'Pony Farm' Preserved in Bedminster

It may seem a 13.3-acre estate may pale in comparison to the 5,000-plus acre monolith just recently preserved down in the Pinelands. And, you would be right. However, considering the tony locale of Bedminster (it's home to such big names as both the now-ex-general manager for the New York Jets and its possibly-soon-to-be-ex headline grabbing second or third string quarterback Tim Tebow ... wait, that's Bernardsville. This is where Jets owner Woody Johnson and the other quarterback live. Whatever, they're all rich), this is definitely a big deal. Because, while land amid the Pinelands may have had development here and there, land in Bedminster is far more monetarily valuable.

The short answer is, yes, this is important. Every acre counts, especially to an acre whore like me.

This originally appeared in Bernardsville News:

The “Pony Farm” - so named because Shetland ponies were once raised there - is located across the road from the McCann Mill Road intersection, within a bend of the Black River. Its preservation completes the protection of 228 contiguous acres of open space and farmland - and over 1,000 preserved acres in the immediate area.

The newly preserved property includes meadows that are now public open space, and a century-old Sears Roebuck kit house that can only be used as offices for small, nonprofit environmental groups.

Bedminster Township and the nonprofit Lamington Conservancy jointly purchased the Pony Farm on Thursday, Dec. 20, from the Brady Foundation.

“Everything the property touches and everything across the street from it was already preserved,” explained outgoing Mayor Robert Holtaway, who advocated for the preservation. “Now we have the Pony Farm and we’re very pleased.”

“The Pony Farm is in the heart of the Lamington Conservancy’s preservation area, so we were excited to be able to use a state Green Acres grant to help Bedminster Township purchase this historic property,” said Alexandra Allen, president of the Lamington Conservancy.

 “The 13-plus acres are surrounded by preserved open space and add to the corridor of protected land along the Lamington River,” added Allen.” The preservation of this property made tremendous sense and is wonderful for the community.”

‘Great History’

“We’re very happy about what has happened here,” said James C. Brady, whose family owned the land for four generations. “There’s a great history on this property.”

 In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the property was part of the farm owned by John Honeyman, believed to be a Revolutionary War double-agent who provided false information to the Hessians to help George Washington win the pivotal Battle of Trenton in 1776. Honeyman settled in Bedminster after the war and became a local legend.

Later, the land became part of Hamilton Farm, the 5,000-acre grand estate assembled by financier James Cox Brady at the turn of the last century. As its name suggests, the Pony Farm was the section of Hamilton Farm on which Brady’s famous show ponies were raised.

 Hamilton Farm covered parts of Somerset, Morris and Hunterdon counties and was one of New Jersey’s largest working farms in the early to mid-1900s. Its heyday was brief, however, and much of the Hamilton Farm property has since been sold – including more than 1,000 acres for open space preservation and use by nonprofit groups.

The Brady Foundation approached Bedminster Township last summer about buying the Pony Farm, and New Jersey Conservation Foundation - which serves as land preservation advisor to the township - began working to secure funding.

Bedminster and the Lamington Conservancy each used state Green Acres funds toward the $703,333 purchase, and the township also used funding from its municipal open space trust fund.

Bedminster contributed $423,333 toward the preservation, including $247,500 in state Green Acres funds and $175,833 from its municipal open space trust fund, while the Lamington Conservancy contributed $280,000 from its Green Acres grant.

Holtaway said the Brady Foundation originally intended to demolish the house, leaving nothing but open space. “Then it was brought to my attention that it was a (Sears Roebuck) craftsman house, essentially intact,” he said.

Because of the historic significance of Sears Roebuck houses - which were sold in ready-to-build kits from 1908 to 1940 - Holtaway requested that the house be preserved. The Brady Foundation agreed to use funds that would have been spent demolishing the house to improve it instead. They installed a new well and septic system, and repaired the slate roof.

The township has rented the newly renovated house to North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development, a small environmental nonprofit previously located in Flemington. The land surrounding the house will be open to the public for hiking and other passive recreation.

Michael Catania, president of Conservation Resources Inc. of Chester and an open space advisor to the Brady family for more than 20 years, called the sale “a model transaction in today’s open space environment.”

For generations, Catania said, “the Brady family has been a model of responsible stewardship of the land, as well as visionary conservationists, which has been a great benefit to the community and I salute their legacy.”

 Michele S. Byers, executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation, also praised the Bradys’ land conservation ethic.

 “Thanks to their generosity, the Pony Farm is taking its place among Bedminster’s preserved lands,” she said. “Not only is a scenic and historic view preserved, but the water quality in the Black River is protected by having no further building on the property.”

