ThePINELANDERT h e N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e N e w J e r s e y P i n e l a n d s C o m m i s s i o n / S u m m e r 2 0 0 4

Pinelands Commission Advances Toms River Conservation PlanA special task force created last year to

develop a plan for protecting critical naturalresources in the Toms River watershed ofJackson and Manchester Townships hassubmitted its findings and recommenda-tions to the Pinelands Commission, OceanCounty and both townships to consider forimplementation. The PinelandsCommission endorsed the document at itsMarch 12 meeting.

The Toms River Corridor Task Force iscomprised of 19 representatives from gov-ernment planning and environmental agen-cies, non-profit conservation groups, andothers. In addition, a group of technicaladvisors on botany, herpetology, geology,hydrology and other key fields providedongoing expert guidance to the Task Force.

Aquifer Study in Full SwingBy Allison M. Brown, Ph.D. Pinelands Commission Research Scientist

The New Jersey Pinelands Commissionhas embarked on a scientific study of theKirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer, the massiveunderground body of water that sustainsthe New Jersey Pinelands.

To what extent can the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer continue to support theneeds of a growing population withoutnegative impacts to the aquatic and wet-land communities that depend on it? Toanswer this important question, a diverseteam of scientists have planned a studythat will identify the impact of groundwa-ter withdrawals on stream flows and waterlevels and determine the effects that suchwithdrawals would have on aquatic andwetland communities. Results from thestudy will be used to predict ecological

responses to various water demand anddevelopment scenarios, and ultimatelyallow the Commission to make moreinformed land-use planning decisions.

Conceived fifteen years ago, and author-ized by legislation passed in 2001, theKirkwood-Cohansey Project Work Planhas evolved into one of the most compre-hensive studies of its kind, setting newstandards for land- and water-use plan-ning. The $5.5 million study is fundedthrough the New Jersey Water SupplyBond Act of 1981. The PinelandsCommission approved the work plan inlate 2003 and the project is expected tocontinue through the year 2009.

The Kirkwood-Cohansey Study is amulti-agency effort involving cooperatorsfrom United States Geological Survey(USGS), Rutgers University, United StatesFish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NewJersey Department of Environmental

Protection (NJDEP), as well as the NewJersey Pinelands Commission. Six care-fully selected stream basins are the focusof the study. These are located within thewatersheds of the Rancocas Creek and theMullica River, two major Pinelands water-ways. Most study sites are located onpublic lands associated with Brendan T.Byrne, Wharton, and Bass River StateForests, and The Richard Stockton Collegeof New Jersey.

Cooperating scientists have already initi-ated work on most of the twelve studytopics outlined in the project work plan.

Hydrologists from the USGS haveinstalled instrumented wells in variousstreams. These shallow observation wellscontinuously monitor water levels athourly intervals. The data obtained fromthe wells will show trends in water levelfluctuations. The USGS is also develop-ing a hydro-geologic framework for each

(Continued on Page 6)The Northern Pine Snake (Pituophis m. melanoleucus) is one of the many threatened and endan-gered species found in the TomsRiver project area. (Photo by Jim Rutherford)

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The PINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 2

Program Preserves 21 Pinelands Farms Over the past 18 months, 21 Pinelands farms covering near-

ly 1,782 acres have been were preserved in the Pinelands undera new State program designed to permanently protect theunique agricultural and ecological resources of the million-acrePinelands.

The Pinelands Direct Easement Purchase Program isadministered by the State Agriculture Development Committee(SADC) in cooperation with the New Jersey PinelandsCommission. It was created as a result of 1999 legislation thatencouraged the permanent preservation of more land in thePinelands.

“Some of New Jersey's most agriculturally and environ-mentally important land is located in the Pinelands,” saidAgriculture Secretary Charles M. Kuperus, who chairs theSADC. “By permanently preserving these farms, we are ensur-ing they continue to contribute to the state's agricultural indus-try, and at the same time protecting the ecological diversity ofthis important region.”

Under the Pinelands Direct Easement Purchase Program,the SADC purchases the development rights includingPinelands Development Credits on farmland. Because thosecredits are permanently retired, the program helps to reducepotential development in Pinelands Regional Growth Areacommunities. These are areas where developers can redeemcredits to increase housing densities.

