DEP PRESERVES MORE THAN
2,000 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE IN ATLANTIC COUNTY
(05/129) TRENTON -- Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell announced the preservation
of a 2,200 acre parcel in Estell Manor City in Atlantic County.
DEP's Fish & Wildlife will manage the land as part of the Peaslee
Wildlife Management Area. The land will be open to the public for
hiking, bird watching and other types of outdoor recreation.
"This acquisition is just one example of how we're protecting
environmentally sensitive areas and open space throughout the state,"
said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey. "By preserving these
2,200 acres of land, we are providing New Jersey residents with
more opportunities for bird watching and hiking in Atlantic County."
The newly preserved property is located at the intersection of
Route 557 and Route 50 in Southwest Atlantic County. The undeveloped
parcel contains pine-oak forest interspersed with wooded wetlands.
Atlantic white cedar swamps, pitch-pine lowlands and red maple swamps
add to the diversity of the site and provide habitat for a variety
of wildlife species including yellow-throated warblers, mink, beaver,
white-tailed deer and butterflies.
"With this acquisition, DEP is preserving nearly 100,000 acres
of contiguous properties in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties,"
said Commissioner Campbell. "The preservation of this parcel
will protect critical habitat for forest species and expand our
network of wildlife management areas."
The DEP Green Acres Program purchased the unimproved land for $2,435,000
from Crown Financial Corporation.
"Estell Manor was pleased to work with the state Green Acres
Program to save this land from the development of 300 new homes
which would have tremendous impacts on our rural life," said
Estell Manor City Council President Creed Pogue.
The DEP Green Acres Program purchases land to protect environmentally
sensitive open space, water resources and other significant natural
and historical open space. Land acquired becomes part of the statewide
system of parks and forests, wildlife management areas and natural
areas.
During 2005, the DEP Green Acres Program has preserved more than
30,640 acres of open space. The program has protected a total of
over 588,695 acres of open space, in addition to providing funding
for the development of hundreds of parks throughout New Jersey.
To date the statewide system of preserved open space and farmland
totals over 1.3 million acres.
To learn more about the Green Acres Program, visit DEP's Web site
at:
http://www.nj.gov/dep/greenacres/
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