CHESTER, NJ, Oct. 28, 2008 - Conservation Resources Inc. (CRI) announced its third annual Franklin Parker Small Grants awards to non-profit conservation organizations, with 2008 grant awards totaling $85,000. "This grant program continues to illustrate how relatively small amounts of money can make a big difference for conservation." said Michael Catania, President of Conservation Resources Inc.

CRI’s Small Grants program provides seed money to non-profits for the initiation of land preservation projects, to help cover certain costs which are not otherwise reimbursed by other existing grant programs, and to provide matching funds to support non-profit land stewardship and ecological restoration projects. Funding for these small grants has been provided to CRI by the William Penn Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Victoria Foundation, the Tiffany & Co. Foundation, the Mary Reinhart Stackhouse Foundation, as well as individual donors.

The 28 different projects funded in the 2008 Franklin Parker Small Grants Program, there are 7 land preservation projects, 14 ecological restoration projects, and 9 other capital conservation projects located throughout the Garden State.

"We continue to be impressed and heartened by the amount of conservation work being conducted by small and medium-sized non-profit organizations in New Jersey. We are happy that we are able to provide some critical resources for these projects." said Catania.  

Conservation Resources Inc (CRI) is a statewide non-profit conservation finance intermediary. The mission of CRI is to increase the capacity, expertise and technical and financial resources available to private and public conservation organizations in order to maximize the preservation of open space and farmland in the Garden State.

Appel Farm Arts & Music Center, is a non-profit organization located in rural Upper Pittsgrove Township, Salem County. The Appel Farm Nature Trail will be an important step in further developing Appel Farm’s management of acreage previously preserved through assistance from Conservation Resources Inc. It also satisfies the Center’s desire to promote public awareness of and sensitivity to environmental issues, provide education on these matters, and inspire personal responsibility through models of sound environmental stewardship.

The trail is envisioned to have interpretive signage to assist hikers and visitors. The signage will provide information and graphics on natural features such as the Palatine Branch of Muddy Creek, the rivulet that runs through the property; native flora and fauna, highlighting both common and rare species known to inhabit the area; and, the environmental impact of human activity on natural ecosystems.

The trail will complement educational programming and activities undertaken as part of the Center’s summer camp program, specifically its GREEN Corps environmental art program. The GREEN Corps program, now entering its fifth year, encourages environmental activism through the arts for children 9-17 over the span of two four-week sessions each summer.

$2,500 grant to help create a nature trail on Appel Farm, a preserved property.

The Four Towns Watershed Stewardship Project is designed to assist local municipalities sharing common waterways in facing the triple threats of non-point source pollution, flooding, and erosion. To make effective land use decisions with constructive outcomes for water quality, municipal officials need to vastly increase their technical knowledge of the available tools and strategies that can help them address the environmental impacts common to our urbanizing landscapes.

Bergen SWAN is partnering with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program and other professionals to build upon their established relationships with municipal officials within the Upper Hackensack River Watershed and to encourage expansion of community-based water quality protection efforts.

Currently, Bergen SWAN's main focus areas are the towns of Hillsdale, Emerson, River Vale and Westwood, selected because they host two major tributaries, the Pascack and Musqaupsink Brooks, which flow into the Oradell Reservoir.

$4,000 grant to fund the four town watershed project.

$4,000 Small Grant Award
City of Newark and City of Belleville
Project Type: Ecological Restoration

Branch Brook Park Alliance (BBPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving Branch Brook Park. At over 350-acres, Branch Brook Park is the largest park in the City of Newark and was designed by the firm of Frederick Law Olmsted.

The Olmsted firm envisioned Branch Brook Park’s continuous waterway system as its aesthetic spine. The waterways constitute the Park’s most important ecological resource and one of its most important historic attributes. Over the years, the system has become stagnant and polluted, partially filled in, and subject to reduced water flow.

Restoration of this natural system is critical to BBPA’s plans to preserve Branch Brook Park and catalyze the economic development of the surrounding residential community. Restoration of the waterways and the riparian buffer will not only improve the appearance and increase public use and enjoyment of the park, but also benefit the local and regional ecosystem by improving water quality, lowering nutrients and sedimentation, increasing oxygen and improving the trophic level both in the watercourse and the watershed.

A healthy watercourse will support a wider diversity of aquatic life and improve habitats for flora and fauna in the park. The restored waterways will also have the potential to support environmental education activities along with increased opportunities for bird watching, fishing and boating.

$4,000 grant to help complete a plan to restore Branch Brook Park's waterways.

The Canal Society of New Jersey is a non-profit organization that focuses its efforts on preserving, restoring, and educating the public about the two towpath canals in New Jersey - the Morris Canal and the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Part and parcel to their efforts is creating the Morris Canal Greenway Trail.

