SANDYSTON: The Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation today
finalized a temporary access agreement with the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection allowing the not-for-profit organization to reopen
the New Jersey School of Conservation for limited programming beginning
in May. The agreement is renewable for two one-year terms.

“We are grateful to the Murphy administration and to the leadership of the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for working with the
Friends to reopen the NJSOC for the residents of New Jersey,” said Kerry Kirk
Pflugh, president of the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation.
“In less than a year, we were able to forge this extraordinary agreement
thanks to the help of our advisors, Friends members, and the thousands
of students, teachers and researchers across the state, nation, and world
who lobbied on behalf of the NJSOC.”

The agreement gives the Friends access to 135 of SOC’s 240 acres for
day-long programs, work sessions, courses, permitted research, service
projects, fundraising efforts and open houses, and the development of
virtual course content.

“This temporary agreement is a first step in fully reopening the NJSOC.
We are grateful to our partners in the Leases and Concessions and the
Division of Parks and Forestry for working so closely with us and helping
us to fulfill the promise made to the residents of New Jersey that they
would have an environmental education field center in perpetuity,” said
Bernard Weintraub, Friends Advisor, and lead negotiator for the agreement.

Programming offered by the Friends pending approval by the NJDEP will
include both professional programs for teachers and family programs on
topics such as climate change, fishing, and New Jersey wildlife. Virtual
offerings that will provide families with activities to do at home are also
being developed. Announcements on how to register for these programs
will be forthcoming.

“Five program events will be permitted per month,” said Shayne Russell,
vice president of Friends who helped negotiate the agreement with the
NJDEP. “We’ve already submitted a preliminary schedule to NJDEP for
review and approval with two or three programs per month through
December. We will be working with volunteer program leaders to add
additional events.”

The New Jersey School of Conservation, located in Stokes State Forest
in Sussex County was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation
Corps. It was formally established as a residential outdoor education field
center in 1949 by Governor Alfred Driscoll, after a group of educators, led
by Dr. E. DeAlton Partridge and Assemblyman Alfred Littell advocated
for its formation.

The NJSOC’s original purpose was to be a demonstration children’s
summer camp, known as Camp Wapalanne, and a training center
for college students in the fields of Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor
Education, Conservation and Field Science. It evolved into the
third largest year-round environmental education field center
in the world.

In 1981, legislation sponsored by then-Assemblyman Robert E. Littell
and signed into law by Governor Brendan T. Bryne established the NJSOC
in perpetuity as a field center for environmental study. Since 1949, more
than 500,000 students, teachers, and researchers from across the state,
nation and world have participated in education and training programs there.

“Over the years, the NJSOC has inspired thousands of students, including
myself to pursue careers in a multitude of environmental fields.” said
Dennis Toft, Friends Advisor, legal counsel for the Friends and Chair of the
Environmental Group at Chiesa Shahinian and Giantomasi. “The agreement
ensures that more young people and educators will be able to participate in
and benefit from the special programs and be part of the history of the
School of Conservation.”

Due to financial challenges, on September 1, 2020, Montclair State University,
which was responsible for the management and operations of the NJSOC,
officially returned management of the New Jersey School of
Conservation to the State of New Jersey. Since then, the Friends have been
working with the NJDEP on an agreement to reopen the School.

The Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation was established in
March 1987 to serve as an independent support group for the NJSOC
focusing on assisting in financial support, programming, restoration,
preservation, and advocacy. The Friends include NJSOC supporters from
a large cross-section of the School’s past and present programs.

The access agreement is effective through December 31, 2021, and may
be renewed for no more than two additional one-year terms. It is expected
that the NJDEP will issue a Request For Proposal for a long-term facility-
management lease agreement at some future point. As such, the access
agreement signed between the Friends and the NJDEP is considered
an interim agreement.

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