Here is how we are doing it
The Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET) is developing a community-based, evidence-backed Coastal Resiliency Master Plan for Camden to reduce the impacts of flooding on our neighborhoods and communities.
Building a Strong Foundation
We are speaking to local experts, community leaders, technical professionals, and policymakers to understand and collate the shared coastal resilience challenges Camden faces. These insights will be combined into a report that will be the foundation for our Coastal Resilience Master Plan, making sure that the plan is based on solid evidence and community input.
We’re forming a Steering Committee made up of residents, community leaders, grassroots groups, and CFET’s environmental justice panel. This committee will provide local knowledge to ensure that our work reflects Camden’s needs and priorities at every stage.
To ensure that the plan is evidence-based, we’ve formed a Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) that includes experts from City of Camden, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (CCMUA), Rutgers University / MACH, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Academy of Natural Sciences, Camden Community Partnership, Monmouth University, New Jersey Coastal Resilience Collaborative, and NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) who have worked in Camden on issues related to coastal resiliency, flooding, storm water management and socio-economic issues.
Listening to you
Your insights are crucial to shaping the plan.
Resident Committee: We are forming a committee of residents from different neighborhoods in Camden who will help guide our resilience efforts. This group will discuss strategies, review progress, and ensure community voices are heard throughout the process.
Workshops and Focus Groups (starting in October) to listen to your experiences and ideas for building a resilient, flood-safe future.
Pop-up Events: We want to talk to as many Camden residents as possible. To reach more people, we're setting up information tables at various community events throughout Camden. Look for us at local festivals, street fairs, and other local gatherings. We're here to listen to your experiences and ideas, and to provide information about the project.
Paid Neighborhood Ambassadors: We’re looking for local leaders and organizers to help connect their neighbors to this project. If you’re interested, please reach out to us using the contact form or by calling our office.
Designing Resilient Projects
Our work under the NFWF NCRF grant is focused on coastal living shoreline protection (measurable habitat improvement + natured-based solutions for flooding) and the community capacity-building to support it.
We are developing 10 project proposals that address coastal risks and improve Camden’s environment based on what we learn from you and our technical analysis.
Beyond Coastal Flood Protection
This project is more than flood prevention – it's a stepping stone towards comprehensive climate resilience for Camden.
We see this project as an opportunity to develop a more comprehensive plan for community-based climate resilience. This would leverage our existing efforts and those of other community and environmental groups by integrating them in a plan that addresses the interests and potential contributions of a coalition of partners.
