Conservancy Protects Blair Creek Preserve

Project of partnership safeguards 480 acres of critical Skylands matrix forest

Chester, NJ—November 29, 2004—In the northwestern corner of the state, a mere hour’s drive from New York City, lies one of the region’s few remaining swaths of intact forest. Here, despite the increasing march of development, nearly 500 acres of rich interior forest, dubbed Blair Creek Preserve, has been protected thanks to the efforts of The Nature Conservancy and its partners, the Ridge and Valley Conservancy, and The State of New Jersey’s Natural Lands Trust and Green Acres Program.

Said Barbara Brummer, Ph.D., executive director, The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey, “This project of partnership will help preserve the rich biodiversity of the Skylands.”

Added Bob Canace, president of Ridge and Valley Conservancy, “We are delighted to be a part of the agreement to preserve the land and to share in the stewardship of this valuable natural treasure.”

“Protection of this forested area helps to protect water quality and water recharge to the underlying groundwater aquifer,” said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell.

Straddling the borders of Sussex and Warren counties, Blair Creek Preserve is part of the Swartswood matrix forest block (for more on matrix forests, see NJ Native below), a natural area that comprises 100,000 acres of deciduous and mixed forests. Relatively untouched, this expansive greenway of interior forest provides nesting habitat for increasingly threatened migrating neotropical bird species and area-dependent mammals such as bobcat and black bear. Almost one third of the forest is protected through a combination of federal and state lands, however the remaining lands are at risk of inappropriate development.

“Protecting this land leverages our work in the region,” said Tom Wells, assistant state director, director, Skylands Program. “The property is located adjacent to several significant parcels of protected open space including Stillwater Township municipal open space, and natural areas owned by the Bergen Council Boyscouts, and the Orange YMCA. Blair Creek Preserve also forms an uninterrupted greenway with the 70,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.”

The property also comprises the lower border of Fairview Lake, two branches of the Blair Creek, and nearby wetlands. A vibrant population of wood turtles as well as dwarf wedgemussel find habitat in these bodies of water.

Blair Creek Preserve will be managed jointly by The Nature Conservancy, the New Jersey Natural Lands Trust, and the Ridge and Valley Conservancy. The preserve will be managed to maintain biodiversity. A trail system and parking area will be developed to enhance public access to the site for passive recreation such as hiking, bird watching, photography, and scientific research.

A generous donation from The Johanette Wallerstein Institute was secured by the Conservancy to manage the land for stewardship.