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photo credit: Dylan Medici
2023 Program
N W
N J
Northwest New Jersey
Rivers Conference
Latest Trends in Planning
Rutgers NJADAPT
Lucas Marxen
The effects of climate change are being felt around the world, and New Jersey is no exception. Residents of the Garden State are experiencing heavier rains, warmer temperatures, and more coastal flooding, and scientists expect these trends to continue through this century. This talk will show examples of how different technology such as geographic information systems (GIS), interactive web tools, and data informatics platforms are being used to communicate information about the potential impacts of climate change across various aspects of New Jersey's people and resources. Demonstrations of various online tools from the NJADAPT program will be conducted to showcase how this technology can be used by various stakeholder groups.
Threats to County and Municipal Open Space
Tim Brill, Donna Rendeiro
Description coming soon!
Enhancing Climate Resiliency Through Regional Planning
Barbara Davis, Tricia Aspinwall, Doug Vornlocker
Tricia Aspinwall will present The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Conservation Science and how the NJ Chapter is using this data to plan for land protection that enhances habitat connectivity and climate resilience in the NJ Appalachians. Doug Vornlocker of Ridge and Valley Conservancy will share RVC’s climate resiliency planning in the Ridge and Valley. Barbara Davis of The Land Conservancy of NJ will share their open space planning work in the NJ Highlands with an eye towards resiliency and flood mitigation.
Challenges and Opportunities
Stewardship and Funding Opportunities for Counties and Municipalities
Bill Foelsch
Description coming soon!
Outside Together! The Statewide Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP)
Martha Sapp
Description coming soon!
Challenges and Opportunities for the Agricultural Community
Eric Derby, Erin Shroll, Cali Alexander
Come to this workshop to learn more about the challenges experienced by the Northwestern New Jersey agricultural community including the aging out of farmers, the rising cost of land, and the lack of available farming leases for new and beginning farmers. Participants will hear what local groups like the Foodshed Alliance, NOFA-NJ, and Sussex County Community College are doing to address these needs and what individuals can personally do to support local agriculture. The second half of the workshop will include an engaging question and answer session with all of our panelists, so bring any questions that you have for our speakers!
Recreation and Equitable Access
Opening the Outdoors: Making Room for the Latino Community
Nancy Roberts-Lawler, Carlo Rodrigo Herrera
This workshop shows how pairing inclusive programming with community surveys can be used to improve access to outdoor recreation for all. In 2022, PEACE NJ offered bi-lingual fishing clinics for kids and other conservation-oriented events in Hackettstown in order to engage local Spanish-speaking families in environmental stewardship. The organization also surveyed the community to better understand this community’s preferences for outdoor activities and what were barriers to their participation. This workshop will cover survey methods, workshop content, what we (and the community) learned and a discussion on how inclusive outdoor activities might answer other community needs
Creating the Next Generation of Open Space Enthusiasts
Michael Muckle, Pablo Galesi
Whether it’s training future conservation professionals or instilling a passion for nature in those who will end up in other disciplines, environmental groups must ensure they’re leveraging opportunities to engage young adults through not just education, but also their project work. Thankfully, established local and national organizations with that type of mission can facilitate partnerships, allowing youth to have meaningful and skills-oriented outdoor experiences while furthering environmental work in New Jersey. Join this workshop to hear a panel of youth from the Delaware River Climate Corps and Student Conservation Association talk about their journey, as well as the staff who have organized and engaged with them on a regular basis. Participants will see the importance of working with youth from all backgrounds and gain insights about how to make those partnerships a reality for their own work.
Creating Equal Access to the Outdoors
Peter Dolan, Tom Hennigan
In the last few decades, outdoor recreational activities such as hiking and biking have exploded in popularity, creating a new paradigm of how to create equitable access to outdoor spaces while still preserving their original character. One of the contentious issues in trail design is how and when to address intensive use and provide opportunities for non-traditional trail users such as mountain bikers and those with special needs. In this workshop, presenters will discuss new approaches in trail layout and design to address a new generation of diverse outdoor enthusiasts.
History
The Indigenous Presence in New Jersey
TBD
Description coming soon!
How to Create a Friends Group
Leslie Bensley, Lisa Wolff
Description coming soon!
What Elements Contribute to a Successful Public Historic Site and How to Find Funding?
Dorothy Guzzo
Description coming soon!
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