Imagine a day without the Delaware River— the mighty force that plays a vital role in millions of lives completely vanishes for a day. Scary, right? But why should we care, and what does the Delaware River mean to us?
Preserving Our Watershed: Highlights from the 12th Annual Forum
The Delaware River Watershed continues to thrive, thanks to the collective efforts of conservation leaders, stakeholders, and advocates who came together for the 12th Annual Delaware River Watershed Forum. This year’s event, held in Bethlehem, PA, brought fresh energy, innovative ideas, and a renewed focus on partnership-building. Hosted by the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed in collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation, the forum highlighted the shared commitment to preserving this vital waterway.
Resilience in Action: NJPACT REAL Rules Released to Protect New Jersey from Climate Threats
After last week’s relentless downpours from the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby, which brought high winds and widespread street flooding, the formal release of the NJ REAL (Resilient Environments and Landscapes) Rules couldn’t have come at a better time. Directed by Governor Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 100 in January 2020 as part of the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) initiative, these rules are a game-changer for the state. The NJ REAL Rules were officially published by the New Jersey DEP on August 5th, more than two years after their original target release date. REAL is a package of crucial revisions to key state regulations designed to make New Jersey more resilient to the devastating impacts of climate change. These revisions will update the state's outdated land use, stormwater management, and wetlands regulations to reflect New Jersey's new reality: warmer temperatures, rising sea levels, and stronger, more frequent downpours.
DEIJ Day of Learning: Actionable Strategies for Change
On Wednesday, June 5th ― the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed (CDRW) hosted its inaugural Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Day of Learning at the Social Profit Center in Hamilton, New Jersey.
The event was constructed by CDRW’s DEIJ Workgroup to highlight regional expertise and equip participants with tools to enhance advocacy, outreach, programming and more.
Our robust agenda featured community-based organizations, state environmental agencies, and civic engagement groups who spoke about addressing systemic and racial injustices, forming authentic and representative partnerships, making nature accessible for individuals with disabilities, among other critical DEIJ topics.
Access Nature Goes Statewide!
The Pineland Preservation Alliance (PPA), the New Jersey Division of Disability Services of the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DDS), the Edward J. Bloustein School, and Duke Farms have come together to lead a statewide effort to make recreating in nature a part of the lives of everyone in our state regardless of disability. The inspiration for this came from The Pinelands is for Everyone project, which has evolved into the new statewide Nature: Accessible for All initiative that brings in new activists and partners to the cause. PPA received critical funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to facilitate this campaign.
Telling the Story of the Delaware River Watershed
As graduate students deeply passionate about social change and storytelling, Sophie Beck and Olivia Bickel are thrilled to contribute to the "Telling the Story of the Delaware River Watershed" project. Their goal is to capture and share the inspiring narratives of water activists who are driving positive change within the watershed community. Through a series of short videos, Sophie and Olivia aim to amplify the voices of individuals and communities actively engaged in protecting and restoring the Delaware River and its surrounding areas. By highlighting the personal stories, struggles, and triumphs of these dedicated activists, they seek to shed light on their motivations, challenges, and unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship.
Championing a Statewide Agenda for Protecting and Restoring Pennsylvania’s Waterways
The Business Case for Safer Alternatives to Fertilizers and Pesticides
The American Sustainable Business Network recently released The Business Case for Safer Alternatives to Fertilizers and Pesticides. This resource connects agricultural chemical inputs, like pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, with harm to soil health and the business solutions that exist to avoid dangerous chemicals like those currently negatively impacting waterways across the country.