76 Acres in Upper Pittsgrove Twp., Salem County, Preserved

Upper Pittsgrove is second in the state for preserved farmland, only to Upper Freehold, in Monmouth County. Pretty impressive.

Originally appeared on NJ.com

View full sizeStaff photo by Britney Lillya

UPPER PITTSGROVE TWP. — A 76-acre farm on Burlington Road in Monroeville is being put into preservation through the state program, Mayor Jack Cimprich said recently. 

Dolores Kernan will have her property preserved, adding to the township’s 7,874 acres of preserved farmland. 

Hope Gruzlovic, a spokesperson for the State Farmland Preservation Program and the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), said that Upper Pittsgrove is number two in preserved farmland to Upper Freehold in Monmouth County, which has 8,585 acres preserved. She added that there are 198,543 acres preserved statewide. Salem County is number one in preserved farmland through the State Preservation Program, with 29,418 acres.

While Kernan is setting her land up for preservation, she will continue to own the property. Rather than selling the property, she sold the development rights. By doing this, a deed of easement for the development of the land is placed.

“The property becomes restricted in how it can be used,” Cimprich explained.

These restrictions would involve what can be built on the property. No houses or other structures besides those involving farming can be built, and the land can still be farmed.

The funding comes from a Plan Incentive Grant (PIG) from SADC. SADC is funded by the Garden State Preservation Trust. Kernan received $4,200 per acre for the development rights of the land, which is at a net amount of 75.305 acres, totaling $316,281. PIG funding receives an approximate 20 percent match from the county and township each and approximately 60 percent from the state.

“What happens is, each township that is interested is awarded a certain amount of funds,” Cimprich said. “For this case, it was $1.25 million for the acquisition of farmland.”

Part of that money was used for this preservation project.

The SADC provides numerous ways of helping with the preservation process. It can give grants to counties, municipalities and nonprofit groups to pay for the development of the farmland, or offer grants to fund up to 50 percent of the cost of soil and water conservation projects, according to their website. It is also possible for the land to be completely sold to the SADC, though only for property ranging from 92 or more acres.

Cimprich went on to say that the program is a good one, and he hopes it will continue in the upcoming years.

He also mentioned that there are 15 other properties in Upper Pittsgrove totaling 1,100 acres that are approved and set to be put into the state preservation program. In some cases they are waiting for finalization from landowners, Cimprich said, but not all of these properties will necessarily be added for preservation. However, the funding is available and there is better than a 50 percent chance that most of the properties will be added.

Some funding for other land going into preservation may come from the Green Acres or the Federal Farm and Ranch Program.

Several, Cimprich said, fall into the last group.

86 Acres Preserved in Hopewell Twp, Mercer County

I used to live and work near this area. It's stunning, and efforts to preserve the land like this will only help keep it that way.

Press release courtesy D&R Greenway Land Trust.

LAST week, D&R Greenway preserved 22 acres in East Amwell Twp, Hunterdon County.   THIS week, we preserved 86 acres in Hopewell Twp, Mercer County!

With your help and with the outstanding support of our partners, on June 21st D&R Greenway purchased 86 acres of meadows and forest for permanent preservation. These rolling fields and woodlands represent one of the last missing connections in the Stony Brook Greenway. Thanks to our funding partners: the New Jersey Green Acres Program, Mercer County, Hopewell Township,  Hopewell Borough and Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space.  This land connects the Stony Brook south of Rte. 518 to the Cedar Ridge Preserve north of Rte. 518, a D&R Greenway 'Signature Preserve'. The property offers beautiful views toward the Sourlands ridge and will link the Stony Brook to the Sourlands. Mature forest supports a diverse native canopy and rich herbaceous layer. The structure and composition of these areas provide important habitat for forest-dwelling wildlife species.  Protected native species in the stream corridor include pinxster azalea, false hellebore, smooth yellow violet, cutleaf toothwort, and Canada mayflower. Open fields will provide for high quality pollinator and grassland species habitat.   "My parents bought this land in 1950 and I grew up here. My wife, Jody, and I, have now shared this property longer than they did -- over 30 years. We wanted to preserve this land to keep the special qualities of our community." -Townsend Olcott, landowner

Former Linden Landfill Now a Wildlife Refuge

When some people think of NJ, they think of dank, sad, industrialized places like Linden. And, then, you hear about something like this and remember that even places like this can be put back in their proper state.