 Other preserved properties immediately surrounding the Pony Farm include 78 acres of riverfront land purchased from the Brady family in 2005, another 18-acre riverside property known as “The Caves,” and 119 acres of preserved farmland to the east.

Over 5,000 Acres Being Preserved in Pinelands

Holy moley. Over 5,000 acres.

There are two stories. First one is from Philly.com. The second is the official press release from Trenton.

Jacqueline L. Urgo, Inquirer Staff Writer

POSTED: Friday, January 18, 2013, 3:01 AM

ESTELL MANOR, N.J. - Standing in a nearly 5,000-acre former game preserve owned for generations by 13 families, his own among them, Stewart Keener was finding it difficult to part Thursday with its nesting bald eagles, meandering streams, and a quiet so pronounced it's almost deafening.

"It's hard for us to let go, Keener, 47, of Philadelphia, said. "This is so unique here."

Minutes earlier, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection had formally announced acquisition of the parcel and a smaller adjacent one through its Green Acres land-preservation program. The price tag for one of the largest remaining privately held tracts in the state: $9.7 million.

As many as 500 houses could have been built on a property of its size, Estell Manor Mayor Joseph Venezia said. Instead, its woodlands and wetlands will be preserved as part of a 61,000-acre green belt through central Atlantic County that links Estell Manor Park with three DEP wildlife management areas where the Pine Barrens meet a coastal estuary ecosystem.

The total 5,079-acre deal included 109 acres bought from a group called HBH Associates. The acquisition was made in partnership with the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, the Nature Conservancy, and Conservation Resources Inc., and is among the largest state preservation efforts in decades, officials said.

Keener's grandfather Joseph was one of a group of sportsmen who formed Lenape Farms Inc. and bought the 4,970 acres in 1945 for $58,000.

Ownership passed to their children and grandchildren, many of whom continued to fish, hike, and hunt on the land their ancestors previously had leased for the same purpose.

The group hired professional foresters and managers to tend the gated property. A tree farm there sold Atlantic White cedar lumber and the harvesting helped ensure biodiversity, Keener said. When a recent problem with pine bark beetles cropped up, he said, the group paid about $10,000 to remove infested trees.

"This has never been a money-making endeavor for this group . . .. It has always been about a love for this land," said Keener, who was Lenape Farms' president.

Besides vast forests and expansive coastal uplands, the property includes a quirky three-story early-19th-century farmhouse that became the owners' lodge on weekend jaunts to hunt deer, duck, pheasant, and quail.

"Seventy years ago, 13 guys fell in love with this place and my grandfather was one of them," Keener said. "When I see it, I think of . . . the family picnics, the cards that were played, the meals that were shared, the first fish that were caught . . . fathers and sons fortifying bonds and lifelong friendships formed."

At a ceremony on the property Thursday, Keener called the place his Walden Pond and read from Thoreau during his remarks before a crowd of 50 state officials, environmental advocates, and others.

The place was used as a sportsmen's getaway for Atlantic City businessmen starting in the early 1920s. According to legend, it was on one such outing that insurance salesman Harry L. Godshall hatched an idea for a bathing beauty contest to keep tourists around after Labor Day. It later came to be known as the Miss America Pageant.

Before that, the place was a country farm and a World War I munitions depot, according to local historians.

About 20 miles west of Atlantic City at the southern edge of the Pinelands, the property is traversed by three tributaries of the Great Egg Harbor River - Steven's Creek, Gibson's Creek, and Mill Creek. State environmental groups say the property was so well managed by Lenape Farms that little needs done to it, DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said Thursday.

"The preservation of this property further enhances the quality of life in our state, providing additional outdoor recreational opportunities for our residents while adding environmental protections for an important natural area in southern New Jersey," Martin said at the ceremony.

The Green Acres program was begun in 1961 and now preserves 650,000 acres of open space in New Jersey. The properties offer hiking, fishing, playgrounds, athletic fields, boat ramps, fishing piers, and environmental education for public use. Green Acres projects help improve the state's quality of life and protect water resources, stimulating economic development and job creation, officials said.

This is a press release from the governor's office, so forgive me if I miss taking out any effusive, fawning language:

(13/P5) TRENTON – The Christie Administration announced today that the Department of Environmental Protection in partnership with the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, The Nature Conservancy, and Conservation Resources, Inc., has preserved 5,079 acres of woodlands and wetlands in Atlantic County’s Great Egg Harbor River watershed at a cost of $9.7 million.

The DEP’s Green Acres program finalized two related land purchases securing 4,970 acres from Lenape Farms and 109 acres from HBH Associates. The more than 5,000-acre project, one of the largest state preservation effort in years, helps link together more than 56,000 acres of previously existing state wildlife management areas, plus thousands of additional acres of county parkland in an area where the Pine Barrens meets a coastal estuary ecosystem.

