South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.

Columbus, New Jersey

Area Plan

2008 to 2012

Table of Contents

Introduction
Organization Overview
Vision
Mission
Background and Structure of the Council
Overview of the Area
Natural Resources
Demographics
Socioeconomics
Resource Needs and Opportunities
Five Most Important Issues:
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Current and Potential Partnerships
USDA NRCS Strategic Plan
Closing Page
Appendices
Appendix 1 – Map of South Jersey RC&D Area
Appendix 2 – Proof of Public participation
Appendix 3 – Proposed South Jersey RC&D Staffing

Organization

This document is the long-range plan for South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council Inc.  It was developed by soliciting public input through outreach to the eight Soil Conservation Districts in the South Jersey RC&D Area and three visioning sessions with the full RC&D Council facilitated by an outside trained facilitator.   The counties served by this Area Plan include the following: Mercer, Monmouth, Middlesex, Burlington, Ocean, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May.

The purpose of this plan is to provide strategic direction for the organization.  The organization is stronger than ever before, yet more efforts are needed to ensure a strong sustainable organization that serves the communities in our area.
Congress passed the Food and Agricultural Act of 1962, which authorized Resource Conservation and Development areas.  The purpose of the act was to expand opportunities for conservation districts, local units of governments, and individuals to improve their communities in multi-county areas.  This included assistance in enhancing the economic, environmental and social well being of the RC&D Areas. Currently, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service administers the Federal RC&D Program. This document serves as an agreement between NRCS and the South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.

Organization Overview  

Background and Structure of the Council

The original sponsors of South Jersey RC&D were the County Freeholders and the local Soil Conservation Districts in the South Jersey area.  In July 1975, they requested assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve the economy through orderly development and conservation of resources.  The Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D) would provide this support. The USDA approved this request in October 1976. The South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Area and Council were established to represent the sponsors and carry out an Area Plan of action.

Overview of the Area

The South Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Area is 4,710 square miles. It encompasses eleven counties in the southern portion of New Jersey. Those counties are: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean. Hunterdon, Somerset and Union counties are to the north. The Delaware River and Bay lie to the south and west. The area covers 60 percent of the state and consists of 293 municipalities. This Council began work on October 15, 1976.

There are 19 sponsors of the South Jersey RC&D Council. They are the eleven county governments mentioned above and the eight soil conservation districts (Freehold, Mercer, Burlington, Ocean, Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland–Salem, and Cape Atlantic) within the area.

The South Jersey RC&D Area has a humid continental type of climate characterized by cold winters and warm humid summers. Temperatures range from 60o F to 95o F during the summer and from 20o F to 45o F in the winter, giving an average annual temperature of about 50o F.

The average annual precipitation varies from 40 inches along the southeast coast to about 46 inches in other areas. Rainfall is well distributed during the warm months. However, brief periods of drought are common during the growing season.

The South Jersey RC&D Area lies within two of New Jersey’s four physiographic provinces -- the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Piedmont Province is a rolling plain with elevations from near sea level at Trenton to about 480 feet near Washington Crossing. The majority of the South Jersey area, though, is in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, which is divided into the Inner and Outer Coastal Plain. It is a low, nearly level plain with areas of low rolling hills. Barrier islands, lagoon morphology, shallow estuaries, and pine barren uplands are prominent features in the Outer Coastal Plain along the Atlantic Coast. The Inner Coastal Plain located by the Delaware River contains fertile cropland, wetlands, and hardwood forest. The South Jersey RC&D area is bounded mostly by water. There are 130 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, plus over 200 miles of Atlantic Coast bayshores, Delaware River coastline, and other riverbanks. (See map in appendix 1)

Two main drainage areas or river basins divide the Area. The Delaware River Basin drains about 42 percent of the area and the Atlantic Coastal Basin drains the remaining 58 percent. About 5,000 miles of rivers and streams flow through the Area. These streams and rivers receive an average of 43 inches per year of annual precipitation.

More than 3,600 lakes and ponds are in the Area. Most are man made and range in size from less than one-half acre to over 900 acres. Their use includes agricultural irrigation, blueberry and cranberry production, livestock water, recreation, fire protection, domestic water supply, flood protection and wildlife refuge.

The Area has about 110 soil series. Parts of Mercer and Middlesex counties are in the Piedmont Province. They have soils developed from the underlying weathered material of red shale, sandstone, siltstone, argillite or diabase rock. The remaining soils are in the Coastal Plain Province and have no underlying bedrock within 200 feet.

The South Jersey Atlantic Ocean shore area is a popular tourist attraction to both residents and non-residents of New Jersey. It attracts over 20 billion dollars of income to the state each year. Forestland provides another basic resource for the recreational industry. Activities such as hiking, hunting, fishing, picnicking, camping, canoeing, photography and horseback riding depend on this resource. Forestland covers almost 45 percent of the area.

