Pinelands Preservation Alliance Inc

THE PINELANDS PRESERVATION ALLIANCE WILL INCREASE THE CAPACITY AND CONNECTIVITY OF REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. THIS PROJECT WILL BOLSTER LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE AND IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY WHILE EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS RANCHERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THIS INITIATIVE WILL ESTABLISH 24 STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS CONNECTING LOCAL PRODUCERS DIRECTLY WITH INSTITUTIONAL CONSUMERS SUCH AS HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS WITH A FOCUS ON FACILITATING MORE EFFECTIVE PRODUCT TRANSPORTATION TO MARKETS. A KEY ELEMENT OF THE PROJECT INVOLVES THE DEVELOPMENT OF EIGHT NEW OR IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS DESIGNED TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY REDUCE COSTS AND BROADEN CUSTOMER REACH FOR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. FURTHERMORE THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH 20 PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN REGIONAL PRODUCERS AND VARIOUS MARKET ACCESS POINTS ANTICIPATING INCREASED PRODUCTION TO MEET RISING DEMAND. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT INCLUDE FARMERS RANCHERS PROCESSORS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE REGION WHO WILL GAIN ACCESS TO NEW MARKETS AND IMPROVED OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES.

PINELANDS PRESERVATION ALLIANCE WILL DEVELOP NEW MARKETS FOR LOCAL PRODUCE FARMS AND INCREASE ACCESS TO LOCAL FOODS FOR RESIDENTS IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE CUSTOMER BASE OF LOCAL GROWERS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO PRODUCE AT AFFORDABLE PRICES BY COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL FARMS AND NONPROFITS. PRODUCERS WILL AGGREGATE AND TRANSPORT PRODUCE AND SELL THROUGH AT LEAST THREE FARMERS MARKET STANDS. CUSTOMER SURVEYS WILL INFORM PREFRENCES OF PRODUCE VARIETIES PRICING PRESENTATION AND FOOD EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE MARKET VIABILITY. THIS PROJECT WILL DEMONSTRATE BUSINESS PRACTICES AND PRICING MODELS WITH THE AIM OF RECRUITING ADDITIONAL FARMERS AND RETAILERS TO EACH MARKET. THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT LEAST NINE ADDITIONAL GROWERS AND CREATE AT LEAST THREE MARKETS.

THIS PROJECT IS A PARTNERSHIP AMONG U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (SERVICE), PINELANDS PRESERVATION ALLIANCE (PPA), AND RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (RVCC) TO ADVANCE RECOVERY OF THE FEDERALLY LISTED (THREATENED) PLANT SEABEACH AMARANTH (AMARANTHUS PUMILUS). THE SERVICES RECOVERY VISION FOR SEABEACH AMARANTH IN NEW JERSEY IS ONE OF HUBS AND SPOKES. HUBS ARE NATURAL AREAS WITH POPULATION STRONGHOLDS. THIS PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH HUBS IN SOUTH JERSEY THROUGH PROPAGATION AND OUTPLANTING. SPOKES ARE PLANT PROTECTION STRIPS THAT ALLOW SEEDS TO MOVE AROUND THE LANDSCAPE AND CONNECT THE HUBS. THIS PROJECT WILL ADVANCE SPOKES BY TARGETING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION FOR LOCAL BEACH MANAGERS RESPONSIBLE FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE STRIPS ON RECREATIONAL BEACHES. THE STRIPS ARE REQUIRED COMPONENTS OF BEACH MANAGEMENT PLANS, BUT COMPLIANCE WITH THE STRIPS HAS BEEN POOR, WITH MUCH RAKING AND DRIVING THAT LIMIT THE ABILITY OF PLANTS TO GERMINATE AND SURVIVE OUTSIDE OF NATURAL AREAS. THUS, TARGETED COMMUNICATIONS WITH MUNICIPAL BEACH MANAGERS IS NECESSARY FOR THE STRIPS TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED. THIS PROJECT WOULD ALSO TRANSITION THE LARGEST AND MOST CONSEQUENTIAL PLANT PROTECTION STRIPS, LOCATED ON STATE LANDS, FROM SOLELY RVCC MANAGEMENT TO INCREASED STATE INVOLVEMENT AND THUS ENSURE THEIR VIABILITY AS A LONG-TERM RECOVERY ACTIVITY. THE PROJECT GOAL IS TO ADVANCE SEABEACH AMARANTH RECOVERY BY: (1) ESTABLISHING NEW STRONGHOLD POPULATIONS IN SOUTH JERSEY (2) CONDUCTING TARGETED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO LOCAL BEACH MANAGERS AND (3) INCREASING THE ROLE OF STATE AGENCIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF POPULATIONS HABITATS ON STATE LANDS.