“The preservation of this property further enhances the quality of life in our state, providing additional outdoor recreational opportunities for our residents while adding environmental protections for an important natural area in southern New Jersey,” DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said during ceremonies at the property. “We commend our partners for working with the state to preserve such a large tract of ecologically important land at the core of tens of thousands of acres of previously preserved lands.’’

The property flanks U.S. Route 50 in Estell Manor. The bulk of the property, known as Lenape Farms, contains large expanses of forested uplands that merge into coastal marshlands. The preserved property is now part of a state wildlife management area, providing hunting, fishing, hiking and bird watching opportunities for the public. It will also protect headwaters of Steven’s Creek, Gibson’s Creek and Mill Creek, which are tributaries to Great Egg Harbor River.

The preserved land directly links Atlantic County’s Estell Manor Park to three DEP wildlife management areas – the Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area and Gibson Creek Wildlife Management Area to the south and the Maple Lake Wildlife Management Area to the west. The Great Egg Harbor River Wildlife Management Area and the sprawling Peaslee Wildlife Management are also located nearby.

The newly acquired land is now the Lenape Farms unit of the Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area. The public can access the property by foot immediately as the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife develops and implements a management plan, which will include formal trail development.

“This is the largest single New Jersey land deal we have ever been involved in—a huge amount of acreage in a priority conservation area, with important implications for forests, wildlife and water systems,’’ said Barbara Brummer, New Jersey State Director for The Nature Conservancy. “We are deeply gratified to have been a leader in protecting this watershed for the future.’’

The tract had been used as a private hunting game preserve since the early 1900s, and was privately managed for forestry and wildlife purposes for many years.

“Lenape Farms has done a wonderful job of enhancing tree quality, encouraging forest regeneration, reducing wildfire hazards and protecting wildlife habitat for almost 100 years,’’ said Terry Caruso, Supervising Program Development Specialist for the DEP’s Green Acres program.

The property provides habitat for a number of wildlife species, including the barred owl, northern pine snake, Pine Barrens tree frog, Cooper’s hawk, timber rattlesnake, Cope’s gray tree frog, bald eagle, red-headed woodpecker, black rail, osprey, black-crowned night heron and diamondback terrapin. 

Under terms of the agreement, Lenape Farms was paid $9.4 million and HBH Associates received $334,000.

The DEP provided $6.5 million in Green Acres funding. The Nature Conservancy provided $3.2 million, which included a $2.3 million Pinelands Conservation grant from the Pinelands Commission and a $264,000 grant from Conservation Resources Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides financial and technical services to the conservation community in New Jersey.

“The Lenape Farms acquisition represents the permanent preservation of one of the largest remaining private parcels in the State” said Michael Catania, President of Conservation Resources, Inc.  “This tract, which has been wonderfully managed by private stewards for generations, is reminiscent of one of the huge Adirondack “camp” properties that have recently been preserved by public/private partnerships in New York. CRI salutes both the sellers and the partnership of buyers who had the vision and perseverance to save this gem in perpetuity.”

“It has been difficult for Lenape Farms to let go of this beautiful and pristine tract of land,” said Stew Keener, President of Lenape Farms Inc. “Our organization has enjoyed and carefully maintained the Lenape Farms property for multiple generations.

“Our stewardship and tree farming, which has been inspired and implemented by our forester, Bob Williams, is well documented and is a source of great pride for us,’’ said Keener. “We sincerely hope that this tradition of excellence continues in perpetuity now that the land is in the public domain. We are honored to have played a part in preserving one of the largest tracts in the state’s history.”

“This is an excellent addition to our efforts to preserve environmentally-sensitive land,” said Nancy Wittenberg, Executive Director of the Pinelands Commission. “Including this parcel, the Commission has now paid out a total of $7.9 million toward the permanent preservation of 6,670 acres of land.”

Together with public and private partners, the Green Acres program has directly protected 650,000 acres of open space and provided hundreds of recreational opportunities for a wide range of activities, including natural areas, hiking and fishing areas, city parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, boat ramps, docks, fishing piers and environmental education.

In addition to providing recreation opportunities, Green Acres projects help protect water quality and stimulate economic development by creating jobs, at the same time making cities and towns more attractive places to live and work.

To view a map of the site, visit: http://www.nj.gov/dep/docs/lenapefarms-map.pdf

For more information on the DEP’s Green Acres Program, visit:

http://www.nj.gov/dep/greenacres/.

For more information on the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/pinelands/

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization that works to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. For more information on the organization’s work in New Jersey, please visit:nature.org/newjersey.

