Rutgers ecologist Brooke Maslo stands in the floodplain forest she designed in Woodbridge, NJ
A $4.2 million award to Rutgers University will help transform former home sites along the Woodbridge River into wetlands and woodlands designed to reduce flooding in surrounding neighborhoods.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a private conservation grant maker, has approved the funding for restoration in Avenel and Sewaren, two sections of Woodbridge Township, N.J., where properties have been acquired through New Jersey’s voluntary Blue Acres buyout program.
Led by Rutgers ecologist and RCEI affiliate Brooke Maslo, the project will create places to collect and temporarily hold stormwater, improve drainage and restore habitat for birds and other wildlife. The project is expected to start early next year. The work applies years of research and planning to a landscape where some homes have been removed and others remain, their owners having elected against accepting a buyout.
“Climate resilience requires us to rethink how we manage our landscapes,” said Maslo, an associate professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources and a wildlife ecology specialist with Rutgers Cooperative Extension. “Instead of relying exclusively on engineered infrastructure to manage flooding, we can restore the natural functions of these floodplains with thoughtful nature-based solutions to help communities adapt to a changing climate.”
The project, she said, “demonstrates how ecological science can be translated into practical solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.”
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Blue Acres program allows property owners in flood-prone areas to voluntarily sell their homes to the State and move away from the risk. Restoration gives the land left behind a new purpose, helping manage water in the surrounding community.
“Voluntary buyouts offer families relief from the ongoing trauma and stress of chronic flooding,” said Blue Acres program manager Courtney Wald-Wittkop. “When these highly flood-prone properties are converted to open space there is a benefit to the residual community in that these lands can be revegetated to act like a sponge to absorb and hold floodwaters and protect nearby neighborhoods from flooding.”
Following Superstorm Sandy, Woodbridge Township began its broader flood resilience effort in 2013, partnering with Blue Acres to enable the buyout of more than 160 flood-prone properties. Working with Rutgers and other partners, the township developed a plan for restoring these acquired lands, improving drainage and managing floodwater across 490 acres along the Woodbridge River floodplain. More than 30 acres of habitat have already been restored within the project area.
“This award builds on years of work by the township, our residents and our partners,” said Thomas Flynn, Woodbridge Township’s floodplain manager. “It will help us carry out plans for land that can better handle flooding and serve the community for years to come.”
Daily energy and environment updates. Free 30-day subscription