Cape May Plant Materials Center

Cape May, New Jersey

Established 1965

The Cape May Plant Materials Center (NJPMC) provides plant solutions for natural resource conservation concerns pertaining to coastal shorelines, sand dunes, mined lands/critical areas, and coastal grassland habitat. The Center serves a nine-state area, including parts of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Long Island- New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia.

The soils, topography, climate, and land use of the Center’s service area produce a distinct plant resource area. Active sand dunes exist along the shores. Wind erosion occurs on sandy cultivated fields. Water erosion is a problem on sloping cropland, and shoreline erosion threatens the tidal estuaries. Agriculture is predominantly cash row crops, orchards, truck crops, specialty crops, and poultry. There are large areas in hardwood and pine forests. Extensive areas of tidal marsh are vital to the seafood and wildlife resources. Outdoor recreation is a major industry placing extreme pressure on natural resources. Resource concerns include air quality; coastal systems; cover crops; critical/disturbed areas; invasive species; rare, endangered, and threatened species; submerged aquatic vegetation; and urban resource conservation. The Cape May Plant Materials Center has developed 16 conservation plants including grasses shrubs and forbs for enhancing conservation plantings in their service area.

Contact

1536 Route 9 North
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

Telephone: 609.465.5901
FAX: 609.465.9284
Email: Chris.Miller@nj.usda.gov