National Estuaries Week is a nationwide celebration of the bays, sounds, wetlands, and coastal waters that connect our communities. Each September, organizations and communities across the country come together to celebrate their local estuaries and find ways to give back to the waters that give so much to us.

What began as National Estuaries Day in 1988 has grown into a national celebration bringing together thousands of people through cleanups, restoration projects, educational programs, community science, and other activities. Last year alone, more than 4,500 volunteers representing dozens of partner organizations participated in 55 restoration and cleanup projects across the East Coast, Gulf Coast, West Coast, Great Lakes, and Puerto Rico.

Our Barnegat Bay system is an estuary, a place where freshwater flowing from rivers, streams, and the surrounding watershed meets saltwater from the ocean. That mixing creates a highly productive ecosystem that provides habitat for fish, shellfish, birds, plants, and countless other species.

But the importance of the bay extends well beyond the water itself. Our estuary is connected to the neighborhoods, businesses, parks, schools, forests, streams, and communities throughout the watershed. What happens on land ultimately has the potential to affect the water downstream.

There are plenty of ways to celebrate and support Barnegat Bay during National Estuaries Week, even if you never set foot in the bay.

Spend some time exploring a local marsh, creek, or park. Join a cleanup. Learn more about native plants and how they support a healthy watershed. Attend a class or educational program. Volunteer with a local environmental organization. Pick up litter in your neighborhood before it has a chance to reach a storm drain. Even taking the time to learn something new about your watershed is a way to better understand the estuary we all share.

Get Your Team Involved

This year, we are also inviting local businesses, organizations, schools, and teams to celebrate National Estuaries Week together.

Participate in an activity that supports or helps you learn about the Barnegat Bay watershed, such as organizing a cleanup, volunteering, attending a class, participating in an educational program, or taking part in another watershed focused activity.

Groups that participate can receive a special “We Waded In” badge to display on their website, recognizing their support for our local estuary.

It is a simple way to get your coworkers, organization, or team involved while showing your community that your business or group values the watershed we all share. If your organization would like to be recognized for participation, please contact Nina Sassano nsassano@ocean.edu.

National Estuaries Week is also an opportunity to recognize the many people already working for Barnegat Bay throughout the year. Scientists, educators, volunteers, students, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, local businesses, residents, and community groups all have a role in understanding and protecting this watershed.

At the Barnegat Bay Partnership, we work throughout the year with partners across the watershed on research, monitoring, restoration, education, and community science. National Estuaries Week gives all of us a chance to celebrate that work while finding new ways to connect people with the bay.

Whether you spend an afternoon cleaning up your neighborhood, learn something new about the watershed, volunteer with a local organization, or simply spend some time enjoying the bay, we hope you will find a way to wade in this National Estuaries Week.

Because protecting Barnegat Bay is not just about protecting the water. It is about taking care of the place we all call home.