Adopt-A-Road
This program has county-wide involvement and brings citizen volunteers together to promote and provide cleaner roadways. Participants agree to adopt and bi-annually pick up trash along a one-mile stretch of county road.
Trash Hunt
Since the inception of the Public Lands Cleanups in 1992, over 765 tons of trash have been collected from the 75,000 acres of Cumberland County’s Fish, Game and Wildlife Management areas, lakes, streams, shores and rivers. The 20th Annual Public Lands Cleanup Trash Hunt will be held in March 2011. To volunteer or for more information, contact Dennis DeMatte, Jr. at 856-825-3700.
2010 Trash Hunt
On Saturday, March 20, 2010 volunteers from throughout Cumberland County patrolled our woodlands in a search for trash as part of the Cumberland County Clean Communities 18th Annual Public Lands Cleanup. Volunteer groups included NJ Fish and Game, Cumberland County Federation of Sportsmen, Citizens United, Dix (WMA) Cleanup Group, City of Millville Clean Communities, City of Vineland Clean Communities, Natural Lands Trust, Nature Conservancy, Vineland Environmental Commission, and manyother groups and individual residents. The areas cleaned throughout the County included Union Lake, the Peaslee Fish and Wildlife Management Area, Clark’s Mill, Bennetts Mill, Bevans Tribbit Lane, Bevan Shaws Mill, and the Union Road Communities in Vineland, Millville and Maurice River Township. This year 15 tons of trash was collected along with 506 tires and various bulky items. Thanks to all who volunteered.
Waterway Cleanup
The 19th Annual Public Lands Cleanup Waterway Cleanup will be Saturday, September 25, 2010. To volunteer or for more information, contact the Authority at 856-825-3700, or complete a registration form and return it to the Authority.
The Waterway Cleanup Program targets all of Cumberland County's lakes, streams, shores, rivers, and other waterways in an effort to remove litter, tires, and illegally dumped waste from these areas. Groups that have boats or canoes are needed to assist in the cleanup effort. Those individuals or groups who don't have watercrafts are encouraged to help by collecting trash along the banks and shore lines. Supplies and services are provided to volunteers by the Improvement Authority and Clean Communities Program. Each year, areas are selected to be covered during the cleanup. Residents are encouraged to contact the Improvement Authority with information on areas that are in need of attention and can benefit from this program.
Since 1990, the Clean Communities Program has removed over 3.2 million pounds of litter, tires, and illegally dumped waste from our County's roadways, protected woodlands and precious waterways.
The Nature Conservancy Receives State's 2008 Open Space Award
In May 2008, The Nature Conservancy’s ongoing commitment to keep Cumberland County clean was recognized at the annual Clean Communities Awards Banquet in Princeton, NJ. The Nature Conservancy’s Delaware Bayshores Program was this year’s proud recipient of the “Open Space” award, nominated by the Cumberland County Improvement Authority and presented by the NJ Clean Communities Council. The Nature Conservancy was the only award recipient in this category.
Many residents and visitors of Cumberland County have experienced the splendors of the Maurice River. Lots of fortunate folks pass over this scenic waterway on their way to work each day; many enjoy the river from The Nature Conservancy’s majestic Maurice River Bluffs Preserve; and some help keep the river and its tributaries clean for future visitors to enjoy.
No matter what your connection may be to the Maurice River, there is no doubt that it is considered locally as a gem in Cumberland County. In fact, the Maurice River is federally designated as a “Wild and Scenic” river. How did it get this national recognition? To start, the Maurice River hosts New Jersey's largest stand of wild rice and is home to 53 percent of the animal species that are endangered in NJ. It provides a critical link between the Pineland National Reserve and the Delaware River and Bay. As part of the Atlantic flyway, the Maurice River’s clean waters and related habitats are essential to a variety of species.
The Nature Conservancy has protected over 5,000 acres of this unique habitat in Cumberland County, including ecologically rich areas such as the Willow Grove Lake, Manumuskin River, Menantico Creek, and Maurice River Bluffs Preserves. In efforts to keep the Maurice River and surrounding lands pristine, over 1,000 hours are contributed by Conservancy volunteers each year. One of the most rewarding efforts is during “kayak cleanups”, when volunteers gather to clean up the Maurice River by kayak in July and September. During these fun yet functional events, The Nature Conservancy proudly partners with like-minded local organizations such as the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, whose mission is to keep Cumberland County clean and litter-free. Materials collected during cleanups include: household trash, boat and building debris, food containers, fishing nets & equipment… just about anything! For each kayak cleanup event, the Improvement Authority generously donates supplies such as trash pickers, gloves, trash bags, t-shirts and even water bottles to the many dedicated volunteers.
The Clean Communities Program was started following the passage of the Clean Communities Act in 1986. The council works closely with the state Department of Environmental Protection and local municipalities to ensure that NJ’s communities remain clean, through education and working closely with partners throughout the state. “It’s great working with The Nature Conservancy as a partner in protecting the environment in Cumberland County,” said Dennis DeMatte, Clean Communities Coordinator for Cumberland County Authority.
For more information about how you can help keep the “Wild and Scenic” Maurice River clean, please contact Alyssa at Alyssa_Jones@tnc.org. For more information on how you can keep Cumberland County clean, contact the Cumberland County Improvement Authority at 856-825-3700 or email Dennis DeMatte at ddematte@ccia-net.com.
Litter Patrol
Since 1990, a full time crew, co-sponsored by the Improvement Authority and Clean Communities, has been helping to keep our county roadways clean and litter free.
Storm Drain Program
The winner of the 2005 Storm Drain T-shirt Design Contest was Erin Murowany, from Memorial School in Millville. Erin and her classmates boarded the AJ Meerwald for a ½ day sail on Monday, May 23, 2005. The picture below was taken at our Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 24, 2005.
From left to right: Sumner Lippincott (CCIA Board Member),Erin Murowany (Contest Winner), and Donna Cedermark (Teacher)
Storm Drain Marker Press Conference
On Tuesday, July 12, 2005, the Cumberland County Improvement Authority held a press conference to announce the details of our Storm Drain Marking Program. The public education program is intended to remind residents that the only thing that should be entering the storm drain is water.
Each time it rains, cigarette butts, pet waste, motor oil, antifreeze, lawn chemicals, and other pollutants reach local waterways through the storm drains. Known as non-point source pollution, it is the largest threat to our waterways today. This pollution is discharged untreated, into the bodies of water that we use for recreation and consumption.
Storm drain management issues are also a problem at a municipality level. Tom Walkup, City of Millville Public Works Supervisor, stated that there are over 3,000 storm drains in the City of Millville. Through their street sweeping efforts he estimates that over 200 tons of material is kept from entering the water via storm drains each year.
Storm Drain Press Conference on July 12, 2005.
In the past, the Authority utilized storm drain marking kits that included a stencil and paint to mark the storm drains. In 2005 the Improvement Authority purchased storm drain markers. The markers are applied by an adhesive disc and will last longer than painting the storm drain.
Storm Drain labeling is a great way to make people in our community more aware of non-point source pollution. Storm drain marking serves as an educational tool to remind people about the connection between storm drains and local waterways.
Storm drain marker applied to storm drain at the press conference.
The Storm Drain Marking Program is a volunteer program. For more information, please contact the Authority at 856-825-3700.