Courtesy NJ.com

LINDEN — Along the trail, you walk under the forest canopy and then out onto a bridge over a tidal wetland. The briny smell stings your nostrils.

Small chirping birds zip by, flies buzz in your face and the wind rustles grasses coating a tall hill to the east. For many parts of the Garden State, this is not a remarkable sight.

But that hill, 100 feet tall and stretching for dozens of acres, is actually a tomb filled with decades of trash from surrounding communities — places that are not so far away that they can’t be heard in the distance.

The Linden Landfill, once one of the most problematic — and fined — in the state, has now been converted into a natural setting in the midst of one of the most historically industrialized parts of New Jersey: the Tremley Point section of Linden.

Five years of planning and work culminated with the opening last week of Hawk Rise Sanctuary.

The 95-acre preserve and wetland complex in Union County is carved right around the former landfill, which is now capped. The preserved forests and wetlands now host a variety of wildlife, including more than 120 species of birds, according to environmentalists.

View full sizeRuss DeSantis/For The Star-LedgerThe Linden Landfill, once one of the most problematic in the state, has now been converted into a natural setting in the midst of one of the most historically industrialized parts of New Jersey: the Tremley Point section of Linden.

The place is an estuary location, where the currents of the freshwater Rahway River mingle and tug back and forth with the tides of the salty Arthur Kill. For centuries it’s been a bird habitat, no matter what humans have done to the land and the water. But now it’s a natural oasis set aside for people to enjoy, too.

"This is a pretty area," said David Couto, a junior at Raritan Valley Community College as he walked the trail to train for an internship with the New Jersey Audubon Society. "Right in the middle of Linden — I had no idea."

For years, the 55-acre landfill had been a point of contention between the state and city. Originally slated to close in 1982, the city-owned landfill continued accepting waste until 2000, Mayor Richard Gerbounka said. In the meantime, Linden racked up nearly $1 million in fines from the state Department of Environmental Protection for various violations. Eventually, Gerbounka said, the city closed and capped the landfill, at cost of $13.5 million.

As part of a 2007 settlement over the outstanding fines, the city agreed to invest the $1 million and develop the nature preserve. Linden invested an additional $1 million to develop 1½ miles of trails and other improvements, the mayor said.

View full sizeRuss DeSantis/For The Star-LedgerThe former Linden Landfill is now a wildlife refuge. Kelly Wenzel, left, project coordinator of the Urban Education program at N.J. Audobon, conducts a tour of the refuge for RVCC students Michael Hennessey, middle, of Basking Ridge, and David Couto, right, of Bridgewater.

At the same time, the DEP committed $1 million in state Green Acres funding, including funds from a separate settlement with Merck & Co. over groundwater contamination in the area.

Before the landfill closed, Linden Historical Society president Beatrice Bernzott was instrumental in getting an adjacent piece of land preserved. That tract, consisting of several dozen acres the city wanted to use for a recycling center and golf course, instead became part of the Hawk Rise.

"It was Cancer Alley for years," said Bernzott, 83. "But Hawk Rise is the future for Linden."

Plans call for harvesting methane from the landfill for energy, as well as installing solar panels and windmills to produce clean energy, Gerbounka said.

Though the process of closing the landfill was sometimes "frustrating," he said, the DEP had good intentions and he’s now happy with the results.

"I’m not an environmentalist," Gerbounka said, "but I’m excited."

Tucked between the red maple, pin oak and sweetgum trees, groundwater testing wells still stick out of the ground along the trail, but aquatic and plant life are flourishing, said Kelly Wenzel, New Jersey Audubon’s project coordinator for the site.

View full sizeRuss DeSantis/For The Star-LedgerThe former Linden Landfill is now a wildlife refuge. Raritan Valley Community College student Emily Willoughby, of Belle Mead, uses her binoculars to scope out the wildlife refuge.

