West Milford to preserve Random Woods through grant (07/16/10)

West Milford is the northern-most township in Passaic County. At just over 80-square-miles, it's also the largest. Its population, as of 2007, was 27,839, not very large considering the township's size, but consider this: according to census data from 1930, its population was 1,901. West Milford is located in the Highlands Preservation Area, meaning there are additional restrictions to what can be developed and where.

Story originally appeared here.

West Milford to preserve Random Woods through grant

Friday, July 16, 2010

AIM WEST MILFORD

WEST MILFORD—With the assistance of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, a 98-acre parcel of land known as "Random Woods" was recently preserved by West Milford.

Situated in the hills of the New Jersey Highlands, Random Woods is located on Ridge Road and in close proximity to municipal complexes and the central downtown area.

It was previously the subject of a development application and prior to the implementation of the Highlands Act in 2004, it had preliminary approval for 103 single family homes.

The $2.1 million project was funded with Passaic County and Green Acres grants. The preservation of this land represents an addition to the municipality where there is a need for additional athletic fields and recreational facilities.

While more than 90-percent of the parcel will remain undisturbed and available to the public for recreation, a small portion will be used to establish new athletic fields.

The acquisition of Random Woods also furthers an existing and expanding greenway and supports conservation goals identified in the Highlands Water Protection & Planning Act of 2004, which seeks to preserve extensive and contiguous areas of land in its natural state (forests, wetlands, stream corridors, and critical wildlife habitat) and protect New Jersey’s drinking water resources.

"We are very excited about the recent acquisition of the Random Woods property, which will preserve an additional 100 acres within the township while also providing for a multi-purpose ball field at no cost to our residents," Mayor Bettina Bieri said. "This acquisition adheres to the township's philosophy, which prioritizes open space acquisitions not solely based on its environmental sensitivity but also based on its potential to directly benefit the community via active recreational opportunities."

N.J. buys, preserves 126-acre farm in Frankford (07/08/10)

A bumper crop of good news!

By Joe Moszczynski, for The Star-Ledger
FRANKFORD — A 126-acre farm located near the Sussex County fairgrounds in Frankford will be saved in perpetuity as a working farm, the Land Conservancy of New Jersey announced today.

Land Conservancy President David Epstein said the development rights for the Bain farm, located near the corner of Route 206 and Plains Road, were purchased from the Bain family for nearly $1 million.

The Land Conservancy, a Boonton-based nonprofit group, contributed $500,000 toward the purchase price with a grant from the state Agricultural Development Committee.

Other contributors included the Sussex County Agricultural Development Committee, through the county’s Open Space Trust Fund, the federal Farm and Ranchland Protection program and the Township of Frankford.

"It’s really a very special place," said Epstein, noting the tract is located atop a sloping ridge near the Paulinskill River.

The fields at the Bain Farm are also an important habitat for unique wildlife, including ground-nesting birds such as the Bobolink, a migrant blackbird which is declining in number due to the loss of habitat to development, he said.

The farm was originally purchased by the great-grandfather of Tom Bain, whose name appears at the site of the farm on an 1860 map of Sussex County.

"Preserving the farm means a lot to me. I look forward to telling my grandchildren that this is the property that made up the farm held so long by our family. It is good to know that it will always look like a farm and never be covered by pavement," said Tom Bain.

The Bain family currently leases the tract to a farmer and it will later be offered for sale with a deed restriction that prohibits future development. When the land is sold, the Land Conservancy will use the proceeds to purchase the development rights of another farm, said Epstein.

For more information about the Land Conservancy, or to volunteer or make a donation, call (973) 541-1010 or visit tlc-nj.org.

73 acres preserved in Kingwood, Hunterdon County

From a NJ Conservation e-mail... this one is so fresh it's not even on their Web site yet!

Vital stats:

ACRES:  73 

TOWN: Kingwood TownshipCOUNTY:  Hunterdon

REGION: Western Piedmont 

TYPE: Farmland easement and fee purchase of natural area

PARTNERS: Kingwood Township, Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, State Agriculture Development Committee, U.S. Department of Agriculture/ Natural Resources Conservation Service

KINGWOOD TOWNSHIP - New Jersey Conservation Foundation and its partners have preserved a 73-acre property outside Frenchtown for public recreation and agricultural use. 

The newly-preserved property on Horseshoe Bend Road consists of a 48-acre parcel, on which a farmland easement was purchased, and a 25-acre parcel that was purchased outright.

The land sits on the Delaware River Bluffs and offers spectacular views of Pennsylvania. It contains the finest farmland in Kingwood Township, trout production tributaries to the Delaware, and significant woodlands.

New Jersey Conservation Foundation purchased an easement on the 48-acre farmland parcel, ensuring that it remains in agricultural use forever. Funding came from the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program.

Kingwood Township and the Hunterdon Land Trust Alliancebought the 25-acre natural area in fee, using state Green Acres funding and Kingwood Township open space money.

Hopewell hails greenway's united state (07/03/10)

An excellent acquisition. While only 130 acres, it effectively creates, according to the article, a 8-square-mile stretch of green space. Bravo to D&R Greenway!

Hopewell hails greenway's united state - Key property creates unbroken swath of open space

By Erin Duffy
Image credit, Tom Sommerville

Original article appears here.

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - More than 130 acres of fields, woods and stream nestled between Washington Crossing State Park and Baldpate Mountain have been permanently preserved as open space.

The historic Hollystone Property, as it's called, was acquired with the help of D&R Greenway Land Trust May 25, a $2.8 million purchase open space advocates and state and local officials are planning to celebrate next week.

Located off Route 29 in the area of Fiddlers Creek Road, the property links Washington Crossing State Park with Baldpate Mountain, effectively creating an 8-square mile swath of preserved land stretching from Mercer to Hunterdon County.

"As a result of this preservation, people will soon be able to walk from Washington Crossing State Park to Baldpate Mountain," said Linda Mead, the executive director of D&R Greenway. "As trails continue to be built through this land and other preserves in the area, this entire region will be accessible. That's our goal -- to preserve lands, and provide the public with access to be able to enjoy them."

With the help of open space funds from the state, Mercer County, Hopewell Township and Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, D&R Greenway was able to purchase the 132 acres from its owners, a family that wishes to remain anonymous.

The property will be co-owned by Mercer County, the state, Hopewell Township and the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.

The land includes an early 19th-century home rumored to be built by the founder of nearby Titusville. The previous owners of the property will continue to live there, and an 11-acre "building envelope" has been placed around the house and other existing structures, allowing the homeowners to rebuild within that area if they'd like.

In a recent newsletter, the property was called a "conservation bonanza," with woodlands that make up a 9,500-acre forest that is home to rare and endangered plants and animals.

In January, D&R Greenway scored another open space coup, acquiring the 340-acre St. Michael's tract in Hopewell Township in an $11 million deal. The land was the former site of an orphanage and industrial school owned by the Diocese of Trenton.

Contact Erin Duffy at eduffy@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5723