NEW for 2025!  W.E.T. Volunteer Program Initiative

Raritan Headwaters Association is looking for volunteers to join our Watershed Engagement Team (W.E.T.)! W.E.T. Ambassadors are a group of volunteers with expertise in RHA’s programs, mission, and activities. These ambassadors work alongside RHA scientists and staff to engage with the community at local fairs, green festivals, and other events around central New Jersey.

This is a unique opportunity to receive high-level training, share your knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm for watershed protection, meet interesting, like-minded people, and have fun engaging with the community! You will receive a certificate, build your resume, and have access to RHA program director’s expertise. Join our team of fun and friendly professionals!

To join this team you must be age 18 or older and have reliable transportation. Click here to learn more about this exciting new initiative and to fill out an application form today.

Site Leaders needed for 35th Annual Stream Cleanup

RHA is seeking the help of 10 enthusiastic individuals to manage sites at our Stream Cleanup event on Saturday April 12, 2025. For more information, email Stream Cleanup Coordinator Rachel Garcia at streamcleanup@raritanheadwaters.org, or click here to sign up by February 26th.

Kestrel Box Monitoring

Interested in helping protect North America’s smallest, native falcon species? The Raritan Kestrel Partnership needs volunteers to help with monitoring local kestrel boxes during their breeding season. Volunteers will: prep existing nesting boxes for the coming season, visit nesting boxes weekly to monitor for occupancy, report kestrel nesting to RHA and NJDEP staff and assist NJDEP Zoologist in banding nesting kestrels. Click here to learn more about RHA’s initiative to protect the American Kestrel. An information session is scheduled for February 26th at 7pm via Zoom. Please email RHA’s Stewardship Manager Edward Whitehead at ewhitehead@raritanheadwaters.org to register.

Stream Cleanup Prep – Bin Packing

Join Stream Cleanup Coordinator Rachel Garcia and team on Saturday March 8th from 9:00-11:00am, and Monday March 10th from 3:30-5:30pm to help pack supply bins in anticipation of RHA’s 35th Annual Stream Cleanup Event scheduled for April 12, 2025. Volunteers will receive service hours for participation. Please dress in warm layers as we will be working in the barn. High School students welcome. Email Debbie Newcomb at dnewcomb@raritanheadwaters.org for more information.

Well Testing Program – Bottle Labeling help needed

Samantha LaRocca, RHA’s Well Testing Program Manager is looking for 1-2 volunteers to help label well test bottles in the Flemington office in anticipation of a busy spring season. Volunteers are needed in March between the hours of 12-2pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Fridays. If interested, please email Volunteer Coordinator, Debbie Newcomb at dnewcomb@raritanheadwaters.org.

Stream Monitoring Program – Spring Training Schedule for 2025

Are you interested in helping to provide data on the health of our streams to inform regulatory decisions and watershed planning?  Looking for a good excuse to get outside in the warm summer weather?  If you are, consider joining Watershed Scientist Ben Harris and the Raritan Headwaters (RHA) stream monitoring program as a volunteer scientist.  Training requires a commitment of two separate, 2-hour webinars and one in-stream, hands on training that lasts 4 hours.  To learn more, visit RHA’s stream monitoring page by clicking here.

Stream Cleanup 2025

Hold the date for RHA’s annual stream cleanup event scheduled for April 12, 2025. Registration opens March 1st. Visit our Stream Cleanup page here for further details.

Spring Tree Planting Events

Join Restoration Coordinator Robert Lucas for RHA’s annual spring tree planting series scheduled for April 19th and May 5-6th. If you have a group that would like to partake in a planting event, please email Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Newcomb at dnewcomb@raritanheadwaters.org to inquire about availability.

Prescott Brook Clinton Township, Hunterdon County April 19th sign up here.

Prescott Brook Clinton Township, Hunterdon County Rain Date (if needed) May 3rd sign up here.

Melick’s Bridge Annandale, Hunterdon County May 5th Day 1 sign up here.

Melick’s Bridge Annandale, Hunterdon County May 6th Day 2 sign up here.

Melick’s Bridge Annandale, Hunterdon County Rain Date (if needed) May 8th Day 1 sign up here.

Melick’s Bridge Annandale, Hunterdon County Rain Date (if needed) May 9th Day 2 sign up here.

Summer Nature Day Camp – Junior Counselors needed

Sign ups are now available for junior camp counselors for summer 2025. Volunteers ages 13+ are invited to join RHA for a fun learning experience while working alongside our team of educators, teens, and campers. Love the outdoors? Love working with children? Then this volunteer experience is for you!  Click here to visit our events page and scroll down to June, July and August to learn more and sign up.

Spring and Summer 2025 Stewardship Event Dates

On RHA’s preserves, stewardship efforts focus on planting native trees and shrubs to restore forests, removing invasive plants such as Autumn olive, Japanese barberry and Asiatic bittersweet, creating wetlands, improving wildlife habitat value and maintaining trails for the public to access. If you would like to help our efforts, please join Land Stewardship Manager Edward Whitehead at the following events this spring and summer:

Friday March 14th 3-5pm – Tool prep for the upcoming Stewardship season. Click here to sign up.

Saturday April 26th 9am-12pm – First Spring Stewardship event at Fairview Farm. Click here to sign up.

Saturday May 24th 9am-12pm – Stewardship event at Fox Hill Preserve in Califon. Click here to sign up.

Wednesday June 4th 9am-11am – Kick off to weekly Watershed Wellness Wednesdays (a 9 week summer series). Click here and scroll down to June and July to view the series and sign up.

Saturday July 12th 9am-11am – Stewardship Event Location TBD. Click here to sign up.

Shedfest Musical Festival

Please hold Sunday June 1st for our annual Shedfest event! Volunteer sign ups coming soon.

Ride for the River Motorcycle Enthusiast Event Fundraiser

Be sure to hold Saturday, July 12th for RHA’s annual Ride for the River event! Volunteer sign ups coming soon.

Corporate Volunteer Groups

If you are a corporation interested in a volunteer day of service, please visit our corporate page to fill out an inquiry form. RHA’s Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Newcomb will respond to you with a list of suggested projects catered to your groups needs.

Scout Projects

Eagle Scouts (and other local troops) are needed to help with the following projects. Please contact Stewardship Manager, Edward Whitehead if interested.

  • Deer fencing implementation at Fairview Farm (large or small exclosure fences to keep deer out of strategic locations)
  • Interpretative sign creation and implementation
  • Bat Box construction and installation
  • Park Bench construction and installation
  • Creation and implementation of eel mops and fish ladders to allow eels and fish to travel upstream.
  • Making one of our nature trails more accessible for disabled visitors. This would include plans to make the trail more ADA friendly, enrichment stops along the path involving senses stimulating activities, and other ideas TBD.
  • Propose your own project idea