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Name of Project: |
D'Alessandro Farm Acquisition |
Geographic Fund: |
Pine Barrens |
Location of Project: |
Franklin Township, Gloucester County, and Buena Borough, Atlantic County |
Watershed Management Areas (WMA): |
Great Egg Harbor River Watershed
WMA #15 |
Type of Project: |
Land Acquisition |
Size: |
29.6 acres |
| Organization: |
Unexpected Wildlife Refuge (UWR) |
Status: |
Will be closing 1st quarter 2008 |
Total Project Cost: |
$316,000 |
Funds Raised: |
$264,850 ($159,850 from NJDEP Green Acres Program Grant, $100,000 through CRI from a NRD Settlement, $5,000 from a CRI Small Grant) |
Funds Needed: |
$51,150 |
| Leverage: |
83% of the project cost has been raised |
| PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE |
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Acquisition and preservation of the D’Alessandro Farm is within the long-term conservation plan of the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge Inc. It is adjacent to UWR's existing 700+ acre preserve and would eventually be linked into the extensive publicly accessible trail network. The surrounding land use is agricultural and rural residential. Preservation of the D’Alessandro Farm will help to protect the Great Egg Harbor Watershed and help further the goals of the Federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Program. Expansion of the existing Unexpected Wildlife Refuge also helps to further the goals of both the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan and the NJ State Plan.
The D’Alessandro Farm is made up of agricultural fields and wetlands forests and has a long agricultural history. The fields have been abandoned for several years and are naturally succeeding to warm season grasses and shrubs. There is a small agriculturally modified wetland (ditched for farming) that connects hydrologically to the Main Lake Branch. There is a large Atlantic white cedar forest located on the property adjacent to the Main Lake Branch. Although common in the NJ Pinelands, Atlantic white cedar forests are rare throughout the Northeast and provide critical habitat for several threatened and endangered species.
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| PROJECT DESCRIPTION |
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UWR plans to restore and maintain the agriculturally modified wetlands, forests, and warm season grassland (prairie) on the farm. The property will be linked into its existing trail network and maintained by UWR staff and volunteers. The property would be permanently protected from development by a Green Acres Deed of Conservation Restriction which would permanently restrict use to conservation and passive recreational purposes. The D’Alessandro Farm would be owned and managed by UWR and open to the public for passive recreational use including hiking, environmental education, and nature observation.
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| FUNDS NEEDED |
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Unexpected Wildlife Refuge has been successful at raising over $270,000 for this project and needs to raise an additional $27,350 to purchase the D'Alessandro Farm Property. |
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