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demand prudent and feasible alternatives to sprawling growth. He noted that environmentalists tend to focus too much on threatened and endangered species (T&E). “This is important,” he stressed, but the T&E species are actually the critically ill patients. It is very difficult to bring them back. “We need to focus on the 75 percent of species in decline to make sure they never become threatened and endangered.” Dr. Klemens also pointed to the need for standardized survey techniques. People often do not understand environmental issues and see those matters of public concern as questions fought out by dueling consultants. He noted that we rely overly on regulations. “They only protect pieces,” he said, and he also called on environmentalists to shift their focus from mitigation to avoidance. “Mitigation is imperfect,” he pointed out. “Avoiding the impact is far more effective.” The Role of Local Communities Dr. Klemens also moderated a Congress workshop, The Link Between Intact Ecosystems and Livable Human Communities that outlined the important role of environmental commissions and municipalities in preventing habitat fragmentation. Panelist Eileen Swan of New Jersey Conservation Foundation presented a series of Garden State Greenways maps showing how sprawl results in segmented people and fragmented species habitats. Garden State Greenways offer a municipal on-line planning tool (www.gardenstategreenways.org) to coordinate conservation efforts. Noting that conservation protects the quality of life, panelist Eric Stiles, vice-president for Conservation and Stewardship at New Jersey Audubon Society called for actions to raise the awareness and passion of local communities to protect their habitats. He cited the need for New Jersey to adopt proposed regulations to protect threatened and endangered species through state permits and municipal zoning ordinances. Panel member Michelle Knapik, Environmental Program Officer of the According to Klemens, environmentalists should ask, what is the ecological carrying capacity of a piece of land? Municipalities need to understand the landscape in a detailed way. They need to map out the sensitive areas by looking at the species and their habitats. Communities then need to set high standards for land use and work with developers. Dr. Klemens pointed out that to a developer the community standards are valuable, because they make a community a desirable place to live. Klemens asked that the many crosspurpose mandates be reexamined. He cited the example of skimmers installed in storm drains in response to new stormwater regulations. They are terrific at cleaning water of oily substances and debris, but also remove and become a death trap for amphibious creatures. And the road standard mandates prevent more compact development because they call for roads wide enough to turn a fire engine. Klemens asked municipalities to reduce Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, pointed out that natural area fragmentation impacts our diversity and increases our isolation. Conservationists, she recommended, must work persistently to make collaboration work and change the planning process through trust, shared vision, economic awareness and feasibility. Answers to questions from attendees covered several ways to approach these issues. New Jersey Audubon Society is developing model zoning ordinances to incorporate standards to protect the public trust of land, water, air and natural resources. A media blitz calling for citizen scientists to help develop habitat, urban park and dump restoration plans can bring in the needed knowledge and spread the word. And when local government has no concept of the value of nature conservation, environmental commissions and conservation groups should sponsor township council field trips and communicate the multiple benefits of open space, including financial and quality of life. those road standards where possible. Klemens pointed out that farmland functions quite well as habitat. It is a frequently stated misinformation that farmland is almost the same as developed land. Many farms have tremendously high biological value. He emphasized that a good opportunity for habitat protection lies in engaging the farming community. In conclusion, Dr. Klemens pointed to several successes that the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance had worked on. One of his exciting habitat protection solutions is a conservation overlay district of both public and private lands that has been put in place in some Westchester County, New York, municipalities. The overlay leaves existing zoning in place but adds incentives and higher standards to reduce habitat fragmentation, maintain biodiversity and protect natural features within ecologically sensitive areas. Another is the use of brownfields redevelopment. Dr. Klemens cited the example of Madison Landing in Madison, Connecticut. Mixed housing, modeled on the successful historic downtown in terms of setbacks, density and design, was built on a former airfield and industrial site. The compact housing development leaves the surroundings as open space and prime habitat. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ● Metropolitan Conservation Alliance, these projects and numerous related publications, including Biodiversity Planning through Local Land Use Planning: An Assessment of Needs and Opportunities in the New Jersey Townships of Chester, Lebanon, and Washington, 2005 at www.wcs.org/ international/northamerica/mca. ● Nature in Fragments: The Legacy of Sprawl, Elizabeth A. Johnson and Michael W. Klemens, editors, Columbia University Press, 2005. 4 ANJEC REPORT - Winter 2006
NJDEP’s Initiatives and Honor for Richard Sullivan NJDEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell continued his tradition for a fourth year of delivering an annual overview of the Department’s initiatives at the ANJEC 2005 Environmental Congress. After a surprise tribute to Richard J. Sullivan, the first NJDEP Commissioner, he described NJDEP programs that address the challenges of protecting water resources and quality, including the nation’s toughest stormwater management standards. NJDEP has also worked hard to have up-to-date environmental data included in the State Plan. Commissioner Campbell enthusiastically endorsed the state brownfields programs. According to him, they encourage growth in the right places, encourage the use of energy-efficient products, and they promote publictransit-oriented development. “We have restored New Jersey as a national leader in clean air protection,” Campbell stated, citing multiple power plant shut downs and the NJDEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell Photo by Peter Craig Commissioner Campbell presents Mr. Sullivan with an aerial photo of Liberty State Park and the Richard J. Sullivan Natural Area preserve. Photo by Peter Craig toughest mercury standards in the nation, which include enforcement upwind, “unlike New York and Pennsylvania’s programs.” He stated that New Jersey needs “the largest diesel retrofit program in the US,” to avert 100-150 premature deaths and 4,000 asthma attacks annually. The referendum requiring retrofitting of publicly owned buses and other vehicles to reduce diesel emissions passed in November. While NJDEP is continuing to pursue its Natural Resource Damages program, Commissioner Campbell acknowledged there is more to do in this area. He also called for more funds and legislative support for NJDEP programs. “There is a $200 million backlog of need for parks,” he declared. He noted that he has been frustrated in his efforts to get habitat protection rules in place. New Jersey’s First NJDEP Commissioner, Richard J. Sullivan Commissioner Campbell paid tribute to New Jersey’s first environmental protection commissioner, Richard J. Sullivan. Appointed by Governor William T. Cahill on America’s first official Earth Day, Mr. Sullivan’s initiatives as NJDEP Commissioner from 1970 to 1974 are credited with establishing New Jersey as a leader in environmental protection nationwide. In addition, he served as chairman of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission from 1988 to 1998. Commissioner Campbell acknowledged Mr. Sullivan’s contribution to the people and the environment of New Jersey and honored him by announcing NJDEP Award to East Brunswick (Middlesex) Commissioner Bradley Campbell honored the East Brunswick (Middlesex) Environmental Commission with the Environmental Excellence Healthy Ecosystems award in November 2005. Co-sponsored by NJDEP, the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology and the New Jersey League of Municipalities, the award recognized their Beekman Road Vernal Pool Protection Plan, which aims to minimize contact between amphibians and automobiles, and their creation of New Jersey’s first butterfly park. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER ANJEC REPORT - Winter 2006 5
Page 1 and 2: REPORT WINTER 2006 In This Issue: 3
Page 3: Habitat Strategies for New Jersey:
Page 7 and 8: 7. Located in an Urban Enterprise Z
Page 9 and 10: 30-page environmental activity book
Page 11 and 12: Environmental Commissions’ Grant
Page 13 and 14: Groundwater in NJ Part II Although
Page 15 and 16: By Barbara Palmer, ANJEC Land Use a
Page 17 and 18: ANJEC depends on advertisers to hel
Page 19 and 20: TRUSTEES PRESIDENT Robert Dobbs, Vo

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