In addition to the 21 newly preserved farms, another 6farms totaling about 950 acres are slated for protection in late2004 under this first round of easement purchases. The SADChas allocated $9 million toward the purchase of development

rights on farms in this round, while the Pinelands Commissionhas provided $2.1 million. A second round of Pinelands farm-land preservation funded entirely by SADC, has preserved over900 acres in 2004.

“The past year has marked a turning point in the effort toprotect farmland in the Pinelands,” said James Florio,Chairman of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. “With theenhanced coordination of the Farmland Preservation Program,Pinelands Development Credit Program and the agriculturalland-use policies of the Pinelands Comprehensive ManagementPlan, we now have a better set of tools in place to promote thelong-term viability of the agricultural industry in thePinelands.”

Of the nearly 800 New Jersey farms permanently preservedunder the State Farmland Preservation Program between 1983and 2003, only eleven of those were in the Pinelands. Of thoseeleven, only one was in a Pinelands management zone wherePinelands Development Credits are allocated. The PinelandsComprehensive Management Plan (CMP), authorized by theState and Federal Pinelands Protection Acts in the late 1970s,sets standards for the protection of Pinelands natural and cul-tural resources. The CMP establishes special management dis-tricts where agricultural land uses are encouraged, including a“right-to-farm” standard that protects farming operations inagricultural zones.

The Pinelands Direct Easement Purchase Program bolstersthe CMP by providing economically viable protection optionsfor Pinelands farmers.

Jonathan Kennen of the USGS, records data in ShamongTownship as part of the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer Study (Photo by John F. Bunnell)

study area by compiling information on existing wells. A sitehas been selected in Byrne State Forest to be used by USGS formonitoring weather conditions, including evapotranspiration..Data collected at this site will be used in determining rechargeto the aquifer system.

The USGS has also selected several sites for monitoringstream discharge and has teamed up with the PinelandsCommission to study the effect of variable stream flow on fishand macroinvertebrates. Several study sites have been selectedwithin three stream systems.

Biologists from USFWS are conducting a study of swamppink (Helonias bullata) a federally listed endangered plant.Study plots are being selected, and the plant’s abundance anddistribution relative to different water levels and other environ-mental characteristics will be evaluated.

For the Wetland Forest Community study, PinelandsCommission scientists have selected more than 200 vegetationplots in five study basins representing a range of different com-munity types. Based on species composition, plots generallyfollow a gradient from upland community types (e.g. pine-scrub oak woodland) to wetland community types (e.g. cedar

Aquifer Study (Continued from Page 1)

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The PINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 3

Early 2004 brought two new members to the PinelandsCommission. Francis Witt now represents Gloucester Countywhile Patrick Slavin serves as the representative forBurlington County.

Fran Witt is a Partner in the firm of Joseph F. McKernanArchitects and Associates in Cherry Hill, where he alsoserves as Treasurer and Marketing Principal. A licensed realestate agent for over 30 years, he has represented a host ofUS and international companies as a consultant.

Mr. Witt has a long career in public service. He served for16 years as Mayor of the Borough of National Park and, priorto that, served eight years on Borough Council. He is pastVice President of the New Jersey League of Municipalitiesand past President of the Gloucester County Mayor’sAssociation. Mr. Witt served 15 years on the Board of theGloucester County Utilities Authority, including as Directorand Chairman, and on the board of the Gloucester CountySolid Waste Council. Additionally, he is active in a numberof civic, business, church and governmental organizations.

Pat Slavin presently serves as a Lecturer in Biology atBurlington County College. Prior to that, he served for 14years as Manager of agricultural operations for A.R.DeMarco Enterprises, a 10,000-acre cranberry farm inWoodland Township. Mr. Slavin also served as the Directorof Public Health for Cumberland County, Director of theCumberland County Mosquito Control Commission, as anentomologist with the Ocean County Mosquito Commissionand as a Research Associate with the USDA AgriculturalResearch Service. Among other civic and professionalinvolvement, Mr. Slavin has served on the Board of Directorsof the American Cranberry Growers Association, the NewJersey Blueberry/Cranberry Research Council, New JerseyPesticide Control Council, Woodland Township PlanningBoard and the Millville Shade Tree Commission. Mr. Slavinholds a Ph.D. in ecology from Rutgers University, a Mastersdegree in entomology from University of Maine and a B.S.degree in Biology from Marquette University in Wisconsin.