For more information on Conservation Resources, please visit: http://conservationresources.org/

256 Acres Preserved Around Carrier Clinic, Somerset County

I used to live near here, and love when I hear about their continued efforts to preserve land. Route 601, where Carrier Clinic is located, is loaded with open space. It's a beautiful road, unlike parts of nearby Route 206, which has been bitch-slapped by short-sighted, "profits are all that matter" developers before.

This post comes courtesy Patch.com.

County to Preserve Land Around Carrier Clinic

Somerset County will preserve 256 acres of wooded open space surrounding Carrier Clinic in the Belle Mead section of the township.

The county came to the planning board on Thursday evening to ask for a minor subdivision of the parcel that lies in both Hillsborough and Montgomery.

According to William Robertson, deputy Somerset County counsel, Carrier Clinic owns 367 acres, 99 of which are in Hillsborough. The county will be acquiring 256 acres.

Of the 99 acres in Hillsborough, Carrier Clinic will retain nearly 18 acres to be used for a solar installation. That project has already been approved by the Board of Adjustment.

Tom Bocino, of the Somerset County Engineering Department, said the open space will become part of the county’s Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Bocino said the space will be used for passive recreation and the only possible construction in the future would be a trail system.

“We do not propose any improvements,” he said.

He said that a vacant house in the northwestern part of the property would be demolished. Bocino also said a part of the property is also farmed and that will continue until the county completes an assessment.

One of the largest private, not-for-profit behavioral healthcare facilities in New Jersey, Carrier Clinic, specializes in psychiatric and substance abuse addiction treatment on the inpatient and residential levels.

Without discussion, the board unanimously approved the subdivision.

Robertson said the county will also be seeking approval from Montgomery.

Almost 200 Acres Preserved in Morris County

This one is a two-fer. I was already planning on posting the 129-acre announcements, but this article, from the Daily Record, also notes a piece of preserved land on the Mendham-Chester border. Whoo hoo!

Two large swaths of land were preserved this week in deals that will add nearly 200 acres to public lands. Both deals — 129 acres bordering Rockaway and Boonton townships, and 46-acres bordering Chester and Mendham townships — were brokered by the Trust for Public Land and announced Wednesday.

More than 129 acres south of Decker Road in Rockaway and Boonton townships were preserved and will be managed by the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. The purchase extends the Johanson tract, a 62-acre property managed by the nonprofit land group that is adjacent to Wildcat Ridge Management Area.

About $1.2 million of the $1.74 million purchase price came from the Morris County open space trust fund.

The property supports critical water resources, including a tributary of the Stony Brook, a Rockaway River watershed stream and Dixon’s Pond, according to a prepared statement that said the pond will not be open to the public, but future trails will offer hikers lake views.

Michele S. Byers, executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, called it a “Highlands gem.”

“It contains valuable wetlands, as well as rocky outcrops with wonderful views of the water,” Byers said. “We are pleased to work with The Trust for Public Land, Morris County, and the state to permanently protect this beautiful wooded property and expand the area’s network of preserved lands.”

In Chester and Mendham townships, the 46-acre Shale Valley property consists of mature upland woodlands and wetlands that connect the Morris County-owned Mount Paul County Park and the Mendham Township-owned Burnett Brook Natural Area.

Funding for the $1,697,500 purchase was provided by a $1,188,250 grant from the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund.

The property was transferred to the Schiff Natural Lands Trust, which owns the nearby 423-acre Schiff Nature Preserve. The organization intends to conduct a large-scale ecological restoration on a portion of the property that was mined for shale. It is envisioned that the restoration would convert 9 acres of the former mining area into a functioning, emergent wetland and upland habitat.

“Preserving and restoring this critical link in the Schiff to Mount Paul Greenway is a key goal identified in our new strategic plan, as well as a natural extension of our community-based conservation efforts in this area over the last decade,” said Marissa Hartzler, executive director of the Schiff Natural Lands Trust.

An acre whore's favorite words: preserves more land.

This post comes courtesy Courier-Post Online.com

Burlington County preserves more land

MOUNT HOLLY — The county that leads in farmland preservation in New Jersey now has preserved more than 25,000 acres of farmland with its latest purchases.

Burlington County added eight more farms to its preservation list last week and also sold five preserved farms to owners who must keep the land in agriculture.

The county approved payment of $4 million for 701 acres on eight farms, including three in Pemberton Township and several within the Pinelands.

Approval for the settlements came at a recent meeting of the county board of freeholders.

Mary Pat Robbie, director of the county department of resource conservation, said this boosts the total number of acres beyond 25,000 throughout the county– largest county in square miles in the state.

