Climbing Aboard to Make an Impact

The South Jersey Land and Water Trust (SJLWT) announced Sept. 23 that it has added Ken Atkinson and Jody Carrara to its team.
Atkinson has preserved over 13,500 acres in South Jersey, and Carrara monitored bald eagle nests for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). 
“I’ll be responsible for overseeing farmland and open space preservation activities for the trust,” stated Atkinson, who will serve as land program manager. “I’m excited to get started.”
Atkinson will work on expanding land preservation projects for the organization. The SJLWT has preserved over 1,500 acres of open space and over 600 acres of farmland since inception. Among these are Tall Pines State Preserve and the Oldmans Creek Preserve, but they’re looking to preserve more.
Carrara is joining the SJLWT as program coordinator.
“A large part of my job will involve water quality projects,” stated Carrara. “I’ll be in charge of the SJLWT’s rain garden projects and starting some water quality education programs. These can help combat storm water runoff and water pollution.”
Since the SJLWT’s creation in 2006, they have worked to preserve and protect the land and water resources of Southern New Jersey. In addition to their preservation efforts, they’ve also organized cleanups, conducted stream testing, advocated for better environmental policies, and more.
As of this year, however, they decided to expand their programs when hiring Carrara and Atkinson. Both Atkinson and Carrara  have over 30 years of experience with environmental work.