Governor Whitman today strengthened her commitment to open space preservation in New Jersey by announcing a new stewardship program for State public lands. The State Lands Stewardship Investment Fund will be established as a stable source of funding to enhance existing State parks, historic sites and wildlife areas, and to develop new facilities on State lands preserved over the next decade as part of the million-acre initiative.

Citing a desire to create a "world class" State park system, Governor Whitman called for the dedication of $25 million each year from lhe Realty Transfer Fee to fund the State Lands Stewardship Investment Fund. This represents a doubling of the FY '01 capital budget for State parks. This initiative will also enhance the State-owned fish and wildlife areas throughout New Jersey, with funds dedicated annually to build or upgrade facilities that maintain New Jersey's rich variety of fish and wildlife species at stable, healthy levels and protect and enhance the many habitats on which they depend.

The State Lands Stewardship Investment Fund builds on Governor Whitrnan's goal of preserving an additional 1 million acres of open space and farmland over the next decade.

Fiscal Impact. The State Lands Stewardship Investment Fund will cost $25 million in the Fiscal Year 2002 Budget, and will come from the Realty Transfer Fee. This fee is collected at the county level when a deed is recorded, and approximately 50% of the revenue raised is directed to the State General Fund. County goverment retains a portion of the fee, and the remainder is deposited into the Neighborhood Preservation Fund. In Fiscal Year 2000, the General Fund received $77.7 million from the Realty Transfer Fee. By statute, the first $25 million supports the Shore Protection Fund account, and the balance is for unrestricted General Fund use. Governor Whitman will introduce legislation to allocate the $25 million for park stewardship.

Background. In the past, State park and wildlife area improvements were constructed from bond funds, which were exhausted after a few years, or State general funds, which vary in amount from year to year. A stable, dedicated source will allow the State to plan its capital improvements more strategically, eliminating the need for quick fixes. emergency repairs, funding spikes and troughs and delayed improvements. This reasoning also helped create the Garden State Preservation Trust to preserve a million more acres of open space and farmland.

Last September, Governor Whitman asked the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) to identify land stewardship needs and provide recommendations. The Department of Environmental Protection recently estimated the total long-term capital need for all State public lands and facilities to be approximately $430 million. The GSPT report recommended that $25 million per year be statutorily dedicated for State parks and historic sites, wildlife and natural areas, and regional environmental and interpretive centers over at least the next decade to respond to the DEP estimates. In 1998, the Governor's Council on New Jersey Outdoors also recommended that New Jersey strengthen and stabilize financial support of state lands and facilities by providing a stable source of funding for capital improvements.

Currently, almost 1 million acres of park and recreational lands can be found throughout New Jersey. The State's wildlife management system includes over 270,000 acres which were acquired to focus on watershed management, including the protection of endangered species, the preservation of unique habitats and habitat diversity, and the enhancement of recreational andeducational opportunities. For example, the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center in Warren County is one of the States premier environmental education facilities. Many sites such as this need facility upgrades.

New Jersey's State Parks, historic sites, and wildlife areas contribute to New Jersey's economy. The New Jersey State Park System has approximately 15 million visitors annually. Island Beach State Park alone attracts almost 800,000 day visitors annually, creating 1500 jobs and $14 million in direct economic impact. Residents and non-residents spent over $1.9 billion dollars on wildlife related recreation in 1996.

The State Lands Stewardship Investment Fund will establish a "world class State park system," with statewide "jewels", and regional environmental education and interpretive centers. Among the "jewels" identified by the Garden State Preservation Trust are: High Point State Park and Stokes State Forest, Liberty State Park. and Ringwood State Park. Other "jewels" that will serve as regional interpretive/education centers (RICs) include: Cape May Point State Park/Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area; the Crossroads of the American Revolution in Monmouth Battlefield, Princeton Battlefield and Washington Crossing State Parks; Delaware Bay Natural Resource Center in Cumberland County; Island Beach State Park; Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center; Wharton State Forest, Batsto Village and the Atsion Recreation Area; and the Wildcat Ridge Hawk Watch. This world class State park system will provide additional recreational opportunities such as hiking. biking, fishing, and camping, as well as educational and cultural enhancement.