Ocean City & the Environment...
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ADOPT A BEACH PROGRAM

General Information

The City of Ocean City coordinates an Adopt-A-Beach program that annually provides an opportunity for volunteers to participate in maintaining the beauty of the community's most treasured natural resource, the beach. The Adopt-A-Beach program is an educational project of the City's

Environmental Commission, aiming to bring about watershed awareness by allowing participants to see how pollution on personal property and in the streess ends up on the beach and in the ocean. Ultimately, by cleaning the beach, the participants should gain an understanding that a minor act in a confined area can have a greater impact on a much larger scale.

When pollution comes from a wide variety of sources that cannot be pointed to, it is called non-point source pollution, and it is one of the greatest threats to our coastal resources. During the clean-up events of this program, data are collected that may be used to help identify ways to stop beach and ocean pollution.

Program Details

Adopting a beach is simple, only takes a few hours of your time per year and is very flexible. "Adopters" commit to cleaning the beach of their choice (based on availability) in Ocean City as often as possible from April to November. "Adopters" will be required to hand in at least one data card from either the Spring or Fall Beach Sweep events that are two special days scheduled annually in coordination with Clean Ocean Action's Beach Sweeps. At these events, the general public is also invited to help participate in cleaning the beach.

Sign-up for the Program:

Step One: First you need to select the beach area you wish to adopt. 

Areas are available on a first request basis. Once you have completed the online registration click on "Print and Call" to check out. Please note that there are no fees associated with the Adopt-A-Beach program.

If you experience any difficulty with registration please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 609-525-9290.

Step Two: Once a location has been selected, return to this webpage to download the documents that will need to be signed and returned to:

Download the necessary documents by clicking on the names below.

The Adopt-A-Beach Pledge Form
Adult Volunteer Waiver and Release of Claims
Child Volunteer Waiver and Release of Claims (for under 18)

It is also a good idea to download data cards and the brochure on rip currents for your information and safety.

Data Cards
Rip Current Brochure

The City of Ocean City facilitates the Adopt-A-Beach program through the Environmental Commission by providing all supplies and training for volunteers to carry out the beach clean-ups in coordination with Clean Ocean Action's Beach Sweeps. A free educational presentation by the City's volunteer coordinator is available upon request. This presentation will cover a range of topics from understanding the consequences of litter and storm water pollution
to the importance of collecting vital information for the provided data cards.

Volunteer as a Beach Captain

Beach Captains set-up and hand out supplies at the cleanup location, talk with participants about the causes and consequences of ocean pollution, give a beach safety speech, and provide participants with instructions for cleaning the beach.

Volunteer captains are needed regularly for the Clean Ocean Action's Beach Sweeps in the spring and fall. Captains can also assist with dune grass planting projects and other projects.
To become a Beach Captain or if you have any questions, please contact the City's Volunteer Coordinator.

Be Prepared

The City of Ocean City wants participants to be as comfortable and safe as possible for their cleanup events! The guidelines below will help to prepare for a fun and enjoyable experience.

Safety first!

- Don't take any risk that can get you or anyone else hurt. (Ask questions)

General Comfort

- Please wear comfortable clothes that can get wet or a little sandy. Dress warmly and in layers.
- Contact the Volunteer Coordinator to see if restroom facilities are available.
- Be prepared for foggy or sunny weather. Remember it is always cooler on the beach than inland.

We suggest...

- Long pants that can be rolled up, or shorts for hot weather. An extra pair of pants is a good idea.
- T-shirt and a sweater or sweatshirt.
- Closed-toed shoes that can get wet or sandy. Water shoes or an old pair of tennis shoes for cleaning along the water's edge.
- Sun protection: a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Liquids (juice, water).
- Snacks and/or lunch.

Bringing your lunch?

- Make it environmentally friendly!
- Minimize the packaging.
- Place trash in city trash cans.

Cleanup Guidelines

What is Recyclable?

- Yes: Glass, aluminum cans, tin cans, plastic drinking bottles.
- No: Paper, plastic wrappers, Styrofoam, dirty items.

What NOT to pick up

- Dangerous items: Do not touch syringes, needles, any sharp objects, condoms, tampons, waste materials, weapons, heavy items, or anything of which you are not sure. Mark the area and notify the Beach Captain, City Volunteer Coordinator or a lifeguard. When in doubt, don't touch it.

