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.

Get Local: Essex County Endangered Species

I posted earlier about how Endangered Species Day really needs to be every day, especially in a densely populated state like New Jersey. I live in Essex County, New Jersey, one of the most densely populated counties in the state—and in the entire U.S.  As of 2024 estimates, it has roughly 850,000 residents living within about 130 square miles, giving it a population density of around 6,500 people per square mile. Essex ranks among the top three most densely populated counties in New Jersey, alongside Hudson and Union.

But it is not without wildlife and green areas, and, of course, some rare, endangered, and threatened wildlife and plant species. Newark, East Orange, and Irvington account for much of that density, with Newark alone exceeding 11,000 people per square mile. But towns such as Cedar Grove, Montclair, and Livingston are less dense—typically 2,000–4,000 people per square mile—but still tightly settled compared to rural counties.

High population density means fragmented habitats and pressure on green spaces, making local conservation efforts—like those highlighted in the poster —especially vital. Protecting remaining wetlands, forest corridors, and stream buffers helps maintain biodiversity amid urban growth.

The poster highlights the rare wildlife found across the county’s forests, wetlands, and river corridors—from the Watchung Mountains to the Passaic and Rahway watersheds. It features species such as the bog turtle, timber rattlesnake, Indiana bat, and peregrine falcon, along with native plants like swamp pink and American chaffseed that thrive in protected habitats. All of these depend on the Watchung Mountains and Passaic River corridor for survival.