Hunterdon Land Trust (HLT) is thrilled to announce the addition of 55 acres to Horseshoe Bend Park in Kingwood Township. The property was purchased from Helen Chaitman, who has been a diligent and thoughtful steward of the land since 2001. The newly protected property features a scenic stream that ultimately drains into the Delaware River, along with a mix of meadows and forests that provide important habitat for state-threatened and endangered species, including bobolinks and red-shouldered hawks. The property officially closed on New Year’s Eve, and nothing says “Happy New Year” quite like starting the year with 55 more acres permanently protected.
HLT has been part of the preservation of Horseshoe Bend Park since the beginning. “HLT has been instrumental in helping to establish and grow Horseshoe Bend Park into what it is today,” said Richard Dodds, Chair of Kingwood Township’s Open Space Committee. “Over the last 10 years, HLT has facilitated the addition of 270 acres to the park through 5 separate land acquisitions.”
Funding for the Chaitman parcel was made possible through a partnership between HLT and Kingwood Township, combining the Township’s Green Acres award with a matching grant secured by HLT from Hunterdon County. “Having committed partnerships with Kingwood Township, the New Jersey Green Acres Program, and Hunterdon County was instrumental in getting this project to the finish line – on New Year’s Eve, no less!” said Jacqueline Middleton, HLT’s Sr. Director of Land Acquisition and Stewardship.
“The Green Acres Program is pleased to be a partner in this cooperative land acquisition,” said Martha Sullivan Sapp, Director of Green Acres. “In addition to establishing a connection between Horseshoe Bend Park and D&R Canal State Park, this property lies within an area that is important for our CHANJ (Connecting Habitat Across New Jersey) initiative which aims to preserve critical contiguous wildlife habitats that support wildlife breeding, feeding, and sheltering.”
With this acquisition, Horseshoe Bend Park continues to grow as a treasured natural and recreational resource for Kingwood Township and the region. Protecting the Chaitman property ensures that its forests, meadows, and waterways will remain intact for wildlife and future generations, while advancing shared conservation goals across New Jersey – including the goal of conserving 50% of the state’s undeveloped land with high resource value by 2050.
HLT is proud to work alongside dedicated partners and community members to safeguard the landscapes that make Hunterdon County such a special place to live.
Hunterdon Land Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to foster healthy ecosystems and communities in the Hunterdon County region through permanent preservation of open space and farmland, stewardship of natural resources, and cultivation of the Dvoor Farm as a center for inspiration, education, and connection. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the organization has helped protect more than 12,600 acres. To learn more, visit www.hunterdonlandtrust.org.
