Jefferson Forests Tapped For A County Preservation Grant

JEFFERSON, NJ — Forested properties in Jefferson Township, which include the headwaters of the Russia Brook, have been recommended for a 2019 Open Space grant by the county's Open Space Trust Fund Committee.

The properties, surrounded by the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation, are forested and contain steep, rocky slopes, officials said. They also contain an important water source for the Russia Brook, which drains into the Rockaway River.

The area provides habitat for a number of species, and has a "high ecological integrity," officials said. Preserving the land would help ensure high water quality. It will also allow for additional trails to be built in the park.

This preservation project will be owned and managed by the Park Commission.

The fields are one of six projects across the county recommended for adoption. A formal decision on all the recommended projects will be made at the Nov. 25 meeting of the Board of Freeholders in Morristown. They traditionally accept all recommendations.

Funds for the project come from a voter-approved preservation fund, which is also used for farmland and historic preservation, county parkland acquisition, trail construction, and the purchase of residential properties prone to flooding.

Other proposed projects include purchasing additional parkland in Denville, buying the Black River Fields in Chester, and buying and preserving the ValleVue Farms in Morris Township.