“What we are seeing with preserved farms and those we have sold at auction is that farmers are continuing to invest in land and agriculture,” she said.

She said farmers are using some of their preservation payments from the county to reinvest in more agricultural land.

“That is exactly what we want to see,” she said.

The county pays the potential development value to preserve farms using one of two methods — purchasing a property easement banning all non-agricultural development or buying a farm outright and then either using it for open space or preservation programs, or selling it at auction.

The eight newly bought farms are Ditullio in Mansfield; Black Dog, Bush and Stevenson, all in Pemberton Township; Kucowksi in North Hanover; Alloway Family LP in Shamong; and Haines in Tabernacle.

Last week the county also approved a February auction sale that netted $2.9 million for five farms totaling 731 acres and drew a crowd of 150 people.

Three of those farms are in Springfield. The others are in Hainesport and Shamong. Four are crop farms and Aristone, a horse farm in Shamong, is the first farm ever preserved in that municipality.

Freeholder-Director Bruce Garganio said income from this auction will be used to preserve other farms within the county.

The county finances its purchases with a dedicated property tax of four cents for every $100 of assessed private land in the county.

This tax for farmland, open space and historic preservation was approved by voters and raises millions of tax dollars every year.

Most purchases involve a state matching grant and, in some cases, a lesser match from a municipality.

“By transferring this farmland back into private ownership, the county is helping to ensure the long-term viability of the agricultural industry within it while minimizing the county’s management expense and taxpayer cost,” Garganio said.

Gloucester County farmer Peter Gasko of Monroe paid the most for the auctioned farms— $745,000 for the Ziegler/Walder farm on Juliustown Road in Springfield.

Crop farmer Christopher Probasco of Chesterfield, who already farms many acres in Burlington County, bought the 126-acre BF&W Farm that he already was leasing from the county.

Probasco said he likes to buy farms that need work but have good soil like this one because it can be purchased for less than the cost of a manicured farm.

“We also farm right next to it, so for efficiency reasons it also makes sense and we’ll install some hedgerows and some drainage,” he said.

In bid to protect Barnegat Bay, state buys 385 acres of Pinelands

Always good to see more acreage preserved along the Barnegat Bay!

Originally appeared on New Jersey Newsroom.

249 acres in Eagleswood and 136 acres in Stafford

The state Green Acres Program has purchased 385 acres of forests in the Barnegat Bay watershed, and Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin said Monday the agency is on pace to preserve some 3,000 acres in the watershed by the end of the year.

The Green Acres State Land Acquisition Program purchased the land, encompassing two separate properties, for $607,052 from International Recycling Systems. The acquisitions are intended to preserve high-quality Pinelands habitat that will help protect water quality in the headwaters of Cedar Run, Westecunk Creek and Mill Creek, all tributaries of Barnegat Bay.

The properties - 249 acres in Eagleswood and 136 acres in Stafford - will be added to the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area, managed by the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Both properties consist of pine and oak forests that provide suitable habitat for species such as the state-endangered Pine Barrens tree frog, the state-threatened northern pine snake and the pine warbler.

At more than 11,500 acres, Stafford Forge is one of New Jersey's largest wildlife management areas. The area is popular with hikers, canoeists, bird watchers, hunters and nature lovers.

Since launching an effort to restore the ecologically stressed bay in December 2010, the state Department of Environmental Protection has set its sights on preserving 50,000 acres in the watershed. Martin said protected land helps filter and control stormwater that can carry harmful nutrients into the bay.

“The Christie administration remains steadfast in its commitment to improving water quality in Barnegat Bay, an ecologically and economically vital asset to the state," Martin said. "The preservation of land is a critical component of Governor Christie's 10-point comprehensive restoration plan for the bay."

The Christie administration has committed nearly $3 million to the preservation of more than 2,000 acres in the watershed so far, including projects that have added 180 acres to the DEP's Forestry Resource Education Center in Jackson, expanded Double Trouble State Park by 306 acres, and assisted Ocean County in preserving 836 acres of Pinelands in Ocean Township.

In addition, the Green Acres Program has reached agreement on a project that will permanently protect a 436-acre Boy Scout camp in Ocean County.

East Windsor Acquires 47.55 Acres

Have to love the comment from the numbnuts on this story, especially after the story notes no taxpayer money was used in the land acquisition. Sigh.

This originally appeared on East Windsor Patch

East Windsor Acquires 47.55 Acres for Open Space Preservation

East Windsor Township acquired 40 acres on Etra Road and 7.55 acres on Airport Road for open space preservation, according to a news release.

