New Jersey voters say YES to Green Acres

CHESTER, NJ – Yesterday, New Jersey voted “Yes” on Public Question # 1 to continue investing in preserving our land, water and history for the benefit of all citizens today, and for future generations.  Voters across the state went to the polls on Tuesday and approved the Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009.

This vote has the immediate effect of providing partial funding for the acquisition of 600 acres of in Cumberland and Sussex Counties, properties The Nature Conservancy secured options to purchase just prior to the passing of Green Acres ballot measure. The Nature Conservancy has been working to raise funds from private sources to cover half of the acquisition costs, but until yesterday’s vote the preservation of these properties was in jeopardy for lack of funding.  oth properties will increase the protection of clean water resources in New Jersey, and link into existing state-owned and Nature Conservancy protected lands. 

“We are thrilled that New Jersey voters have chosen to protect our clean water, wildlife, and recreation resources by voting in favor of Green Acres,” said Barbara Brummer, Director of The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey.  “The immediate tangible outcome is funding for the preservation of Bear’s Head Branch in Cumberland County, and Clove Brook in Sussex County.  Both of these signature landscapes are home to wintering bald eagles, and reserves for clean water resources.  We are proud of New Jersey today!”

As a member of the Keep it Green, a coalition of more 130 groups around the State, the Conservancy had campaigned to educate voters as to the benefits of approving this bond measure which will provide needed funding for open space, farmland and historic preservation projects sponsored by the state, counties, municipalities and conservation organizations around the State.

 “Yesterday, New Jersey voters maintained their perfect record, which dates back nearly 50 years, of approving funds to preserve the lands and waters that we all hold dear” stated Tom Wells, the Conservancy’s Director of Government Relations.

The two properties The Nature Conservancy will preserve are at opposite ends of the state.  In Cumberland County sits 493 forested acres (“Bear’s Head Branch”) that serve as the headwaters for the Maurice River, a federally-designated Wild and Scenic River.  This area hosts one of the East Coast’s greatest concentrations of wintering bald eagles and is an essential stopover for migrating ducks and geese.

“More than 30 species of rare plants occur here, including a globally-rare species,” said Jay Laubengeyer, Assistant Director of The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey.  “The Bear’s Head Branch property sits close to 34,000-acre Peaslee State Wildlife Management Area, and upstream from The Nature Conservancy’s existing Manumuskin River Preserve.”

The second property The Nature Conservancy has secured the option to buy is in Sussex County, called Clove Brook, named for the pristine stream that runs through it.  At 108 acres, it will more than double the size of The Nature Conservancy’s existing adjacent Minisink Valley Preserve, and connect it with the State’s16,000-acre High Point State Park, which includes Dryden Kusar Natural Area.

“Clove Brook is a lynchpin property that links two important natural sites in New Jersey, which are habitat for brook trout, black bear, rare long-tailed salamanders and wood turtles,” noted Laubengeyer.

Neighboring Minisink Valley Preserve is home to two “Category One” streams, the highest ranking for water quality awarded by the state, and several artesian springs.  The properties sit within Flatbrook Valley along the westward path of development from New York City. 

Together, the properties in Cumberland and Sussex Counties will cost the Conservancy over $3 million, a significant portion of which will reimbursed by the state’s Green Acres Program with funds approved yesterday by New Jersey voters. 

The Nature Conservancy owns and maintains 37 nature preserves encompassing over 24,000 acres of land in New Jersey, which provide important habitat for plants and animals and provide recreational opportunities for the general public.  Most of these preserves were acquired with partial funding from the Green Acres Program.

Funding for the Green Acres Program, the Farmland Preservation Program, and the NJ Historic Trust will now continue for the next two years, giving New Jersey time to identify a long-term funding source for these programs.
 

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org