The once lush Atlantic white cedar forests along New Jersey’s coastline are now pale in color — and barely surviving. That’s due in large part to rising sea levels and increasing storm surges that push saltwater into fragile freshwater ecosystems. And that leaves behind what experts dub “ghost forests.” The state is now engaged in the largest restoration effort for this tree species in the nation. The DEP is spending $19 million to try and restore 10,000 acres of them.
“We need to create enough resiliency in the system for beavers to exist, for wildfires to occur, just for natural mortality. So that’s why it’s so important that we put it back on the landscape, put it in different places, so that we can have some spots that beavers are going to impact, but we can also have places that will continue to thrive,” said John Cecil, NJDEP assistant commissioner.
Lead funding for Peril and Promise is provided by Dr. P. Roy Vagelos and Diana T. Vagelos. Major support is provided by Marc Haas Foundation and Sue and Edgar Wachenheim, III, and the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family. Major funding for Peril and Promise is provided by Dr. P. Roy and Diana T. Vagelos with additional funding from The Marc Haas Foundation, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, and the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family.
