7.3 to 1 (for every dollar contributed, $7.33 has already been raised).

Almost 90% of the total project cost has been raised. 

Restoring New Jersey's Rarest Habitat - Native Grasslands

Tall open grasslands made up of native plants, also called warm season grasslands, are important habitat for rare bird species such as grasshopper sparrows, bobolinks, northern harriers, upland sandpipers and rare butterflies such as frosted elfin and arogos skipper.   All of these species are declining in New Jersey because grassland habitat is being lost at an alarming rate, from nearly 1 million acres in 1972 to less than 850,000 acres in 2001, based on the latest available state data. And in just a six-year period – from 1995 to 2001 – nearly 26,000 acres of agricultural lands were lost to development.

Government and nonprofit organizations are addressing this loss in two ways; through aggressive land preservation efforts; and through good land stewardship by restoring native grassland habitat.  This project is aimed at increasing the capacity for restoring native grasslands throughout the state. New Jersey Audubon Society is seeking funding to construct a warm-season grassland seed storage facility. 

The Cape May Plant Material Center (CMPMC), which is a facility owned and operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Cape May, currently has one seed storage unit, which is used to store and maintain seeds used for various research and projects at the CMPMC. The New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) and its partners, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) through an existing Memorandum of Understanding with NRCS periodically use the existing seed storage unit to store native warm season grass, wetland seed mix, and wildflower mix prior to use at restoration projects on private and public land throughout NJ. Without appropriate storage prior to use, seed germination rates decline significantly while being stored.

Currently the CMPMC facility has become excessively crowded with seed material and the potential of improper seed storage is increased. As a result, there is a need and the opportunity to construct an additional seed storage unit at CMPMC. Projects representing 442 acres of grassland restoration are on-going or completed in 2005. The seed storage facility will enable at least 300 acres / year of grassland restoration in New Jersey each year for the life of the project (at least 10 years).

The proposed seed storage facility will be owned and operated by the NRCS at the CMPMC. However, through an existing Memorandum of Agreement, the Service and its partners will have access to the seed storage facility to store, drop off, and pick up seed material at the facility. The NRCS will assume all operational expenses associated with maintaining the seed storage facility and will also use portions of the facility.

The total project cost is $87,500; $60,000 to purchase the seed storage unit and $27,500 for construction and assembly.  A total of $77,000 has been raised.  New Jersey Audubon Society is seeking $10,500 to be able to complete the Construction and Assembly portion of the project. 

The funding partners are as follows:

Storage Unit

purchased by NRCS, $60,000

Construction and Assembly

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, $3,000
US Fish and Wildlife Service, $4,000
New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife LIP Program, $5,000
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (pending), $5,000

Total funds raised or pending, $77,000