The Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI), also known as the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI), serves as a vital resource for municipalities in understanding and managing their natural and environmental assets. This comprehensive compilation includes text, tables, maps, and visual information detailing the characteristics of natural resources and environmentally significant features within an area. While previously referred to as the “Natural Resources Inventory,” the term “Environmental Resources Inventory” is now commonly used to encompass both natural and human-made features, such as historic sites, brownfields, and contaminated areas.
It is recommended that municipal environmental commissions regularly create and update the ERI, with a minimum frequency of once every 10 years. This essential task empowers environmental commissions and open space committees to actively contribute to municipal master planning, land use ordinance development, and site plan review processes.
ANJEC, the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, offers valuable resources to support environmental volunteers at the municipal level. Among these resources are training videos available from the annual Fundamentals for Environmental Commissioners Course on ERIs. These videos, hosted on ANJEC’s YouTube channel @ANJECViews, provide accessible insights into the importance of ERIs and how to effectively utilize them in local decision-making.
For those interested in learning more, the ANJEC YouTube channel offers access to training videos from recent years, including:
These resources serve as valuable tools for enhancing understanding and capacity in environmental planning and management at the municipal level.
By actively engaging with ERI development and utilizing available resources, environmental volunteers can make informed decisions and promote sustainable practices within their communities.
Resources
- ERI (ANJEC Resource Paper)
- ERI Brochure