Upper Delaware, WMA 1

The Culvermere Property is now part of New Jersey's Bear Swamp Wildlife Management Area.  The total purchase price was $12,400,000.  Private contributions to this important project totaled over $1,100,000! Conservation Resources Inc. played a key role in creating and managing the funding partnership amongst the various non-profit conservation organizations, local and state governments, and the landowner.  CRI also assisted in raising much of the private contributions that made this project happen.

An 852-Acre Ecological Gem

New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) was the lead non-profit land trust that preserved this critical 852-acre forested tract known as The Culvermere Property in Frankford and Hampton Townships, Sussex County. Preservation assures the continued ecological integrity of the surrounding 2,000-acre, state preserve known as Bear Swamp, itself at the edge of the vast contiguous forest of the Kittatinny Ridge stretching from High Point to the Delaware Water Gap.

This sizable addition to the vast Kittatinny Forest is composed of rolling hills blanketed by oak, beech, and sugar maple forest. The wetlands and streams radiate outward to Bear Swamp, Swartswood Lake State Park, and Kemah Lake among others, all joining the Paulinskill and ultimately the Delaware River. Critical habitat exists for wildlife species such as bobcat, barred owl, and northern goshawk; a complete complement of reptiles, amphibians, and deep-forest neotropical migrant songbirds; black bear; and a myriad of moth and butterfly species.

The Culvermere Property was under intense pressure to be developed. Although it contains varied topography and sizable wetlands, there are large areas that were suitable for development.  The previous owners created a conceptual development plan for the property that called for more than 150 residential building lots and a nationally known builder offered to purchase the entire property.

Conservation Resources worked with New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the state of New Jersey Green Acres Program to ensure that the entire property was purchased and added to Bear Swamp Wildlife Management Area. The Culvermere Property is being managed to ensure protection of water quality and natural resources.

Conservation Resources Inc. and New Jersey Conservation Foundation worked with numerous public and private partners to raise significant funding for this project.  Project partners include The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program, Sussex County, Hampton Township, Morris Lands Conservancy, The New Jersey Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, a Doris Duke Charitable Foundation grant to TNC, and a Victoria Foundation grant to NJCF. 

The following is a break-down of private contributions, which totaled $1,166,000:

The Conservation Fund - $467,000

New Jersey Conservation Foundation (Victoria Foundation Grant) - $400,000

The Nature Conservancy (Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Grant) - $100,000

Total of Individual Contributions more than $2000 - $98,000

New Jersey Waterfowl Stamp Committee - $50,000

Total of Individual Contributions less than $2000 - $30,000

Wild Turkey Federation, New Jersey Chapter - $10,000

Ducks Unlimited - $10,000

Ruffed Grouse Society, New Jersey Chapter - $2,000

Sussex County Federation of Sportsman's Club - $1,000

Conserve Wildlife Foundation - $1,000