Archive for the 'closed projects' Category

LEED-Certified River Resource Center

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Posted in closed projects, projects funded by conservation resources, recreation & aethestics, supplemental environmental project
The Musconetcong Watershed Association‘s (MWA) role in educating local officials and residents and protecting and restoring the Musconetcong Watershed is more important than ever. MWA recognized that in order to meet its mission, it was imperative to build a permanent structure; a River Resource Center will ensure the continued viability of their preservation, education, and stewardship efforts.

The MWA renovated a 2,150 square foot storehouse building, adapting it into a meeting hall with office and support space to base the association’s programs. These include environmental and outdoor educational programs, municipal government outreach, workshops and seminars for the public, stream cleanups, and projects such as stream bank restoration, well-testing and water quality monitoring. The headquarters will also be a beginning point for river-based recreation activities like canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and fishing.

The River Resource Center building renovation includes a complete refurbishment inside and outside the structure, and provides examples of sustainable building practices such as composting toilets, riparian restoration, the use of passive solar, and pervious paving for visitor parking. The MWA designed and built the River Resource Center to achieve the US Green Building Council’s LEED certification.

This “green” building provides a physical model  for homeowners and small businesses; it demonstrates how applying green building and landscaping principles can be practical and cost-effective and  incorporated into any project. The River Resource Center will lead the public by example in exploring cost- effective and environmentally sound solutions that can be applied to other building projects in the region.

Ecosystem Services Provided:

Outreach, Recreation, and Aesthetics: Environmental education- LEED-certified nature center and model for sustainable building practices; Public access- access to waterfront

Total Project Cost: $668,000

CRI provided funding towards this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program: $5,000 in 2006, $2,000 in 2007, $2,500 in 2008, and $4,000 in 2009.

Status: This project is closed.

If you would like further information about this project, contact Conservation Resources Inc.


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Forked River Mountains – Interboro Property

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Posted in closed projects, projects funded by conservation resources

CRI facilitated funding for this project from several sources: $902,936.16  from the Pinelands Conservation Fund; and $1,000,000 from an NRD settlement.

The Forked River Mountains in the New Jersey Pine Barrens are an unexpected wilderness located in southeastern Ocean County. This region is made up of tens of thousands of acres of Pine Barrens forest and wetlands. Some of this land is permanently protected in public and non-profit ownership as the Forked River Mountain Preserve, but some is still in private ownership and is threatened with conversion to housing development. The Interboro Property is a critical link in this matrix of protected and unprotected land.

The New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) has been working for over a decade to preserve the Forked River Mountain wilderness. The Interboro property totals approximately 620 acres. This property is entirely forested with no history of development or other significant disruption. Pine-oak forest dominates the property with some significant stands of Atlantic White Cedar in the lower areas along the North Branch of the Forked River. This area is known to be habitat for a number of rare and endangered Pine Barrens species such as Pine Barrens tree frog (Hyla andersonii), Knieskern’s beaked-rush (Rynchospora knieskernii), Northern pine snake (Pituophis melanoleucus) and curly grass fern (Schizaea pusilla).

A portion of the Interboro Property is located in the Oyster Creek sub-watershed which was given additional protections from the Pinelands Commission through a zoning change to better protect the species diversity and high water quality of the area.

NJCF will  manage this property as part of their Forked River Mountain Preserve.

Ecosystem Services Provided:

Water Protection, Filtration, & Contol: Water quality and quantity- protection of groundwater recharge area

Climate Stabilization and Air Pollution Mitigation: Carbon sequestration- avoided deforestation

Biological Diversity: Habitat- federal threatened species habitat protection

Total Project Cost:  $2, 765,000

Status: This property closed in 2009.

If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources Inc.

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Fulling Mill Extension

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Posted in closed projects

The Fulling Mill Extension Property abuts the Audubon Society’s’ Fulling Mill Sanctuary and is very close to the Bayshore Sportsman Club. It is located in the Villas neighborhood of Lower Township. The property forms part of a large forest complex that supports habiat for several state threatened and endangered species including the Barred owl, Red-shouldered hawk and the Southern gray treefrog. The entire site is also identified as a critical migratory raptor concentration site.

The wetlands on site have also been designated as exceptional resource value due to the documented presence of threatened and endangered species or their habitat. The wetlands are part of the headwaters area of the Fulling Mill Creek, which drains into the Fishing Creek and empties into the Delaware River.

The entire site is wooded, with the majority comprised of oak pine and hardwood swamp communities. Based on field investigations, the site habitat is consistent with and contiguous to the wooded upland and wetland communities east and south of the site, specifically associated with the airport, which is the area in which the Barred owl and Red-shouldered hawk were previously documented. Both avian species favor a mix of upland and wetland habitat, which this site exhibits. The property is located within a State Plan Area 5, Environmentally Sensitive Area.

Ecosystem Services Provided:

Water Protection, Filtration & Control:   groundwater recharge, protection of headwaters

Biological diversity: Habitat- federal threatened species habitat protection

Climate Stabilization and Air Pollution Mitigation: carbon sequestration- avoided deforestation

Total Project Cost: $528,500

Status: This project closed in December of 2009.

If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources Inc.

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Cheryl and Robert Russell Land Acquisition Project

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Posted in closed projects

The Russell property is located within the Bidwell Creek watershed, a tidal creek flowing from the Delaware Bay. Cape May County has identified the Bidwell Creek drainage basin as one of the most important aquifer recharge sites in the County. Because of its importance to birds, the Cape May peninsula is recognized as a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Site of Hemispheric Importance, a Wetland of International Importance under The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance–otherwise known as the Ramsar Convention, and a globally significant Important Bird Area (National Audubon and American Bird Conservancy).

The Russell property lies within the approved acquisition boundary of the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. Its vegetation is characterized by forested uplands and forested wetlands along Bidwell Creek. The wetlands are also the locus of a significant population of swamp pink (Helonias bullata), a federally threatened plant. Species of concern using these habitats include the Bald eagle, Northern harrier, Osprey, Barred owl, Wood thrush, Scarlet tanager, Worm-eating warbler, Acadian flycatcher, and Diamondback terrapin.

Ecosystem Services Provided:

Biological Diversity: Habitat- federal threatened species habitat protection; Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Site of Hemispheric Importance; Wetland of International Importance under The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention); and a globally significant Important Bird Area (National Audubon and American Bird Conservancy).

Water Protection, Filtration & Control: Water quality and quantity- protection of groundwater recharge areas, protection of headwaters

Total Project Cost: $1,012,000

Status:  The Russell property closed in March of 2010. This project was  acquired through a partnership of The Conservation Fund, The Fish and Wildlife Service, The Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and a seller donation, the County of Cape May, the State of New Jersey Green Acres Program and the New Jersey Wetlands Mitigation Council.

If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources Inc.

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