- Natural items: Natural items (such as algae, kelp, driftwood, shells, etc.) are part of the ecosystem that the volunteers are working to restore and should be left alone. Please avoid disturbing plants, animals and fragile dune areas.


Data Cards

You may feel that recording data takes away from collecting trash. However, by collecting data, volunteers can help identify the sources of pollution and work toward developing permanent solutions. The information volunteers collect on the data cards is being shared by Clean Ocean Action, the City of Ocean City, and the Ocean City Environmental Commission.

When filling out cards, tally items in groups of five. At the end of the cleanup, record the total in the boxes for each category.

Do not write words such as "Lots" or "Many." Only numbers of items can be used.

When finished cleaning the designated area, place trash bags and recyclables in street ends and notify the Volunteer Coordinator in order for the City to arrange for collection of bags.

It is important to mail or drop off data cards to:

City of Ocean City, Division of Economic Programs
City Volunteer Coordinator
861 Asbury Ave., Room 214
Ocean City, NJ 08226

Ocean City wants to thank all volunteers for their support!

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Barrier Island Environment

Ocean City is a barrier island, which means it is a geological phenomenon created over time by the deposition of sediments   Barrier islands, in general, are long, narrow, offshore deposits of sand or sediments that parallel the coast line.  Some barrier islands can extend for 100 miles (160 km) or more. The islands are separated from the mainland by a shallow sound, bay or lagoon.   The Greate Egg Harbor Bay separates Ocean City from Somers Point and Upper Township, the nearest mainland communities.  Barrier islands are often found in chains along the coast line and are separated from each other by narrow tidal inlets as they are in southern New Jersey.  Another nice example of a barrier island chain is the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The formation of barrier islands is complex and not completely understood.  The current theory is that barrier islands were formed about 18,000 years ago when the last Ice Age ended.  As the glaciers melted and receded, the sea levels began to rise, and flooded areas behind the beach ridges at that time.  The rising waters carried sediments from those beach ridges and deposited them along shallow areas just off the new coastlines. Waves and currents continued to bring in sediments that built up, forming the barrier islands.  In addition, rivers washed sediments from the mainland that settled behind the islands and helped to build them up.   
                                                   
Photo courtesy USGS 
 

The structure of a typical barrier island consists of the following zones from the ocean side toward the sound:

• Beach - consists of sand deposited by the actions of waves.
• Dunes - formed from sand carried and deposited by winds. Dunes are stabilized naturally by plants (sea oats, bitter pancum) and artificially by fences. The primary dune faces the ocean and may be followed by secondary and tertiary dunes inland.
• Barrier flat - (also called backdune, overwash or mud flat) formed by sediments that get pushed through the dune system by storms, such as hurricances and nor’easters. Grasses grow and stabilize these areas.
• Salt marsh - a low-lying area on the sound side of a barrier island. Salt marshes are generally divided into high and low marsh areas. High marsh areas get flooded twice each month with the spring tides, while low marsh areas get flooded twice daily with the high tides. Cord grasses stabilize the salt marsh area, which are one of the most ecologically productive areas (amount of vegetation per acre) on Earth.

Barrier islands have two main functions.  First, they protect the coastlines from severe storm damage.  Second, they harbor several habitats that are refuges for wildlife.  In fact, the salt marsh ecosystems of the islands and the coast help to purify runoffs from mainland streams and rivers. Each of these habitats has distinct animal and plant life.
 

Storms push sediments through to form the overwash Barrier-island Ecology

Even though barrier islands are narrow, they have several distinct habitats as mentioned above: the beach, dune systems, barrier flat, and salt marsh.  Each habitat has varying conditions and wildlife. Each habitat zone is constantly changing as it is impacted by oceanographic and/or atmospheric conditions.

The main oceanographic processes at work are waves, currents, tides, and sea level change.  Waves work to deposit and remove sediments from the ocean side of the island.  Currents called longshore currents that are caused by waves hitting the island at an angle can move the sand from one end of the island to another. For example, the offshore currents along the east coast of the United States tend to remove sand from the northern ends of barrier islands and deposit it at the southern ends, so islands “grow” from north to south in our area.  This is why Ocean City has a sort of drumstick shape where the island is wider at the north end and much narrower in the south.  Tides move sediments into the salt marshes and eventually fill them in. Thus, the sound sides of barrier islands tend to build up as the ocean sides erode.  Sealevelchanges that cause rising sea levels tend to push barrier islands toward the mainland.

