Hunterdon Land Trust has been very busy helping to preserve properties on Johanna Farms Road in Raritan Township!
Hunterdon Land Trust helped Raritan Township acquire two properties in June for open space preservation. 50 Johanna Farms Road is an 18-acre property that is partially forested with 7 acres of wetlands. 101 Johanna Farms Road is a 30-acre property that contains the Second Neshanic River running across the property, as well as a tributary running along the southern boundary where it converges with the river. Both properties were preserved with New Jersey Green Acres funding and are now open to the public. Hunterdon Land Trust contributed a grant from Hunterdon County for half of the purchase price to buy 50 Johanna Farms Road.
Preserving these properties that have wetlands and headwaters is important for water quality protection and flood protection. Wetlands provide wildlife habitat and store floodwaters while headwaters help to reduce sediment and pollutants entering water sources. Amy Greene, Chair of the Raritan Township Open Space Advisory Committee, noted, “The properties are within the Neshanic River watershed, just upstream of where significant flooding resulted in loss of life in Raritan Township as a result of Hurricane Ida. Preventing development and appropriate stewardship of these properties can mitigate future flooding.”
Catherine Suttle, executive director of Hunterdon Land Trust, emphasized the organization’s commitment to land preservation, saying, “Protecting land in our region is critical to sustain resilient, connected landscapes that sustain clean air and water, support biodiversity, and mitigate flooding. It is always even more special when we can preserve land in Raritan Township where our historic Dvoor Farm headquarters is located, and where the Township has supported us in making Dvoor Farm a center for inspiration, education, and connection.”
Hunterdon Land Trust thanks the New Jersey Green Acres program, Hunterdon County, and Raritan Township for their support of land preservation.
Hunterdon Land Trust is a non-profit organization that has preserved more than 12,000 acres of open space and farmland throughout the Hunterdon County region since its founding in 1996. To learn more and get involved, visit www.hunterdonlandtrust.org.
