06/01/2026
As we close out , we’re celebrating the unsung heroes of wetland science: the tools our ecologists carry into the field for every wetland delineation.
Before the boots hit the mud, the packing list begins. It is a very specific kind of adventure kit:
📝 Field notebook and pencils (because data waits for no one)
🪱 Soil auger for digging into soil profiles
🎨 Munsell soil color chart book, the ecologist’s paint swatch fan
🚩 High‑vis flagging and pin flags
🦺 Hi‑vis surveyor or delineator vest
🥾 Muck boots or waders (choose your fighter)
🗺️ Field map with up‑to‑date aerials
🧴 Sunscreen and bug spray (ticks love wetlands a little too much)
💧 Plenty of water and snacks, since delineations can be marathons, especially in summer
🧥 Weather‑ready clothing for year‑round fieldwork
Why all this gear? Wetlands are extraordinary ecosystems, from swamps and marshes to bogs and vernal pools. They provide flood protection, water quality improvement, erosion control, food resources, and habitat for thousands of species.
Our team at Princeton Hydro is regionally recognized for restoring freshwater and saltwater wetlands, and wetland delineation is a key part of that work. Delineations help determine where wetlands begin and end, which guides responsible planning, permitting, and long‑term ecosystem protection.
Here’s to the wetlands that sustain us, and to the scientists who trek, wade, dig, flag, and document to protect them.
✅Learn more through a Day in the Life of our scientists: https://bit.ly/4o27cva