Witt and Slavin Join Pinelands Commission

Pinelands Commission Chairman James J. Florio (Left) readsthe inscription on a plaque he presented to Jack Ross (Right) in recognition of his long standing service and commitment tothe protection of the Pinelands National Reserve.

Pinelands Commission Chairman James J. Floriopresents a plaque to Alan Avery Jr., Pinelands CommissionVice-Chairman, for his twenty years of dedicated service tothe New Jersey Pinelands Commission. Avery has served asthe Ocean County representative on the Commission since1983.

Ross Honored for TDR Work John T. “Jack” Ross recently retired as Executive Director

of the Pinelands Development Credit (PDC) Bank. Jack hasmanaged the day-to-day operations of the PDC Bank since itsinception in 1985 and has been instrumental in developingthe PDC program into one of the most successful regionaltransfer of development rights program in existence any-where. The PDC Program helps redirect growth in thePinelands from important environmental and agriculturalareas to designated growth areas. The PDC Bank guaranteesloans using credits for collateral, maintains a registry of credit owners and purchasers and can buy and sell credits.Jack’s successors at the PDC Bank are Tom Byrne, ExecutiveDirector and Guil Vivas, Deputy Director.

Avery Marks Twenty Yearsas Pinelands Commissioner

The PINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 4

Report Tracks Economic Health of Pinelands CommunitiesThe Pinelands Long-Term Economic Monitoring Program is

a cooperative project administered by the PinelandsCommission and funded by the U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service. The program monitors, collects, andanalyzes data to gauge the economic health of the Pinelandsregion over time.

The 2003 Long-Term Economic Monitoring Report is avail-able to the public in CD-ROM format and on the Commission'sInternet website at: www.nj.gov/pinelands/.

The Long-Term Economic Monitoring Program is an impor-tant component of the Commission's efforts to better under-stand the effects of Pinelands programs on local communitiesand the regional economy. Data collected in 2003 revealssome key findings about the Pinelands economy: • Following a decline in 2001, the average number of buildingpermits issued in Pinelands communities in 2002 increased by17%; • The inflation-adjusted median home price rose by 8.4% inthe Pinelands to $122,500, the first significant increase in 14years. This compares to an increase of 6.6% to $129,200 for anon-Pinelands home. The Pinelands share of the state's totalreal estate transactions increased steadily from 8.2% in 1999 to9.4% in 2002;• An analysis of block-level census data revealed that approxi-mately 276,890 people live inside of the Pinelands boundary,while 412,560 people live in portions of Pinelands municipali-ties that lie outside of the Pinelands boundary;

• The population density of Pinelands municipalities was 304people per square mile, compared to 1,046 people for the non-Pinelands region of South Jersey;• The unemployment rate rose from 4.7% in 2001 to 5.3% in2002, but is still lower than areas outside of the Pinelands.Unemployment rose from 4.5% to 6.0% in the non-Pinelandsregion and from 4.2% to 5.8% for the state as a whole; and• The average inflation-adjusted 2002 property tax bill in thePinelands was $3,010. This is $500 lower than the non-Pinelands region and $1,740 lower than the state average.

The 2003 Economic Report includes an enhanced version ofthe Municipal Fact Book, which was first introduced in the2002 Report. The Municipal Fact Book provides data on theunique economic characteristics of 52 Pinelands Area munici-palities. Additionally, data for each Pinelands municipality isranked and averages are compared using data from over 200South Jersey municipalities. The 2003 Municipal Fact Bookfeatures the addition of population graphs and color mapsshowing aggregates of Pinelands Management Areas and StatePlanning Areas outside of the Pinelands, as well as other data.

Also new this year, the Commission added four supplemen-tal variables, including population density, census of housingdata, place of residence and work data as well as data onmunicipal services such as police protection and garbage col-lection. This supplements data on core variables in areas suchas retail sales, income, real estate sales, employment, propertytaxes, property values, and agricultural production and sales.

