Madison Awarded $20K Sustainable Jersey Grant

The Borough of Madison is one of only four recipients of a $20,000 Sustainable Jersey Small Grant that it will put toward wetland and forest restoration.

Madison is receiving $20,000 from Sustainable Jersey allowing it to restore a 20-acre area of land in the borough to its natural state, the organization said. The section of land to be restored is the only native wooded wetland tract in Madison’s park system and one of the few remaining freshwater wetlands in the state.

The $20,000 grant will be used to restore the understory be replanting trees and shrubs, and an information/storage shed will be built at the entrance to the forest area, Sustainable Jersey said. The shed will house maintenance supplies and education materials.

Additionally, a bulletin board and trail map explaining the things to do and see will be installed on the shed. Finally, signage will be placed throughout to help identify tree and plant species, and aquifer benefits, according to Sustainable Jersey.

More than 60 local governments submitted proposals for Sustainable Jersey grants. According to the organization, when considering each grant proposal, the Sustainable Jersey committee used the following criteria:

• Impact on sustainability of the municipality in New Jersey.
• Scope and term of impact for the project to serve as a catalyst for future sustainable practices or initiatives within the municipality.
• Likelihood of success in implementing the project.
• Community capacity to remain active in the Sustainable Jersey program and complete any previously awarded grants.
• Partnerships and leveraging with nearby municipalities, state agencies, or other organizations.
• Innovativeness and uniqueness so that the project might lead to a “best practice.”

The three other recipients of the $20,000 small grant include Atlantic City, Edison Township and Rutherford Borough.

According to the organization’s website, Sustainable Jersey, a non-profit, is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.

Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has issued more than $1.7 million in grant money to New Jersey municipalities.