The Canal Society is negotiating with the State Park Service to lease the Mahler House, a former residence and Canal Store, located in Allamuchy Township, to create a trailhead facility and interpretive center serving the Morris Canal Greenway Trail in Allamuchy Mt. State Park. This will provide public access to the trail, parking, restrooms and interpretive displays and will ensure the continuity of this portion of the Morris Canal Greenway, a major initiative of the Canal Society.

The Mahler House is a natural way-station and access point for the Morris Canal Greenway Trail. The Canal forms the property’s western boundary and the towpath trail is less than 20’ behind the house.

The Mahler House sits at the intersection of four long-distance trails. Three of them follow the Morris Canal through the Musconetcong valley: the 100-mile Morris Canal Greenway Trail; the 150-mile Highlands Trail, which stretches from the Hudson River in NY to Phillipsburg, NJ; and the Liberty Water Gap Trail, which runs from Liberty State Park to the Delaware Water Gap. The fourth trail, Patriots Path, transects Morris County and will eventually terminate in Stephens State Park, which is adjacent to this property.

$2,500 grant to help create a trailhead facility for the Morris Canal Greenway Trail.

D&R Greenway Land Trust is building a Native Plant Nursery dedicated to restoring a rich diversity of native flora to the local landscape. It will supply local genotypes of indigenous plants to D&R Greenway and other conservation groups for ecological restoration projects. It is also envisioned that the Native Plant Nursery will supply plants to the general public, so that the residential landscape can begin to be re-knit with the natural landscape.

The goals of the Nursery are: 1) To provide a crucial tool for D&R Greenway’s stewardship staff for ecological restoration work; 2) To provide the general public with a source of native plants with clear and local provenance; 3) To educate the general public about the ecological benefits of native plants; and 4) To provide a nexus for involving the local community in the restoration of its surrounding environment.

$3,000 grant to help establish a native plant nursery that will supply native, local plants.

The purpose of the Blacks Creek Urban Waterfront Restoration Project is to create recreational and educational areas for the community through the ecological restoration of acquired parcels along Blacks Creek in Bordentown City. The anticipated results include: providing community recreational opportunities that currently do not exist; enhancing habitats for fish and wildlife; and helping to protect the health of the Upper Delaware River Estuary through community stewardship.

The project includes restoring and expanding the riparian buffer in areas that are eroding; incorporating community access to the waterfront; reducing invasive plant species and planting natives; and recruiting and expanding the volunteer base through educational outings.

$3,000 grant for ecological restoration of an urban waterfront park in Bordentown.

Environmental stewardship and vigilance from citizens is a key ingredient to ensure river, wetland, and sensitive tributary streams are protected during times of pollution spills. With five refineries and oil tankers on the Delaware River daily, there is both a notorious history of spills and real threat of future catastrophic discharges.

When there is a pollution discharge, every moment counts: It is critical that agencies are alerted immediately; that clean-up efforts are identified and undertaken and when they are failing that the problem is corrected; that every injured animal and habitat is assisted and documented to ensure their greatest survival; and that polluters are held accountable for the harm.

The Delaware Riverkeeper Network will be creating the Delaware River Safe Water Action Team (DR SWAT), a structured and permanent program of organized volunteers that can respond to pollution discharge emergencies. This program will aid in cleanup efforts and inform the press, the public, and decision-makers of ongoing pollution incidents. It will also help document information for natural resource damage assessment process. Finally, this program will engage the public in being part of the response effort, building on the general widespread public concern after an incident.

$3,000 grant for a DR SWAT, proactive catastrophic pollution stewardship program that will protect Delaware River habitats.

$2,500 grant to help make the Lady Slipper Tract more access able to the public. 

Friends of Hopewell Open Space and Upper Raritan Watershed Association (URWA)
Central New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team - Phase II

Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association
Streambank Restoration of South River

The Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association (GEHWA) is dedicated to the protection and restoration of the natural, cultural, and recreational resources of the Great Egg Harbor River Watershed.

The South River streambank restoration project will consist of a demonstration stabilization project of a 60' portion of the South River, a tidal stream located in Estell Manor County Park. GEHWA will use coir fiber products and wood stake anchors, and will utilize the best management practices for this type of restoration. Its location adjacent to a public boat launch offers a tremendous opportunity for GEHWA to showcase the importance of ecological restoration.

$2,500 grant to Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association for streambank restoration of a portion of the South River.

Greater Newark Conservancy
Soft Costs Associated with Acquisition of a Headquarters Building

$2,500 Small Grant Award
City of Newark
Project Type: Land Acquisition

Heart of Camden
Treekeepers Nursery and Eve's Community Greenhouse and Gardens

The Heart of Camden's Eve's Community Greenhouse and Treekeepers Nursery program exemplify not only good stewardship of the urban landscape, but also how to "restore" that landscape by providing plants and trees to create a viable urban ecosystem.