Inspectors from county and local area health departments participated in a field training session to observe the installation of thefirst Pinelands Alternative Design Wastewater Treatment System, an Amphidrome system, on March 11, 2004 in HamiltonTownship, Atlantic County. The Pinelands Alternate Design Wastewater Treatment Pilot Program was created to improve protec-tion of surface and groundwater resources by reducing the amount of the nitrogen pollution from conventional septic systems. Formore information, contact Ed Wengrowski, Pinelands Commission Wastewater Manager, at (609)894-7300.

First System Installed Under Pinelands Wastewater Pilot Program

The PINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 5

The Pinelands Commission’s newlyformed partnership with Burlington County College, and The Pinelands Insti-tute for Natural and Environmental Stud-ies helped to make the 15th AnnualPinelands Short Course a success.

This year’s Short Course was held onSaturday, March 6, at BurlingtonCounty College in Pemberton. Continuinga successful tradition, the popular ShortCourse had over 300 participants.

Attendees were presented with opportu-nities to gain valuable knowledge on manyPinelands topics from top experts in thefield.

People from throughout New Jersey andneighboring states attended this year’sShort Course. All seemed to have a com-mon goal of discovering, experiencing,and learning about the Pinelands region'sunique environments, culture, and history.

A number of the attendees are teachersor involved with education and participat-ed to gain knowledge and information topass on to their students. Many believethat their participation will aid them inbecoming a positive force on the future ofthe Pinelands, a belief also held by thesponsors of the Pinelands Short Course.

This year’s short course offereda variety of topics including:

A Pinelands OverviewPresented by William Dunscombe

Soil: The Living Entity that Sustainsthe Pine Barrens

Presented by John Dighton

Industrial Revolution in the PinesPresented by Barry Brady

Adaptations of Woody Plants of the Pinelands

Presented by Terry O’Leary

Ecological Fire and Forest Management in the New Jersey PinelandsPresented by Andy Windisch

Habitat Conservation Planning A Next Step in the Pinelands

Presented by Chris Krupka and Jessica Kubida

Rare, Threatened and Endangered Pinelands Plants and Their Habitats

Presented by Ted Gordon

Pine Barrens to Tropical Forest Long Distance Migratory Songbirds

Presented by Emile DeVito

Foodways in the PinesPresented by Angus Gillespie

Pinelands Frogs and ToadsPresented by John Bunnell

Community Design for Growing Communities

Presented by David Kutner and Shawn McCaney

Health Benefits of Cranberries and Blueberries

Presented by Amy Howell

The Pinelands Traveler Ghost Towns, Bogs and Legends

Presented by Mike Fowler

A Sheltered Existence: Turtles of the Pinelands National ReservePresented by Christina Watters

Tour of WhitesbogPresented by Maria Peter

15th Annual Pinelands Short Course

Emile D. DeVito, Ph.D, Manager of Science &Stewardship for The New Jersey ConservationFoundation explains the importance of thePinelands to the survival of neo-tropical songbirds during the 2004 Pinelands Short Course.

Municipal Council Officers Elected

The Pinelands Municipal Council recentlyswore in its officers for 2004. All officeterms are for one year beginning on April1st, and extending to March 31st 2005.This year’s Officers are: • Chairman: William Pikolycky,Mayor, Woodbine Borough; • Vice-Chairman: Chuck Chairello,Mayor, Buena Vista Township;• Secretary: Edward J. McGlinchey,Winslow Township Zoning Officer &Director of Public Works;• Treasurer: Richard Bethea,Mayor, Bass River Township;• Member at Large: Robert Hagaman,Township Committee member and Former Mayor, Mullica Township.

The Pinelands Municipal Council, estab-lished under the Pinelands Protection Act, is made up of the mayors of the 53 munic-ipalities in the Pinelands area or theirdesignees. The Council is empowered toreview and comment upon changes pro-posed by the Pinelands Commission to theNew Jersey Pinelands CMP.

Mark your Calendar; Saturday,March 5, 2005 for the 16th Annual

Pinelands Short Course. Details available in late 2004

Commission Looking at Housing Needs

The Pinelands Commission has formeda special housing task force to recommendhow future population projections andhousing demand should be factored intohousing opportunities for PinelandsRegional Growth Areas.

