Partners
The South Jersey Land & Water Trust works closely and receives considerable assistance from the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. It also receives aid from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. See the list below for information on both organizations.
Recently, the SJLWT has worked closely with the Old Pine Farm Land Trust to acquire additional properties along the Big Timber Creek. The Old Pine Farm, located in Deptford Township, Gloucester County, has preserved 30 acres of land on the south side of the Big Timber. It has a walking trail and a membership group that maintains the property. http://www.bigtimbercreek.org.
PARTICIPANTS IN OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION
New Jersey Natural Lands Trust. The NJ Natural Lands Trust was created in 1968 by the state legislature as an independent agency. The Trust's mission is to preserve land in its natural state to protect wildlife habitat and provide residents with passive recreation. The Trust preserves land primarily by donations of title in fee simple or conservation easements. The Trust manages its properties to conserve endangered species habitat, rare natural features, and significant ecosystems. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/natural/trust.html.
County of Gloucester Office of Land Preservation. This agency houses the County Agricultural Development Board and administers the farmland preservation program in Gloucester County. It also administers the Open Space Program. County funding for farmland preservation and open space comes from the Gloucester County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust. http://www.co.gloucester.nj.us/Government/Departments/LandPreservation/main.htm.
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. DVRPC is a regional planning organization focused on wise land use within the Delaware Valley. DVRPC has developed a program of open space planning and advising for municipalities in southern New Jersey and has helped townships compile it open space, recreation and farmland preservation plans. www.dvrpc.org.
Gloucester County Nature Club. One of the oldest conservation groups in the area, the Gloucester County Nature Club focuses its efforts on the protection of the natural areas in the county and on providing educational and recreational activities for residents to discover Gloucester County's parks and natural areas. http://www.gcnatureclub.org
The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy's mission is to preserve plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. They have been awarded funds from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation to acquire and preserve endangered species habitat in New Jersey. http://www.nature.org.
The Natural Lands Trust. The Natural Lands Trust, based in Media, Pennsylvania, preserves land in the Delaware Valley, including lands in Salem and Cumberland Counties. One of its founders, Randall Arendt, is a leading proponent of conservation design, a form of land-use regulation by municipalities that protects open space and directs residential growth into environmentally-sensitive forms. The Growing Greener: Conservation By Design™ program is used extensively by Pennsylvania municipalities. http://www.natlands.org.
New Jersey Conservation Foundation. The Foundation's mission is to promote conservation of land and natural resources throughout New Jersey. The Foundation supports local municipalities in their efforts to establish or increase Open Space and Farmland Preservation Funds, and conduct multi-municipal preservation efforts. It also supports efforts by local land trusts to acquire specific properties. http://www.njconservation.org.
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife manages many of the properties that have been preserved by the State Department of Environmental Protection and will also accept donations of title in fee simple of certain properties. Such donations are usually acquisitions made with Green Acres funding by land trusts or other nonprofit private conservation organizations. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw.
New Jersey State Forest Service, NJDEP. The New Jersey State Forest Service offers to owners of private woodlands written guidance and financial assistance to protect and improve timber, wildlife, fish, soils, water recreation and aesthetic values of their forested lands. This program was authorized by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill and administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests.
South Jersey Land & Water Trust. South Jersey Land & Water Trust is a regional land trust whose mission is to protect and preserve the natural, cultural, and historic heritage of southern New Jersey. South Jersey Land& Water Trust preserves land through fee simple acquisition and conservation easements. The organization also assists state, county and local entities in open space planning, farmland preservation, acquisition, and management. The SJLWT project area, for which it has Green Acres funding, consists of the Raccoon and Oldmans watersheds.
State Agricultural Development Committee. Through coordination with county Agricultural Development Boards, local governments, and nonprofit organizations, the State Agricultural Development Committee administers the state farmland preservation program. The farmland preservation program includes the purchase of agricultural easements, the purchase in fee simple of entire farmland properties (to be auctioned off with an agricultural easement), and the acceptance of donations of agricultural easements. http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/sadc/sadc.htm.
Stewart Land Trust. This small trust provides funding for land acquisition in Gloucester, Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland, and Ocean counties. To be eligible, a property must either contain water or be adjacent to water. The Stewart Trust was established in the 1950s with the goal of preserving wildlife habitat and has assets of $5 million. The Trust provides support for the acquisition of properties that can be purchased solely with Steward Trust funds. Title to any such acquired property is held in perpetuity by the Trust.
