Conservation
Introduction
~Protect and Enhance Valuable National Resources on Land Under National Guard Stewardship~
The EMB goes to great lengths to manage and preserve the natural and cultural resources at all ARNG sites across the state of NJ. Ongoing projects study rare, threatened, and endangered species, monitor and manage invasive species, and preserve historical structures and archaeological sites.
NJARNG facilities are located near many different types of habitats and ecosystem, including floodplains, wetlands, beachfronts, and pineland forests. This variety of habitats in turn supports a variety of wildlife and plant species, some of which are federally and/or state endangered or threatened. The NJARNG has a responsibility to preserve the integrity and quality of the land that they share with so many species.
The EMB is committed to preserving archaeological sites and historic structures as well. The NJARNG, as well as all other state ARNG’s, have established programs to manage their cultural and historic resources, such as buildings, objects, documents, collections, and customs.
Below are some examples of ways in which the EMB and NJARNG work to conserve our natural and cultural resources:
Endangered & Threatened Species Management
Piping Plovers
Piping Plover
(Federally Threatened,
State Endangered)
Piping Plovers are small shorebirds. They nest directly in the sand on beaches up and down the coast of NJ. Currently, Piping Plovers are federally threatened and state endangered. Habitat loss, human disturbance, and predation are the main threats to these birds.
Beachfronts at coastal NJARNG sites are monitored to locate and protect Piping Plover nests. Beaches are closed to the public during breeding season to minimize human and pet disturbance. Predator population studies are conducted at these sites to help monitor animals that are a threat
Seabeach Amaranth
Seabeach Amaranth
Seabeach Amaranth is an annual plant endemic to Atlantic Coast beaches and barrier islands, and usually grows on a pure sand substrate. Threats to Seabeach Amaranth include beach stabilization, intensive recreational use, and herbivory by moth caterpillars such as webworms.
Surveys are conducted regularly at coastal sites to locate these plants. Fencing and signage are installed to protect them from foot traffic, pets, and other forms of disturbance.
Invasive Species Management
The Common Reed
Invasive species are non-native species whose introduction causes harm to the environment or human health. If not managed, invasive species can outcompete and displace native species, which can lead to habitat loss and crop damage.
Invasive species can have a negative impact on the economy as well. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on invasive species management in NJ annually.
Invasive species can be especially harmful to threatened and endangered species. For example, the invasive plant Common Reed spreads quickly along the coast, and can out-compete the endangered Seabeach Amaranth plant, which is particularly sensitive to overcrowding. The spread of Common Reed can also result in habitat loss for the endangered Piping Plover, who relies on open beach fronts for nesting.
Invasive Species Removal
As an example of what the NJARNG and DMAVA are doing to address this growing problem, to the right are Interns in the Environmental Internship Program locating and manually removing invasive species of plants at a NJARNG site.
Cultural Resource Management
The NJARNG has developed an Integrated Cultural Resources Management Plan (ICSMP), which is designed to assist each individual installation in meeting the legal compliance requirements of federal historic preservation laws and regulations. To do this, the NJARNG maintains historical buildings and structures and conducts archaeological surveys to locate artifacts on their sites.
This building is located at the Sea Girt National Guard Training Center. It is part of a mid-18th to mid-19th century farmstead. It is one of nine NRHP-eligible facilities. It is owned by the state of New Jersey, but maintained by the NJARNG.
The NJARNG conducts surveys to identify areas of historical and cultural significance on their sites. These figures show excavation results from a site in Monmouth County.
Army Guard
