Discover DEP: the Official Podcast of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection

This week is the 12th annual Air Quality Awareness Week, and the theme is “Air Quality Where You Are.” DEP and the state of New Jersey have made it a priority to improve air quality and increase air quality awareness. To help celebrate, Frank Steitz sat down with Gladys Giron to talk about air quality, criteria air pollutants, how well New Jersey is meeting federal standards, h

Trenton was the third city to join DEP’s Community Collaborative Initiative. In this episode, Bob Bostock sits down with Julie Krause, single point of contact for Trenton at DEP, to talk about her work with local government officials, community groups and stakeholders to support environmental improvement projects important to the city. Listen in as she talks about current project

In Discover DEP’s 6th episode, Frank McLaughlin told us about the Community Collaborative initiative and how it got its start in Camden. Now, the CCI has expanded to three additional cities across the state, which will be featured on the next few episodes. This episode will focus on Perth Amboy, the second city to join the initiative. Listen in as Gladys Giron sits down with Bill

Since the first National Women’s History Month in March 1987, every year we take a moment to recognize, honor and celebrate the achievements of American women. This month recognizes the courage and contributions of women everywhere who are breaking down barriers, raising their voices and fighting for what they believe in. There has been a continuous effort to bring and engage wom

New Jersey’s state parks are home to about 1,000 miles of official trails and, thanks to the State Park Service, every mile is now available on Trail Tracker. Trail Tracker allows you to track your current location, view trails and points of interest, search for park activities, and download PDF maps of New Jersey’s state parks. This app is helpful in planning for trips to stat

This week (March 11-17) is AmeriCorps Week, which celebrates AmeriCorps members and alumni for their commitment to educating the public about the environment, stewardship, and the impact their work has around the state and nation. In fact, DEP’s own AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors are celebrating throughout the state. In this week’s Discover DEP episode, Gladys Giro

With spectacular views of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, as well as many superb trails, High Point State Park is one you shouldn’t miss. As its name suggests, High Point is nearly at the northern-most point of our state. It is also home to the highest point of elevation in the state. Listen in as Gladys Giron talks with Rebecca Fitzgerald, Superintendent of High Point Sta

Last year, the lobby in DEP’s main building in Trenton featured a display highlighting the connection between baseball and New Jersey’s geology. Now, this latest display features a new aspect of New Jersey’s geology – fluorescent minerals. Under ultraviolet light, certain minerals glow with an amazing array of vibrant colors. This is known as fluorescence. Bob Bostock sits

Resource Interpretive Specialists tell the story of New Jersey’s history, nature and our world, helping people connect to their environment through public programs, hikes, exhibits, recreation, ecotourism and education. Bob Bostock sits down with Diane Hewlett-Lowrie, a Resource Interpretive Specialist for New Jersey’s State Park Service, to discuss her experiences as a natural

Maple sugaring is a tradition in the Northeast that began centuries ago with Native Americans and colonists. Now, organizations around the country have maple sugaring programs to bring this tradition to life for people of all ages to see and enjoy. Wayne Henderek, Resource Interpretive Specialist at the Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center, sits down with Bob Bostock to dis