The atmospheric conditions that contribute to the constant change of barrier islands are wind and storms and in Ocean City, both hurricanes and nor’easters can change the beach dramatically in a matter of hours.  Winds are actually helpful to the formation of barrier islands because they blow sediments from the beach zones inland to help form dunes.  Eventually the winds carry the finest sediments beyond the dune system and into the salt marshes where they help to build up the island.  Storms have the most dramatic effects on barrier islands by creating overwash areas and eroding beaches as well as other portions of barrier islands.

The impacts of storms on barrier islands depend upon qualities of the storm (storm surge, waves) and upon the elevation of the barrier island at landfall. To quantify the impact of storm damage, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has devised a "hazard scale" as follows:

• Impact 1 - Wave erosion is confined to beach area. The eroded sands will be replenished in a few weeks to months and no significant change occurs in the system.
• Impact 2 - Waves erode the dune and cause the dune to retreat. This is a semi-permanent or permanent change to the system.
• Impact 3 - Wave action exceeds the dune's elevation, destroys the dune and pushes sediment from the dune landward (approximately 300 yards/100 m), thereby creating overwash. This change in the system pushes the barrier island landward.
• Impact 4 - The storm surge completely covers the barrier island, destroys the dune system and pushes sediments landward (approximately 0.6 miles/1 km). This is a permanent change to the barrier island or portions of it.

Dunes

From the discussions of storm impacts on barrier islands above, it is evident that dunes are critically important for the continuing existence of a barrier island.  Dunes are naturally formed by wind blown sand that travels at speeds greater than 10 miles per hour.  However, dunes can be man made also by piling sand into small mounds and creating a stabilization system by fencing them off and planting vegetation native to dune environments. 

Dune grasses, generally known as sea oats or beach grass help to stabilize a dune by capturing windblown sand with their blades.  Various other species, including the beach plum that is native to the east coast of the United States from North Carolina to Maine, that grow in more massive forms are also very efficient at breaking the wind, thus capturing the sediment that is carried in it.  In addition to these plants catching the sediment, they keep it in place with their root systems and thereby stabilize the system so wind and water have a harder time taking the sediment away once it becomes established as part of the dune. 

The vegetation plays another vital role; it provides habitat to wildlife including birds and mammals.  In Ocean City, there are many beaches that have the dunes specially marked off to show a designated bird nesting area.  It is very important to heed the restriction and keep away from these areas in order to protect endangered wildlife such as the piping plover.  In fact, it is unlawful to walk on any of the dunes in Ocean City because pedestrian traffic breaks up the fine web-like root system of dune vegetation thereby destroying the dunes.

The City of Ocean City would like to make you aware that it unlawful to walk in the dunes and that there is a penalty.  If convicted a violator could be subject to a $500.00 fine and/or 90 days of imprisonment.

Tree Planting Programs

Ocean City’s Shade Tree Committee sets certain guidelines for the planting of shade trees and other trees throughout the city.  As a committee, they also support many tree planting programs and work to find grants that support such initiatives.  For instance, at the direction of Mayor Sal Perillo, and with support by City Council, the City's Shade Tree Committee is requesting grant funding from the "Cool Cities Program" created by the New Jersey Community Forestry Council to help implement a proactive tree-planting program within the streetscape along 9th Street and 8th Street, between Central Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. The goal of planting these trees will be to significantly cool elevated temperatures in this defined neighborhood and thus lower energy costs and improve the overall quality of life, while supporting energy conservation. This planting plan will be consistent with the management goals and practices that are priorities in the approved Community Forestry Management Plan for the City of Ocean City.

Additional trees are also being planted by the Shade Tree Committee, which receives its funding from fees paid by developers of new homes and businesses when the sites can not accommodate the required trees because of utilities or other site conditions. The Shade Tree Committee will continue to use these funds to plant trees as part of a continuing Management Plan to introduce a variety of tree species to the island.

In late October, as part of this Plan, the Committee arranged for a fall planting of thirty "Tonto Crape Myrtle" trees and twelve "Spiraea X Bumalda", small shrubs that have multi-season appeal with vibrant spring and summer foliage, to complete a landscape project along the boulevard islands of Gardens Parkway in the northern part of the City.

