|
|
|
Posts Tagged 'franklin parker small grants program'
Tags: delaware riverkeeper network, franklin parker small grants program, wma 16 (cape may), wma 17 (maurice salem and cohansey), wma 18 (lower delaware)
Posted in NRD settlement candidate project, biological diversity, ecological restoration project, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, water protection, filtration, & control
Clean and healthy water in our rivers and streams is critical for the ecosystems, the wildlife, and the communities of the Delaware River region. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) works to protect the Delaware from pollution discharges, whether they be small spills or major catastrophic events.
When there is a pollution discharge, every moment counts. It is critical that agencies are alerted immediately; that clean-up efforts are identified and undertaken and when they are failing that the problem is identified and corrected; and that every injured animal and habitat is assisted and documented to ensure their greatest survival and to ensure that the polluters are held fully accountable for the harm.
The Delaware River Safe Water Action Team (DR SWAT) is a proactive initiative that includes the creation of a structured, permanent, and ongoing catastrophic response program, including a DRN Emergency Response Command Center that can kick into high gear at a moment’s notice.
DR SWAT will:
- supply agency approved protocols and trained volunteers at the ready in the wake of a catastrophic pollution event;
- coordinate and interact with agency emergency responders in order to inform and expand the success of their effort;
- inform press, public, and decision-makers of ongoing pollution incidents;
- inform the government natural resource damage assessment process;
- effectively engage the public which is energized and concerned in the wake of a catastrophe; and
- document the added resources that a volunteer network can bring in the event of a catastrophic pollution incident, in order to encourage the use of this model in other watersheds and communities.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Water Protection, Filtration & Control: Water quality- protection of headwaters, wetlands protection
Biological Diversity: Habitat- federal threatened species habitat protection, protection of aquatic habitat; Ecosystem restoration- cleanup of catastrophic pollution event
Outreach, Recreation & Aesthetics: Environmental education- volunteer training, providing public with information
Total Project Cost: $88,000
In 2008, CRI awarded $3000 to this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program.
Status:
Learning from their experience with the Athos I oil spill and other smaller spills and emergencies that have happened since, the DRN has updated its pollution hotline contacts, increased outreach, and begun staffing the hotline so weekend and evening emergencies are quickly addressed. The Delaware Riverkeeper also serves and is a voting member on the Delaware River and Bay Oil Spill Advisory Committee (DRBOSAC) to “provide advice, recommendations, and a ranking of priorities for measures to improve the prevention and response to future oil spills in the Delaware River and Delaware Bay.”
If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, pinelands preservation alliance
Posted in biological diversity, ecological restoration project, projects funded by conservation resources
The New Jersey Pinelands contains numerous populations of rare plants that are characteristic of this distinctive region. Some of these populations represent the global stronghold for the species. For several notable species, the Pinelands is the only place in the world where they can be found.
In 2008, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) initiated a partnership with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create an informal statewide committee of experts to focus on plant conservation, called the Partnerships for Plant Conservation. Using a list of priority sites developed by the DEP, PPA is organizing and implementing in situ management of several high priority rare plant populations. All of the sites require field visits and consultation with ONLM staff, state forest superintendents, and local experts. PPA will organize and supervise volunteers involved with monitoring, data collection and woody plant removal.
Several sites are in Wharton State Forest. Near Atsion, PPA will enhance the habitat for Croton willdenowii, Fimbristylis puberula, Gentiana autumnalis, Ludwigia hirtella, Muhlenbergia torreyana, and possibly Oldenlandia uniflora. Near the abandoned settlement of Friendship, the plan is to restore a dwindling population of Stylisma pickeringii. In both cases, the plan is to organize volunteers to thin the trees and shrubs that are encroaching on the habitat. In Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, in the Cedar Swamp Natural Area, PPA will enlarge the existing habitat for Aristida virgata, Gentiana autumnalis, Scleria minor, and Calamovilfa brevipilis. This will also require tree and shrub removal. In the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area (East Plains Natural Area) PPA will help with an existing DEP project on behalf of Corema conradii. Fire suppression over the last few decades has allowed trees and shrubs to outcompete the Crowberry population, so, again, removal of woody material is the primary goal.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Biological Diversity: Habitat-federal threatened/endangered species protection; Ecosystem restoration- invasive plant removal
Total Project Cost: $9,900
In 2009, CRI awarded the PPA a $3,500 grant for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program.
