South Branch Preserve Update One - Invasive Species Removal

In New Jersey as well as the rest of the United States the influx of non-native plants & invasive non-native plants has significantly increased in the past two centuries. Non-native plants are plants that were not originally found in the United States but are now established here. Most of these plants arrived here by airborne pollen, machinery, animals, humans, or other means; often originating from Europe or Asia.

Of the hundreds of non-native plants there are close to 200 invasive non-native plants in New Jersey alone. These invasive non-native plants are very aggressive in their colonization and since they have no natural insect enemies will spread quickly and profusely. When ignored, these plants will aggressively spread throughout large areas and will dominate over the native species reducing their populations. Efforts have been made to help reduce the impact that these plants have on the native flora and fauna.

We have found many of these plants at our restoration site in Mount Olive. Due to the high diversity of native plant species at this site it is very important to reduce the invasive plant population. A thorough mapping of these non-native invasive plants was performed by plant expert Michael VanClef from Ecological Solutions, LLC.

On May 31st plans were made to start the eradication of some of these plants before they spread throughout the preserve. Mike VanClef, three Land Conservancy of NJ interns and Stewardship Manager Dennis Briede went to the site and selectively applied an herbicide designed to eliminate these plants. Since then they have eliminated two of the species, Japanese Aurelia & Chinese silvergrass & reduced the Japanese barberry, ailanthus, mugwort, winged euonymus & autumn olive from some of the areas.



Keep an eye out for invasive non-native plants in your yard:



Japanese barberry,

autumn olive,

multiflora rose,

phragmites,

Chinese silvergrass,

and Japanese Aurelia

These plants, along with many others have spread throughout many parts of New Jersey as well as other areas of the United States.

see the website below for more information, on how to identify them and their native look-alikes:
http://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf

Pedal for Preservation on June 3rd!

Don’t just ride…pedal to preserve the best of New Jersey!

Get your heart pumping and feet pedaling for a great cause on Sunday, June 3rd as The Land Conservancy of New Jersey (TLC-NJ) hosts its first Pedal for Preservation Bike Event. Participants will ride on the Columbia Trail, a Rail to Trail route that is known as one of the most beautiful rides in New Jersey. Riders will start and finish at West Morris Central High School, 259 Bartley Rd, Chester, NJ.

Registration for the event is now open. Sign up by 4/30/12 and take advantage of the early registration discount!

“This family friendly off-road biking experience is geared towards riders of all biking abilities. The day will feature good food, a great ride, and fun for everyone, says Conservancy President David Epstein. “Best of all, riders will be pedaling to preserve the best of New Jersey -- the beautiful natural lands that are so special to us all!” Proceeds from Pedal for Preservation will help fund The Land Conservancy of New Jersey’s land preservation work.

Become a Champion for Open Space and team up with TLC-NJ by participating as a rider, team member, sponsor, donor or volunteer. Pay a flat registration fee or help fundraise by getting friends and family to sponsor your ride. Registration on the day of the event begins at 8am.
To register online:http://www.active.com/cycling/chester-nj/the-land-conservancy-of-new-jerseys-pedal-for-preservation-the-columbia-trail-2012

For mail-in registration or to learn more visit www.TLC-NJ.org

Volunteers are also needed. To volunteer contact Rosalie Lavinthal at rlavinthal@tlc-nj.org and to make a donation http://www.active.com/donate/tlc-nj.

Don’t just ride…Pedal for Preservation!!

113 Acres Added to Trout Brook Wildlife Management Area

Stillwater Township:

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is pleased to announce the preservation of 113 acres in the heart of Stillwater Township in Sussex County. Purchased through the State of New Jersey Green Acres program, this scenic and completely forested property has been added to the State’s Trout Brook Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Land Conservancy of New Jersey assisted with this acquisition.

“It is amazing what has been accomplished based upon The Land Conservancy’s partnership with Stillwater Township and the Green Acres program,” explains Sandy Urgo, Land Preservation Director with The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. “The landscape of Stillwater Township has been permanently improved, forest fragmentation has been reduced, wildlife habitat has been protected, and space for resource-based recreation has been provided. The results of the Township’s commitment to this conservation program will be enjoyed by residents of Stillwater and future generations, in perpetuity. The Township’s Environmental Commission has been dedicated to land preservation and has worked hard for years to enable the success of the Township’s open space program and we thank them for their partnership and support.”

In working with Stillwater Township, The Land Conservancy has placed a priority on increasing the size of the Trout Brook WMA. With this closing, 785 acres of forest in Stillwater Township have been preserved and added to Trout Brook WMA with assistance from The Land Conservancy. The State has protected more than 329,000 acres within the 121 Wildlife Management Areas. These open lands are managed for wildlife habitat and public recreational access and programs for hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts. Trout Brook WMA is now more than 1,700 acres in Stillwater Township.

