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PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOCAL COMMNITIES HELP SHAPE A VISION FOR THE SOURLANDS IN SOMERSET, HUNTERDON, AND MERCER COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY

Flemington, NJ October 26, 2007 -  The Sourlands Planning Council (SPC) announced today that they have completed a series of five community visioning meetings throughout the Sourlands Region.  These meetings are the first phase of a continuing public participation process in connection with an effort by the SPC to help inform future preservation and development in the region. 

The SPC received a grant from the NJ Office of Smart Growth to create a community-based conservation plan that, when implemented, will help protect water quality and maintain the natural resources in the region.  To create this plan, they hired the professional planning firm Banisch Associates, Inc. of Flemington, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, and Conservation Resources Inc. 

The Sourlands region spans 90 square miles (56,000 acres) and includes is the largest unbroken forest in the heart of central New Jersey.  It falls within three counties, seven municipalities, and three major regional watersheds.  Located midway between New York and Philadelphia, the Sourlands are roughly bordered by the Delaware River to the west, Route 206 in Hillsborough to the east, Route 514 to the north, and Route 518 to the south. Its unique geology, water resources, deep wood forests, wetlands, history, and culture all define the Sourland Mountains region.
“Our goal is to create a bottom-up approach to planning”, said Frank Banisch, President of Banisch Associates, Inc.  Banish added, “We are accomplishing this by seeking meaningful public input throughout the planning process”.

“We have had a tremendous amount of public input from throughout the community,” said John Brunner, Executive Director of the Sourlands Planning Council.  “We know it is hard for everyone to attend these meetings so it’s important for people to realize that it is not too late to make their voices heard.  We have set up an innovative system for gathering additional input into this planning process.

“One of the exciting parts about this planning process is the cutting-edge way the public can continue to contribute,” added Jim Waltman, Executive Director of Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.  “In our busy society, we realize that it is sometimes difficult for folks to attend meetings.  We have developed an interactive website that people can access at their convenience.”  This website provides the complete background studies and reports for the Sourlands and lets anyone with access to the internet contribute to the vision.  To learn more about the Sourlands and to contribute to this exciting process, visit www.TheWatershed.org/sourlands.

Go to “your map” on the website to add comments through an interactive map.  Go to “your input” to fill out a survey about protection efforts in the Sourlands.

“The public input from these meetings indicates that local residents are concerned about protecting water quality, preserving critical forests, protecting farmland, and preserving the unique rural character of the Sourlands Region,” said Michael Catania, President of Conservation Resources Inc. “There has been strong public support and interest in exploring creative ways to help preserve the precious natural resources of the Sourlands,” added Catania. 

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Click here for more information on the CRI's involvement in this exciting project.

 
 
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