Comprehensive Plan of Action Item #5
Acquire Land in the Watershed

The NJDEP Green Acres Program has acquired critical lands from impacts of development. These lands will help to prevent pollutants from entering the Bay. The map shows all existing lands held for open space and outdoor recreation within the Barnegat Bay Watershed. The map also shows new lands acquired (shaded in red) since the Governor announced his 10 point inititive in December 2010. View Larger: JPG | PDF

While there has been extensive development in the Barnegat Bay watershed, there are still many critical lands that need protection from the impacts of development in order to prevent pollutants from entering the Bay.  Such lands should be permanently preserved.

Acquiring available, ecologically sensitive lands along the Barnegat Bay and its tributaries is a cost-effective and critical measure to prevent development activities that could further degrade the Bay’s water and ecological quality.  The Green Acres program, administered by the DEP, will identify and prioritize these lands for acquisition and will work with willing sellers to purchase them.  State Revolving Fund (SRF) monies may also be used for land acquisition, as well as resources from other ecological restoration funding programs.

For more information, contact: Rich Boornazian, Adminstrator, Green Acres 609-984-0508