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Camden County Properties Protected in Perpetuity
Somerdale Borough, NJ…November 9, 2005…The nonprofit
Trust for Public Land (TPL) announced today the third Camden County
property it has protected in the last two weeks. Protection of the
15-acre Kirkwood Forest property in Voorhees Township comes on the
heels of the protection of nine acres along
the South Branch of the Cooper River in Somerdale Borough and
the 35-acre Signal Hill property in
the Borough of Clementon.
The announcement comes on Election Day, as Camden County voters
will decide whether or not to increase the Open Space, Recreation,
Farmland, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund levy. If approved
by the voters, the funds would be used for similar projects to protect
drinking water sources and water quality, improve park safety, and
preserve natural areas and open space throughout Camden County.
“Because of these protection efforts, these properties are
protected and will be open to the public for generations to come
rather than converted into private office space,” said Cindy
Roberts, senior project manager for the Trust for Public Land.
“These lands will remain protected not only for the enjoyment
of local citizens, but for all residents throughout Camden County,”
said Freeholder Jeffrey L. Nash, liaison to the county’s Open
Space Trust Fund Advisory Committee. “I commend everyone whose
hard work made this possible.”
This is the third property protected through the partnership of
the Township of Voorhees and the Trust for Public Land. In 2001,
the duo protected the 49-acre Lafferty Asphalt Plant property, which
is now John Connolly Park. In 2004, they teamed up again to protect
the 140-acre Stafford Farm as active agricultural land and public
open space.
“Voorhees Township is pleased to continue our open space preservation
efforts,” said Mayor Michael Mignogna. “We appreciate
the work of the Trust for Public Land in helping us achieve our
preservation goals and hope and plan to continue this work with
their assistance.”
Funding for the $1.5 million Voorhees purchase was provided by the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program
($650,000 township grant and $100,000 nonprofit grant to TPL), and
$500,000 from Camden County, and $250,000 from the Voorhees Township
Open Space Fund.
Funding for the $1.1 million Sommerdale Borough purchase was provided
by the Camden County Open Space Trust Fund ($550,000), NJDEP Green
Acres Program ($272,500 grant to Somerdale Borough), and the NJDEP
Office of Natural Resource Restoration ($150,000 grant facilitated
by Conservation Resources, Inc.). The William Penn Foundation also
contributed $127,500 to the Trust for Public Land for the acquisition.
“We were delighted to help market these exemplary projects
and to provide assistance with funding from natural resource damage
settlements,” said Michael Catania, president of Conservation
Resources, Inc. a nonprofit organization providing financial and
technical services to the conservation community in New Jersey.
“I’m thrilled that we were able to get the cooperation
and participation of TPL, Camden County, and Green Acres in order
to preserve this important land that we have along the Greenway
in our community,” said Somerdale Mayor Gary Passanante. According
to the mayor, the local grammar school, Parks School, is holding
a competition to name the park. The mayor expects to hold a dedication
ceremony at the park when a name is chosen. The land is adjacent
to a 2.2-acre wetland site previously preserved by Somerdale Borough.
Signal Hill in the Borough of Clementon includes the historic Indian
Spring where Walt Whitman wrote the last part of Leaves of Grass
and a trail system already heavily used by the public. The 35-acre
property includes wetlands and the watershed of the North Branch
of the Big Timber Creek, which gives way to forests and steep slopes,
and ultimately scenic views from the 199-foot peak, including the
Philadelphia skyline.
All three properties are part of the River to Bay Greenway initiative,
a vision for a multi-use recreational route that will span 70 miles
of southern New Jersey to link the Delaware River to the Barnegat
Bay. The initiative was started by TPL in 2000, and in just five
years, the group and its partners have protected nine properties
totaling 418 acres.
The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit land conservation
organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens,
and natural areas, ensuring livable communities for generations
to come. TPL started its River to Bay Greenway initiative in 2000
to give residents in rapidly growing southern New Jersey communities
the opportunity to connect with some of the state’s most impressive
natural areas. The River to Bay Greenway efforts have been made
possible by the commitment of Camden County, the State of New Jersey,
various municipalities, and private support from the William Penn
Foundation. With its state office in Morristown, TPL has protected
approximately 23,000 acres throughout New Jersey. Additional information
on TPL and the River to Bay Greenway Initiative is available by
clicking here.
For more information please contact:
Stephanie W. Singer, (908) 781-6420 x103, stephanie@beckermanpr.com
Kathy Haake, (973) 292-1100 or kathy.haake@tpl.org
Susan Clark, (212) 677-7171 or susan.clark@tpl.org
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