Water sources for both the greenhouse and tree nursery have already been created through various funding sources. A rainwater catchment system which delivers water via a bicycle powered pump was developed for the greenhouse by a hydrological engineering student. United Water Camden supplied and installed a field hydrant at the tree nursery.

Having secured water sources, Heart of Camden now needs irrigation systems to distribute the water to the seedlings and saplings in a consistent and timely manner. Irrigation for the greenhouse will consist of a micro-drip/misting system. The tree nursery will utilize a drip system. Both systems will include ways to apply organic fertilization for the plants and trees.

A "propigation station" is also needed in the greenhouse in order to generate new plants from existing plants and trees already in the community.

$3,000 grant to Heart of Camden to help construct irrigation systems and a propagation station.

During this past year, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA-NJ) and Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance (HLTA) collaborated in producing a master plan for the Dvoor Farm, located just outside of Flemington, NJ. They are now poised to move forward on two of the core projects that emerged from the process: a vegetable farm and a shared use commercial kitchen.

NOFA-NJ and HLTA will begin to actively prepare the Dvoor Farm site for vegetable farming, eventually providing an important source of locally grown food and a demonstration area for, farmers, landowners, and the general public. In addition, the partners want to explore the feasibility of installing a commercial kitchen at the Dvoor Farm. It is hoped that a commercial kitchen can provide a space for local resturaounts, caterers and other to use locally grown organic food, thereby generating new markets for local farmers.

$2,000 grant to Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance and a $2,000 grant to Northeast Organic Farming Association of NJ for creating a detailed agricultural plan.

$2,000 Small Grant Award
Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County
Project Type: Land Acquisition

The Hunterdon Land Trust and New Jersey Conservation Foundation, in partnership with Kingwood Township, have negotiated the purchase of over 329 acres of critical property within the Delaware River Greenway project area.

The property is directly adjacent to public land acquired by the state and is a critical property within the greenway of contiguous land that has been acquired along the Delaware Bluffs by various land preservation organizations. The property contains scenic vistas of the Delaware Bluffs, significant species habitat, and a sizeable stretch of the Copper Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River.

The preservation of this property will support local, county, state and federal conservation objectives. The property is within the Delaware Scenic By-way corridor and the federally designated Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic River corridor.

$2,000 grant to cover soft costs associated with acquisition of the 329-acre Palapoli/Clinton Farming Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County.

$4,000 Small Grant Award
City of Newark
Project Type: Ecological Restoration

Isles, Inc. is a Trenton-based community development and environmental non-profit organization with a mission to foster more self-reliant families in healthy, sustainable communities. Isles has a 25-year record of supporting community gardens, and currently supports 35 community gardens and 10 school gardens.  

The Community Gardens Program addresses the critical issues of hunger relief and nutrition, urban beautification, and open space preservation throughout the City of Trenton. Isles provides the technical and organizing assistance necessary to transform neglected parcels of sometimes environmentally contaminated urban land into clean, food-producing, ornamental, and recreational open spaces.

$4,000 grant to help expand Isles, Inc. community gardens program the City of Trenton, Mercer County.

The Musconetcong Watershed Association (MWA) is an independent, non-profit organization formed in 1991 to protect and improve the quality of the Musconetcong Watershed, including its natural, cultural and historic resources. The River Resource Center, which is currently being constructed, will serve as MWA’s first headquarters, an anchor for environmental education, demonstration of green building techniques, and focal point for ecological restoration projects planned for the 26 municipalities in the watershed.

MWA will have the River Resource Center certified by the U.S. Green Building Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. MWA is currently in the process of LEED Certification for the River Resource center, which is costly.

$2,500 grant to help cover soft costs for the LEED Certification of the River Resource Center in Asbury, Warren County.

North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) will implement a riparian restoration project along the West Portal Brook as it flows into the Musconetcong River in Hunterdon County. CRI's grant funds will provide matching resources to support the successful implementation of this riparian restoration project, which will entail planting of a native vegetative buffer and restricting livestock from accessing the brook.

$3,000 grant for implementation of a riparian restoration project.

Passaic River Coalition (PRC) is preserving the Decker Property, an 8.5 acre tract of land located in Bloomingdale, NJ. This Highlands Property is heavily wooded with young mixed hardwood forest, predominately red maple. There are easily hiked trails that run throughout the property that provide a scenic tour of the flora, fauna, and waterways.