Under the project, the PinelandsCommission is reviewing projections tohelp determine how much populationgrowth should be anticipated throughoutsouthern New Jersey. A broad-based taskforce of government agencies and non-governmental organizations will then rec-ommend ways to apportion future growthwithin the 24 Pinelands Regional GrowthArea municipalities. The task force,includes representatives from the follow-ing organizations:• NJ Department of Community Affairs; • NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection;• NJ Department of Transportation;• 7 Pinelands County Planning Offices;• Coalition for Housing and the Environment;• NJ Builders Association;• 5 Pinelands Municipalities;• Pinelands Preservation Alliance; and• NJ State Chamber of Commerce.

The PINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 6

The project area covers nearly 17,000acres in the northern Pinelands of OceanCounty. Of that land area, approximately15,000 acres lie in Jackson, with theremaining acreage in Manchester. The areaincludes six Pinelands Management Areadistricts ranging from the ecologically criti-cal Preservation District to the PinelandsRegional Growth Area.

The area also includes the three designat-ed Pinelands Villages of Cassville, Leglerand Vanhiseville.

Under the impetus of the PinelandsCommission's Permanent Land ProtectionCommittee, the Task Force was establishedin April 2003 to address growing concernsover the potential for development conflictsin the region. The area is home to a wealthof important land and water resources,including more than a dozen plant and ani-mal species that are classified as threatenedor endangered. At the same time, the areafeatures significant swaths of developedland with a population of several thousandpeople.

"If fully implemented, this plan willenhance the predictability of growth oppor-tunities and reflect the community develop-ment objectives of Jackson and ManchesterTownships," explained PinelandsCommissioner Candace McKee Ashmun,Chair of the Permanent Land ProtectionCommittee. "The plan makes the use ofPinelands Development Credits more real-istic and enhances development potential inthe Villages and Regional Growth Areas."

In its report, the Task Force set forththree key findings:

• Development pressures exist and aregrowing, with approximately 1,500 resi-dential units currently proposed for con-struction within the corridor and more areexpected;

• Water resources are threatened, withboth water quality and quantity in jeopardyfrom the inter-basin transfer of wastewaterand proposed development near high-quali-ty waterways and groundwater rechargeareas;

• Clusters of threatened and endangeredspecies exist within and around theCorridor in large, relatively undisturbedlandscapes.

The Toms River Corridor Plan proposesto utilize a combination of planning, zoningand resource protection tools in the area. Aseries of Pinelands and municipal re-zon-ings are proposed to provide greater protec-tion of water quality and critical wildlifehabitat; enhance habitat buffers, and estab-lish connectors between large areas ofundeveloped and protected habitat.

These will be supported by reductions inpermitted housing densities and implemen-tation of stronger clustering provisions in anumber of areas. On-site clustering stan-dards will help to minimize impacts onenvironmentally sensitive land while allow-ing for appropriate residential development.

The Plan also calls for enhanced use ofconservation easements as well as steppingup efforts to acquire land for permanentprotection. The State, County, andTownships are all actively pursuing landacquisitions of up to 2,000 acres that wouldbe consistent with the recommendations ofthe Task Force. As long-term strategies,the Task Force is also encouraging theexpansion of the Pinelands DensityTransfer and Pinelands Development CreditPrograms to allow greater use within theToms River Corridor.

Seventy-three percent of the Corridorwill be protected through conservation-ori-ented zoning measures and 2,600 fewerhomes will be built in the future. Futurenon-point source pollution of the TomsRiver and Barnegat Bay will be reducedand clustering will ensure that future devel-opment is directed away from the mostenvironmentally sensitive lands.

The Task Force also developed a system-atic approach for establishing, up-front, thetype and scope of endangered and threat-ened species surveys that would berequired of potential developers. Thisincludes a set of criteria that tailors surveyprocedures based on zoning districts andthe type of development being proposed.This approach recognizes the habitat con-servation measures already set forth in theoverall plan and simplifies the surveyprocess to provide greater predictability ofregulatory requirements.

In early 2003, the Pinelands Commissionconcluded an intensive review of the

Toms River Corridor Conservation Plan (Continued from Page 1)

Pinelands Protection Program. As part of afive-year strategy plan, the Commissiondecided to pursue sub-regional conserva-tion plans as a means to better protectPinelands resources in cooperation with itsmunicipal partners. It specifically calledfor the Toms River project as well as otherprojects.