A herd of deer has even taken up residence in the relatively small preserve, which sits just east of Routes 1&9 and is surrounded by industry, the municipal animal shelter and a gun range. Wenzel said birds in particular look to the preserve on their migratory flights.

"When birds are flying by, this is the one (undeveloped) dark spot in the area," she said, adding that the Linden school system plans to bring students there for science field trips.

Wolf Skacel, the DEP’s assistant commissioner for compliance and enforcement, said the nature of his job doesn’t normally get him warm welcomes. But it’s been different as his office and Linden have worked together.

"It takes an urban environment and allows people within a few minutes to get into a wild place," Skacel said of the preserve. "What they’ve done is take an inaccessible piece of property and turn it into a park that is for everybody."

41 Acres Preserved in Tewksbury, Hunterdon County

For all those people who have no idea what New Jersey has to offer besides guidos, permatans, traffic and the airport, take a look at this. You're welcome.

Courtesy NJConversation.org

TEWKSBURY TWP. – Forty-one agricultural acres have been added to New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s Hill & Dale property, enlarging it to 142 acres and boosting farmland preservation in the area.

The newly preserved property is at the intersection of Hill & Dale and Parsonage Lot roads, and includes corn and hay fields, a wooded stream corridor and two small cottages. It abuts the original 101 acres preserved last summer as a nature and agricultural preserve.

“We’re very excited to expand the Hill & Dale Preserve, and are grateful to all of the donors and partners who made this possible,” said Michele Byers, executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation. “To us, a preserve that protects both agriculture and open space is the best of all worlds.”

The land was purchased using funding from the State Agriculture Development Committee, Hunterdon County and numerous private donors from the community.

“The State Agriculture Development Committee is very pleased to partner in this cooperative project to permanently protect this farm to ensure the land forever remains available for agricultural use, and to further farmland preservation efforts in the Highlands Preservation Area,” said Agriculture Secretary Douglas Fisher.

Farm lanes and trails surrounding the preserve’s cultivated agricultural fields are open to the public for hiking, horseback riding and nature observation. The upper section of the preserve offers a view of the surrounding Hunterdon County countryside, while the lower section provides access to the Rockaway Creek and two tributaries.

“This land acquisition represents the continued commitment to land preservation by Hunterdon County and its partners,” said Hunterdon County Freeholder Matt Holt.  “Having walked this site several times, I can say it is one of the jewels in preserved sites in the northern part of our county.  We look forward to continuing to preserve great land parcels such as the Hill & Dale Preserve.”

The Hill & Dale Preserve is part of the landmark 310-acre Hill & Dale Farm, whose distinctive Dutch barns were originally built nearly a century ago for dairy farming. More recently, the farm has been used for horses.

“We’re delighted that the second phase closed and that the property is now in the hands of New Jersey Conservation Foundation,” said seller Michael Rothpletz. He noted that in addition to purchasing 142 acres, New Jersey Conservation Foundation is helping his family with farmland preservation on its 150 remaining acres.

New Jersey Conservation Foundation is a private, non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve land and natural resources throughout New Jersey. Since 1960, the foundation has helped preserve more than 120,000 acres of open space and farmland.

48-Acre Farm Preserved in Cumberland County

Yay! Another area I have intended to visit for a while. Maybe when I go on vacation in September ...?
Article courtesy NJConservation.org

HOPEWELL TWP. - A 48-acre farm along the Cohansey River in Hopewell Township has been permanently preserved through a partnership between Cumberland County, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the state’s Farmland Preservation Program and the Open Space Institute. 

The farm, owned by Carmen Adamucci, is located at the intersection of Sanitarium and Aitkin roads in the Dutch Neck section of the township. Vegetable crops are grown in the fields, which are separated from the river’s marshlands by a hedgerow. 

Development rights to the farm were purchased using funding from Cumberland County, the State Agriculture Development Committee, and a grant to New Jersey Conservation Foundation from the Open Space Institute. Although the land will continue to be owned by Mr. Adamucci, it will be permanently restricted for agricultural use. 

