Celebrate Earth Day Early at Camden County College

Come to Camden County College's Blackwood campus Thursday to celebrate Earth Day a day earlier than everyone else.

Camden County College (CCC) will host its Earth Day program on Thursday.

The free event will feature displays and presentations, including a video featuring the rare swamp pink plant found on the college campus.

The first of two sessions will be held in the Connector Building's Civic Hall beginning at 9 a.m. and include the following:

• CCC alumna Julie Feinstein, a collections manager at the American Museum of Natural History, will discuss and sign copies of her book, A Field Guide to Urban Wildlife.
• Screening of The Conservation of Swamp Pink at Camden County College, a video that focuses on CCC’s partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conserve one of New Jersey’s largest stands of swamp pink—a plant that is classified as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act.
• Michael Hogan, a staff member with the South Jersey Land and Water Trust, will discuss his Wildflowers of the Pine Barrens photography exhibit.

The second session is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. and include the following:

• Reggie Kukola, watershed ambassador with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Camden County, will present A Citizen’s Guide to Protecting Our Local Waterways.
• Hogan will discuss his Birding and Wildlife Photography in the Pine Barrens.
• There will be a discussion titled Green Ambassadors: Conservation Activities at Camden County College.

Throughout the day, the Connector Building's Atrium will display photographs by Hogan and fellow photographer Bill Bodine, as well as tables with information on various environmental topics.

For more information, contact professor Rita Connolly by telephone at 856-227-7200 ext. 4462 or by email at rconnolly@camdencc.edu.

Earth Day has been held every April 22 since 1970, and will be recognized worldwide this year on Friday. The day serves as a time to enhance environmental awareness and to discuss "green" ideas such as sustainability.