Status: This project is in the initial stages of development. PPA is coordinating plans with experts in the field of rare plant conservation.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, rahway river association, wma 07 (arthur kill)
Posted in NRD settlement candidate project, biological diversity, ecological restoration project, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics
Brightwood Park is a natural oasis in highly developed Westfield, Union County, New Jersey. It consists of mature forest (upland and wetland), wildflower meadow, lakes and lakeshore shrubland communities. All of these habitats are under immediate threat from an overabundance of white-tailed deer, and infestations of invasive plant species.
White-tailed deer are a very significant problem at Brightwood Park and their removal of much of the native forest understory facilitates invasive species infestations. Numerous native trees, shrubs and herbs show severe deer browse damage (deer preferentially eat native species relative to invasive species). Sun gaps in the tree canopy typically support the growth of young trees that regenerate the forest. However, deer browsing is eliminating growth of new trees — if left unchecked, forest cover will ultimately be eliminated at the Park. The extent of invasive species infestation at Brightwood Park is significant.
The Rahway River Association hopes to accomplish the following goals with this restoration: 
- Eliminate deer browse impacts on habitat with creation of deer exclosure
- Eradicate emerging populations of invasive species
- Reduce private landowner use of invasive species through outreach to Westfield residents
- Encourage volunteer stewardship and study of Brightwood Park by local students (K-12)
- Maintain invasive-free areas
- Initiate a consistent annual volunteer effort toward reduction of invasive species throughout the Park
- Foster native forest regeneration through removal of invasive canopy trees
- Create wildflower meadow in the 1-acre area near the parking lot and lake
- Restore lakeshore shrubland community between the lake and wildflower meadow
- Restore health of lakes by developing and implementing engineering plans to eliminate lake eutrophication
- Restore health of lakes by controlling the resident Canada goose population
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Biological Diversity: Habitat-federal threatened/endangered species habitat protection; Ecosystem restoration- invasive plant removal, native flora restoration
Outreach, Recreation and Aesthetics: Environmental education- outreach to residents, volunteer training
Total Project Cost: $242,400
Status: CRI provided a $4,000 grant for this project in 2007 through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: delaware riverkeeper network, franklin parker small grants program
Posted in biological diversity, ecological restoration project, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, supplemental environmental project
The Delaware Bay is home to the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs worldwide. As a result, each year the Bay is also host to the second largest population of migrating shorebirds in North America, and eco-tourists from around the globe flock to Delaware Bay’s shores to witness this ancient phenomenon. But scientific studies indicate horseshoe crabs and shorebirds are in trouble with some species of birds, like the Red knot (Calidris canutus rufa), steadily declining from over 100,000 in the 1980s to less than 15,000 in 2007. Declines have been linked to the number of horseshoe crab eggs on our beaches.
Both the horseshoe crab census and shorebird studies of the Delaware Bay are innovative programs that team up scientists with grass-roots citizens to help track the populations and health of these species. These scientists recognize that environmental stewardship through monitoring with engaged citizens is a key ingredient to ensure that data collected is actively used by an engaged citizenry to call for strong management strategies. Recruiting private citizens to be a part of these efforts builds stewardship and grass-roots compassion in a natural setting.
This project will engage citizens to work with scientists, the University of Delaware, and Delaware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) to conduct horseshoe crab spawning surveys in May and June of 2010 and to team up with shorebird experts from New Jersey Fish and Wildlife to count, weigh, and measure the shorebirds arriving on the bay to feed on crab eggs. The monitoring is done annually.
 Ecosystem Services Provided:
Biological Diversity: Habitat- monitoring of state threatened/endangered species
Outreach and Education: volunteer training
Total Project Cost: $30,000
In 2009, CRI awarded a $3,500 grant to the Delaware Riverkeeper Network for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program.
Status: The DRN is seeking funding for this project.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, rahway river association
Posted in biological diversity, ecological restoration project, projects funded by conservation resources
The 10 acre Red Hill section of the Ash Brook Swamp Reservation is the last undisturbed area of the terminal moraine where the Wisconsin Glacier met the Atlantic Ocean. This microhabitat possesses a suite of sun loving grasses, wildflowers and low shrubs that is disjunct from any other similar habitat type for great distances. A number of rare flowers and grasses such as Eupatorium hyssopifolium, Eragrostis spectabilis and Leptoloma cognatum are species that are more common on the New Jersey Coastal Plain.