“This farm was a high priority for preservation because of its prime soils and close proximity to the river,” said Michele S. Byers, executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation. “The preservation effort was made even more urgent because it was once proposed for a housing development.” 

The Cohansey River corridor is critical for wildlife habitat, especially waterfowl, marine life and birds like bald eagles. Preservation of the Adamucci farm will help protect water quality in the river and surrounding marshes, and the region’s remaining forests. 
“With its high-quality soils, the Adamucci farm is a valuable addition to Cumberland County’s roster of preserved farmland,” said Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher, who chairs the State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) that administers New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation Program. “The SADC was pleased to provide a grant toward the preservation of this farm, and we look forward to working with our partners to preserve many more farms in Cumberland County.” 

Cumberland County Freeholder Tom Sheppard said the county is glad to have more farmland preserved so it can continue to be the production center of the Garden State. “Without the critical mass of good land that has not been developed, we would be unable to hold the businesses that depend on commercial growers to survive,” said Sheppard. “From the stores that sell supplies, to the farms and their workers, to the banks that handle the money, all of Cumberland County benefits.” 

“The Open Space Institute is very pleased to have been a part of the successful completion of the Adamucci Farm preservation through a grant from its Bayshore-Highlands Fund,” said Peter Howell, OSI’s executive vice president. “This farm will add to the corridor of exceptionally rich and productive farmland in Hopewell Township along the north shore of the Cohansey River. The permanent protection of the Adamucci Farm will also add to the rich mosaic of farmland and forests, marshland and wetlands in the area which serve as prime habitat for species such as the bald eagle, endangered shorebirds other diverse and rare wildlife.” 

The Adamucci farm is the first of several farms in the Dutch Neck neighborhood – the area within a wide bend of the Cohansey in Hopewell Township - that are being targeted for preservation. 

22 Acres of Forest Preserved in Hunterdon County

A beautiful part of New Jersey stays beautiful, with the help of preservation efforts like this:

From the D&R Greenway Land Trust:

We did it! With your help, D&R Greenway Land Trust   and East Amwell Township preserved 22 acres in   East Amwell Township, Hunterdon County!  On June 14, D&R Greenway Land Trust and East Amwell Township preserved the 22-acre Lang property in Hunterdon County, valued at $300,000.     D&R Greenway provided the staffing to secure this parcel for preservation, and will manage the land in partnership with East Amwell Township. The 22-acre property is an addition to D&R Greenway's 65-acre Omick Preserve. The property provides for public access opportunities for future trails on the total 87 acres. The newly preserved land is entirely forested with a mix of upland and wetland hardwood trees. The property provides habitat for bird species of conservation concern including veery, hooded warbler and barred owl. The considerable wetland areas show evidence of hummocks and hollows that typically serve as ideal amphibian breeding grounds. More protected land for people, plants and wildlife! Location of the Lang Property within the Sourland Mountain Greenway. Click on image to view larger. From Mayor Peter Kneski, of East Amwell Township: "I am pleased that the Township in conjunction with D&R Greenway has preserved this lovely wooded area.  It enhances and makes accessible the larger Omick Preserve to the north.  There are plans to build a trail in the combined woodlands to provide a natural trail close to Ringoes and the school."   From Kevin Richardson, County Open Space Program Administrator at Hunterdon County: "The County of Hunterdon is pleased to provide grant assistance for, and continue our support of, D&R Greenway Land Trust's land preservation initiatives. This acquisition demonstrates the importance of building strong partnerships with land trusts and leveraging funds from State, County, and Municipal sources which benefit all Hunterdon County residents by enhancing our rural character and preserving our natural, cultural and environmental resources."   D&R Greenway again thanks the outstanding work and support of East Amwell Township, and the funding contributors - the State Green Acres Program and the Hunterdon County Open Space Program.

'Singing Wood' Preserved in Harding Township

I currently live in Morristown, which means I am very familiar with the large pieces of preserved land in nearby Harding Township. Eventually, I wouldn't mind moving there. We all can dream ...

