The New Jersey School of Conservation (NJSOC) is an Environmental Education center located in Stokes State Forest in Sussex County, New Jersey. It is currently under the management of th
Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation
through an agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The NJSOC was founded in 1949, and occupies facilities in Stokes State Forest built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The mission of the New Jersey School of Conservation is to develop in its program participants knowledge of how

Earth systems Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surface ...

operate and how human actions affect these systems. It is intended that this knowledge will cultivate the prolonged performance of

environmentally responsible Ecosophy or ecophilosophy (a portmanteau of ecological philosophy) is a philosophy of ecological harmony or equilibrium. The term was coined by the French post-structuralist philosopher and psychoanalyst Félix Guattari and the Norwegians, Norweg ...

behaviors and the development of self-confidence to support the development of attitudes, beliefs, and values that will aid individuals and groups alike in the resolution of current environmental problems, the avoidance of future environmental problems, and the quest for

sustainable development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The des ...

The environmental SOC education programs have provide field experiences in the

environmental science Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geograp ...

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...

, outdoor pursuits, and the

social sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...

. In its early history NJSOC provided environmental education programs for nearly 9,000

elementary Elementary may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''Elementary'' (Cindy Morgan album), 2001 * ''Elementary'' (The End album), 2007 * ''Elementary'', a Melvin "Wah-Wah Watson" Ragin album, 1977 Other uses in arts, entertainment, an ...

secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

students per year, and nearly 1,000 teachers from about 100 schools, and more recently to 4000 students per year. On May 14, 2020, Montclair State University announced it would close the NJSOC as a result of the financial impact of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, and lack of State appropriations for NJSOC's operating or capital expenses, which ceased after 2010. The School temporarily closed on June 30, 2020. As of September 1, 2020, management of the land and buildings returned to the

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution. NJDEP now has a staff o ...

. In May, 2021 the Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation reopened the NJSOC for events.

References

External links

Friends of New Jersey School of Conservation Website.
{{DEFAULTSORT:New Jersey School Of Conservation Education in New Jersey Environmental education in the United States Montclair State University Outdoor education organizations Education in Sussex County, New Jersey