This newest addition to the WMA contains existing trails and stunning specimen trees. Located along the western edge of Sussex County and bordering the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Stillwater Township is a historic farming community and former vacation spot for visitors from Brooklyn, New York. Approximately 28.5 square miles in size, it is located 50 miles from New York City. This 113 acre property is located on Stillwater Road, in the center of the Township.

World Series of Birding

29th Annual World Series of BirdingMay 12, 2012

The "Highlands Hawks," the Conservancy’s birding team led by Captain Dennis Briede, will participate in the 29th Annual World Series of Birding on Saturday, May 12th. Armed with binoculars and spotting scopes, the team will have one objective in mind: identifying as many species of birds as possible in a 24-hour period.

This celebrated, annual event focuses world attention on New Jersey’s wealth of natural resources and its strategic importance to migrating birds. Sponsored by the New Jersey Audubon Society, it also helps organizations like the Conservancy raise funds to protect natural habitat. You can help sponsor our team -- with a pledge (pledge online here) of $1 or $2 or even .25 cents a bird.

The more birds our team identifies, the more dollars they raise toward our land preservation goals. For more information please contact Barbara McCloskey at bmccloskey@tlc-nj.org or (973) 541-1010 x14.

Fourth Phase of Pompton Riverwalk Project Complete

The Township of Pequannock and The Land Conservancy of New Jersey are pleased to announce the completion of the fourth phase of the Pompton Riverwalk. 16 homes have now been purchased in the floodway, 14 of which have been removed to make way for the Riverwalk - a public walking path along the Pompton River.

This novel concept of removing people and property from harm’s way and replacing them with public recreation opportunities has been recognized by Morris County, which is rearranging its Open Space Preservation Trust to encourage more projects like Pequannock’s Pompton Riverwalk.The addition of over two acres of preserved land to the project brings the multi-phase floodplain protection and land preservation project one step closer to completion. This open space and flood mitigation project protects residents and provides flood storage, open space, and public access to the Pompton River for future generations.

The Weir property (0.3 acres) on Pequannock Avenue was purchased in December 2011, making it the final property in Phase IV. Other properties include the former Gidi property on North Pequannock Avenue (0.3 acres), the Shudtz property on Riverside Drive (0.3 acres), the Berkshire property on Harrison Road (0.6 acres), the Hunt property on Riverside Drive (0.3 acres), and the Soldatenkov property on Pequannock Avenue (0.2 acres).

With the acquisition of the last home on one street in Pequannock, the Township no longer has to send boats in to rescue and evacuate residents during floods. This program has been extremely well received by desperate and flood weary residents on some of Pequannock’s hardest hit streets. “This is another step of the larger Riverwalk buyouts projects,” explained Frank Spizzirri, Chairman of the Pequannock Township Open Space Advisory Committee and lead advocate for this project.

“This program has also provided homeowners the opportunity to be removed from the floodway, which just recently had waters in excess of 10 feet high on the property. Hurricane Irene caused the worst flooding in town since 1902, even worse than 1984. The owner's are very excited about the buyout and are searching for a new place in town to settle out of the flood area.”

The Pompton Riverwalk is a multi-phase project which began six years ago under the leadership of Pequannock Township and the Pequannock Township Open Space Advisory Committee, with the expert assistance and consultation of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. Homes around the banks of the Pompton River, as well as the riparian corridor have long suffered from flooding. Rather than continuing in the old model of flood, rescue and rebuild, Pequannock Township officials and the Open Space Advisory Committee decided to pursue a different and extremely beneficial flood protection strategy.

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey is working with the Township of Pequannock in the development and expansion of this Blueway program to provide flood protection for severely impacted residences and private property, while creating new public recreation opportunities in the community. This program targets the most flood prone homes and streets in the municipality.

“Pequannock Township, with the assistance of Morris County and the State, has been at the forefront of preserving flood prone properties as open space in New Jersey,” explained Gregory Collins, Land Preservation Specialist with The Land Conservancy of New Jersey. “The success of the Pompton Riverwalk project is the result of a well-planned strategy to convert these flood prone residences to an interconnected park system along the river for the enjoyment of current and future Township residents, and will also reduce the Township’s emergency and cleanup costs following future major flooding in the area.”

The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, with the support of the County Open Space Committee, has funded Pequannock Township’s annual requests for grant funds for the Pompton Riverwalk project. The Township and Conservancy are now entering Phase V of the Riverwalk. Since its initial grant request for this project, the Township has received $1,837,900 in grant funding from Morris County for the Riverwalk project and has matched this with funds provided through Green Acres totaling $1,743,600.