“Preserving these properties as open space will directly contribute to and enhance the attractiveness of our community and the living environment for our residents,” Mayor Janice Mironov said in a news release. “Acquisition of these properties represents another excellent step in further expanding open space and potential recreational opportunities.”

The $1,100,000 purchase price of the Etra Road property was underwritten by several grants, including Green Acres, Mercer County open space grants and New Jersey Turnpike Authority funds, the release said. The Airport Road property, which is wooded, has some wetlands and a pervious parking lot, was donated by Pulte Homes to be used for open space.

“These acquisitions are a continuation of a major goal of the Township to preserve farmland and open space for the benefit of current and future residents of East Windsor Township,” Mironov said.

No property taxpayer money was used to acquire the land, the release said.
More than 2,600 acres in the Township have been permanently preserved as open space and farmland, according to Mironov.

“With these most recent grants, the total amount of Green Acres funds approved to date through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the Township and East Windsor Green Space is over $6.35 million, along with approximately $3 million in Mercer County open space grants and over $2 million in developer donations,” she said.

22 Acres Added in Hopewell, Cumberland County

Originally appeared in The News of Cumberland County


HOPEWELL TWP. — There’s a sense of urgency in Matt Blake’s voice as he describes the future of New Jersey’s Green Acres Program.

On one hand, 22.5 acres at Elk Lake, in Hopewell Township, was just added to the Cohansey State Wildlife Management Area’s 800 acres.

On the other, the final round of Green Acres funding was just announced and Blake would hate to see Cumberland County miss out.

“There’s a brief window of opportunity until mid-February where towns and counties can apply for funding,” Blake said Wednesday of the program overseen by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

He’s working on raising awareness of this issue at the local level but at the moment, the 22 acres tacked onto the Cohansey management area is reason to celebrate.

“The site served as a cultural epicenter for Springtown in Greenwich, which was founded by freed slaves and Quakers who played a historically significant role in the area’s renown as a major focal point of the Underground Railroad,” Blake said.

That land, sold by the Mulhern family, was offered to Green Acres though their standard application process, though the project was apparently long in the works.

Typically, properties with willing sellers are inspected and appraised before an offer is made. In this case, the Elk Lake location was approved and now joins the Cohansey management area.

The springs that feed Elk Lake start on the property that was just sold. That’s something significant because Blake said it keeps the lake pristine and transparent — even 7 feet down.

The other timely matter worthy of mention: Green Acres sent out letters late last month to all counties and local governments in New Jersey concerning the 2012 funding round.

Voters approved the three-year Green Acres Bond Act in 2009 and 2012 brings the final round of the funding. A new source of funding would need to be approved by voters, though Blake is unsure when that may come around.

“This will be last opportunity for Cumberland County, as well its towns, to take advantage of this funding until a new funding source is approved at the ballot-box,” said Blake.

Local governments will have until mid-February to turn in their applications.
The funding traditionally can be put toward land acquisition, development and conservation projects or the other half of an initiative that requires matching funds.

Counties with an Open Space plan, as Cumberland does, typically receive between $900,000 and $1 million in grants. Blake notes the accomplishments of Essex County over the past nine years: an enhanced park system, athletic fields, playgrounds, parking areas and more.

“Cumberland County is blessed with exciting downtowns,” he said.

“Any community with a waterfront area in need of redevelopment ought to be talking to the county about securing this money for possible projects — be in downtown Fairton, Bridgeton, Millville, Greenwich, Fortescue, Bivalve or Shellpile,” said Blake.

The grant application process is apparently none too complicated. Blake said Matt Pisarski, from the county Department of Planning and Development, told him Tuesday that the “application isn’t heavy lifting.”

Open Space efforts tend to fall on the back burner in light of budget crunches, Blake said. He accepts that, but, noted the county created an open space plan to take advantage of the funding floating around.

He noted that county Planning Board Director Bob Brewer told him the pursuit of grants is a freeholder decision. The county sees themselves as a conduit in this process but “they need to be in a position to pounce when opportunities present themselves,” Blake said.

22 Acres Preserved in West Amwell, Hunterdon County

This is a beautiful part of the state. Continued preservation efforts can only help keep it that way.


Information provided by D&R Greenway Land Trust newsletter (www.drgreenway.org):

• Preserved in a 50% bargain sale in honor of the owner's parents, who had owned the land.
• Located on Barry Road in West Amwell Township, just east of a major concentration of D&R Greenway-preserved land.
• Primarily wooded with young successional forest on the east side and older woodland on the west side.
• Protects forested headwaters of the Moores Creek.
• Provides opportunities for public trails near the existing Dry Run Creek and Rockhopper Trails.
• West Amwell will own and manage the land for recreation and conservation purposes.