1. New Jersey Green Acres Program
Eligible applicants: Municipalities and counties
Eligible projects: Open space acquisition and outdoor recreational facility development
Application round: Year-round
Project categories:a. Standard Program - Offers 50% grants to municipalities and counties with preservation taxes in place for land acquisition costs, 25% grants if no preservation tax in place.
b. Planning Incentive Program - Offers 50% loan, 50% grant to those local governments that have enacted an open space tax and have adopted an open space and recreation plan.
c. Urban Aid Program - Offers 50% loan, 50% grant. This category is limited to acquisition and development projects sponsored by local units eligible to receive state aid pursuant to P.L. 1978, c. 14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.) Camden City, Gloucester City, Gloucester Township, Lindenwold Borough, Pennsauken Township and Winslow Township are listed as Urban Aid Eligible Municipalities.
d. Nonprofit Organization Program -The Green Acres Program also runs Green Trust Funding Rounds for nonprofit charitable conservancies. The program offers 50% grants, with the match being made with cash or a donation of land. Maximum grants are $500,000.
e. Tax Exempt Program - Program provides exemption from local property taxes to eligible nonprofit organizations which own recreation or conservation lands and open their private lands to the public.
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/greenacres/
2. New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (Clean Water Financing)
Eligible applicants: Municipalities, counties, sewerage or utility authorities, improvement authorities or local government units constructing new or improving existing wastewater, stormwater or nonpoint source management facilities.
Eligible projects: Included in the universe of projects that are currently eligible for the EIFP are: wastewater collection and conveyance facilities, combined sewer overflow abatement facilities, rehabilitation of existing sewer systems, pump stations, stormwater basins, sewer maintenance equipment, lake restoration activities, landfill closure facilities (such as capping systems or leachate collection and treatment systems), new landfill facilities (such as double-composite liner systems and leachate collection and treatment systems), salt domes and others. The Financing Program also includes activities such as land purchase and conservation, remedial action activities (including brownfields) and well sealing. Although the EIFP does not directly finance planning and design costs, an allowance (calculated as a percentage of the allowable building costs) to assist in defraying these costs is provided by the EIFP as part of the loan package.
Maximum grant: Financing is provided by two sources, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (the Trust). The Department provides loans at 0% interest for approximately 20 years for up to one half the allowable project costs. The Trust offers loans at about the market rate or less for the remaining allowable project costs, also for a 20-year term. Between these two funding sources, the rate on the loans is essentially half the market rate. Approximately $100 million-$200 million is available per year.
Application round:
Deadline: on or about March 1st,
Notification: early September of same year
http://www.njeit.org
3. New Jersey Office of Environmental Services Matching Grants Program
Eligible applicants: Local environmental agencies
Eligible projects: Projects that promote the protection of natural resources by documenting those resources, preparing policy recommendations to protect those resources, and by preparing and disseminating information about the ways in which the public can participate in protecting the environment. Examples of previously funded projects include: natural resource inventories, water quality studies, master plan and zoning ordinance amendments, open space plans, greenway planning, environmental trail designs GIS mapping projects and public education programs.
Maximum grant: $2,500
Required match: At least 50%
Application round: Typically, deadline is December 1, with notification on March 15 of following year
Websites
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/esp/
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/grantandloanprograms/olga_mgf.htm
4. National Recreational Trails Act Projects - Administered through NJDEP, Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management
Eligible applicants: Public agencies and nonprofit organizations
Eligible projects: Trail proposal must be located on land that is publicly owned or privately owned with a government agency holding an easement or lease for public access. Projects must be completed within 3 years.
Maximum grant: $25,000
Match required: 20% of total project, may be cash or fair market value of labor or materials.
Application round: Varies yearly.
Contact: Office of Natural Lands Management, 609-984-1339.
FEDERAL
Wetlands Reserve Program of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):
Eligible applicants: Landowners (NRCS determines final eligibility)
Eligible projects: Land with the potential to contribute to desired ecosystem functions and values fitting into one the following categories: agricultural lands with restorable wetlands, former or degraded wetlands occurring in range and forest production land, riparian areas that connect with protected wetlands along streams or other waterways, adjacent lands that will contribute significantly to the wetland functions and values, previously restored wetlands under a State or Federal restoration program, privately developed wetland areas meeting NRCS restoration standards.
Maximum grant: The program offers landowners three options to choose from when enrolling: a permanent easement, a 30 year easement, and a cost-share agreement in lieu of requiring an easement. Easement payment is for the agricultural value of the land, an established payment cap, or an amount offered by the landowner. Restoration projects are fully funded by the NRCS for permanent and 30 year easements, and are funded 50 - 75% for non-easement agreements.
Required match: 25-50% for non-easement agreements. Landowner is responsible for protecting and maintaining the wetlands within the boundaries of the easement. Public access to the easement area is not required. Acceptable uses of the land will be spelled out in detail and approved, and may include hunting, fishing, timber harvest, and haying or grazing, depending on the situation.
Application round: Ongoing, open sign-up in New Jersey began October 1, 1996. Contact: Garry Lee, Assistant State Conservationist 732-246-1171 x123
