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Hunterdon Land Trust permanently protected another 15 acres of forest in Kingwood Township resulting in an expansion of its Idell Preserve to 72 acres. Hunterdon Land Trust has now preserved 11,861 acres.
The project began when HLT’s Director of Administration and Events, Laura Orbine, drove down Barbertown Idell Road and spotted a “for sale” sign on vacant land adjacent to the Idell Preserve. Thanks to her catch and the interest of the seller to see the land preserved, Hunterdon Land Trust’s land acquisition staff then pursued funding to purchase the property. A contract was signed in April and the purchase was completed this September.
With this strategic acquisition, a corridor of more than 300 acres of connected open space and farmland lies between Barbertown-Idell Road and Byram-Kingwood Road. These greenways of preserved land are crucial for wildlife to move throughout the landscape to find food and shelter. Connected landscapes support biodiversity, making our region more resilient in the face of flooding, invasive species, and other stressors. Protecting property in the floodplain with forested wetlands promotes clean water, healthy watersheds, and aquatic habitats.
“We are thrilled to have expanded one of our own preserves, particularly one as unique and valuable as Idell Preserve,” says Emily Dunn, HLT’s Director of Stewardship and Digital Media. “We have invested in this preserve over the past two years, including planting more than 300 native trees, installing bilingual interpretive signage, doubling the length of the trail, and removing invasive species. This new addition builds on these efforts and protects even more of this forest, filled with amphibian habitat and a diversity of native plants.”
Catherine Suttle, HLT’s Executive Director, adds, “We are delighted that this latest project forwards our mission of fostering healthy ecosystems and communities in the Hunterdon County region. We are grateful to the many partners that made this preservation success possible. We especially want to thank our partners that funded the project including the New Jersey Green Acres Program, Hunterdon County, National Park Service’s Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic Rivers Program, and Kingwood Township.”
Hunterdon Land Trust invites the public to visit Idell Preserve and enjoy this protected open space. Parking and the trailhead are located on Barbertown-Idell Road just south of Tumble Idell Road in Kingwood Township. The preserve is open from dawn to dusk seven days a week.
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