 Surrounded by suburbia, the native White Pine and the ornamental Scotch Pine have migrated to the Red Hill section. Mature trees have created an overstory, shading the suite of rare species. Furthermore, Scotch Pine and White Pine saplings have spread throughout the microhabitat and are growing rapidly; increasing the likelihood that the successional habitat may conclude in a coniferous forest.
A habitat restoration plan is being devised by Joseph R. Arsenault that envisions the removal of the invasive conifers and other undesirable plants that are poised to colonize the Red Hill section. Once the report is ready, the Rahway River Association (RRA) will partner with Union County to implement the habitat restoration plan.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Biological Diversity: Ecosystem restoration- ecosystem-level management; Habitat- federal threatened/endangered species habitat protection
Total Project Cost: not finalized
In 2008, CRI granted the Rahway River Association $3,000 for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program.
Status of Project: Consultant modifying final report to reflect RRA Board of Trustees input
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, hunterdon land trust alliance
Posted in biological diversity, climate stabilization and/or air pollution mitigation project, land preservation project, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, water protection, filtration, & control
In 2009, CRI awarded the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance a $3,500 grant for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants Program. In addition, CRI granted $338,000 towards this project through the 2009 RPWHP Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Re-grant Program.
Preservation of this 96-acre property will protect significant grassland bird habitat as well as a wetland area and a heron rookery near the Route 31/202 corridor and a Hunterdon County golf course. The land will be managed for grassland bird habitat and is located in the Amwell Grasslands, a critical habitat area for state listed endangered and threatened grassland birds species and associated wildlife. It will provide an area for passive recreation as well as a scenic view for the public. Preservation of this property will contribute to the protection of critical watershed lands along a Category 2 stream, the Neshanic River. The site has also been identified by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Endangered and Non-game Species Program Landscape Project Area as a priority for grassland habitat.
This project is part of the Raritan Piedmont Wildlife Habitat Partnership plan (RPWHP) and is a Priority Parcel within the East Amwell Grassland Region focus area. This area is particularly valuable from the perspectives of preserving and/or protecting wildlife habitats, protecting significant environmental resources and preventing the degradation of water quality.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Climate Stabilization and Air Pollution Mitigation: Carbon sequestration- avoided deforestation, grassland restoration
Water Protection, Filtration, and Control: Water quality- protection of headwaters
Biological Diversity: Habitat- Endangered and Non-game Species Program Landscape Project Area
Recreation and Aesthetics: Public access- hiking trails, access to waterfront
Total Project Cost: $2,239,350
Status: The Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance has secured a purchase contract for the property and is pursuing funding for both land and technical costs to get to closing. The project will be funded through Raritan Township and Hunterdon County with an anticipated closing date of August 1, 2010.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, friends of holmdel open space
Posted in biological diversity, climate stabilization and/or air pollution mitigation project, land preservation project, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, water protection, filtration, & control
The Lady Slipper Preserve consists of 11 acres of forested open space bordering Waackaack Creek, a tributary of Raritan Bay, and Allocco Park, a small but heavily used municipal park. The Lady Slipper Preserve provides a much needed expanded recreation area in densely populated North Holmdel. Notable botanical features include Lady slippers, Willow oak, Sassafras, Mountain laurel, and Sweet gum. Friends of Holmdel Open Space (FOHOS) worked to preserve this property with the help of NY/NJ Baykeeper, and with funding from the Port Authority of NY/NJ, Green Acres, and Monmouth County.
FOHOS is working to make this preserve more accessible to residents. With over 100 hours of volunteer labor and donated big equipment with skilled operators, FOHOS has been able to remove heaps of dumped trash, put in a permeable small parking lot, erect a fence to prevent further dumping, and plant shrubs and flowers. FOHOS has also erected boundary markers and established a wood chip trail connecting the preserve to the adjacent park.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Climate Stabilization and Air Pollution Mitigation: Carbon sequestration- avoided deforestation
Water Protection, Filtration, and Control: Water quality- protection of headwaters
Biological Diversity: Habitat- federal threatened/endangered species habitat protection, extend habitat corridors
Recreation and Aesthetics: Public access- hiking trails
Total Project Cost: $7833, plus the cost of in-kind donations
CRI has awarded two grants to FOHOS for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program: $2,500 in 2008, and $1,000 in 2009.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, unexpected wildlife refuge, wma 15 (great egg harbor)
Posted in NRD settlement candidate project, projects funded by conservation resources, supplemental environmental project
The Unexpected Wildlife Refuge was founded in 1961 by Cavit and Hope Sawyer Buyukmihci. On the refuge, the Buyukmihcis set up residence in a small cabin and barn next to an old abandoned cranberry bog. They fixed up the cabin as a home and headquarters for the Refuge. They raised their three children there, and dedicated their lives to humane education and habitat preservation. Today the Refuge has grown to 767 acres of fields, forests and wetlands, and is located in two counties and three municipalities.
