In 2019 Rutgers University and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a report that showed climate change moving at such a rapid pace that the oceans could rise nearly four feet by 2070. South Jersey’s ocean and bay shorelines, of course, have long been subject to modification through storms and erosion, however, the acceleration of these changes make discussion more urgent.
On Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022, 3 p.m., Meghan Wren, from the Office of Planning Advocacy, New Jersey Business Action Center, will explore the ramifications of climate change being experienced today as well as some science behind what’s expected in the next few decades.
A Cumberland County native, Wren is intimately familiar with South Jersey’s shorelines. She was a founder and director of the Bayshore Center at Bivalve, home of New Jersey’s tall ship, the A.J. Meerwald and was inducted into the Cumberland County Women’s Hall of Fame for her work.
She also holds the distinction of successfully swimming across the Delaware Bay in 2013, completing the 13.1-mile crossing in eight hours and 45 minutes. Today she works with South Jersey municipalities to support good planning practices, incorporate resiliency and equity, and connect with resources to implement their sustainable visions.
“The story of human-induced climate change is only partially written,” said Wren. “How we plan for, respond to, and guard against the worst-case scenario is still in our hands.”
In her talk, “Climate Change in South Jersey: Local Evidence, Predictions and Some Actions to Mitigate,” she will explore ways that municipalities and individuals can reduce their exposure and that of their community, its historic assets, valuable places and vulnerable populations.
“A small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world,” she has noted. “Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Wren’s presentation is part of the cultural center’s roster of lectures and performances this fall. Upcoming programs include salon concerts by Rowan University’s Opera Company, and a recital by Rowan’s Head of Strings, Timothy Schwarz. Program information can be found at the Society’s website, www.harrisonhistorical.com and its Facebook page.
All programs take place at the Richwood Academy Cultural Center, which is located at 836 Lambs Rd., Richwood, NJ. Information and free tickets for this event are available at the Society’s public Facebook page. The program will also be live-streamed and archived on Facebook for future viewing. There is no admission charge.
The Society is also currently featuring a new exhibition at Old Town Hall Museum, 62 South Main St., Mullica Hill, commemorating the one-year anniversary of the tornado the tore through Gloucester County in 2021. Described as “history worth seeing while you have the chance,” “Tornado” is currently on view Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m. through Dec.4, 2022, and there is no admission charge.
The Harrison Township Historical Society’s arts and history programs are made possible in part by funding from the Gloucester County Cultural and Heritage Commission at Rowan College of South Jersey, in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State and the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey Historical Commission/Department of State.
