Improving the Ecosystem for Everyone
A Positive Future for the Bay
Ocean County is one of the fastest growing counties in New Jersey, increasing by over 120,000 residents between 2000 and 2020.
With that increase in population has come new housing development, infrastructure changes, and many modifications in land use. The BBP and our network of partners are all working towards restoring, protecting, and educating about the bay and it’s resources- and how those all affect our community.
What do we do to affect the bay, and what small changes can we make to reduce our impacts?
Remember: Everything Flows Downstream
What we do on land has a direct impact on the bay. Excess lawn fertilizers, pet waste, and stormwater runoff carry harmful nutrients and chemicals into local waterways.
These pollutants fuel algae growth, reduce oxygen levels, and put serious stress on the bay’s ecosystems.
What you can do:
- Understand your soil needs
- Don’t over-apply fertilizer
- Compost
- Use native landscaping (psst visit JerseyYards.org to learn how)
- Obey NJ’s fertilizer laws
- Learn more from our friends over at the Ocean County Soil Conservation District
Learn more about how small changes at home can make a big difference.
Remember: Runoff Leads to Blooms
Residential development is the primary land use in the Barnegat Bay watershed.
Stormwater runoff from the land has led to increased and recurring harmful algal blooms which can impact human health, shellfish, fish, and many other species in the bay. In many cases, these blooms are caused by phytoplankton. Phytoplankton, like plants, thrive on increased fertilizer and nutrients – so nutrients running off from land continue to do their “job” once they reach the bay, and that is feeding the plants that thrive there.
Unfortunately, when phytoplankton bloom, the water can become toxic. For example, algal blooms can create an unhealthy amount of organic matter, known as eutrophication, which makes it difficult for many species to survive (but, ironically, creates ideal conditions for species like jellyfish).
What you can do:
- Manage your fertilize use (do we see a pattern here?)
- Maintain your septic system if you have one
- Try to minimize pervious surfaces
- Plant a rain garden on your property – ahh yes, JerseyYards.org can help with that!
- Make sure you’ve got a solid riparian buffer zone between manicured land and the nearest stream
- Pick up after your pet!
Learn more about the impacts of harmful algal blooms below.
It's Better to be Proactive than Reactive
Living on the coast can come with it’s potential risks – including the risk of increased impacts from storms. It’s important to familiarize yourself with your community’s vulnerability (and the vulnerability of the bay ecosystem) to understand how to be proactive in the face of storms.
As the Gem of the Jersey Shore, any significant impacts to the Barnegat Bay could have environmental, economic, and personal consequences none of us want to face.
What you can do:
- Help your community invest in green infrastructure (or take a tour of some of the green infrastructure projects already in place in your community!)
- Understand the regular tidal cycle of your area, and plan for how increased storm surge may impact your community
- Use native landscaping (psst visit JerseyYards.org to learn how)
- Join a Community Emergency Response Team
- Participate in volunteer groups such as the Barnegat Bay Volunteer Master Naturalist program so that you can learn how to share best stewardship practices within your community
Learn more about how storms can impact the bay below.