As an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, I never take for granted the opportunities that exist to get away from the grind and noise of daily life and head to the woods for some peace and serenity. Notwithstanding its dense population and development, New Jersey has an impressive array of state parks and open space, thus offering ample opportunities for outdoor fun and recreation. Moreover, living in northern Bergen County allows relatively easy access to the Catskills and Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Thankfully, protection of open space for outdoor recreation and getting back in touch with nature has been set aside for public enjoyment in perpetuity.
As an historian, the need for historic preservation is just as critical to protect our cultural heritage and legacy for posterity. Recently, preservationists failed in their valiant effort to save the Zabriskie Tenant House in Paramus, NJ, a Dutch building constructed in the 1780s which later became the home of former slaves and their descendents. Despite last minute attempts to raise funds in order to acquire the building, it was to no avail as the house was simply demolished. Instances like this should remind us that just as our natural resources are endangered, so too are our historic treasures.
Historically, environmental protection and historic preservation have been treated as two distinct fields to the relative disadvantage of the latter. The concept of “green”, typically associated with environmentalism, is more popular in the public consciousness and attracts more funds, particularly at the federal level, than historic preservation. Incidentally, President Obama’s 2011 budget cuts for historic preservation funding totaled 25 million dollars, including the elimination of the Save America’s Treasures and the proposed elimination of Preserve America’s grant programs as part of his “Tough Choices” agenda.
In an era in which the need to address climate change is becoming more urgent, there has been a vigorous push for sustainable development and environmental protection. But since the environment is a higher priority on the national radar, especially since Super-storm Sandy (PDF), how can preservationists convince public opinion that safeguarding our history is just as important? According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the one issue that can help to bridge the gap between the two fields to ensure that preservation attains prominence both in public opinion and the law is in the realm of sustainability.
While it may seem obvious that historic preservation is lower on the national agenda since minimizing further environmental damage translates into physical and material survival, preserving the past is just as important and critical as preserving the environment. Keeping the past alive gives human beings a sense of belonging and a place in the form of community, even in a world where rapid technological changes and fast-paced, impersonal lives appear to render the notion of community obsolete. By making sustainability its core mission, preservationists can play their role in not only protecting history but the environment as well.
The essence of sustainability is summed up best by the National Trust for Historic Preservation: “Historic preservation can-and should be-an important component of any effort to sustainable development. The conservation and improvement of our existing built resources, including re-use of historic and older buildings, greening the existing building stock, and reinvestment in older and historic communities, is crucial to combating climate change.” In other words, the prevention of sprawl and housing developments on property that could be potentially acquired for open space acquisition can lead to sustainable development that puts less pressure on dwindling natural resources and results in better quality of life.
It is long overdue for an integrated approach to these policies. Ironically, in the most densely populated state but still rich in natural and human history, New Jersey may already have set an example for other states to follow. While New Jersey’s remaining open space and history are always under constant threat of destruction, its Green Acres Program has done an exceptional job in combining seemingly disparate fields and disciplines under one umbrella in order to ensure adequate funding and protection.
With the passage of The Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007, which stipulated $12 million for acquisition of lands for conservation and recreation purposes and then an additional $24 million in 2009, New Jersey has clearly shown that this kind of integration works best to maximize the objectives and goals for both preservationists and environmentalists.