Land Conservancy launches new interactive map (04/23/10)

Originally appeared: http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100423/GETPUBLISHED/4230324/-1/newsfront/Land-Conservancy-launches-new-interactive-map

www.tlc-nj.org

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey launched their newly created interactive map on their website: www.tlc-nj.org. The map identifies each of the properties we have helped to permanently protect, from Stokes State Forest in northern Sussex County to the Musconetcong Valley in southern Warren County. Take a tour of the breathtaking lands that the Conservancy has helped to preserve over the past 13 years!

We have preserved land to sustain our water supplies, ensure the availability of locally grown produce, and to offer opportunities for hiking, sports, and fishing! Easy to use click on a pin and see the property preserved by The Land Conservancy of New Jersey!

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is a non profit member supported organization dedicated to preserving and protecting New Jerseys vital natural lands and water resources. The organization has been working for the past 29 years to inspire and empower individuals and communities to take action to save the land that is so important to our state. The Conservancy has preserved over 16,500 acres of land and helped towns receive $192 million in grants to purchase and protect land throughout New Jersey. The Conservancy has worked with more than 76 municipalities in 13 counties, impacting over half of New Jerseys counties and benefiting millions of residents throughout the state. The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is the first land trust organization in the state of New Jersey and one of only 93 nationwide to receive accreditation from The Land Trust Accreditation Commission. For more information, to volunteer or make a donation, call (973) 541-1010, or visit our website at www.tlc-nj.org.

Five-acre Hunterdon County Parcel Connects Preserved Lands (04/18/10)

Some McMansions are located on five acres. But, hey, think of it this way: one less McMansion.
Five-acre Hunterdon County Parcel Connects Preserved Lands 

By New Jersey Conservation Foundation 4/17/2010

Pat Hilton has wonderful memories of growing up with her three brothers on their family’s farm along the Wickecheoke Creek: collecting eggs from the chickens, raising heifers, discovering stone ruins in the woods and cooling off in their favorite swimming hole. Future generations will be able to enjoy many of the same pleasures, thanks to the Hilton family’s conservation ethic. Thirteen years ago Pat’s parents, Estella and the late Edward J. Hilton Sr., preserved 70 acres of farmland through an easement that permanently restricts it to agricultural use. Now Estella Hilton has preserved a wooded 5.2-acre parcel along the creek by selling it to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. Acquisition of the landlocked property expands New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s Wickecheoke Creek Preserve, an ever-growing network of protected parcels along the scenic Wickecheoke Creek. The preserve extends from the creek’s confluence with the Delaware River and D&R Canal in Prallsville to its headwaters in Franklin Township, and encompasses more than 2,000 acres of preserved farmland and public open space. The newly-acquired property bridges the gap between other preserved lands. "It’s a small property, but one that is very important to us," said Michele S. Byers, executive director of New Jersey Conservation Foundation. "We’ve been working for more than 20 years to preserve land along the Wickecheoke Creek, and it’s critical to keep adding in the connecting parcels." "This fills a hole in the doughnut, if you will," said Hilton. "It’s been a pleasure to work with New Jersey Conservation Foundation on this project." The property is bordered by the Hilton family’s preserved farmland and two other preserved open space tracts, increasing public opportunities for hiking and nature observation along the Wickecheoke. The property is near the foundation’s Wickecheoke Creek Preserve kiosk on Lower Creek Road in Delaware Township. Hilton said her mother and two surviving brothers, Joseph and Michael, are happy to be able to preserve the property. "It’s such a beautiful creek," she said. "I remember when we were growing up we had a swimming hole. It was a lot of fun to go down there and get refreshed." The steeply-banked property also includes ruins of an old stone building. "I remember seeing them as a kid and wondering what they were," said Hilton, adding that the site still looks the same 40 years later. The property was purchased for $42,092, using funding from Delaware Township and the state Green Acres program. "We are grateful to both the Hilton Family and NJCF to their commitment to this acquisition," said Delaware Township Deputy Mayor Kristin McCarthy. "While it is a small property, it plays an important role in maintaining the fragile ecosystem of the Wickecheoke and the watershed in general." "We are proud to have provided assistance to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation in preserving this important link in their established greenway system," said Amy Cradic, DEP’s Assistant Commissioner for Natural and Historic Resources. New Jersey Conservation Foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary of preserving land and natural resources throughout New Jersey for the benefit of all. Since 1960, it has protected more than 120,000 acres of open space - from the Highlands to the Pine Barrens to the Delaware Bayshore, from farms to forests to urban and suburban parks. New Jersey Conservation Foundation has been in the forefront of land preservation policy since its inception, advocating for historic laws protecting the Pine Barrens, Highlands, farmland, water quality and every Green Acres open space initiative. For more information, go to www.njconservation.org or call 1-888-LAND-SAVE.

