NJR’s Earth Day Pledge Fuels Bid to Save Jersey Shore’s Vanishing Marshes

WALL, N.J. – April 22, 2026 – In a significant move marking Earth Day, New Jersey Resources (NJR) has announced a $35,000 donation to The Nature Conservancy (TNC), channeling funds through its Coastal Climate Initiative to bolster a pioneering program aimed at restoring New Jersey’s threatened salt marshes. The contribution supports TNC's 'Municipal Match-Making for Marsh Restoration and Community Resilience' program, a multiphase project designed to protect coastal communities and vital ecosystems along the Jersey Shore.

This partnership represents a growing trend of corporate funding directed toward nature-based solutions for climate change. The donation specifically underwrites the crucial first phase of TNC's ambitious plan, which aims to restore approximately 2,000 acres of salt marsh and reduce climate-related risks for more than 100,000 coastal residents by 2030.

“In recognition of Earth Day, New Jersey Resources is pleased to support The Nature Conservancy’s vital restoration work and our shared commitment to strengthening our communities,” said Steve Westhoven, president and CEO of New Jersey Resources. “Protecting New Jersey’s coastal ecosystems and communities aligns with our efforts to enhance environmental stewardship through our Coastal Climate Initiative.”

The Unsung Heroes of the Shore

While sandy beaches often dominate the image of the Jersey Shore, the sprawling salt marshes lining its bays and rivers are the region’s ecological and defensive backbone. These wetlands are facing an existential threat, caught between rising sea levels and coastal development. New Jersey is a particular hotspot for this crisis, experiencing a rate of relative sea-level rise over the last century that is 250% higher than the global average, a phenomenon exacerbated by subsiding land.

“When we think of the Jersey Shore, gorgeous oceanfront beaches come to mind first; but our salt marshes are in many ways even more important,” said Barbara Brummer, TNC’s New Jersey state director. “These habitats are literally nature’s nursery, where marine life reproduces. They provide recreation space, drive local economies and protect homes and businesses from storm waves and flooding — we cannot afford to lose such critical benefits.”

These marshes act as natural sponges, absorbing floodwaters and buffering coastal communities from the destructive energy of storm surges—a service of increasing importance as storm intensity grows. They also filter pollutants from runoff, improve water quality, and sequester carbon. However, decades of altered river flows have diminished the supply of natural sediment needed for marshes to build elevation and keep pace with rising waters, causing them to effectively drown in place.

A Corporate Initiative Meets a Critical Need

NJR's donation is not a standalone act of philanthropy but part of a structured, long-term strategy. The company launched its Coastal Climate Initiative (CCI) in 2021, committing $2 million over a five-year period to fund projects that advance environmental restoration and climate resiliency. In just three years, the energy infrastructure company has already committed nearly 70% of that funding, signaling an aggressive deployment of capital toward pressing environmental needs.

The CCI has previously funded other significant nature-based projects, including the development of a living shoreline at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Monmouth County and a hybrid living shoreline at the Bayshore Center at Bivalve in Cumberland County. These projects, often in partnership with groups like the American Littoral Society, use natural materials like oyster shells and native grasses to stabilize shorelines, demonstrating a consistent focus on solutions that work with nature rather than against it.

This approach aligns with a broader shift in corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, where companies move beyond simple check-writing to forming strategic partnerships with expert organizations like TNC to achieve measurable, on-the-ground impacts. By focusing on local coastal resilience, NJR targets an area of critical need within its own operational footprint.

From Dredge to Defense: A New Restoration Model

The 'Municipal Match-Making' program funded by NJR’s donation introduces an innovative and practical solution to the sediment deficit plaguing New Jersey's marshes. The program's first phase involves a comprehensive survey of 20 to 25 municipalities across Monmouth and Ocean counties—two of the state's most vulnerable coastal regions. TNC will identify areas where marshes are most in need of replenishment and simultaneously identify local dredging projects.

The goal is to create a symbiotic relationship: instead of disposing of clean sediment dredged from local navigation channels, that material can be repurposed to rebuild the marshes. This concept, known as the “beneficial use of dredged material,” is strongly advocated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and is gaining traction as a cost-effective and ecologically sound restoration technique.

By strategically placing this sediment onto degraded marsh surfaces, the projects can raise the marsh elevation, allowing native salt-tolerant plants to recolonize and thrive. A healthier, higher marsh not only provides better habitat but is far more effective at absorbing wave energy and protecting inland properties. This process turns a logistical necessity—dredging—into a powerful tool for environmental defense. Following the initial surveys, TNC will convene meetings with identified communities to assess opportunities and build the local partnerships necessary to turn these plans into reality.

A Statewide Challenge, A Localized Fight

The NJR-TNC partnership operates within a larger landscape of statewide efforts to combat climate change. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has established multiple programs, including the “Resilient NJ” initiative to provide technical assistance to towns and the Blue Acres Program to purchase flood-prone properties. The state’s comprehensive Climate Change Resilience Strategy, released in 2021, explicitly calls for the expansion of nature-based solutions.

However, the sheer scale of the threat often outstrips available public funding, creating a significant gap that private-sector and nonprofit collaboration is uniquely positioned to fill. Many smaller municipalities lack the technical expertise and financial resources to design and execute complex restoration projects on their own. The 'Municipal Match-Making' program directly addresses this gap by providing the initial assessment and planning framework that can empower local communities to take action.

Future phases of the project will build upon this foundational work, moving from planning to implementation with the ultimate goal of strengthening the entire coastal ecosystem. This initial $35,000 investment serves as a catalyst, setting in motion a series of actions that will help protect the Jersey Shore’s natural infrastructure and the communities that depend on it for decades to come.