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Posts Tagged 'wma 08 (north and south branch raritan)'
Tags: new jersey conservation foundation, wma 08 (north and south branch raritan)
Posted in agricultural production, climate stabilization and/or air pollution mitigation project, land preservation project, NRD settlement candidate project, recreation & aethestics
The Hill & Dale Preserve is located in Tewksbury Township, Hunterdon County. It provides magnificent and sweeping views of preserved farmland and distant mountain ranges, including Round Valley Reservoir.
The first 115 acres of the new Hill & Dale Preserve at the base of Hell Mountain were acquired by New Jersey Conservation Foundation. Conservation Resources helped facilitate a large grant to this project from a previously collected Natural Resource Damage Settlement. To read the press release, click here.
Project History
New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) has been looking for a preserve in its Black River Greenway project area that would host both natural and agricultural components representative of the region. This property meets their criteria. If NJCF could acquire this whole site, then they would intend to convert the lower agricultural land to an organic farming operation, while some of the more steeply sloping fields would be converted to conservation land for passive recreation. The hayed areas towards the top would likely be converted to warm-season grasslands, and would include hiking trails where visitors could enjoy distant views.
The property has been of critical local interest for many years, and nonprofits and the local government have sought to preserve it for over a decade. The Garden State Greenways project identified the property as containing both Critical Resource: Agriculture and Grasslands, as well as providing a Critical Connector. Tewksbury’s Open Space Plan identifies parcels of greater than 30 acres in size (p.140) The plan proposes to carry out the Township’s policy to preserve open space by evaluating these parcels based on several criteria, including the following which the property meets: aquifer recharge, presence of freshwater wetland, unique wildlife and plant habitats, mature woodlands, headwater streams, steep slopes, aesthetic views and vistas, accessibility to the public, suitability for multiple types of uses, sustainability of the property’s intended use, and opportunity for preservation. The Township plan encourages preservation of large interconnected natural areas. Preservation of this property, nestled between the Township’s Hell Mountain Preserve and the Rothpletz farm, certainly meets this goal. The County plan recommends collaboration with nonprofits and others in the conservation of priority lands in conservation zones. The County Park Plan encourages protection of meadows of significant size (25 acres or more) to provide habitat to grassland bird species, and encourages 200 foot or larger buffers to streams, which would be afforded by preserving this property. Furthermore, the Hunterdon County Planning Board identified Hell Mountain as the area in Hunterdon County with the highest Natural Resource Score, based on its groundwater recharge, significant forest cover and significant habitat for rare plant species.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Climate Stabilization and Air Pollution Mitigation: Carbon sequestration- avoided deforestation, grassland restoration
Water Protection, Filtration and Control: Water quantity- protection of groundwater recharge areas
Agricultural Production: Local food systems- organic agriculture
Recreation and Aesthetics: Public access- hiking trails
Total Project Cost: $7,100,000
If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources.
Tags: carbon, hunterdon land trust, wma 08 (north and south branch raritan)
Posted in ecological restoration project, projects funded by conservation resources, water protection, filtration, & control, wetlands mitigation project
In 2010, this project received a $2,500 grant from CRI, Elizabethtown Gas, and PSEG through CRI’s Carbon Sequestration and Restoration Grant Program.
The Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance (HLTA) would like to restore the wetlands in the Quakertown Preserve, Franklin Township, Hunterdon County. They plan to re-vegetate a floodplain and riparian area adjacent to a first-order tributary of the Capoolong Creek (a.k.a. Cakepoulin Creek), a designated C-1 stream. HLTA is undertaking the removal of an earthen berm to restore the impoundment to wetland, recreate accessible floodplain to the stream, and enhance nutrient removal capacity of the floodplain wetlands. HLTA will remove invasives in the surrounding floodplain and riparian area and replant with natives, and supplement the wetland re-planting with a broader array of native species.
The single most important action to restoring the wetland and reconnecting the floodplain to the stream is the removal of the earthen berm that occupies the stream corridor and recreating wetland habitat in the existing pond. This area would be unevenly graded in hummock-like micro-topography and planted with a wide array of native plants specialized to this habitat. The area of the existing pond and earthen berm encompasses approximately a ¼ acre or 10% of the project site.
The second major component of the project is to modify the floodplain wetland occupied by, and adjacent to, the berm to improve connectivity with the stream. This area encompasses over 0.10 acre or 4% of the project site.
Finally, the project includes removing non-native invasive plants and replanting with regionally native species throughout the floodplain wetland and riparian area of the project area. The riparian area targeted for management is approximately 2.15 acres or the remaining 85% of the project site.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Water Protection, Filtration, and Control: Water quality/quantity- protection of groundwater recharge areas; Flood control- restoration of wetlands and riparian lands
Total Project Cost: $83,000
Status: The Natural Resources Conservation Service will reimburse expenses up to $5,860 for clearing of vegetation, excavation of the existing pond berm, and subsequent wetland enhancement, macrotopography restoration and herbaceous plugs for one acre of the site. The NJ Wetlands Mitigation Council will provide $74,125.85 for professional services associated with this work, including engineering, surveying, excavation, regrading and clearing and required state permits.
If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources.
Tags: friends of hopewell valley open space, upper raritan watershed association, wma 04 (lower passaic and saddle), wma 06 (upper passaic whippany and rockaway), wma 07 (arthur kill), wma 08 (north and south branch raritan), wma 10 (millstone), wma 11 (central delaware)
Posted in biological diversity, ecological restoration project, franklin parker small grants program, projects funded by conservation resources
CRI has provided continued funding for this project through its Franklin Parker Small Grants program:
2007- $4,000
2008- $5,000
2009- $6,000
2010- $5000
2011- $5000
The New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team (CJISST) was initiated in 2008 by the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) and the Upper Raritan Watershed Association (URWA), whose goal it was to create New Jersey’s first private/public partnership based upon a cooperative approach to prevent the spread of newly emerging invasive species though early detection & rapid response (ED/RR). ED/RR is an innovative, cost-effective and efficient approach to invasive species. Partners and volunteers involved in CJISST are all committed to a common goal — preventing the torrent of new invasions that will further degrade New Jersey’s natural resources.
Strike Team partners use early detection/rapid response (ED/RR) methodology to map the locations and densities of newly emerging populations of invasive species and to remove them before they spread further. Eradications are prioritized based on the frequency, range and density of the species, as well as the conservation value of specific sites. Engaging a wide range of partnerships with state, county, and municipal agencies, conservation and community organizations, private landowners, and an extensive network of volunteers ensures the success of this project.
Ecosystem Services Provided:
Biological Diversity: Habitat- federal threatened species habitat protection; Ecosystem resilience and pest control- invasive plant removal
Outreach & Education: volunteer training, public education on invasive species
Total Project Cost: $250,000
Status: In 2011, the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team became an independent non-profit organization. CRI’s grant funds have helped leverage nearly $250,000 in additional grants from other funders.
NJISST now includes over 55 project partners from multiple sectors including government (federal, state, county, and municipal), non-profit, corporate and private. Stewardship and education/outreach activities occur throughout the project area which covers 1.6 million acres across 9 counties (Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Monmouth, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Union). Key project accomplishments include: searching over 50,000 acres, detecting nearly 2,000 populations, eradicating over 600 populations, providing over 50 educational presentations with over 800 total participants, and providing outreach and training to over 1300 partners and volunteers. The project has also established a Steering Committee to guide its progress moving forward and a website to provide technical materials including a project map depicting detections and eradications (www.njisst.org).
If you would like further information about this project, please contact Conservation Resources.
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