MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners tonight approved $1.8 million to preserve more than 65 acres across three municipalities as part of the 2024 Open Space Program.
The projects, formally adopted by the board after receiving recommendations from the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee, are located in Denville, Madison Borough, and Mendham Township, and range in size from 3.5 acres to 51 acres.
“We are proud to approve these projects for funding, as they protect critical habitats, expand recreational opportunities, and ensure the long-term health of our environment,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, the board’s liaison to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation. “Since 1994, we’ve preserved more than 18,300 acres of open space, which is an area larger than the Township of Parsippany, reflecting our commitment to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for all residents.”
OPEN SPACE PROJECTS APPROVED FOR MORRIS COUNTY GRANTS:
Jonathan’s Woods Extension – Whitney Property
- Applicant: Protect Our Wetlands, Waters, Woods (POWWW)
- Located in Denville Township
- 3.5 acres
- Award: $265,000
- Description: The property is contiguous to the 430-plus acre Jonathan’s Woods, which was acquired in 2000 through a combination of municipal, state, and county trust fund dollars. Over the past 20 years, the Morris County Park Commission has also acquired many of the smaller parcels off Hillcrest Drive. The Whitney Property, situated at the end of Hillcrest Drive, represents one of the largest remaining tracts of land to be acquired for the Jonathan’s Woods conservation area.
Schiff Preserve Addition – Civille Property
- Applicant: Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA)
- Located in Mendham Township
- 11 acres
- Award: $447,234
- Description: Positioned at the Somerset County border, the Schiff Preserve Addition known as “Civille” features the North Branch of the Raritan River along its eastern boundary. A conservation easement along the stream protects the Category One waters as well as steep slopes. Following the acquisition, the property will be transferred to the Schiff Natural Lands Trust, expanding its existing Nature Preserve. The land will be managed for conservation and passive recreational purposes.
Drew Forest Project
- Applicant: Madison Borough
- 51 acres
- Award: $1,087,766
- Description: Drew Forest plays a critical role as an aquifer recharge area for the Buried Valley Aquifer, which supplies water to 31 towns across three counties. The forest also includes steep slope areas and serves as a habitat for the endangered Indiana Bat. Drew University students use the Zuck Arboretum and Hepburn Woods within the forest as outdoor ecological classrooms. In 2023, the project received a $5 million grant from Morris County, marking the first dedicated funding for its preservation.
Funding for open space acquisitions and preservation comes from the voter-approved Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is generated by a special county tax. The funding source is also used for farmland and historic preservation, county parkland acquisition, trail construction, and the purchase of residential properties prone to flooding.
Since its inception in 1994, the Morris County Open Space Program has preserved a total of 18,306 acres utilizing more than $300 million in grant funding. This is all in addition to lands that have been preserved and improved through the other Preservation Trust Fund Programs: Farmland Preservation, Historic Preservation, Flood Mitigation, and Trails Construction.
Did you know that county, municipal, federal, state and nonprofit-owned open space totals nearly 94,600 acres, accounting for approximately 30.7% of Morris County’s total area? The Morris County Planning Board released an updated master plan for open space in September 2024. Click here to download.
