2025 Sessions
Resilient Land and Water
in the President's Circle Room
Farms, Food, and Flow: How Regenerative Agriculture Protects Our Waterways
Eric Derby: Development and Communications Director, Foodshed Alliance
Manish Chand: Grains Project Manager, Foodshed Alliance
Tess Mullen: SAgE Program Coordinator, Foodshed Alliance
Chemical-intensive agriculture is a leading driver of nutrient runoff, soil erosion, and watershed pollution that contribute to harmful algal blooms (HABs) in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. The Foodshed Alliance tackles these challenges by advancing regenerative farming practices that not only improve soil health but also build climate change resilience and limit nutrient loss into waterways.
Through our Land Access Program, we help farmers secure affordable farmland and adopt ecologically sound management practices—such as crop diversity, minimal tillage, cover cropping, and reduced chemical inputs—that both sequester carbon and increase resilience to extreme weather events
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Our Local Grains Project supports the emergence of a regional grain economy grounded in soil health and environmental sustainability. By encouraging crop rotations, low-input systems, and microbial-rich soils, the project strengthens carbon sequestration, reduces dependence on synthetic fertilizers, and enhances nutrient cycling—minimizing the runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus that can fuel HABs and harm freshwater systems .
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We also support the River-Friendly Farm Program, a voluntary certification that recognizes farms implementing watershed-friendly practices like nutrient management plans, riparian buffers, and erosion control systems. These practices help reduce nutrient-laden runoff, improving water quality in New Jersey streams and rivers and protecting ecosystems from bloom-forming pollution
Together, these efforts demonstrate that healthy farmland management is foundational to restoring watershed resilience, building local climate adaptation, and ensuring clean water for communities and ecosystems.
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State Development and Redevelopment Plan
Walter C. Lane: Acting Executive Director, New Jersey Office of Planning Advocacy
The New Jersey State Planning Commission is currently updating the 2001 New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP). As part of this effort, Walter Lane, Acting Executive Director of the Office of Planning Advocacy will present an overview of the proposed SDRP as well as the status of the update process known as “Cross Acceptance”. The draft State Development and Redevelopment Plan is intended to be a guide to inform the public and encourage state agencies, counties, and municipalities to align their land use policies with its vision, the State Plan promotes a balanced and inclusive strategy for managing and guiding growth across the state. It is centered on 10 key priorities, including: economic development; housing; infrastructure; revitalization and re-centering; climate change; natural and water resources; pollution and environmental cleanup; historic and scenic resources; equity; and comprehensive planning.
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Climate and Habitat Change
in the Board Room
Deer Impacts on Forest Ecology
Joseph Basralian: Special Project Manager, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Deer play a vital role in forest food chains, but with the absence of natural predators and the continued development and fragmentation of New Jersey forests, greater populations of deer are forced into smaller and smaller areas. The resulting impacts of high-density deer populations on shrinking forest areas has caused a biodiversity crisis in New Jersey Forests. Learn about these impacts and possible solutions on how to balance healthy deer populations, community growth, and forest biodiversity.
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Reforestation and Proforestation in New Jersey Forests
Robert Aluck: Stewardship Director, Sourlands Conservancy
Leslie Sauer: Founder Emeritus, Andropogon Associates
Forests play in irreplaceable role in providing habitat for New Jersey's diverse plant and wildlife species. Approximately half of New Jersey's land area is forested, with about half of these forests preserved for open space. Yet, despite the state's achievements preserving its forests, they remain under threat by invasive species and misguided forest management activities that do not reflect current science and the needs for forests to mitigate climate change. In this workshop, Robert Aluck will discuss impacts to forests seen throughout New Jersey with a focus on the Sourlands and recognizing the statewide importance of this treasured region. Leslie Sauer will talk about proforestation as a forest management strategy and how to facilitate forest succession for the greatest ecological benefit.
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State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP)
Kimberly Korth: SWAP Coordinator/Planner, NJDEP
Gretchen Fowles: GIS Specialist/Biologist, NJ Endangered Species and Nongame Species Program, NJDEP
New Jersey’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) offers a strategic and cost-effective approach to conserve the state’s wildlife resources for the future. The Plan identifies priority actions that we, as a conservation community, can implement over the next five to ten years to address the myriad threats facing our wildlife populations and their habitats. Proactive management actions are intended to keep wildlife species from becoming threatened or endangered, or to aid in the recovery of those that are already listed.
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Community Connections
in the Sitnick Theatre
Opening the Water: Designing Accessible & Engaging River Experiences
Ben Yaskulka: Policy and Outreach Manager, Musconetcong Watershed Association
This session will delve into the essential strategies for fostering vibrant river recreation, beginning with a deep dive into recreational access — examining proximity to users, site visibility, consistent maintenance, and effective physical access that supports different types of recreation. We'll then explore the crucial importance of interpretation, outreach, and collaboration in connecting communities to their waterways and building a strong stewardship ethic. Finally, learn about the impactful Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers system as a model for safeguarding our most cherished free-flowing rivers. While not required, insights from our conference field trips will offer real-world examples that underscore these principles. Join Ben Yaskulka, Policy and Outreach Manager for the Musconetcong Watershed Association for this insightful discussion.
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Cultural, Spiritual and Aesthetic values of New Jersey's Water Resources
Elliott Ruga: Director of Policy and Communications, New Jersey Highlands Coalition
Clean water advocates are drawn to the cause of water resource protection because of how essential water is to human life. The regulations that protect natural environments and landscapes were implemented primarily to protect water supplies. Often overlooked are the aesthetic and spiritual values of the natural world and those who are drawn to protect those values. The natural beauty of the Highlands was captured by the painters of Hudson River School which continues to inspire artists today. The forests of the Highlands Region has its own origin story by told by the Munsee speaking Ramapough where the turtle, Taxkwax, whose mud on his back grew to form the present day earth.
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The New Jersey Highlands Coalition hosts an annual Highlands Juried Art Exhibit to bring artists moved by natural beauty into our advocacy ranks. We have developed a close relationship with the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lenape Nation, a people who have inhabited the Highlands since the end of the glacial epochs and see the Highlands rocks, trees and fauna as family, to better understand their spiritual relationships with the land.
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This workshop will explore these relationships and how we might support each other in our common desire to protect the natural and cultural resources of the Highlands.
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