Natural Resources

South Jersey Land Use / Land Cover Table2

Source: New Jersey DEP GIS data 

 

Agriculture

The 375,000 acres of agricultural land in South Jersey is quite diverse. Though field crops have the highest percentage of use at 45%, vegetables, fruits, berries, and horticultural crops make up close to 30% of the land. This goes along with New Jersey’s nick name of the “Garden State”. In years past this referred to produce grown in Jersey. These days this also includes increasing acres of horticultural crops. Indeed, these horticultural crops make up close to 50% of the farm income generated in the state. Another growing farm industry in the South Jersey is the horse industry, while dairy farms and beef operations are disappearing.

Annual farm income for South Jersey is over half a billion dollars. Ninety per cent of that comes from crops grown as opposed to livestock.

Demographics

In 2000, the population of this region was 3,881,1633. This reflects a 22% increase in population since 1980. The estimated summer population of the shore is 10 to 100 times greater than that of the year-round population. Population density is about 824 people per square mile.

2000 Census Data

The major cities within the South Jersey RC&D Area are:

Socioeconomics

Racial Makeup

Median Income

Median Income per County is listed below along with these values for the county as a whole and New Jersey. Only Cumberland County has a lower median income than the national average.

Source: 2004 census data

Poverty Levels

Likewise the poverty level is below the national average for all counties other than Cumberland County.

Source: 2004 census data

Resource Needs and Opportunities

This Area Plan was developed by soliciting public input through outreach to the eight Soil Conservation Districts in the South Jersey RC&D Area over a two year period. In addition an outside facilitator conducted three visioning sessions with the full RC&D Council, which led to the development of a new Vision, Mission, Critical Issues, Goals, Objectives, Strategies and a staffing plan. These results were sent to over 500 individuals in the Council’s February 2007 electronic magazine.
(http://www.sjrcd.org/ezine/Issue2.html)

The counties served by this Area Plan include Mercer, Monmouth, Middlesex, Burlington, Ocean, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May. The outside facilitator helped the Council decide on the five most Critical Issues facing the South Jersey Region. These Issues are:

1. Agriculture and Urban Water Supply
2. Flooding
3. Water Quality
4. Soil Management
5. Land Management

These issues are listed below with a short explanation of why they are critical to the South Jersey RC&D Council.

Five Most Important Issues:

1. Agriculture and Urban Water Supply – In the past twenty years the population of South Jersey increased by 22%. At the same time irrigated cropland acreage has increased by over 10%. With this increased demand for water, New Jersey has declared two Critical Water Supply areas. Critical Area No. 1, declared in 1985, includes portions of Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Critical Area No. 2, declared in 1994, includes portions of Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Cumberland, Salem, Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

The Council concludes water conservation will help alleviate future water supply issues and has developed a sophisticated water conservation program for farms and suburban users based on EvapoTranspiration values from their system of weather stations.

2. Flooding – New Jersey communities experience more flooding than all but three other states according the Governor’s Flooding Task Force of 2006. This flooding has occurred in both small and large watersheds, such as the Delaware River basin.

The Council assists communities to manage stormwater by providing six minute rainfall data from their weather stations. In addition, the Council coordinates a group called the Delaware Estuary Levee Organization, whose main concern is to prevent a Hurricane Katrina like event in southern New Jersey. Early work by DELO documented over 35 levees built from colonial times through 1950 to protect farmland; land now occupied by close to 1000 residences and buildings. The current stability of these levees is unknown, and therefore the protection afforded by them may be much less than the residents and business owners require. A comprehensive inventory is needed to assess the location and status of all levees in south jersey before a strategy to address storm surge safety can be developed.

3. Water Quality – Many of the waterways in New Jersey do not meet State standards related to coliform bacteria, phosphorus and suspended solids. The sources of these impairments is not always known, but is suspected to be from non-point sources. Among the potential non-point sources are agricultural uses and other land development. Adopted Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for any particular contaminant require certain load reductions. The required load reductions will necessitate changes in behavior among property owners, installation of better management practices for both agriculture and other land uses, and education of the public on the types of behavior that result in increased pollutant loads to a waterway.

Many of the actions needed to reduce loads will require partnerships between government and non-government entities to bridge the gaps in knowledge, skills and funding. As a non-profit organization with members having a wide skill set in resource management, the Council offers support to those partnerships that will address water quality impairments in South Jersey. Projects in soil management, wildlife habitat management and land use, as well as providing education opportunities will support better water quality in our region.

4. Soil Management - Soils compacted from development and farming do not allow recharge of groundwater as they do in their natural state. If these soils are restored to their pre-development condition and managed to maintain adequate porosity to allow better infiltration, there would be less runoff and flooding, more aquifer recharge, and more sustained base flow in streams with less stream bank erosion.

The Council will look for opportunities to heal damaged soils such as detention basins and to promote the message of soil quality at workshops and field demonstrations.

5. Land Use and Management – Development has put pressure on our existing agricultural lands, grasslands, forests, and wildlife.

