Regional Director Marvin Moriarty joined representatives of the press, Great Swamp Watershed Association, Harding Land Trust, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and the New Jersey Ecological Services Field Office, at an event designed to highlight off-refuge ecological restoration projects in the Great Swamp Watershed. The projects were partially or wholly funded through the refuge’s Natural Resources Restoration Assistance Program (NRRAP). The NRRAP is a key component of the Operable Unit 3 (OU-3) of the Asbestos Dump Superfund Site Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan, which was funded by a court-ordered settlement with the polluter responsible for contamination and degradation of an approximately 6 acre tract of the Great Swamp Wilderness Area. The event was held at the Great Swamp Watershed Association’s Conservation Area which is located in Harding Township, NJ. Following the event, Regional Director Moriarty was given a tour of several vernal pool restoration sites located in the Great Swamp Wilderness. Vernal pool restoration was another important component of the Restoration Plan.

In 2002, the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge began completion of numerous on the ground ecological restoration activities which were highlighted in the OU-3 Restoration Plan. The Plan identified six measures that were designed to restore, enhance, or replace natural resources injured by contamination at OU3. These measures included land acquisition, invasive plant species control, enhancement of vernal pools, replacement of lost public use, restoration of old homestead sites, and protection and enhancement of off-refuge wetlands.

To date, the accomplishments of the plan are numerous: Over 120 acres of land have been added to the Refuge. Over 110 acres of invasive plant species have been controlled. More than 100 vernal pools have been mapped and surveyed and 25 have been restored. Over a half-mile of new boardwalks, constructed with recycled materials, have been added to the Refuge’s Wildlife Observation Area. Approximately 17 acres of impervious cover and nearly 1600 tons of demolition debris have been removed from the refuge through the Restoration Plan’s "Old Homestead Site" habitat restoration initiative. Finally, the Natural Resource Restoration Assistance Project is empowering Refuge conservation partners to do restoration projects throughout the watershed.

The NRRAP grants were awarded through a competitive application and review process and provide Service support through partnerships and cost-sharing with the local non-profit organizations or local governments. To be included in the NRRAP, candidate projects had to 1) benefit the GSNWR by restoring, replacing, enhancing, or protecting natural resources (including land or easement acquisition) and the services lost, impaired, disrupted or degraded at OU3; 2) be located within the Great Swamp watershed; 3) be cost-effective; and, 4) ensure that project site(s) will be protected in perpetuity by an enforceable arrangement such as a conservation easement, deed restriction, or other legal agreement. Total funding available for the NRRAP was $350,000. Eight projects were proposed for inclusion in the NRRA Project; all were accepted. The NRRAP partners leveraged more than $190,000 in cash and in-kind services; bringing the total value of the NRRA Project to almost $540,000 of on the ground conservation effort.