NOMINATION SOLICITATION: OUTDOOR RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE 

Community Investment and Economic Revitalization (CIER), New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

Authority: New Jersey DEP Commissioner LaTourette’s Administrative Order No. 2022-12. 

CIER is seeking nominations of qualified candidates for consideration as members of the Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee. Interested applicants may self-nominate or be nominated by another individual or organization. 

The Advisory Committee will develop Outside, Together!, New Jersey’s outdoor recreation plan and help ensure the plan is responsive to and likely to meet the diverse needs of the public.     

Nominations Due  

June 12, 2022 

Background on Outdoor Recreation Funding 

As a condition of eligibility for National Park Service (NPS) Land and Water Conservation Fund and other federal grants, every five years, New Jersey is required to update its Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) which identifies statewide recreation needs and opportunities and sets forth a program to implement measures to address the identified needs and opportunities. The next update is due December 2023.  

Vision 

Recognizing the unique opportunity afforded by this statewide assessment of New Jersey’s open space and recreation profile, DEP intends to craft a broader Outside, Together! plan that enhances the fundamental elements of the SCORP with policies, benchmarks and recommended actions to ensure fairer and more equitable distribution of outdoor recreation and conservation funds and resources and that is guided by six foundational principles.

In addition, meeting the requirements of the NPS, the Department has proposed a robust multi-tiered stakeholder approach including public surveys, polls, and engagement sessions led by the Advisory Committee. The result will be a five-year plan that will reform the funding policies and acquisition prioritization used by DEP Green Acres, Fish and Wildlife, and Parks, Forestry & Historic Sites programs.  

The Advisory Committee will include six subcommittees each embracing a foundational principle.

Foundational Principles 

1. Expanding high-quality open space and recreational opportunities for all New Jersey residents and visitors; 
2. Enhancing climate resilience and sustainability through acquisition and development of open and green space; 
3. Empowering communities through investments in ecotourism and outdoor recreation; 
4. Embracing the role of technology in conservation and outdoor recreation; 
5. Furthering equity and environmental justice through outdoor recreation; and, 
6. Continuing commitments to stewardship and the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. 

Plan Development Timeline  

• Administrative Order 2022-12 issued April 22, 2022  
• Advisory Committee convenes in July 2022  
• Stakeholder engagement occurs Fall 2022  
• Draft Plan for Advisory Committee Review January 2023  
• Preliminary Plan for public feedback April 2023  
• Plan issued Summer 2023 

Outside, Together! plan objectives 

1. Identify opportunities for expanding public access to recreational assets and offerings, and improving the user experience at existing recreational assets; 
2. Educate the public about the importance, needs, benefits and availability of open space and outdoor recreation opportunities statewide; 
3. Identify high value open space and recreational needs and opportunities with particular focus on better serving the health and wellness of residents in underserved or overburdened communities; 
4. Cultivate awareness and appreciation of the economic benefits of preservation, conservation, and recreation, including the co-benefits of promotion ecotourism, building resilience to climate change and extreme weather, improving sustainability, and enhancing biodiversity; 
5. Identify policy, regulatory and legislative actions that could advance open space and outdoor recreation goals; 
6. Encourage collaborative partnerships and programs to enhance open space and outdoor recreation at multiple levels of government; 
7. Satisfy the National Park Service requirements so New Jersey continues to qualify for Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund opportunities; and  
8. Fully engage the public to ensure an informed, inclusive, and equitable approach to the aforementioned principles and objectives. 

Advisory Committee Responsibilities 

1. Convene for the first time July 2022
2. Work with the DEP’s contracted consulting firm to assist in the development of Outside, Together! through data collection and analysis, as well as the production of outreach and other materials as may be directed by the Chair; 
3. Immediately engage with stakeholders and the public through a series of ongoing outreach and engagement sessions intended to cultivate public awareness and ensure a full and adequate appraisal of New Jerseyans’ needs; 
4. Provide multiple paths for stakeholders and the public to participate and inform development of Outside, Together!, such as surveys, polling, community engagement sessions, and focus group conversations; 
5. Create or evaluate inventories and assessments of current recreation resources and identify needs and new opportunities for outdoor recreation improvements; 
6. Create recommended policies, benchmarks, and actions to ensure more fair and equitable distribution of outdoor recreation and conservation funds and resources; 
7. Present the preliminary draft of Outside, Together! to the DEP Commissioner for review no later than April 22, 2023; and 
8. Finalize Outside, Together! by or before of December 2023 for its ultimate submission to the National Park Service. 

Questions? Please contact: 

Community Investment and Economic Revitalization 

Outside.together@njdepwptest.net