140 Acres Preserved in Middle Township

Originally on The Press of Atlantic City
By Sarah Watson

More than 140 acres of privately owned, undeveloped wetlands in Middle Township near the
Cape May National Wildlife Refuge will be purchased by the state for conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Wednesday.
The federal agency is contributing $1 million in grant money toward the $2.2 million purchase price; $1.2 million of existing Green Acres money also will be used to purchase the saltwater marsh and upland, a news release states.

The Middle Township tract abuts the Cape May Wetlands Wildlife Management Area, which is one of the most significant concentration areas for migratory birds in the world.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife announced the grant as part of nearly $6.8 million for preservation in six East Coast states.

88 Acres Preserved in Warren County

FRANKLIN TWP. — An 88-acre township farm is adding to the more than 20,000 acres of farmland preserved in Warren County.

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey recently announced that the Santini Farm has been preserved. Owned by Santino and Clara Santini, this farm is “part of a rich agricultural farm-belt near Warren County’s southern border with Hunterdon County,” states a release from Land Conservancy of New Jersey. “The Santini Farm is located within the Pohatcong Ridge Project Area identified in the township’s Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan completed by Township and The Land Conservancy of New Jersey in 2008. By preserving this farm, the rural character of the area will be maintained and protected.”

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey and Warren County Freeholders purchased the development rights of the property. The Land Conservancy’s funding for this project came from the Garden State Preservation Trust via the State Agricultural Development Committee (SADC) non-profit grant program. These funds were matched by Warren County for a total purchase price of $564,768. Warren County’s contribution was approved by the County Agricultural Development Board.

This acquisition is the latest in a series of closings that The Land Conservancy has completed in Warren County. The Conservancy has spent over $1 million in helping to preserve six different farms in Warren County since 2005. “The Land Conservancy is delighted to continue our partnership with the Freeholder Board to preserve critical farms that preserve an important but threatened way of life in Warren County,” said conservancy President David Epstein. “We thank the Township of Franklin, the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and the State Agriculture Development Committee for their contributions and interest in preserving this beautiful land.”

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a non profit member supported organization dedicated to preserving and protecting New Jersey’s vital natural lands and drinking water resources. To date, the conservancy has helped preserve over 17,600 acres of open space lands and helped towns receive more than $210 million for their land conservation projects.

240 Acres Preserved in Kingwood Twp., Hunterdon County

By Teresa Fasanello


KINGWOOD TWP. — Township officials signed the deed to about 240 acres on the Horseshoe Bend Road property on May 26, after more than five years of negotiations and waiting for funding.

The financial transaction of $5.8 million is expected to take place later in June, Mayor Phillip Lubitz said. About $4.7 million will come from the state Green Acres program, $1.1 million from township open space funds, $444,000 from the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and $150,000 from a Natural Resources of New Jersey grant.

About 73 acres were already purchased last year by the township, the conservation foundation and Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, bringing the total purchase price to about $6.3 million.

Formerly owned by Deer Run Equestrian Village LLC, the property was subdivided into about 60 residential lots in 2006, and could have become a development if not preserved as open space.

Lubitz called the property “the jewel of all the Hunterdon County parks.”

Use of the property is free to Kingwood Township residents, hikers and “nature lovers” for horseback riding, mountain biking, bird watching and other “passive” recreational activities, he said.

An 11,000-square-foot indoor equestrian center already stands on the property, along with barns and other structures.

Township officials are negotiating with equestrian, biking and hiking associations, and hope to create an agreement for those associations to use the property in exchange for helping to maintain it, according to Committeeman Jim Burke.

21 Acres Preserved in Jackson Twp., Ocean County

By Phil Stilton

             Almost 21 acres of natural lands in Jackson Township will be preserved as open space by the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders.   “This purchase comes with a number of benefits,” said Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr., who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee. “It will preserve this land as open space and provide an added buffer to future encroachment of the Joint Base.”

            As part of the acquisition, the military has committed to fund 50 percent of the purchase price of $450,000.        “The location of this property, near the northern boundary of Joint Base – Dix, McGuire, Lakehurst, makes it eligible for the cost share funding from the Department of Defense,” said Freeholder John P. Kelly, Director of Law and Public Safety. “This continuing partnership shows our commitment to the Joint Base and the military’s commitment to continue to work with Ocean County.

 “The purchase helps to minimize future encroachments to base operations,” Kelly said.  Kelly noted that a recently completed Joint Land Use Study with the military bases, surrounding municipalities, Burlington and Ocean counties identified the preservation of certain lands as important to provide a buffer for the Joint Base.

