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About Extension |
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Extension Staff |
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Current Activities |
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Sea Grant Site Map |
NJ Sea Grant Extension Current Activities
Chronic Impacts of Climate Change to Urban Coasts and Economies Workshop
Global climate change is as much an issue for urban coasts as it is for any other portion of the shore; unfortunately, little research has been directed toward addressing these chronic issues and how to effectively manage them. Jon was instrumental in planning the Chronic Impacts of Climate Change to Urban Coasts and Economies Workshop which took place in November 2007. International experts in climate change and sea level rise convened at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey to discuss these impacts and outline possible solution. Jon is currently working on developing the proceedings which will be available
on the Chronic Risk website. To view participant presentations.
State of the Shore Report
Each year, a variety of weather events affect the condition of New Jersey’s beaches. Jon prepares the annual State of the Shore Report which summarizes New Jersey coastal storm impacts from September to April. He presents his data at the highly-attended State of the Shore Media Event which takes place the week before the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Gregory Rusciano: Water Resources Agent
Restore-a-Waterway
The Restore-a-Waterway program in New Jersey was established to provide hands-on technical assistance to citizen groups wanting to take action in restoring the quality of a waterway. The NJSGEP provided assistance to this program through physical, biological and chemical monitoring; interpretation and analysis of data; designing solutions to mitigate the identified problems and securing funds to implement the designed solutions. To date, over $120,000 has been secured from non-profit foundations in collaboration with citizen groups. Restore-a-Waterway also conducts technical workshops on watershed restoration topics.
Stormwater Management in Your Backyard (Rain Gardens)
Stormwater Management in Your Backyard is an education program that builds upon the existing capacity of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) system to deliver stormwater management education to local communities. The main goal of the program is to make homeowners better stewards of water resources by teaching them how to properly manage stormwater and reduce pollution on their own properties. A major component of the program is the construction of demonstration rain gardens in high visibility areas (municipal, buildings, libraries, schools, etc). Extension workshops led by the Water Resources Agent are designed around the demonstration sites so residents can learn hands-on how to maximize the use of rain gardens
Michael J. Danko: Marine Fisheries Agent
New Jersey Clean Marina Program
The New Jersey Clean Marina Program is a voluntary education program that provides information, guidance and technical assistance to marina operators, local government and recreational boaters regarding the most effective practices to protect water quality and coastal resources. You can learn more about the Clean Marina Program by downloading a copy of the brochure, requesting a copy of the NJ Clean Marina Guidebook or visiting njcleanmarina.org
New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program
Since 1995, the New Jersey Clean Vessel Act Program has provided marina owners in New Jersey with an opportunity to apply for funds to install vessel pump-outs at their facilities to collect and dispose of vessel-generated sewage. With the assistance of NJMSC and its New Jersey Sea Grant Extension Program there are now 177 pump-outs and five (5) pump-out vessels serving boaters throughout the state. Marina owners can contact the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey at 732-292-1051 or info@mtanj.org for an application for funds to construct a pumpout facility. Boaters can visit njfishandwildlife.org for information on the location of pumpout facilities or for an interactive mapping version visit http://ims.rutgers.edu/pumpout.
Boat Ramp Count and Condition Assessment
The New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium/New Jersey Sea Grant Extension Program recently conducted a count and condition assessment of all boat ramps located in tidal waters of New Jersey supported by funds from I BOAT NJ. Type of ramp surface, ramp condition, accessibility, parking, facilities available at or near the ramp, and other pertinent information was collected. This data was used to produce the New Jersey Boater’s Ramp Guide for ramps located on tidal fresh and marine waters in the state of New Jersey. Click here to request a hard copy of the Guide. An online version is available at njboatramps.org
Improving Recycling in the Recreational Boating Industry
In 2007, the New Jersey Sea Grant Extension Program and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Management Office partnered to increase the number of shrink wrap recycling locations and launch an education and outreach effort to promote recycling shrink wrap and other materials used to store and maintain boats. This initiative was made possible by a grant from the I BOAT NJ Program. The following fact sheets contain information on recycling and shrink wrap recycling locations: Marine Business Version, Boater Version.
Jenny McCormick: Coastal Communities Agent
Educational Signage Projects
The New Jersey Sea Grant Extension Program partnered with several coastal communities to develop signage projects educating the general public on the coastal environment, its animals and plants and the importance of preserving this natural resource. The Treasure Trail in Belmar, developed with the Belmar Environmental Commission, features a series of ten full-color interpretive signs to teach beachgoers about coastal ecosystems. A treasure hunt activity provides visitors with an opportunity to take a fun quiz about what they learned, and even win a “treasure” for their efforts.
In Bradley Beach, a series of five signs were developed with the Bradley Beach Environmental Commission to educate residents and visitors about local dunes and the overall beach environment. Currently, the New Jersey Sea Grant Extension Program is working with the Shark River Cleanup Coalition and the Neptune Environmental Commission to develop educational signs for the Shark River watershed in Neptune. For more information on the Educational Signage Program, please contact Jenny McCormick.
A Traveler's Guide to New Jersey Coastal & Maritime Heritage
Historic and cultural treasures exist up and down the New Jersey coastline, but are widely unknown. To better inform visitors and residents of tourism opportunities in maritime heritage, the New Jersey Sea Grant Extension Program is developing A Traveler’s Guide to New Jersey Coastal & Maritime Heritage. A Steering Committee comprised of 15 organizations including the project’s funding partners, county tourism and cultural representatives and other relevant groups contributed to the project’s development. Funding for the Guide is being provided by several sources including the NJ Marine Sciences Consortium/New Jersey Sea Grant Program, DOC-Office of Travel and Tourism, NJDEP-Coastal Management Program, and NOAA-NMFS.
The Guide will provide information on attractions, monuments and memorials, museums, historic districts and other places that allow visitors to explore New Jersey’s maritime heritage and culture in its varied forms. Information will include the location of the site, hours and fees, historical or cultural significance and other information needed to plan a day trip or longer vacation to the Jersey Shore or Delaware Bay area. This Guide will bring much-needed attention to many of the undiscovered cultural and historical sites the Jersey Shore and Delaware Bay areas have to offer.
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