Also in late October 2006, 100 beach plum trees were planted in the dunes between 12th Street and 15th Street. These trees, formally known as Prunus Maritima, are known for their prolific bloom and prized fruit.  The Beach Plum project was designed as a conservation and erosion-control project, as these plants have been proven to grow well in the dune environment and provide for dune stabilization for our sensitive eco-system. This planting was a joint project between the Cape May County Beach Plum Association and the City's Shade Tree Committee and Coastal Conservation Commission. The planting was completed by student volunteers from Ocean City High School's and Winslow Township High School's Environmental Clubs.

The Mayor, City Council, and Clean Ocean Action have been working together in support a Bill in the House of Representatives for establishing a Clean Ocean Zone off the coast of New Jersey. On September 28, 2006 City Council passed a resolution presented by the Department of Administration that supported the Clean Ocean Zone Bill. Many of those who lived in Ocean City can remember those tragic days when back in 1980’s there were large amounts of trash and debris washing up on our beaches because of the eight different ocean dumpsites that were located off of the New Jersey coast line. Back then New Jersey was known as the “Ocean Dumping Capital of the World”. Presently, with many years of hard work these ocean dumpsites are closed. Hopefully, we don’t have to worry about sewage sludge, and industrial waste washing up on our pristine beaches. The Clean Ocean Zone would permanently protect our coastline from opening new dumpsites, capping old ones and prohibiting strip mining of natural non-renewable resources. We encourage you to learn more what you can do personally buy checking the Clean Ocean Action website at www.cleanoceanaction.org

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Who needs to recycle?

In Ocean City as in the State of New Jersey, it is the law to recycle. However, in Ocean City, we think of recycling as much more than a mandate. It is an aspect of good citizenship and environmental stewardship. Therefore, we ask all citizens and visitors to comply with our program to maintain the high quality of life that they come to expect from our island.

City employees, homeowners, renters, visitors, business owners and students all need to recycle to make the program work. The City of Ocean City offers free “curbside” (including alleys) recycling to all households and businesses in the City. For businesses to receive service, they must prepare recyclables for collection the same way as households and set at the curb or alley for pick-up.

What do I recycle?

Think outside the ice box. Bottles and cans recyclables are present in all parts of the house, not just in the kitchen. Remember to recycle empty shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, hair product, shaving cream, aerosol deodorant and detergent containers.

Think about how much paper is used in daily life. Almost all of it can be recycled. Remember flyers, note paper, even greeting cards can all be recycled.

RECYCLE Yard Waste

• Grass Clippings
• Leaves
• Trimmings from pruning
• Branches – must be less than 4 ft. in length and bundled

When do I recycle?

• Mon. & Thurs. – Longport bridge to North side of 9th St. (Yard Waste-Thurs.)
• Tues. & Fri. – South side of 9th St. to North side of 28th St. (Yard Waste-Tues.)
• Wed. & Sat. – South side of 28th St. to 59th St. (Yard Waste-Wed.)

Winter

• Mon. – South side of 34th St. to 59th St.
• Tue. – South side of 17th St. to North side of 34th ST.
• Wed. – South side of 9th St. to North side of 17th St
• Thurs. – South side of 3rd St. to North side of 9th St.
• Fri. – Longport bridge to North side of 3rd St.

SHELTER ROAD RECYCLING DROP-OFF

Recyclables can also be brought to the Shelter Road facility operated by the City of Ocean City Public Works Department. Absolutely no trash will be accepted at this facility.

Hours
Summer: Monday-Saturday, 8AM - 3PM (Memorial Day through Columbus Day)
Winter: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, 9 AM – 3 PM

How do I recycle?

Bottles, cans and jars can be mixed and placed in any rigid container with a “Bottles & Cans” recycling label.

Paper and cardboard can be mixed and set out in brown paper bags or in a container with a “Paper” recycling label. Large boxes should be flattened, stacked in bundles, and tied with twine.

Yard waste which includes grass clippings, leaves and brush should be set out in paper bags or a labeled container, except for twigs and branches which must be bundled and tied with twine and can be no greater than 4 ft. in length.