The property contains several streams and is surrounded by a series of connected lakes and streams which eventually flow downstream into the Pequannock River, a significant source of drinking water. Decker is also very close to the Passaic River Coalition’s Federal Hill property, located to the south across Union Avenue. Preserving the Decker tract is part of PRC’s goal of preserving greenways along the Passaic River tributaries.

$2,500 grant to help cover soft costs associated with preservation of the Decker Tract in Bloomingdale, Passaic County.

Significant populations of native disturbance-dependent pinelands plants are found along roadsides in southern New Jersey. Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) will develop management practices for maintaining and restoring roadsides in order to sustain and increase populations of important plants, many of which are declining elsewhere.

Their project will consist of a literature and regulatory review, interviews with experts, and field documentation of roadsides under various management regimes including examples ranging from poor native plant diversity to high diversity of native Pine Barrens species. PPA will attempt to determine factors that foster existing non-native plant communities – for example, road construction and fill materials that affect the soil chemistry, and the use of lime, fertilizer, salt, and non-native seed mixes. They will also create test-plots to experiment with roadside vegetation management. Finally, PPA would like to prepare a Preliminary Management Manual that will be adapted over time as the test plots are monitored.

$3,000 grant to support Pinelands Roadside Flora Conservation and Management.

Rahway River Association (RRA) will develop a management plan to restore and maintain Red Hill, a ten-acre Pine Barrens site found in the heart of the Ashbrook Swamp Reservation in Scotch Plains, Union County. This area is a dry sandy upland forest filled with botanical rarities found nowhere else except in the Pine Barrens and coastal plains forests. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of bottomland hardwood forest, this patch of Pine Barrens has survived despite being found in one the most developed areas of New Jersey.

$3,000 grant will be used to create a management plan for red hill, a Pine Barrens outlier in the Ash Brook Reservation.

Ridge and Valley Conservancy
Limestone Forest Acquisition

The Ridge and Valley Conservancy (RVC) will be acquiring 22 acres of forested limestone outcrops in Hardwick Township, Warren County. The property is in the heart of RVC's Limestone Forest project area where RVC has protected over 500 adjoining acres, including Mountainwood Spring.

This project protects the Shuster Pond Natural Heritage Area and provides an extension of a public access hiking trail and protects the direct recharge area for Mountainwood Spring, a prolific limestone spring that feeds the Paulins Kill. This heavily forested property also protects habitat for migratory birds, large mammals, threatened plants, and amphibians.

$3,000 grant to help cover soft costs associated with acquisition of the Limestone Forest Acquisition.

Saddler's Woods Conservation Association
Saddler’s Woods Habitat Restoration, Phase II

$3,000 Small Grant Award
Haddon Township, Camden County
Project Type: Ecological Restoration

$4,000 Small Grant Award
Oldmans Township, Salem County
Project Type: Land Acquisition

Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association (SBMWA) is beginning the fourth and final phase of an innovative, multi-phased stream restoration on Pike Run. They have completed the first three phases of this restoration project in partnership with Montgomery Township and NJDEP.

In Phase 1 of the restoration, volunteers planted 2,800 native plant species in a 1.27-acre wetland meadow adjacent to Pike Run. In Phase 2, SBMWA installed a series of in-stream structures that will, over time, re-direct stream flow to create a meandering stream flow pattern within the existing banks and will establish in-stream habitat for macro-invertebrates and fish. For Phase 3, volunteers planted 1,000 trees along Pike Run’s streambanks to further stabilize the banks and provide good fish habitat.

Pike Run is adversely affected by upstream development. Flash flows during and after storm events have eroded stream banks, incised the stream, and flushed out sediment. The stream is straightened, eroded down to bedrock, and disconnected from its floodplain.

Phase 4, will reconnect Pike Run to its floodplain along a 1,400-foot stream segment, which will allow high stormwater flows to dissipate in a safe, natural way, thereby reducing flooding and erosion potential, and protecting the habitat restoration work completed in Phases 1, 2, and 3.

$3,000 grant for restoration of Pike Run in Montgomery Township, Somerset County.

Unexpected Wildlife Refuge
LEED Certified Refuge Nature Center

$2,500 Small Grant Award
Atlantic County
Project Type: Other Capital Conservation Project

This project will convert an existing cabin on Unexpected Wildlife Refuge that contains Refuge headquarters, library, records and education materials into a Platinum LEEDs building. It is hoped that this building will be constructed from sustainable materials, will have solar heating, geothermal cooling, composting toilets, gray water systems, and interactive educational stations for the public to use.

The public will be invited to the building to understand how they can incorporate many of the elements they learn about into their own lives, and ultimately lessen their impact on the environment without lessening their own level of comfort and style.

The Refuge Nature Center will seek to be Platinum LEED Certified.

$2,500 grant to help cover soft costs associated with creation of the Unexpected Wildlife Refuge Nature Center.