Rockaway River Wildlife Area Tagged For Preservation Funds

JEFFERSON, NJ — The Rockaway River Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson has been recommended to receive part of a $2.4 million open space grant from the Morris County Board Of Freeholders.

If approved, Jefferson would receive $565,000 to purchase the 117.8 acre plot of land. The property offers trails and wildlife preservation, and would be part of a large section of land planned to extend from the county’s Mahlon Dickerson Reservation to the Newark Watershed.

The recommendations will be voted on at the Nov. 20 meeting; the Board has generally accepted the recommendations.

“The committee thanks the freeholders for recognizing the need for continued public support for this program, and understanding the need for towns to be able to preserve land for active and passive recreation and environmental protection,’’ said committee chair Rick Watson. “Many of these projects could not be done without County support.’’

“Freeholder Boards over the last several decades have clearly understood that the high quality of life in Morris County is directly connected to the preservation of open space and farmland and historic properties,’’ said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “The current board continues to hear the voices of our county residents who have repeatedly voted to approve a special tax for these purposes, and have directed us to make preservation a priority issue."

The open space grants are funded by a tax, which this year is 7/8ths of 1 cent per $100 of assessed property value, officials said. Since the grant began in 1994, 12,247 acres have been preserved in the county.

Image via Morris County Government