Citizens United To Protect The Maurice River - Prehistoric Life of NJ, Dig It! /

Join CU Maurice River for this year's CU Social Series as we venture to learn about species of prior
mega-annums found in New Jersey and other nearby areas.

 Extinctions are a normal part of the evolutionary process; however, the current Holocene Extinction Event is estimated by experts to be between 100 and 1,000 times higher than the previous five extinctions. And, it is being driven by human activity.

The current rates of species population decline and species extinction are high enough to threaten important ecological functions that support human life on Earth. Monitoring trends in species loss is vital because it is a measure of overall ecosystem health. This series (a combination of presentations and hands-on workshops, lessons in natural history and reports on contemporary issues) explores the past to put a major conservation issue of our times into better focus, the sixth mass extinction.

CU Maurice River's CU Social Series of 2025 will start on Thursday, February 20. The first presentation is a family-friendly affair that all ages of learners are encouraged to attend. Enjoy this introduction to just a few of the species who walked and swam on this earth before humans. The first speaker is Marc Rogoff, Lead Environmental Education Specialist with the NJDEP.

Marc will teach the Prehistoric Life of New Jersey covering dinosaurs, mammoths, sharks, and more. New Jersey’s wildlife has always been diverse and interesting. In this presentation, you'll examine fossils from New Jersey from one billion years ago and learn about today's endangered and threatened species. Marc will discuss the changes in terrain, sea level, and climate that influenced our native species over geologic history. You'll have the opportunity to sort through 15-million-year-old sediments to find fossils you can keep! AFTERWARDS, staff from the Arts and Innovation Center will lead an on-topic art activity for those who would like to stay.