200 acres in Warren County preserved to protect the endangered bog turtle (4/17/10)

200 acres in Warren County preserved to protect the endangered bog turtle

Friday, April 16, 2010

THE RECORD

New Jersey's Green Acres program has received $300,000 in federal money to purchase 200 environmentally sensitive acres in Warren County to help protect the endangered bog turtle, Sen. Frank Lautenberg's office announced this week.

The land in Frelinghuysen Township is the current site of the Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center and abuts 800 acres of permanently protected habitat.

The bog turtle, on New Jersey's endangered list and on the federal threatened list, is a tiny dark turtle with a distinct orange patch on either side of the head. It is among the smallest and most secretive of North America's turtles, measuring about 3 inches long. They live in limestone fens, bogs and wet, grassy pastures.

The New Jersey Natural Lands Trust will manage the property, said Tom Wells, director of government relations with the Nature Conservancy's New Jersey chapter.

The money came out of the federal Interior Department's Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, part of a multistate effort to protect the habitat of threatened and endangered species.

"Keeping natural habitats pristine and undisturbed is important for the wildlife and the people of New Jersey," Lautenberg said in a statement. "The bog turtle is a key part of our ecosystem and must be protected."

— James M. O'Neill

Essex County Executive DiVincenzo Announces Acquisition of 12.33 Acres for Parkland in Newark’s Ironbound Neighborhood (04/15/10)

Not every piece of news about open space preservation has to happen in an area where there's already a lot of it. In Newark, one of the state's most densely populated and notorious cities, a 12.33-acre parcel has been acquired for riverfront parkland. While 12.33 acres might not be much in, say, Upper Freehold, it is a much-needed boon for the state's largest city as it continues to recover from decades of decline. This story was picked up from www.thealternativepress.com.

Essex County Executive DiVincenzo Announces Acquisition of 12.33 Acres for Parkland in Newark’s Ironbound Neighborhood By Office of the Essex County Executive 4/15/2010