“This parcel is consistent with that recommendation,” Kelly said. The land is located along Toms River Road (County Road 571) and Lakehurst Road in Jackson Township. It is across from properties already preserved.  “This parcel contains a small tributary to the Ridgeway Branch of the Toms River which has been recognized as an important critical habitat corridor,” Bartlett noted. “Acquisition of this property will help create a greenway from the Joint Base north to Patriots’ County Park and the state’s Forest Resource Education Center. This land meets the eligibility requirements of the county’s open space program and has been recommended for preservation by the Natural Lands Advisory Committee.”

The owner of the property is BG Investments @ JoAnn Timbers LLC, Lakewood. “This purchase emphasizes the importance of working in cooperation with different agencies for the best results possible for Ocean County,” said Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “The military’s contribution to this purchase helps Ocean County and the base which is a vital economic and safety engine for the region.”

147 Acres Preserved in Franklin Lakes

By Rebecca K. Abma

Many communities buzz about going green but in Franklin Lakes it's about staying green. The culmination of many years — and many hands — came Saturday as the borough dedicated the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve.

The man-made lake, formerly known as the Haledon Reservoir, and its encompassing 140-plus acres of pristine nature was purchased for $6.5 million in 2006 and is now forever preserved.

It was a dream of many, most notably perhaps Alan Slepp, former chairman of the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve Advisory Committee, who was given the honor of cutting the ribbon. After years of speaking out to preserve the property, Slepp’s response to the day is muffled from post-stroke aphasia. “It's such a beautiful spot, he wanted to save it. We’re very glad,” his daughter, Michelle, translated for him.

Despite the soft weather, dozens of supporters and enthusiasts came out for the opening, which was made possible due to a long list of collaborators: Former Mayor Tom Donch and the council from the time of acquisition through to today, Former Borough Administrator Bob Hoffmann, Former Mayor County Freeholder Maura DeNicola, Tom Lambrix and the Environmental Commission, The Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve Advisory Committee, The Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve Executive Committee, the Shade Tree Commission, Brian Peterson and the DPW, Ann Swist and the Public Events Committee and most importantly the New Jersey Green Acres program and Bergen County Open Space program.

“This is an open space preservation success story,” Borough Administrator Greg Hart said. “Acquisition of this property was feasible only with substantial contributions from the New Jersey Green Acres Program and the Bergen County Open Space Program. Very few parcels of this size, particularly in northern New Jersey, have been preserved. This vast property is forever deed restricted for passive recreation use in accordance with Green Acres and County Open Space regulations.”

The passive recreation at the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve is actually quite active, compared with other nature preserves in the area. Fishing, picnicking, dog walking, bird watching and frolicking are all encouraged.

“We want everyone to enjoy it,” Mayor Frank Bivona said, noting that residents all have a stake in it. “We have to thank the taxpayers for this, too. I like to think of this as a happy tax. We all get to enjoy it, forever.”

The reservoir came into existence in 1919, with a damn built along the Molly Ann Brook, a tributary of the Passaic River that snakes through Paterson, Haledon, Prospect Park, North Haledon and Franklin Lakes. The lake served as the water supply to Haledon, North Haledon and Prospect Park, until about 10 years ago, when water quality issues arose.

“As is common with surface water supplies, the decomposition of organic matter, such as leaves, affected the taste of the water which also reacted with chlorine during the disinfection process to produce other compounds which are regulated by the NJDEP,” Engineer Kevin Boswell explained. “The Borough of Haledon determined it was more cost-effective to bulk purchase the water from the Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) than to treat it for these compounds. The taste of the water from the PVWC was also better. Consequently, it was both an economic as well as a water quality decision.”

After years of negotiations, the borough faced another long road getting the property ready for the public. There were substantial improvements to the Lower Dam roadway, environmental remediation of the old Haledon DPW site, replacement of fencing on Ewing Avenue and High Mountain Road, repair of valves on main dam, countless reports on our two dams, maintaining water quality; more recently, fencing, clearing and expanding the parking area (which is the foundation from the old building), removing hazardous trees, improving drainage along the pathway, setting up a picnic area and sinage.

“The DPW, under the guidance of Supt. Brian Peterson, has been working non-stop in recent months to get this park ready for the people,” Hart said. “We are there, ready to share our park, our Nature Preserve. Walk it, go fishing, check out the wildlife and go birdwatching, try a picnic in the picnic grove, or just relax and enjoy the quiet.”

Patch Fact: The lake is listed as number 15 in the 1998 book, “Gone Fishing: 100 Best Fishing Spots in New Jersey” for its abundance of bass, black crapple, pickerel, carp, catfish and perch. Get your fishing license online or nearby at Ramsey Outdoors in Ramsey and Paramus, the Sports Authority in Paramus or Wayne, of Kmart in Wayne.