Passing the Torch: Executive Director Transition | | |
Hunterdon Land Trust is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and with this milestone comes a new chapter of leadership for the organization.
Catherine Suttle (right) has transitioned into a familiar role as Director of Capital Projects in the new year. Emily Dunn (left), formerly Director of Stewardship & Digital Media, is now the Executive Director.
| | | HLT Celebrates Preservation of Trustee's Farm | | |
HLT is proud to announce the permanent preservation of the 32-acre Hidden Spring Farm in Raritan Township, owned by Lynn Becker, Secretary of the HLT Board of Trustees. The farm was preserved through the New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee (SADC), marking an important milestone in both Lynn’s personal journey and the broader effort to protect Hunterdon County’s agricultural land.
Lynn and her husband, Walter “Bud” Becker, had been exploring farmland preservation for years, motivated by a shared desire to safeguard their land’s agricultural value and natural resources. After Bud’s passing in 2024, Lynn remained committed to completing the process they had started together.
“It is what Bud would have wanted,” Lynn said. “We both believed deeply in keeping this land open, productive, and part of the agricultural community. Preserving the farm ensures that the landscape we loved will remain protected forever.”
Read more about Lynn's journey to preservation on our website.
| | Upcoming Stewardship Saturdays | | |
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to help care for the environment or learn new skills, our Stewardship Saturdays are a great way to start off 2026 on the right foot. See below to sign up, or contact our Stewardship Coordinator, Sarah Crosby (sarah@hunterdonlandtrust.org) to learn more.
Stewardship Saturday at Quakertown Preserve, January 17th, 9 AM-12 PM (Sign Up)
We’re enhancing the bird habitat at Quakertown! The shrubland there is a unique ecosystem that provides incredible shelter and food for a variety of bird species. We’re going in this winter to remove autumn olive, honeysuckle, and privet, to make space for more native shrub diversity.
Stewardship Saturday at Zega-Lockatong Preserve, February 21st, 9 AM-12 PM (Sign Up)
Zega is a primary forest with mature trees and low soil disturbance, full of beech trees, a species only present in a late successional forest. Beech leaf disease (BLD) is causing the decline, and eventual death, of beeches across the state, leaving open canopy gaps that pour sunlight on the forest floor. When left alone, these gaps often fill with invasive species like multiflora rose and barberry. This winter, we’re removing as many trailside woody invasives as possible to reduce the seed sources as BLD worsens.
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Join HLT for these free guided nature walks to explore our preserves this winter! Space is limited - register at the links below to reserve your spot.
Birding & Winter Habitat at Quakertown Preserve:
Saturday, January 17th, 2:00-3:30pm (Sign Up)
Join us for a leisurely walk around Quakertown Preserve to look for birds that call NJ home throughout the winter. We’ll discuss some basic ID and winter behavior as we spot different species. Along the way we’ll talk about the species and structure of the plants at the preserve that make it such great bird habitat, and how you can help create that habitat in your own backyard.
Plants in Winter at Zega-Lockatong Preserve:
Saturday, February 21st, 2:00-3:30pm (Sign Up)
With leaves fallen from the trees and snow covering flower beds, plants often fade into the background during the winter season. However, there are so many exciting things to see and learn about them during the “off season”: cold survival strategies, uses as habitat, winter ID features, sap flow, and more! Plus, evergreen conifers, mosses, and ferns get their time to shine. Join us as we explore the winter botanical world throughout the meadow and forest habitats of our Zega-Lockatong Preserve.
| | Taking Stewardship to New Heights | | |
We are immensely grateful to a very generous donor who funded the purchase of HLT's first aerial drone!
This aerial drone will empower stewardship staff to more efficiently assess habitat quality and stewardship needs throughout our preserves. With hundreds of acres to manage across the county, a drone will allow staff to rapidly identify priority areas for stewardship action, such as canopy gaps, invasive species infestations, erosion hotspots, and areas in need of restoration. It will also provide a consistent, high-resolution record of habitat conditions over time, enabling staff to track restoration progress, evaluate the effectiveness of management interventions, and adapt strategies based on real data.
| | Dvoor Farm Corn Crib Signage Restored | | Thank you to dedicated volunteers Steve Armbruster and Roger Harris for their thoughtful work restoring signage to the west facade of the corn crib at Dvoor Farm this past fall! | | Thank You to Guys Who Give | | HLT received a surprise visit at the end of the year from the Hunterdon County chapter of Guys Who Give! We are so grateful for their support towards land preservation and stewardship in our region. | | Backyard Stewardship: Winter Reads | | |
In January, spring can feel so far away - but it is the perfect time to expand your ecological knowledge indoors with a great book! Here are two recommendations from our team that look at stewardship of the land with unique lenses:
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How to Love a Forest by Ethan Tapper discusses how past and present human influences on eastern forests change how we should interact with them, told from the perspective of a forester.
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Into the Weeds by Tama Wong explores meadows, backyard habitat, and native plants, with a focus on foraging, and includes beautiful pictures and how-to projects.
Both reads are full of practical ecological information along with thought-provoking philosophies that will expand your perspective on how we interact with the land as stewards.
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Save the Date for Wine & Art at the Farm:
May 16, 2026
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We hope you will join us for our third annual Wine & Art at the Farm fundraiser on Saturday, May 16th at our Dvoor Farm headquarters!
More details to come - save the date!
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Our work is only possible through the support of our donors.
Consider a contribution to Hunterdon Land Trust today!
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