At the New Jersey School of Conservation, our top priority is to ensure our campus is accessible and sustainable for every student who comes to learn. Through a series of renovations over the past three years, we have successfully re-imagined, revitalized and upgraded our buildings across campus to create a welcoming environment that supports student learning.
When leadership of the School changed hands in 2021, our team undertook a comprehensive inventory of existing facilities. We discovered buildings that had suffered from decades of neglect and disinvestment. We then re-envisioned our campus facilities to meet teacher and student needs well into the future. We did not merely want to restore buildings to their previous form, we wanted to enhance and upgrade our facilities in ways that raise standards of sustainability to the highest possible level.
Thanks to sustained support from community stakeholders, we have achieved many of our most ambitious goals in improving our facilities.
Our team fixed crumbling steps, rebuilt chimneys, painted and patched up walls, and brought fuel contracts back online. We refurbished adult living spaces for visiting teachers and researchers. We replaced fencing around the corral used for stargazing, orienteering, and recreational activities. We overhauled “Big Timbers,” our largest eating hall.
We also ensured that our campus is more conducive to learning and accessible to all students. Our team upgraded lighting, Wi-Fi, and technology, and upgraded spaces accessible for wheelchair users or those with mobility challenges. The progress we made reinforces our dedication to providing a safe, inclusive, and sustainable campus for all who visit us to learn about and connect with the outdoors.
While we have a lot of work still to do, our path towards an upgraded and accessible campus reflects our commitment to promoting sustainability practices, mitigating climate change and achieving environmental justice. We can’t wait for the next groups of students to experience the fresh and exciting improvements at our school.