The Garden State Preservation Trust: A Vital Program

• Already the most densely populated state, New Jersey will reach full build out in less than 25 years. We must protect our valuable open spaces, farmland and historic sites before it is too late.
• Protecting these areas is vital to the long-term health of our state’s economy.
• Our cities rely on well-maintained green areas for livable neighborhoods and a high quality of life.
• Preserving open space safeguards our public water supply and water quality in our rivers and streams.
• Every New Jersey resident deserves high-quality, accessible neighborhood parks, natural areas and historic sites to enjoy with their families.

Steady Decline in Services and Maintenance

• Additional funding for operations, maintenance and stewardship within the Trust is critical to ensuring safe, accessible and well-maintained beaches, parks, natural areas and historic sites in communities across the state.
• The inability to maintain our parks has led to the closure of portions of these areas for long periods of time. For example, Bulls Island State Park campgrounds are closed indefinitely due to Delaware River flooding.
• The continuation of current funding trends could lead to the closure of various park facilities and the loss of urban fishing and derby programs that serve thousands of children throughout the state.
• Ensuring well-maintained and staffed natural areas is critical to our state and local economies. Each year, wildlife-related recreation, including fishing, hunting and wildlife watching, generates approximately $3.9 billion, creates over 37,000 jobs and brings in nearly $150 million in sales tax revenue to New Jersey.
• Lack of funding has resulted in severe staffing shortages.
  • Despite increasing the State’s open space acquisitions by 350,000 acres, or 1/3 of the total amount in the last decade, the Division of Parks and Forestry staffing fell by 1/3 from 550 to 418 over the same period with more retirements expected.
  • More specifically, due to insufficient funding, the State Park Service has been unable to fill approximately 130 vacant superintendent, State park police officer, maintenance staff, interpretive specialist and others positions.
  • This lack of funding has also resulted in the inability of the State Forestry Service to fill approximately 13 vacant forest fire warden, forest fire equipment maintenance staff, foresters and others positions.
  • The staff employed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife under the Hunter and Anglers account is significantly less than any other time in the history of the agency. In the 1980’s, there were approximately 225 staff members; now there are only approximately 190.

Running Out of Funds for Land Acquisition and Capital Project

Since its creation in 1998, the GSPT has enabled the State of New Jersey, its local governments, and non-profits to acquire over 432,000 acres of parks, open space and farmland. While the GSPT has been a tremendous success, the need still vastly outstrips the available dollars, even if the GSPT is renewed at higher levels.

• Well over $450 million in municipal and non-profit Green Acres applications have gone unfunded.
• Acquisition costs in the Highlands alone could run to more than $1 billion.
• The New Jersey Historic Trust has received capital and planning grant requests totaling more than 3 times the $6 million in grant funds available each year.
• There is an estimated $250 million backlog in capital repairs and improvements at State parks alone. Many millions more are needed for improvements at county and local parks.
• Only one-third of the farmland identified by the State Department of Agriculture as critical to the retention of farming as a viable industry in New Jersey has been preserved.

Increased Investment in Urban Open Space Needed

Numerous studies have determined that urban green areas increase property values, support neighborhood revitalization, and promote healthy lifestyles, particularly for children, who are especially susceptible to childhood asthma and obesity. However, New Jersey's cities lag woefully behind their counterparts elsewhere in the country in terms of available open space.

• Newark has the lowest ratio of open space to population of any major American city.
• Hudson County has identified hundreds of millions of dollars of acquisition needs.

You can help us reverse this trend of neglect and under funding by taking action today.
To learn how, click here.

<back to resources