Events

On October 19, the Rutgers Earth and Environmental Science Environmental Geophysics class conducted a field survey at Harrier Meadow marsh in North Arlington, NJ. The field work included resistivity and electromagnetivity surveys over marsh vegetation to find areas with high salinity levels. These areas are priority habitat for the endangered native salt marsh Salicornia family. … Read more

This summer, MRRI flew several drone missions for the town of Rutherford through the MRRI Municipal Drone Program. These drone products were provided to the municipal officials and police department for logistical planning and security for future town events, as well as current day imagery of their recreational fields.     

@meadowlandsresearch

MRRI scientists have finished Greenhouse Gas (including CO2, CH4, N2O) Sampling over different marsh surfaces (high marsh, low marsh, mudflat) this summer with chambers (EPA Project: Gas emission baselines and carbon sink strength from three wetland surface types in the Meadowlands of New Jersey). Porewater samples from different marsh surface along the salinity gradient at … Read more

By measuring the surface elevation of various marshes in the Meadowlands region, scientists at MRRI are keeping track of the rising sea levels based on accretion and elevation rates.     

Problem In the areas of the lower Hackensack Estuary, ninety percent of the land is just two feet above the high water mark. Fourteen municipalities share the basin (Meadowlands District) where flood protection mostly relies on a half a century old tide gate system. The system weaknesses were on display during Hurricane Sandy where faulty … Read more

The AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Year-end Meeting was held at the Meadowlands Environment Center. Guest speaker, Dr. Francisco Artigas, Director of the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MRRI) gave an overview of the functions of MRRI. The Program Manager from NJDEP and all the Ambassadors from the State all attended the meeting.

MRRI’s FAA certified drone pilots start the annual vegetation monitoring campaign as the Meadowlands start blooming after the long winter. MRRI’s scientists assist the Natural Resources Department of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to capture seasonal and successional changes in the vegetation of the remaining 8400 acre tidal wetlands in the lower Hackensack … Read more

The Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute has received a Broad Area Airspace Authorization for the Hackensack Meadowlands area. The broad area airspace authorization allows MRRI to conduct drone operations in Class D airspace governed by Teterboro Air Traffic Control’s jurisdiction. The authorization covers the growing season from May 03 through September 30, 2018.

Due to climate change and restricted tidal flow from sea walls and dikes planned as part of a resilience project, increased emissions of N2O and CH4 may occur. These factors along with the limited amount of fresh water flowing into the estuary from the upper Hackensack would then offset the reduction in radiative forcing currently … Read more