the Nature Conservancy expands Blair Creek Preserve

STILLWATER — The Nature Conservancy has added nearly 55 acres to its Blair Creek Preserve in Sussex County, bringing New Jersey wildlife one step closer to having an uninterrupted corridor of protected land from the Highlands to the Kittatinny Ridge. On June 23, The Conservancy officially acquired the parcel of temperate broadleaf and mixed forest on Old Schoolhouse Road in Stillwater Township from sellers John “Jack” and Sara Branagan. Jack is a longstanding member and current chairman of the Stillwater Township Environmental Commission. With the addition, Blair Creek Preserve now comprises more than 600 acres.
“My wife and I are passionate about conservation, and this land is so special,” said Branagan. “It is high quality habitat in excellent condition and it would have been a shame to see it developed. It’s really gratifying to be a part of making sure it is around to support people and wildlife, today and in the future.”
The Nature Conservancy has been active in northwestern New Jersey for almost 30 years, with projects ranging from land conservation to floodplain reforestation and river health. This purchase is part of The Conservancy’s larger vision to connect the Kittatinny Ridge and the New Jersey Highlands --two vast areas of protected open space--to form a natural greenway that provides habitat, safeguards stream headwaters and offers safe passage for wildlife away from busy roads. Once complete, the corridor will connect to an additional 400,000 protected acres in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
“Many animals rely on this habitat, from neotropical birds to fishers. In fact, we have been informally calling this project ‘Bobcat Alley,’ because we know that New Jersey’s last remaining wild cat makes its home here,” says Barbara Brummer, state director for The Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey Chapter. “This is a high priority area for us. We own two regional preserves, Blair Creek and Johnsonburg Swamp, and are actively working to improve the health of the nearby Paulins Kill and Delaware rivers. We’re invested.”
To acquire and preserve the property, The Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey chapter used funds from generous private donors, as well as grants from the E. J. Grassmann Trust and the F.M. Kirby, Union and Victoria foundations.
The Nature Conservancy established the Blair Creek Preserve in 2004 by purchasing an approximately 486-acre property in partnership with The Ridge and Valley Conservancy and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. An additional 85 acres was added to the preserve in 2011. The Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey chapter will manage the Branagan property as an addition to Blair Creek.
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have helped protect 130 million acres worldwide, including more than 55,000 in New Jersey. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the web at nature.org.