CINDY EHRENCLOU We think preserving land upstream is the best tool in the tool box to protect our water supplies. And of course, the Upper Raritan is lovely area where we can make that happen.
We have a Conservation Easement Program where folks can donate development rights. We continue our conservation partnership with those landowners who continue to own the land, monitoring our easement once a year. Thus, we become a resource for the landowner to learn best management practices. We answer their questions and discuss how they can be good conservationists.
We also participate in acquisition projects with other like-minded organizations, towns and counties, because it’s very expensive and thus hard for a nonprofit to come up with enough resources to buy property in New Jersey. So, if we get together, use our Green Acres funding, and partner with towns and counties, we can purchase critical properties to preserve.
[The Green Acres Program was created in 1961 to meet New Jersey’s growing recreation and conservation needs.]
As a watershed organization, we’re guided by our interest in protecting and enhancing our headwaters, tributaries and our Category 1 Streams. To address these priorities, we purchase properties that will protect our watershed with properly stewarded open spaces.
NWNL Cindy, thank you very much for sharing your time and views in the midst of this conference. This seems be a time of positive change for the Raritan River, so I wish you great success with all you do.