Grant to Fund Evesham,Medford Conservation Plan

The New Jersey Pinelands Commissionhas received a $73,000 grant from theWilliam Penn Foundation to fund an inno-vative natural resource conservation plan-ning project for southern portions ofEvesham and Medford Townships inBurlington County.

The initiative is in response to new dataon important natural resources in the areawhich supports a re-evaluation of the zon-ing and development policies. The objec-tive is to develop approaches that protectthese important resources and accommo-date development at appropriate locations.

Under this project, the PinelandsCommission will organize a steering committee, comprised of representativesfrom the New Jersey Department ofEnvironmental Protection and the twomunicipalities to oversee development of aconservation plan for the 22-square-mileproject area. In addition, an advisory taskforce will be formed that includes repre-sentatives from non-governmental sectors,including environmental and development organizations.

The Commission and its cooperatingpartners will prepare a detailed naturalresource conservation plan, which mayinclude innovative zoning, land preserva-tion, resource management and communi-ty design recommendations. The southernportions of Evesham and MedfordTownships include significant areas desig-nated under the Pinelands protection pro-gram for low-density residential develop-ment. However, data compiled in recentyears has documented that no less thanseven threatened and endangered plant andanimal species are found in this area.

ThePINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 7

Pinelands Commission Chairman JamesJ. Florio has assembled a blue ribbonpanel to review the forestry provisions ofthe Pinelands Comprehensive ManagementPlan. This action is part of a new initiativeaimed at ensuring that harvesting, landpreparation and re-vegetation practicesconducted in the Pinelands are consistentwith the Commission's mandate to protectand maintain the Pinelands environmentwhile ensuring that forestry is a viableeconomic and cultural resource. “Forestryis a traditional activity in the Pinelands,”said Florio. “When done properly, forestrycan help to revitalize the forest landscape,but when done improperly, it can affect thenatural biodiversity of the Pinelands. ThePinelands Commission's last comprehen-sive review of its forestry standards wasnearly a decade ago and the time is nowright to take a fresh look at how well theprogram is working and what we can do toimprove it.”

Florio added that he is pleased thatMichael Catania, former DeputyCommissioner of the New JerseyDepartment of Environmental Protection(NJDEP) and past Executive Director ofthe New Jersey Chapter of The NatureConservancy, has agreed to chair thePinelands Forestry Advisory Committee.Catania is currently Founder and Presidentof Conservation Resources, Inc., a non-profit organization which provides techni-cal and financial assistance to NewJersey's conservation community. Anattorney, Catania also teaches environmen-tal policy and law at the Eagleton Institutefor Politics at Rutgers University andserves as Chair of the New Jersey NaturalLands Trust. He was a founding memberand Co-Chair of the Stockton Alliance.

Other members of the committee include:• James Barresi, the State Forester andAssistant Director of Forestry at NJDEP.Jim represents New Jersey for the NationalAssociation of State Foresters, where heserves on the Forest Fire Protection andUrban Forestry Committees; • Thomas Bullock, an attorney with a pri-vate general real estate practice. Tom isDirector, Treasurer and past President ofthe New Jersey Forestry Association, anorganization of over 1,000 woodland

Forestry Review Underway owners and conservationists who advocate the wise use and management ofthe State's forest resource; • Robert Williams, a certified professional forester and wetlands scien-tist, is Director of Forestry Operations atLand Dimensions Engineering. He man-ages 75,000 acres of private woodlands infour states, including southern NewJersey; • George Zimmermann Ph.D., Professorof environmental studies at RichardStockton College, teaches forest ecologyand forest management. Through hisresearch, he is recognized as a nationalexpert on the physiology, restoration andregeneration of Atlantic White Cedar;• Troy Ettel, Director of Conservation atthe NJ Audubon Society. Troy has servedas Tennessee State Ornithologist andTexas Natural Heritage Program StateZoologist and has developed forest man-agement plans for a variety of habitats;• Marc Matsil, Senior Policy Advisor forNatural Resources at NJDEP. Marc pre-viously served as Assistant Commissionerfor Natural and Historic Resources atNJDEP and Chief of the NaturalResources Group of the New York CityDepartment of Parks and Recreation; • Jon Wagar, Assistant Director ofStewardship with the New JerseyConservation Foundation and former fieldbotanist with the USDA Forest Service.Jon holds a Masters of Forestry from YaleUniversity and taught plant physiology atNational University; • Robert Zappalorti, President andExecutive Director of HerpetologicalAssociates, Inc. an environmental consult-ing firm which specializes in the study ofthreatened and endangered plants and animals.