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced that Essex County acquired 12.33 acres of property in the Newark Ironbound neighborhood on Wednesday, April 14th. The parcel will be redeveloped into Essex County Riverfront Park, which will be the 21st Essex County park and the fourth new park added to the historic Essex County Park System in the last four years. In addition, the creation of the urban parkland fulfills a goal shared by State, County, Municipal and community leaders for the last 20 years. "The Ironbound has extremely vibrant commercial and residential communities, and is one of the most densely developed and populated areas in the State. The County and City parks in this neighborhood are among the most heavily used, and at any time of the day there will be people of all ages engaged in sports and socializing. Open space for passive and active recreation has been lacking for generations, and we all shared the same dream of creating this park," DiVincenzo said. "I’m glad that we never gave up. It took us two decades to get to this point and we would not have come this far without everyone working together," he added. "The Governor made it clear that he is committed to the success of New Jersey and our largest city," said Port Authority of NY/NJ Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni. "The Port Authority is committed to the development of our communities and we want to make sure our neighbors have the opportunity to enjoy open space," he added. "The development of our city is tied to the Passaic River, but something tragic happened over the years where we became separated from the water," Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker said. "Today we are reclaiming the river and opening it up for future generations. This is being achieved because of the persistence and determination of community people in the East Ward who would not give up and the leadership of County Executive DiVincenzo, who is the best park builder," he noted. "Transforming this 12 acres of property into an oasis of open space for residents and children to enjoy is a vision that is shared by everyone," NJ State Senator and Essex County Deputy Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said. "When people share the same dreams, come together and work cooperatively, great things like this will happen," she noted. Essex County and the Essex County Improvement Authority took the lead in organizing the acquisition of the six parcels of land that make up the 12.33-acre waterfront property. DiVincenzo lobbied Governor Chris Christie and Port Authority of NY/NJ Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni to provide $7.7 million in grant funding to purchase the land. The Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board also loaned $700,000 in funding for the project. Newark Mayor Booker and the Newark City Council supported the initiative by transferring to the County ownership of a section of the former Morris Canal that will be part of the park. "I am excited about today. This is the right thing to do for the residents of Essex County," Freeholder President Blonnie Watson said. "Open space is more than just recreation. It’s about fresh air, getting exercise and feeling comfortable, which Essex County Riverfront Park will become," she added. "Not too long ago, the shipping containers on these sites were an eyesore in this community. But because of the community speaking up and never giving up, we are here today to make this announcement," Freeholder Samuel Gonzalez said. "The development of Riverfront Park will be the greatest thing to happen in this neighborhood and Essex County," he noted. "This will be a huge addition to the Ironbound," Sheriff Armando Fontoura said. "The needs of our community are the same as they were when I was growing up here. The biggest problem we had was getting to the park and finding a place to play games because it was so crowded. The recreation opportunities this park will create are important," he added. The new park will be called "Essex County Riverfront Park" and will contain a walking path along the bank southern bank of the Passaic River, recreation fields and a parking area. The park stretches from Brill Street to Oxford Street. It is bounded by Newark Housing Authority property on the east side, the Passaic River on the north side, Raymond Boulevard on the south side and a public greenway on the west side. Once the park is created, the public greenway will stretch from Essex County Riverbank Park at Van Buren Street to Brill Street, a length that includes nine city blocks. "This new park is an opportunity to provide our children with a safe place to play," Newark Councilman Augusto Amador said. "I want to give my sincere thank you, on behalf of this community, to County Executive Joe DiVincenzo for keeping his promise and working with us to make this park become a reality," he added. "For too long, the Ironbound community has been overlooked. This is a huge step forward," Assemblyman Albert Coutinho said. "Think about the significance of this project. There is nothing as important that has ever been done to improve this community," he pointed out. "This community should not only place importance on preserving the parks we have, but we should have more places for our kids to play and our senior to relax," Ironbound Community Corporation Executive Director Joseph Della Fave said. He pointed out that creating a new park was a goal when he came to the ICC in 1991. "This is a significant milestone. It will become part of an open space network that will bring people to Newark and be a place where thousands of children will come and play," he added. "We thank you so much, County Executive. We will be able to walk, ride bikes, roller blade. This will be such a blessing for our residents," SPARK President Nancy Zak said. Good faith negotiations with the three property owners began several months ago. Despite all efforts, the owners did not agree to sell their land. Essex County entered into condemnation proceedings with Superior Court in Essex County. The Court will determine a fair market value for the property, which the County is required to pay the property owners. The County will work to relocate any existing businesses on the site. Governments can condemn property for public uses, which includes public parks, government buildings, school buildings, roadways, etc. The properties being acquired include the following: · Ruben Properties of Newark owned three parcels totaling 5.55 acres. · ORFAC of Newark owned one parcel totaling 2.329 acres. · The Palmer Site is 3.57 acres. · The City of Newark transferred ownership of the former Morris Canal site to Essex County. The park is about 0.88 acres. The concept for Essex County Riverfront Park hit the drawing board in the early 1990 and gained steam when Essex County and the City of Newark partnered to create Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium for the Newark Bears of the Atlantic League. Essex County Riverbank Park originally was proposed as the site for the stadium and the 12.33 acres of land at Brill Street would be developed as a "replacement" park. Although the stadium was construction on Broad Street in Downtown Newark, the idea to create a new park did not disappear. Essex County Riverfront Park is the fourth new park to be added to the Essex County Park System in the last four years. Essex County Kip’s Castle Park in Montclair and Verona was created in 2007 when the County purchased the historic structure and 11 acres of property using grants from the NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. In May 2009, Essex County preserved the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in a unique partnership with the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens Citizens Committee, the NJ Green Acres program, the Township of Montclair and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. The 2.7-acre Essex County Veterans Memorial Park in the Essex County Government Complex in Newark was opened in September 2009 after and out-of-date parking garage was redeveloped into parkland. The project was funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. At 12.33 acres, Essex County Riverbank Park will be the fifth smallest park in the Essex County Park System.

Citizens United rips into strategic land sale in Millville (04/14/10)

Citizens United rips into strategic land sale in Millville, Cumberland County News

By Jason Laday
April 14, 2010, 9:46PM

Dossier:
Cumberland County, in the south-central portion of New Jersey, is one of the more rural and least populated counties in the state. As of 2000, its population was 146,438 over 489 sq. miles of land (by way of comparison, Monmouth County, Acre Whore's home county and home to Upper Freehold, the township with the most preserved farmland in the entire state, reported a population of 642,030 over its 472 sq. miles of land by 2007). Millville (44.5 sq. miles) is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 26,847. Its population has risen by 5-percent, in 2006, to 28,194. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes.

