Wading River & Mullica River Watersheds, WMA 14

The headwaters of the Wading River Watershed originally supported extensive stands of Atlantic White Cedar forest, before conversion to agriculture during the first half of the 20th Century. Based on historical map sources, aerial photos, soil type, and the continued existence of adjacent stands of Atlantic White Cedar, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation has identified 300 acres suitable for planting of Atlantic White Cedar seedlings in wetlands where hydrology is measured to be appropriate for supporting this diminished habitat type.

The planting sites are all former agricultural areas that currently are--or in the near future will be-- part of a wetlands restoration project. NJCF's goal is not to convert existing native plant communities, but rather to restore areas that have already been highly modified.

• All Atlantic White Cedar seedlings will be grown from local seed collected on the Franklin Parker Preserve;
• All planting sites would be completely enclosed in deer fencing in units of approximately 25 - 50 acres per enclosure, and fencing would be removed once seedlings have grown to a safe height;
• Primary control of competition from red maple, pitch pine, or other tree species would be clipping via volunteer labor.
• It is the policy of NJCF that no Atlantic White Cedar harvest, salvage or otherwise, will ever be undertaken at Franklin Parker Preserve. The sole purpose for this restoration is to re-establish historic locations of Atlantic White Cedar cover type in the headwaters of the Wading River watershed, and to allow natural processes to dictate the ecological trajectory of these habitats over time.
  

The New Jersey Conservation Foundation is seeking $330,000 to cover the cost of this project.