Russell Furnari of NJCWRP, Councilman Brian Levinson, Dede Harris BSAC, Bob Bartke, chair of SH Bird Sanctuary Advisory Committee, Former Councilman Julian Miraglia, Dianne Daly of Duffield Associates and DEP Commissioner Mark Mauriello

TRENTON — Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary was honored at a special recognition event Sept. 22 held at New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) headquarters, a press release states.

The NJ Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (NJCWRP) and the NJDEP honored the recipients of these grants to restore unique aquatic habitats and enhance estuarine ecosystems regionally.

The NJCWRP is a unique and innovative public-private initiative aimed at restoring preserving, enhancing and protecting aquatic habitats and has been recognized nationally for its success in funding worthwhile environmental projects.

Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary was recognized specifically for its wetlands restoration and habitat enhancement project.

The goal of the project was to restore approximately 16 acres of upland deciduous maritime forest and six acres of estuarine emergent wetland.

A $35,000 grant from NJCWRP helped finance the redesign and upgrade to the tidal inlet pipe into the Sanctuary, which was critical to restoring ecological health to this barrier island habitat.

The design of the new inlet included a water control device, which will allow for optimization of tidal inundation to the 21-acre parcel, which serves as a foraging, and roosting area for Colonial Wading Birds, as well as a critical stopover for numerous songbird species.