MILLVILLE, N.J. — The Public Board of Utilities on Wednesday gave the green light to a land sale transferring 1,350 acres of city forest and wetlands from Atlantic City Electric to a private developer, setting off a fire storm of criticism from state and local environmental groups.

The tract, called Holly Farms, located just east of Holly Heights School and bordering a stretch of preserved land between the Manumuskin River and Menantico Creek, has been a major concern of multiple conservation groups since the 1980s.

The BPU voted 3-1, with member Nick Asselta abstaining, in favor of the sale, which will see Jackson,-based developer RWV Land & C.M. Livestock purchase the land for $4 million.
“The land is extremely important — it is situated between two scenic rivers,” said Jane Galetto, president of Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and its Tributaries, in reaction to the decision.
“The ecological characteristics of this property are unparalleled in New Jersey,” added Galetto in a preparted statement. “The site is bordered by federally-protected Wild and Scenic Rivers, and is needed to help protect those public investments.”
Representatives from the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club lambasted the BPU’s decision, calling it “the worst example of destructive sprawl.”
In addition, Sierra Club officials argued that the BPU ignored a bid submitted by the state Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program to purchase the land.
In a statement, New Jersey Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel said Green Acres’ offer boasted a greater return on investiment for rate payers — full protection for the site and a greater financial reward — than the plan that ultimately gain the BPU’s approval.
“The sale of this land sells out the environment and sells out the rate payers of New Jersey,” said Tittel. “If this land were bought for preservation, the rate payers of New Jersey would get the money up front.
“Putting this environmentally sensitive land up for development, means that rate payers won’t get paid for years, and we will lose an environmental gem.”
According to BPU spokesman Greg Reinert, the NJDEP offered Atlantic City Electric approximately $2.5 million in one lump sum, as opposed to RWV’s bid of $4 million over a period of four years.
The spokesman added the BPU’s sole duty regarding the land deal was to represent the interests of utility payers.
“The board’s job here was to make sure rate payers are getting the best deal,” said Reinert. “That’s the extent of our responsibility.”
He later stated that, even with interest over four years, the NJDEP’s offer of $2.5 million “in today’s market” would still fail to measure up to the private developer’s offer, even if paid out over time.
RWV Land and C.M. Livestock has previously presented to the Millville Planning Board a general development application to build approximately 900 residential units and a golf course on 400 acres of the property.
However, BPU and environmental representatives alike stated the developer still has many hurdles to clear before making such a plan a reality.
“Any development there would have to be approved by the DEP and the (Environmental Protection Agency), as they would have to confirm any reports of endagered species in that area, as some groups have said there are,” said Reinert. “Also, they would have to go through regular planning board approvals.”
Galetto said the developer has still yet to gain water and sewer access to the area — a prospect she described as a particularly large stumbling block for the company.
“They still have a number of hurdles, yes,” she said. “There are still many planning board stages they have to go through, at least. And sewer and water will be a big thing for them.”
In a statement, she added, “The decision by the BPU only strengthens our resolve to see that this property is placed in public ownership in order to protect the interests of the people of our state and to leave an important legacy for their children and grandchildren.”

Hidden New Jersey - Upper Freehold/Allentown

Hidden New Jersey – Upper Freehold/Allentown, from http://www.dguides.com/

Much of New Jersey's open space lies in the southern and northwestern portions, where agriculture remains a vital part of the local economy. Who would guess then the town to boast the largest amount of preserved farmland and open space would be less than an hour from Philadelphia in the tighty-packed central portion of the most densely populated state in the nation?
Upper Freehold, in the western panhandle of Monmouth County (pop. 642,030 in 2007) feels like a timewarp as farms connect to other farms, families set up road side produce stands in the summer, and a quaint turn-of-the-century downtown anchors it all in place. About 80 percent of the township is farmland, county or state parks; its over-7,500 preserved farmland acres are the most of any town in New Jersey.
Start in Allentown, which, at .6 square miles, is as much connected to its 47-square-mile neighbor as if they were one (which it was, until 1889). After a slice of pizza at La Piazza Ristorante (11 Church St., 609-208-0640), a cup of fine tea and fresh-baked scone at The Garden Tea Room (4 South Main St., 609-208-1880), or a mini-tour of the borough's deep history (visit allentownnj.com for a self-guided tour), get in your car or bike out of town. By bike is best, where you can truly appreciate just how much land is out there.

