From The Jersey Sierran, July - September 2022
REPORT FROM TRENTON
The NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has created an advisory committee to update the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) and set priorities for parklands and open space access and acquisition. Anjuli Ramos-Busot, director of the NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club, has been named to the committee. The state is required to make periodic updates in the plan to remain eligible for federal grants. SCORP is administered by the Green Acres Program, and representatives from the state’s Fish and Wildlife, Parks, and Forestry & Historic Sites programs will serve on the committee.
The stated goals of the update include enhancing climate resilience and sustainability, investing in ecotourism, increasing the role of technology in conservation, furthering equity and environmental justice, and restoring biodiversity.
“Our state parks are some of the most heavily used in the country. Urban areas have a real shortage of open space and parks. It’s critical that we have adequate funding for maintenance and improvements for our parks system, while protecting our unique ecosystems for future generations to come,” says Ramos-Busot.
The advisory committee will work with the DEP for a year beginning this summer, after which there will be opportunities for stakeholder engagement. The final plan is to be released in late 2023.