Sample resolutions in support of long-term funding for open space, farmland and historic preservation:

County sample resolution

Municipal sample resolution (also see the NJ League of Municipalities resolution below)

New Jersey League of Municipalities' resolution in support of long-term funding

View the League's resolution passed in the fall 2012 here and share with your local officials.

Enormous Economic Benefits of Open Space Investments.

You'll find hundreds of reports by Googling "economic benefits of open space,"

"health benefits of parks," and search terms like that.  Here are just a few:

A Legacy of Green: Celebrating 50 Years of the Green Acres Program (NJ Keep It Green)

Study Shows Economic Value of Open Space Bond Measure Would Far Exceed Costs (NJ Keep It Green)

Summary reports on Garden State Preservation Trust

Benefits, Needs and Accomplishments; All-in-one summary here.

Full "white papers" on Garden State Preservation Trust

Benefits, Needs and Accomplishments 

The Economic Benefits of Land Conservation (Trust for Public Land, and link to bibliography)

Valuing New Jersey's Natural Capital - An Assessment of the Economic Value of the State's Natural Resources (NJDEP)

Open Space is a Good Investment - The Financial Argument for Open Space Preservation (ANJEC)

Tracking NJ's Dynamic Landscape: Urban Growth and Open Space Loss (Hasse & Lathrop)

Community Benefits of Open Space (Trust for Public Land)

Economic Benefits of Conserved Rivers - An Annotated Bibliography (National Park Service)

Economic Benefits of Open Space (WGA Open Lands Initiative)

The Benefits of Parks: Nine Reports (Health, Economy, Community, more)

"It makes economic sense" -- two mayors' testimonials (The Daily Record)

Green Spaces Improve Health -- newly published study

How Public Question #1 and Historic Preservation Help NJ's Economy - Op-Ed

Saving What Is Left - Editorial by Philadelphia Inquirer

Economic Benefits of Open Space Preservation - March 2010 report - Office of NY State Comptroller

-----------------------

Understanding the Needs: New Jersey’s Parks, Wildlife Areas and Historic Sites

Despite their many benefits, New Jersey’s parks, natural areas and historic sites have been chronically under funded for decades. This lack of funding has resulted in a severe decline in maintenance and services, including a $250 million backlog in repairs at State parks, fewer conservation officers, closure of park facilities, uncontrolled spread of invasive species and lost educational and economic opportunities. To learn more, click here.

Benefits of Natural Areas, Parks, Farmland and Historic Sites

Well-maintained, accessible parks, natural areas and historic sites provide opportunities for recreation, education and economic development and are essential to the health of communities throughout New Jersey.  Many of these areas are crucial to NJ maintaining access to clean water, preserving clean streams and waterways, preserving soil stability, avoiding costly flooding and flood damage, supporting property values in areas nearby open spaces, supporting many ecological services such as solid waste filtration, supporting New Jersey's enormous local tourism economy, and ultimately benefiting New Jersey's taxpayers and way of life.  To learn more about the benefits of these areas and for a list of downloadable documents on this subject, click here.

Innovative Funding Approaches: Examples from Other States

Numerous states utilize innovative approaches to funding wildlife conservation and parks programs, including general sales taxes, outdoor equipment taxes, non-consumptive user fees and real estate transfer fees. For a list of downloadable documents on this subject, click here.

A few of the Many Useful Websites

Teaming with Wildlife - New Jersey
Garden State Greenways

NJ DEP Green Acres Program
NJ Department of Environmental Protection

NJ Farmland Preservation Program
Garden State Preservation Trust

Rock Climbing Inventory of NJ's State Parks and Forest

Paid for by NJ Keep It Green, a project of The Conservation Campaign, 20 Community Place, Suite 7, Morristown, NJ 07960