Go three miles northeast on Main Street, later Old York Road, and visit the 6,300-acre Assunpink Wildlife Management Area (386 Clarksburg-Robbinsville Road, Robbinsville), which surrounds a massive lake; ride two more miles, make a quick left onto Windsor-Perrineville Road and enjoy some vino at Silver Decoy Winery (609-371-6000) in nearby East Windsor. Go west on Main Street instead, make a quick left onto Route 539 and in minutes arrive at Cream Ridge Winery (609-259-9797), specializing in fruit wines alongside the more traditional reds and whites. Turn right just past the winery to visit Historic Walnford (62 Walnford Road, 609-259-6275), a restored 18th-century village within the 1,400-acre Crosswicks Creek Greenway. Come for a free historical demonstration or a quiet walk along the creek. Or split the difference and take Route 526 for four miles and enjoy a hike at 422-acre Clayton Park (161 Emleys Hill Road, 609-259-5794). Along the way, take in some of the most breathtaking farmland views in New Jersey – and don't forget to take your camera.
Directions:
From Philadelphia – I-95 North to US-1 North, NJ-29 to I-195 East, exit at 8 or 7. (travel time approx: 1 hour)

From New York – New Jersey Transit Northeast Cooridor Line to nearby Hamilton Train Station. From Hamilton, I-295 South to exit 60 B-A to merge onto I-195 East, exit at 8 or 7. (travel time approx: 1 hour 40 minutes)

From Atlantic City – Atlantic City Expressway West to exit 28 for 12th St./NJ-54 toward Trenton/Hammonton; Route 206 North to New Jersey Turnpike, exit 7A to I-195 East, exit at 8 or 7. (travel time approx: 1 hour, 30 minutes).

More information: uftnj.com; allentownnj.com; newjerseywines.com; monmouthcountyparks.com.

- John Dunphy

Wenonah residents weigh options on preservation of former Maple Ridge golf course land (Gloucester County Times, 4/13/10)

Wenonah residents weigh options on preservation of former Maple Ridge golf course land

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

By Jessica Driscoll

jdriscoll@sjnewsco.com
Image courtesy the Wenonah Environmental Commission

WENONAH, N.J. -- For more than two years, residents and local officials have been trying to preserve the former Maple Ridge golf course as a nature park but have encountered problems finding funding and an entity to take responsibility for its management.

A meeting will be held Wednesday at the Wenonah Train Station community center to give residents and local organizations a chance to share new ideas for preservation of the site.

"The former golf course is a 112-acre tract of land slated for development," said Rich Dilks, chairman of the Wenonah Environmental Commission. "The movement began more than two years ago to preserve it as public open space, green space and a nature park. We got a lot of support but it's a difficult thing to do so we're trying to bring everyone together to see what we can do. It would be a win/win situation for everybody because it would be an asset to the quality of life and there are so many good reasons for preservation."

In 2008, the idea received support from the mayors and planning board chairmen of Wenonah, Deptford and Mantua as well as each town's environmental commission. In both 2008 and 2009, Mantua Township sought an open space tax increase to preserve the site with an added stipulation that the tax was temporary in 2009 but these were voted down.

"We're hoping to have representatives at this meeting from South Jersey Land and Water Trust and the New Jersey Conservation Association here in an advisory capacity to give advice and pointers on what we can do to save Maple Ridge," said Dilks. "We've also invited local officials and people from the Green Acres program as well as any organization or citizen who wants to put their ideas before us."

Dilks said the developer, from Washington D.C., was open to selling the property but that if the land was not sold for preservation he would proceed.

"It's a very rich area with several habitats going on," said Dilks. "Topographically, it features valleys created by flowing water and rolling, undulating hills which is quite beautiful. The Mantua Creek flows through it, there is a hardwood forest and the fairways are turning into meadows. It's a remarkably good habitat for bird life with bluebirds in the meadows, bald eagles that have been seen there and a very rare white hawk. We have seen more than 70 species of birds nest in or pass through Maple Ridge and there is already an arboretum of trees, plants and shrubs."

Dilks said such biological diversity is worth preserving.

"It's a really nice place and it has all the makings of a park that people could come to and enjoy for years to come," said Dilks. "We have the chance now to save this beautiful place."

The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the historic train station at 2 N. East Ave.