 Future Platinum LEED Nature Center The condition of the existing 80+ year old cabin has been steadily deteriorating, especially after the death of Cavit in 1987; he was the “maintenance man” at Unexpected. A poorly constructed foundation, lack of ventilation and a neglected roof have taken their toll; mold, termites and rot have set in.
The Board has discussed removing the existing building and replacing it with a new structure. However, the Board believes that this should not be done lightly given the current global situation. Construction and demolition waste constitutes more than 25% of landfill content. Sustainability in construction, demolition techniques, energy and water use and recycling are paramount in today’s stressed environment. It was decided that Unexpected Wildlife Refuge would embark on a project that will address the environmental and economic consequences of its actions: A Platinum LEED certified Environmental Education Center.
LEED-Certified green building benefits the public health and the environment. They can reduce operating costs, enhance marketability, increase productivity and help to create a sustainable community.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Outreach, Recreation and Aesthetics: Environmental education- LEED-certified nature center
Total Project Cost: $500,000
Status: The Unexpected Wildlife Refuge received a $2,500 grant from CRI’s Franklin Parker Small Grant program in 2008 and is seeking additional funding for this project.
If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: franklin parker small grants program, musconetcong watershed association, wma 01 (upper delaware)
Posted in closed projects, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, supplemental environmental project
The Musconetcong Watershed Association‘s (MWA) role in educating local officials and residents and protecting and restoring the Musconetcong Watershed is more important than ever. MWA recognized that in order to meet its mission, it was imperative to build a permanent structure; a River Resource Center will ensure the continued viability of their preservation, education, and stewardship efforts.
The MWA renovated a 2,150 square foot storehouse building, adapting it into a meeting hall with office and support space to base the association’s programs. These include environmental and outdoor educational programs, municipal government outreach, workshops and seminars for the public, stream cleanups, and projects such as stream bank restoration, well-testing and water quality monitoring. The headquarters will also be a beginning point for river-based recreation activities like canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and fishing.
The River Resource Center building renovation includes a complete refurbishment inside and outside the structure, and provides examples of sustainable building practices such as composting toilets, riparian restoration, the use of passive solar, and pervious paving for visitor parking. The MWA designed and built the River Resource Center to achieve the US Green Building Council’s LEED certification.
This “green” building provides a physical model for homeowners and small businesses; it demonstrates how applying green building and landscaping principles can be practical and cost-effective and incorporated into any project. The River Resource Center will lead the public by example in exploring cost- effective and environmentally sound solutions that can be applied to other building projects in the region.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Outreach, Recreation, and Aesthetics: Environmental education- LEED-certified nature center and model for sustainable building practices; Public access- access to waterfront
Total Project Cost: $668,000
CRI provided funding towards this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program: $5,000 in 2006, $2,000 in 2007, $2,500 in 2008, and $4,000 in 2009.
Status: This project is closed.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.
Tags: camden greenways, franklin parker small grants program
Posted in NRD settlement candidate project, climate stabilization and/or air pollution mitigation project, land preservation project, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, water protection, filtration, & control
 Although small in acreage (0.64 acres), this project represents two integral links in the Camden GreenWay. One is a strip of utility right-of-way that divides the heavily wooded former “St. George’s” parcel from Pine Street to the Cooper River, adjacent to New Camden Park. The other is a small property on the opposite bank of Cooper River, on Admiral Wilson Boulevard, between the Hess service station property and Gateway Park (the latter owned by the Delaware River Port Authority). The Camden GreenWay traverses all of these properties, and completing the continuous linkages is essential to completing the GreenWay.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Climate Stabilization and Air Pollution Mitigation: Carbon sequestration- avoided deforestation
Water Protection, Filtration and Control: Water quality- buffers to streams, protection of headwaters, groundwater recharge areas
Biological Diversity: Habitat- extend habitat corridors
Recreation and Aesthetics: Public access- access to waterfront
Total Project Cost: $37,000
In 2009, CRI provided $3,000 for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program.
Status: This project is currently under negotiation between PSE&G and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, with title to be assigned to the City of Camden at closing. Due diligence costs are expected to be incurred in early 2010, at which time grant funds will be needed.
If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.
|
|
|