‘Singing Wood’ is preserved in Harding
From New Jersey Hills

HARDING TWP. –  Most of the property dubbed “Singing Wood” is likely to stay just that.
May 23 marked the one-year anniversary of the death of Harding resident, former Congressman and  conservation trailblazer Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen Jr.

Mr. Frelinghuysen called “Singing Wood” on Sand Spring Lane his home since 1948 and he stayed there until his death last year.

Through his will, Mr. Frelinghuysen bequeathed development rights on more than 90 acres to the Harding Land Trust for the purpose of open space preservation.

Harding Land Trust officials said the gift limits development on nearly two-thirds of the 150-acre Harding homestead and estimate the value of the donation to be worth $5 million.

 “Mr. Frelinghuysen made a final gift to the residents of Harding and the region by preserving some of the most valuable building areas on the property,” said Dave Shepperly, the Harding Land Trust board president.
Residents are invited to join the Harding Open Space Trust Committee for a presentation and discussion about the preservation plan for the Frelinghuysen property. It will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, at the Harding Township Municipal Building on Blue Mill Road.

“Singing Wood,” according to the Land Trust, is one of the largest remaining private farm properties in the township.

Shepperly refers to the views of the property as a “homecoming” to those traveling down James Street into the township.

“It’s when you know you are really back in Harding.”

Local residents have long speculated about the future of the property. Not until now, however, have  Frelinghuysen’s plan for Singing Wood been fully revealed.

Frelinghuysen’s support for open space and conservation issues was not merely in the  political realm. He practiced it personally. In 1999, he conveyed to the Harding Land Trust 88 acres of open fields near James Street and Wexford Lane through a combination of donations, conservation easements, and bargain sales.
Most of Singing Wood will be permanently preserved as open space due to his foresight and generosity.

“The remaining tracts that comprise Singing Wood provide beautiful sweeping views over hayfields, bordered by forests and the streams that feed the Great Swamp”, said Tina Bologna, executive director of the Harding Land Trust.  “The property’s natural features are part of a complex of habitats that play an important role in the diversity of the region.”

In 2008, the  Planning Board approved a 13-lot subdivision on Singing Wood Farm.

Lot sizes in the subdivision range from three acres to more than 30 acres in size and each takes full advantage of the extensive views from the property, according to the Harding Land Trust.

“Mr. Frelinghuysen had a vision for the property that did not include the full build-out of all 13 lots,” said Dave Shepperly, the Harding Land Trust board president.

Harding Land Trust is working with the Frelinghuysen Estate to acquire several other important parcels of the property in order to link all of the ecologically critical areas into a contiguous preserve.

“When completed, some additional residential development will still be available; however, the remaining lots will be tucked away and surrounded by preserved natural areas.” said Bologna.

“This project is one of the more significant open space projects ever undertaken in Harding Township,” said Mr. Frelinghuysen’s daughter, Adaline Frelinghuysen.

“We hope the result will serve as a legacy to our father’s lifetime of dedication to serving the public interest”. 
Mr. Frelinghuysen Jr. , the father of Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, represented Morris and Somerset counties in the United States House of Representatives from 1953 through 1974.

During his time in the House, his proudest achievement was blocking the Port Authority of New York nd New Jersey from building a fourth major airport in what is now the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
The federally protected Great Swamp is one of the most unspoiled wildlife refuges in the Northeast.

The Frelinghuysen family has a long history of giving, having donated lands which support some of Morris County’s most  cultural institutions.

Since 1963, Peter H. B. Frelinghuysen Sr.’s estate, “Twin Oaks,” has been the home of the Morris Museum, which is located on Normandy Heights Road in Morristown [Morris Township -ed.].

Today this architecturally significant Georgian-style mansion is the heart of the museum’s exhibition space. The family donated many of the surrounding acres to Morris Township for a municipal playground.
The land donations do not stop with Peter Frelinghuysen Jr.’s immediate family.

Frelinghuysen’s aunt, Matilda Frelinghuysen, is best remembered for establishing the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Plains [It's actually in Morris Township -ed.].  The Arboretum, with over 127 acres, was dedicated in 1971 and was bequeathed to the people of Morris County for public use.  It was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.  A portion of this property also became the site for the Morris County Library.