SEABEACH AMARANTH CONSERVATIONTHROUGH PLANT PROTECTION STRIPS

FARMERS GROWING FOOD FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HELPING FAMILIES BRING HEALTHY FOOD TO THEIR TABLES, AND INVIDUAL COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE GATHERING TO FORM COLLECTIVE PLANS OF ACTION THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO ACHIVE MORE THAN THEY EACH CAN ACCOMPLISH ALONE. BY CONNECTING FARMERS WITH CONSUMERS WHO AREN'T CURRENTLY ENJOYING THE BENEFITS OF LOCALLY-GROWN FOOD, WE WILL SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF SMALL FARMERS WHILE HELPING RESIDENTS IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES. THE PROJECT WILL DEMONSTRATE SOUND ECONOMIC MODELS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE MORE FOOD-GROWING FARMERS AND SHOW THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTAKE OF THE BOUNTY OF SOUTH JERSEY'S WORKING LANDSCAPES. ENCOURAGING SMALL-SCALE AND REGENERATIVE FARMING, THE PROJECT WILL REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL HARMS OF COMMODITY AGRICULTURE IN OUR REGION AND BRING BENEFITS FOR WATER QUALITY, FLOOD PREVENTION, POLLINATORS AND WILDLIFE HABITATS.

PLANNING GRANT: STRATEGIC PLANNING OF THE PINELANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE -AN AWARD IS MADE TO THE PINELANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT AND INITIAL ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTE ADVISORY BOARD AND DEVELOPMENT OF A 10-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE INSTITUTE. THESE FUNDS WILL HELP BRING TOGETHER A GROUP OF SCHOLARS, STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ALL DEDICATED TO RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AIMED AT UNDERSTANDING AND PROTECTING THE UNIQUE PINE BARRENS ECOSYSTEM IN NEW JERSEY. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT EDUCATION, ENRICHMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, FROM K-12 STUDENTS THROUGH SENIOR VOLUNTEERS. AMONG THE PLANNED ACTIVITIES WILL BE THE FIRST INSTITUTE BIOBLITZ, WHICH WILL BE HELD IN SEPTEMBER 2025. PINE BARRENS ECOSYSTEMS ARE GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTED BUT QUITE RARE. THE PINELANDS OF NEW JERSEY ARE A HIGHLY UNIQUE AND PRESERVED PINE BARRENS ECOSYSTEM SANDWICHED IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO OF THE LARGEST URBAN CENTERS ON EARTH (NEW YORK CITY AND PHILADELPHIA). INDEED, THE PINELANDS NATIONAL RESERVE ENCOMPASSES 1.1 MILLION ACRES OF MINIMALLY DEVELOPED FOREST MAKING IT ESPECIALLY VALUABLE FOR RESEARCH. CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO OTHER RESIDENTIAL, TERRESTRIAL BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH STATION IN ALL OF NEW JERSEY, AND THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED PINELANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE WILL FILL A CRITICAL RESEARCH NEED BY PROVIDING A RESIDENTIAL AND REMOTE FACILITY FOR BOTH FUNDAMENTAL AND APPLIED ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN A DISTINCTLY VALUABLE AND RARE ECOSYSTEM. THE INSTITUTE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SEMINAL RESEARCH IN AREAS, SUCH AS TERRESTRIAL, SOIL AND FOREST ECOLOGY, THE EVOLUTION OF RARE AND ENDEMIC SPECIES, FIRE MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION, PINE BARRENS HYDROLOGY, AND ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

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