South Branch Watershed Association Receives Green Acres Grant

The South Branch Watershed Association has received a $575,000.00 grant from the New Jersey Green Acres Program. The funding will be used for open space preservation efforts in the Highlands region according to Don Einhorn, the Association’s Executive Director.

The Association has been meeting with other non-profits and governmental agencies to discuss partnering on Highlands acquisitions over the past year, said Einhorn. An application for funding to assist with this regional effort was submitted by the Association to the Green Acres program in February. The application was approved by the Garden State Preservation Trust in early June. The money must now be appropriated by the State legislature, which is expected to happen later this year.

“We are looking at preserving a number of properties that will further our goal of improving water quality within our watershed.” These will be multiple party acquisitions involving the Association and other purchasers, according to Einhorn. “By partnering with others we are able to accomplish more with the limited funding that is available. Preserving open space in the Highlands benefits people and wildlife by protecting natural resources that offer recreational opportunities and afford habitat for threatened, endangered and rare species. We are also achieving drinking water protection by safeguarding aquifers and streams from pollution risks caused by development in appropriate places.” The Highlands region is the source of water for both Spruce Run and Round Valley Reservoirs. These reservoirs are part of a system that provides drinking water to more than 1.2 million central New Jersey residents.

“These acquisitions will also provide us with new sites for conducting our place-based environmental education program as well as future stream restoration projects. We are very excited, and grateful to the Green Acres program for the opportunity to do this work.”

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