• It is important that recyclables are not set out in plastic bags. No materials, not even trash, are allowed to be set out in plastic bags in the City of Ocean City.
• Labels are provided for free from the City of Ocean City. Use of approved City labels is critical for proper collection as they are identifiers for collection crews.
• It is mandatory to label your recycling and trash containers with your street address.

Why should I recycle?

There are many reasons to recycle both environmental and economic. There is truly no downside, especially when the City of Ocean City makes recycling very convenient.

RECYCLE for the Environment

• Save trees! Recycling paper that can be made into new products will reduce the number of trees that need to be cut down.
• Saving trees helps to reduce greenhouse gases and in turn will help combat global warming.
• Save our petroleum resources! Yes, plastic is a petroleum byproduct, so returning used plastic into the manufacturing stream reduces our reliance on this non-renewable resource.
• Save energy! Recyclables are a renewable and available resource. Using recyclables for manufacturing decreases energy used for logging and mining to acquire virgin resources.
• Save space! Land is becoming a precious commodity in southern New Jersey, so reducing the amount of materials we put into our landfill prolongs its useful life.

RECYCLE for the Economy

• Save money! By recycling more, the City of Ocean City can save hundreds of thousands of dollars. Just by increasing our recycling rate from about 20-30%, we can save $150,000. This is big money and can help to keep the City’s taxes low.

What else can I do?

RECYCLE Scrap Metal – at the Shelter Road Recycling Drop-off area off of Tennessee Avenue.

FREECYCLE – You can help to reduce waste by joining Ocean City Freecycle, a web-based group whose members offer and receive items in good condition for free. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OceanCityNJFreecycle/ for more information.

By joining, you can see what items members are offering and if it is something you can use, all you need to do is contact that member and arrange for pick-up. No money ever changes hands. If you have something to offer, list it, and it will go to good use rather than to the landfill where it will simply take up space.

Participate in other Cape May County recycling programs where you can:

• Properly dispose of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)– The Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority (CMCMUA) hosts two HHW Days per year in the Spring and Fall where you can get rid of household cleaning products, pesticides, solvents, etc. in an environmentally responsible manner. Visit www.cmcmua.com and click on “Solid Waste Disposal” for more information.
• RECYCLE Paint – Residents, businesses, institutions, municipalities, and non-profit agencies can bring leftover oil-based and latex paint as well as stains and finishes to the CMCMUA Transfer Station during regular business hours. There is a per can fee for 1 gallon size and larger. Smaller containers and spray paint are free. . Visit www.cmcmua.com and click on “Recycling Information” for specific guidelines.
• RECYCLE Tires – Residents may bring up to 5 tires to the CMCMUA Landfill or Transfer Station. There is a small fee per tire. Truckloads of tires are accepted at the Landfill only at a per ton rate.
• RECYCLE Used Motor Oil, Oil Filters, and Antifreeze – Uncontaminated used motor oil, uncontaminated antifreeze , and drained oil filters are accepted free at the CMCMUA Landfill and Transfer Station. Limit 3 gallons and 3 filters per day. Kerosene and #2 home heating oil may be mixed with used motor oil. Also check with local service stations to see if they accept these items.
• RECYCLE Electronics – Computers, Televisions, and other consumer electronics are accepted at the CMCMUA Transfer Station. There is a minimum per load charge and above that level the rate is a few cents per pound. At the HHW Days, two units are accepted for free.
• RECYCLE Auto and Boat Batteries – These types of lead acid batteries are accepted free at the CMCMUA Landfill and Transfer Station. Also check with local service stations or auto and marine supply stores to see if they accept these items.

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SOLAR ENERGY

The City of Ocean City is taking the lead on implementing a solar project with the potential to provide 1.3 Mw of power for four municipal buildings and all three schools located within the City. The initial municipal buildings to have solar panels installed include the Civic Center, the Community Center, the Henry S. Knight Engineering and Operations Center, and the former public works site.

The City and School District could see the potential savings of $100,000.00 in the first year with no cost to the taxpayer by using private partnerships, grants and rebates. Overall, savings on energy costs from the project are expected to be between 10% and 25%, depending on the final number of buildings that will have solar panels installed.

As redevelopment of City property progresses throughout time, the City plans to evaluate the possibility and potential effectiveness of utilizing roof space for solar energy.

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