Planting Underway of 170,000 Native Trees and Plants

Over the next several months, more than 170,000 native trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials will be planted throughout the nearly one-mile Newark segment of New Jersey’s newest state park, a nine-mile greenway in Essex and Hudson counties.

A sampling of the plantings includes 206 deciduous canopy trees, such as red maple, black tupelo, American sycamore and white oak; 335 understory and evergreen trees at maturity, including eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and eastern red cedar; 1,356 large shrubs, including gray dogwood, witch hazel, northern bayberry, highbush blueberry and pussy willow; and 2,889 small shrubs, including black chokeberry, inkberry, Carolina rose and black raspberry.

The planting plan also includes 165,609 groundcover perennials spanning 132,980 square feet, featuring milkweed, black-eyed susan, wreath goldenrod, New England aster and wild geranium, among others. In addition, 84,139 square feet will be planted in native upland wildlife forage and meadow habitat, along with 46,693 square feet of lawn grass mix.

Once established, the plantings will improve air quality by filtering pollutants and capturing carbon, help moderate temperatures through natural shade, and support stormwater management by absorbing rainfall and reducing runoff. The plantings will also create habitat for native wildlife, including birds and pollinators. In addition, green spaces are linked to improved mental health, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved mood, and enhanced overall well-being.

Blue and Green Acres

   

You have probably seen signs marking projects and spaces as "Green Acres." Created in 1961, the New Jersey Green Acres Program is the state's premier initiative for land conservation and park development. Operated under the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), its primary mission is to protect undeveloped land, counter rapid urban sprawl, and ensure that every community in the nation’s most densely populated state has access to outdoor recreation.  

Over its history, voters have consistently supported the program through a dozen bond referendums, establishing a permanent funding source through a dedicated portion of the state's Corporate Business Tax. To date, Green Acres has directly or indirectly helped protect over 1.6 million acres of open space across New Jersey. 

An offshoot of that program, Blue Acres focuses on climate resilience and flood protection.Established in 1974, this program allows private non-profit organizations to be exempt from local property taxes on land they own, provided that the land is kept natural and completely open to the public for conservation and recreation.

New Jersey's Blue Acres program is a state-led, voluntary buyout initiative that purchases flood-prone residential properties from willing sellers. Managed by the DEP, the program demolishes the damaged homes and permanently preserves the land as open space for natural flood storage, wetlands, and passive recreation.

Property must be residential and located in a flood-prone or chronically storm-damaged area. There is no minimum number of neighbors required to participate.

The state offers Fair Market Value based on independent appraisals. Eligible participants may also qualify for supplemental assistance, incentives, and relocation services to help clear existing mortgages or debt and secure comparable housing.

Teachers: Bring the Salt Marsh to Your Classroom

Teachers: You can join NJDEP Fish & Wildlife's Sedge Island staff and explore the salt marsh with activities that you can bring back to your classroom and students.

Participants in this overnight workshop will engage in classroom-ready activities, learning about New Jersey's salt marshes, all while staying at the Sedge House.

During the workshop, educators will:

• Explore the unique ecology of the salt marsh by kayak.
• Learn about the flora and fauna of the marsh through trawling, seining, clamming, fishing, and more.
• Receive classroom-ready lesson ideas and resources aligned with science standards.

Two dates to choose from: August 17-18 or August 18-19.

Registration deadline is August 7, 2026.

More information and registration

Rutgers University Marine Field Station

The Rutgers Marine Field Station in Little Egg Harbor Township and the parent institution, the Rutgers University Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences has a goal to create a corridor for research, from the upper reaches of the Mullica River drainage basin, down through the Great Bay estuary, to the inner continental shelf.

A floating research platform deployed three miles off the coast of Tuckerton is giving scientists real-time ocean data that could improve storm preparedness, monitor water quality and help researchers better understand marine ecosystems along the Jersey Shore. The solar- and wind-powered “PowerBuoy” also revives LEO-15, a Rutgers ocean-monitoring program that shut down in 2005 after an underwater cable failure.

Earlier versions of the observatory used seafloor instruments to monitor storms, shifting sediment and marine life. The new wireless platform collects offshore data without the need for extensive underwater infrastructure, helping researchers connect conditions closer to shore with those farther out at sea. The platform also allows researchers, students and educators to add instruments to monitor waves, water quality and other conditions, or to test new technologies.