Since 2003 The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has permanently protected 1,519 acres in towns located in the floodplain of the Passaic River. Much of this land is now owned and managed by the State of New Jersey, and it functions as it was meant to – to hold waters from severe storms and provide protection to neighboring residents from floods.

The January 2011 report to the Governor from the Passaic River Basin Flood Advisory Commission identified goals which included expanding and expediting property buyouts and preservation of the flood storage area, among the fifteen recommendations provided to the Governor. By working with The Land Conservancy, the Township accelerated the success of its conservation and flood protection program.

160 Acres Preserved in Frelinghuysen Township

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are pleased to announce the preservation of over 160 acres of forested land in the heart of the municipality. A priority of the Township’s Open Space Committee and governing body, the purchase and preservation of the properties straddling Route 94 and Lincoln Laurel Road will permanently protect the forest and create an opportunity for trails and hiking in the municipality.

A joint project of the Township, County and the State of New Jersey, this project was successfully negotiated and brought to a close through the work and effort of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, in partnership with the Township.

“The preservation of this undisturbed habitat will allow us to enjoy the continued existence of native species at their best,” states Robin Randolph, Chair of Frelinghuysen Township’s Open Space Committee. She continues, “Frelinghuysen Township is grateful to the Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders and New Jersey Green Acres for their generous support of this project. Without them, this preservation effort would not have been possible.”

“Once slated for development, the Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve is a wonderful piece of property and Warren County is thrilled that we could help permanently protect it,” explains Corey J. Tierney, Esq., on behalf of The Warren County Department of Land Preservation. “Not only is the 160 acre Preserve easily accessible, but it boasts a beautiful forest with small streams and an existing network of trails leading back to a picturesque pond. The property will be managed by the Township using local volunteers. This will be a tremendous open space resource for all Warren County’s residents. It is great to see municipalities, like Frelinghuysen Township, taking ownership of these critical natural areas.”

Corey continued, “It takes a lot of hard work by many different people to bring these projects together. We worked closely with the Frelinghuysen Township Open Space Committee and The Land Conservancy of New Jersey who coordinated this acquisition with grants obtained from Green Acres and Warren County’s Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund. The County’s participation, of course, was made possible by our Chosen Board of Freeholders - who deserves special thanks for continuing to support local open space preservation.”

The Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve is comprised of two properties owned by relatives who sold the properties together for preservation. This Preserve will offer hiking trails, bird watching platforms, and will be a classroom in nature for recreational hikers, school children and scout groups. This Preserve is large enough to host a large trails network Habitat for sensitive species, springs, seeps and headwater streams make these properties valuable for natural resource protection. The Preserve can be easily accessed from existing driveways on State Route 94 and Lincoln Laurel Road.

47 Acres Added to Lodestar Park in Fredon Township

On August 18, 2011 Fredon Township purchased and preserved a second property to be added to Lodestar Park. Matching funds provided by the State of New Jersey Green Acres program, the Township’s Open Space Trust Fund was utilized to purchase this 47 acres property to enlarge Lodestar Park, enhancing the recreational activities available at the park for local residents.

Located along Paulinskill Lake Road, this beautiful property will allow for expansion of the developing trail network in Lodestar Park as well as protecting its scenic and environmentally sensitive land. In 2008 the Township purchased and preserved the 16 acre former Freeborn property which expanded Lodestar Park and provided the Township with space for a trail that leads to the stream and hemlock ravine now located within the park.

Lodestar is a wonderful and very different kind of park. It is anchored by a preserved historic house located on the rural agricultural setting of the property. The park provides a sense of place within this community and is a center for recreation and social gatherings in the Township. The development of the park facilities has complemented the surrounded natural features and this acquisition enhances the recreational value and conservation objectives of the community.

"Fredon Township is very excited over the recent acquisition of 47 acres adjacent to Lodestar Park. Not only will this land serve to expand our park, but it will also help to implement our plans for connecting trails throughout the township. With the assistance of The Land Conservancy and funding from both grant monies and our Open Space Trust, we were able to add this valued land to our inventory." Sandy Coltelli, Fredon Township Open Space Chairperson

“Lodestar is not your average park. Although it provides a place to play, this park is unique because it also provides lessons in history, agriculture and nature. It has been developed with respect for its environs and its past, and as a result it creates a sense of place for a wonderful community. If you want to know about Fredon Township, go to Lodestar Park,” said Sandy Urgo, Land Preservation Manager at the Land Conservancy. “We congratulate Fredon Township for its vision in creating this wonderful place for generations to visit, enjoy and learn from.”