A Pinelands Forestry AdvisoryCommittee was first established in 1987to assist in the review of harvest and for-est management plans for state-ownedlands as well as to advise the Commissionon other forestry-related matters. Thislatest effort is the first time theCommittee's charge has been expanded toreview the policy framework for allPinelands forests, both public and privately owned.

Pinelands Smart GrowthProgram Honored

In March, the Pinelands Commissionreceived an "Achievement in Planning"Award for Regional Planning. The award,from the New Jersey Planning Officialsorganization, recognized the PinelandsExcellence Program as an innovativeapproach to address increasing growthpressures on Pinelands municipalities.

The Pinelands Commission recentlycompleted work with two PinelandsRegional Growth Area communities -Hamilton Township in Atlantic Countyand Winslow Township in CamdenCounty - to develop innovative communi-ty design plans that encourage sustainable,mixed-use development. Funded by a$187,000 grant from the Geraldine R.Dodge Foundation, the Commission creat-ed the Pinelands Excellence Program, topromote smart growth working togetherwith state, county, and municipal govern-ments, as well as community planningconsultants. The intent is to developstrategies for creating vibrant, livablecommunities that maintain essential natu-ral and cultural resources.These strategies include, mixed-use devel-opment and better community design byutilizing tools such as zoning, planning,and infrastructure improvements.

A seminar on the Pinelands ExcellenceProgram, was held on April 19th inMedford Township. Geared toward elect-ed officials, community planning profes-sionals and planning and zoning boardmembers, the purpose was to share theProgram's planning, design, transportation,and open space concepts that are applica-ble to communities throughout the State.

Both the Hamilton Township LivableCommunity Action Plan, and the WinslowTownship Livable Community ActionPlan, are available on the PinelandsCommission website.

PO Box 7New Lisbon, NJ 08064

609.894.7300www.nj.gov/pinelands/info@njpines.state.nj.us

James J. FlorioChairman

John C. StokesExecutive Director

Francis RapaEditor

Joel M. MottAssistant Editor

ThePINELANDER

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Browns Mills, NJPermit No. 2B

Newsletter of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, Summer2004

The PINELANDER, SUMMER 2004 PAGE 8

swamp). Each plot will be characterizedby a number of vegetative and environ-mental variables, including plant cover,soil moisture, and ground water level. Tocharacterize water levels, observationwells are being installed in each of the 200plots. Monthly water level data gatheredover the next two to three years will beused to develop a hydrologic signature, orbenchmark, for each community type.

An Intermittent Pond Vegetation Studyhas been initiated and will focus on 15ponds in the Rancocas Creek and WadingRiver watersheds. The ponds are subjectto seasonal periods of water inundationand drawdown, a process that affects plantdistribution. Monthly water level dataalong with plant data will be related to dif-ferences in plant composition along hydro-logic gradients. Because frogs frequentthis habitat type, three of the ponds will beincluded in the Anuran-LarvalDevelopment and Recruitment SuccessStudy. In this study, Commission scien-

tists will place tadpoles in mesh enclo-sures along a gradient of deep to shallowwater to determine an influence of waterlevels on tadpole development. In addi-tion, Pinelands Commission planning staffhave started to collect pertinent geograph-ic data and compiling data on current andfuture water consumption patterns.

Scientists from Rutgers University willevaluate the potential for nitrogen releaseto wetland soils at different moisture lev-els and the impact that changes in soilmoisture regimes might have on plantwater stress and photosynthesis.

Rutgers scientists will also work with allthe cooperators to apply data gatheredfrom the component studies to the land-scape scale. The USGS is managing thehuge mass of data gathered by the differ-ent cooperators involved in the Kirkwood-Cohansey project. Commission scientistswill continue to keep the public updatedon the project. A Commission web pagewill be established for this purpose.

Aquifer Study (Continued from Page 2)

Swamp pink (Helonias bullata) is a federally listed endangered plant. As part of theKirkwood-Cohansey Study the USFWS is com-paring relationships between the plant’s abun-dance and distribution relative to differentwater levels and environmental characteristics. (Photo by Kim J. Laidig)