| PRESS RELEASE: NJ DEP (Trenton, April 22, 2022) – To expand upon the Murphy Administration’s historic investments in local parks, open space and natural resource restoration, the Department of Environmental Protection is launching Outside, Together!, a recreational initiative that will bring the public, local leaders, conservation organizations and ecotourism industry together to produce a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced on Earth Day, at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus. To mark the importance of this work, Commissioner LaTourette is issuing an Administrative Order to update the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), which sets the state’s priorities for, and access to, parklands and open space. That update will be the Outside, Together! planning initiative. DEP is taking a new approach to updating its SCORP, a recurring requirement to remain eligible for National Park Service funding. Outside, Together! will have deep and robust public engagement, and reform funding policies and protocols for prioritizing land acquisitions. Those reforms are expected to ensure fairer and more equitable distribution of recreation and conservation funds. The announcement of this initiative ties in with this year’s Earth Day global theme of Invest In Our Planet. “The Outside, Together! plan will give us an opportunity to ensure that our communities have equitable access to the benefits of New Jersey’s natural resources,” said Governor Murphy. “This initiative is especially imperative as we continue to assess how climate change will impact recreational activities, as well as the future of our natural resources. I look forward to expanding our investments in local parks, open space and natural resource restoration to best serve all of our New Jersey residents.” Earlier this year, DEP established the Community Investment and Economic Revitalization Program, recognizing that the work of the department sits at the intersection of environmental, social and economic improvement. A main function of the program is to strengthen investments in natural capital that can enhance quality of life for all New Jerseyans. It is through this new program that DEP is taking a new approach to updating the SCORP.“Every New Jersey community should have quality equipment, amenities and opportunities for families and children to enjoy the outdoors,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “Outside, Together! is DEP’s pledge to the public that their input is essential in creating a blueprint that enhances and ensures fair and equitable recreation and conservation practices statewide.”Within the Administrative Order issued today, Commissioner LaTourette charged an Advisory Committee to partner with DEP and engage the public on six core principles for Outside, Together!:Expanding high-quality open space and recreational opportunities for all New Jerseyans;Enhancing climate resilience and sustainability through acquisition and development;Empowering communities through investment in ecotourism and outdoor recreation;Embracing the role of technology in conservation and outdoor recreation;Furthering equity and environmental justice through outdoor recreation; andContinuing the commitment to stewardship and the conservation and restoration of biodiversity.Beginning this summer, and into next spring, multiple opportunities for engagement will allow DEP to set priorities, determine action to optimize access to open space and parklands and help ensure that the state’s recreational investments are consistent with the Murphy Administration’s environmental, climate, equity and economic goals. Some of the actions that the Advisory Committee will engage in include:Educating the public about open space and outdoor recreation opportunities statewide, and how they may improve health and wellness in overburdened communities;Enhancing the economic benefits of preservation, including those addressing climate resilience and sustainability, ecotourism and biodiversity;Providing multiple opportunities for the public and key partners to offer input on outdoor recreation needs and goals through surveys as well as public informational listening sessions;Identifying policy, regulatory and/or legislative actions to advance open space and outdoor recreation goals. |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 22, 2022Contact: Caryn Shinske (609) 984-1795 Lawrence Hajna (609) 292-2994 |
| ON EARTH DAY, MURPHY ADMINISTRATION LAUNCHES “OUTSIDE, TOGETHER!” A COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLANFive-Year Blueprint Will Set Open Space, Parkland, Outdoor Equity and Funding Priorities to Best Serve the Recreation and Conservation Needs of All New Jersey Residents(22/P21) TRENTON – To expand upon the Murphy Administration’s historic investments in local parks, open space and natural resource restoration, the Department of Environmental Protection is launching Outside, Together!, a recreational initiative that will bring the public, local leaders, conservation organizations and ecotourism industry together to produce a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced today, Earth Day, at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus. |
| The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is dedicated to protecting New Jersey’s environment and public health. The agency prioritizes addressing climate change, protecting New Jersey’s water, revitalizing its communities and managing and promoting its natural and historic resources.For the most recent information, follow the DEP on Twitter @NewJerseyDEP, Facebook @newjerseydep, Instagram @nj.dep, and LinkedIn @newjerseydep, or visit www.nj.gov/dep.Follow Commissioner LaTourette on Twitter and Instagram @shawnlatur. |
