporations so that they can communicate and collaborate in building a better New Jersey. njserves.org, created and maintained by Rutgers University students in the Citizenship and Service Education (CASE) Program, was developed with the generous support of PSE&G and the Office of the Secretary of State of New Jersey.  

Science in the Schoolyard (course #: 11:015:295; index#: 68191)
A course with includes designing and digging two gardens at local primary schools, to teach kids science with a hands-on manner.  One night a week, and three weekends at the primary school during the semester.  All majors welcome.  Please contact: jmomsen@rci.rutgers.edu.

Forestry and Wildlife Club
The Forestry and Wildlife Club is a combination of the student chapters of the Society of American Foresters and the Wildlife Society (which is the professional organization of wildlife biologists). The club has speakers, and field trips such as canoe and birding trips. It runs a sale of birdseed in the fall, seedlings in the spring. A volunteer committee hooks members up with needs in the forestry and wildlife communities (volunteer contact, Mike Riley, mpriley@eden.rutgers.edu).  Faculty contact:  Dr. Jim Applegate, applegate@aesop.rutgers.edu).

Teaching Citizenship
NJPIRG Student Chapter internships are designed to merge the academic background of the faculty, the issue expertise and campaign experience of NJPIRG Student Chapters' staff, and the idealism of the student body to promote the good of the community.
NJPIRG Student Chapters interns work with researchers, attorneys and organizers on the issues such as environmental and consumer protection, government reform and poverty relief.  Interns learn skills that allow them to analyze problems, develop solutions and take action to overcome some of the major challenges facing our society.
Students earn course credit for their work -- www.njpirgstudents.org. 

Environmental Stewardship Links

4-H Adventures in Environmental Science

The 4-H Adventures in Environmental Science program is conducted for 1 week each summer. It is a teen program for youth from throughout New Jersey. The water quality assays which are conducted are done on the Pequest River and the Lopatcong Stream in Warren County. Our students learn to take PH, and conduct turbidity tests and do bioassays.

In addition, for the past few years we have done some stream rehabilitation on the Lopatcong Stream. The students have placed biologs to divert the flow away from the stream bank, planted materials in the biologs and small trees (willows) along the stream bank. This stream has traditionally overflowed and flooded the Warren County Fairgrounds. This project was designed in cooperation with the Annandale office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Opportunities Beyond the Campus

Would you like to participate in a watershed restoration project? By regarding a stream bank and planting native vegetation, we can all help protect our water quality, while we improve the function of our waterbodies and create habitat for more than just Canada geese. Contact the following to volunteers on a project, or to arrange an educational workshop for your group:

Rutgers Cooperative Extension