NJ Land Conservancy Adds 40 Acres To Ramapo Mountain Preserve

MAHWAH, NJ — The Land Conservancy of New Jersey completed a purchase of 40 acres of land in Mahwah, which will be added to the Ramapo Mountain Preserve.

The plot "buffers 13,000 acres of county and state parkland that comprises the largest area of undeveloped land in Bergen County," the Land Conservancy said, in a news release.

"It’s a critical wildlife habitat and refuge from the hustle and bustle of northeast New Jersey’s traffic, commercial real estate, and densely populated areas. The property is also an important watershed, providing clean water to the Ramapo River—a significant drinking water source for northern New Jersey," the conservancy said.

Previously owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the land was purchased by the conservancy with the help of partners including the NJ Audubon Society, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

The plot, which features views of the Manhattan skyline, sat "unused and leftover from the construction of Route 287. It was put up for public auction in September 2019, and the conservancy was the highest bidder.

Though it's unclear what the future use of the "rugged" property will include, the conservancy said they are "assessing the potential to continue the Cannonball Trail—which currently extends from Pompton Lakes to Mahwah—through the Ramapo Mountain Preserve and into New York State, through the village of Hillburn into Harriman State Park, and ultimately to the Hudson River."

The Land Conservancy’s Ramapo Mountain Preserve now totals 92 acres with more growth to be done, the organization said.

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