The Council partners with agencies concerned with maintaining Ag viability and agricultural land retention. The Council works with the NJ Conservation Foundation in its efforts to develop Ag Enterprise Districts. The Council is hosting a bike ride called Tour Des Farms, where bike riders visit area farms. Riders can purchase farm products and view farming up close. The Council also promotes the use of BioEnergy crops.

The Council coordinates a team of wildlife conservation groups called Team Habitat. Team Habitat has installed hundreds of acres of ground nesting bird habitat and plans to improve thousands of acres more of wildlife habitat in the next few years.

Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

The South Jersey Council uses a planning matrix under Goals, Objectives, and Strategies, instead of an outlines. The Authorizing Elements and Critical Issue are listed across from the Goal.

Current and Potential Partnerships with USDA and Others

The following groups have been identified as existing or potential partners to assist the Council in implementing this area plan.

Linkage to USDA NRCS Strategic Plan

This area plan contains goals, objectives, and strategies that support the NRCS Strategic Plan. A brief explanation of how this plan supports Strategic Plan goals in listed under each goal below.

Mission Goals

Foundation Goals

* High Quality, Productive Soils - This plan’s goal #4, “Improve soil porosity to reduce stormwater runoff which will decrease flooding, increase groundwater recharge, and reduce streambank erosion” will improve soil quality of degraded soils.

* Clean and Abundant Water - Goals #3 (“Improve water quality from Agricultural and Suburban Areas”) and Goal #1 (“Sustain ground water systems that support a viable agricultural economy and a growing population base”) support this Foundation Goal. Goal #3 supports clean water, while Goal #1 assures that farmers and homeowners do not over irrigate.

* Healthy Plant and Animal Communities - Goal #5 (“Sustain and enhance existing open spaces such as Ag Lands, Grasslands, Forest lands and other open spaces”) carries out this foundation goal. Under Strategy 1, Objective 1 this plan proposes to fund an individual to install wildlife habitat on the ground.

Venture Goals

* Clean Air - Cleaner air will be an indirect result of our plans to reduce irrigation water use (Goal#1), to improve soil porosity (Goal #4), and to install permanent wildlife habitat (Goal #5). Reduced irrigation will reduce the energy needs, thus reducing fossil fuels used to power the irrigation. Improved soil porosity and permanent wildlife covers should increase soil carbon, which will reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, a major contributor to global warming.

* An Adequate Energy Supply - Reduced irrigation (Goal #1) will reduce energy use, thus increasing the supply of energy for other uses.

* Working Farm and Ranch Lands - Our promotion of farms and farm products in Goal #5 supports this Venture Goal.

Closing Page

The South Jersey RC&D Council agrees that the RC&D Program will be conducted in compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions as contained in Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 (Public Law 100–259) and other nondiscrimination statutes; namely, Section 504, of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and in accordance with the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture (7CFR–15, Subparts A and B) that provide that no person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, marital status, or handicap/disability be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial (or technical) assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture or any agency thereof.

The South Jersey RC&D Council agrees that the signing of this document constitutes agreement to comply with Federal laws concerning restrictions on lobbying, a drug-free workplace, and responsibilities for nonprocurement, suspension, and debarment, and State review.

The South Jersey RC&D Council hereby adopts this RC&D Area Plan and agrees to use effectively the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to realize the goals and objectives outlined herein.

South Jersey RC&D Council, Inc. New Jersey

By: __Jack Sworaski_______________________ Date: ___January 16, 2008__________________ Chair

Attest: ______Mike Hill_____________________________________ Council Secretary

This action authorized at an official meeting of the South Jersey RC&D Council on __January 16, 2008__________

U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service

The State Conservationist hereby acknowledges the attached Area Plan of the South Jersey RC&D Council, Inc. as meeting the requirements under Public Law 97–98 to receive assistance from USDA.

Acknowledged By: _____Tom Drewes___________________________Date:____January 16, 2008______________
State Conservationist

[Signatures on file]

Appendix 1 – Map of South Jersey RC&D Area

Appendix 2 – Proof of Public participation

This Area Plan was developed by soliciting public input through outreach to the eight Soil Conservation Districts in the South Jersey RC&D Area over a two year period. This plan was discussed on these dates at the monthly Soil Conservation District meetings:

In addition an outside facilitator conducted three visioning sessions with the full RC&D Council, which led to the development of a new Vision, Mission, Critical Issues, Goals, Objectives, Strategies and a staffing plan. These results were sent to over 500 individuals in the Council’s February 2007 electronic magazine (http://www.sjrcd.org/ezine/Issue2.html).

Appendix 3 – Proposed South Jersey RC&D Staffing

The table below list the staffing needed by South Jersey RC&D Council to implement this plan. Presently, the Council hires an outside Contractor to perform weather station maintenance and a volunteer to perform the task of RISE/Website Analyst.