(MANSFIELD TWP., Dec. 1, 2009) – The Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders joined today with New Jersey Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher to mark the preservation of land that will remain open for farming, wildlife habitat and public open space.

The 357.685-acre Gurdon Wattles farm has been divided between Warren County, the state Green Acres program, and the New Jersey Audubon Society.

“The preservation of the Wattles farm underscores the importance of partnerships in achieving our farmland and open space preservation goals,” Secretary Fisher said.

Freeholder Director Richard D. Gardner, Deputy Director Everett A. Chamberlain and Freeholder Angelo Accetturo welcome NJ Agriculture Secretary Douglas H. Fisher to the newly preserved Wattles Farm

“Congratulations to Warren County for its leadership role in this project,” Fisher continued. “The State Agriculture Development Committee was very pleased to assist the County in this effort by approving cost-share funding to help ensure that approximately 200 acres will always remain available for farming.”

Freeholder Director Richard D. Gardner said preserving the land is “a plus for the region,” noting that it keeps a large tract in farming, provides open space along the Musconetcong River, and prevents hundreds of homes from being developed there.

With Point Mountain looming in the background, Freeholder Director Gardner describes how the land is now preserved from the farm across the river and up the mountain.

“Give the size of the tract, it would have been very difficult for the area to deal with the number of homes that could have been built there and the overall impact of the traffic that would have resulted,” Gardner remarked.

Secretary Fisher holds a bag of sunflower seeds, the type of plant that will be grown on the Audubon Society portion of the property to provide habitat for birds.

“It’s just a great partnership. We’re very happy to be part of it,’’ Freeholder Everett A. Chamberlain said. “It gives access to the Musconetcong, we’re providing farmland that will be economically viable, public open space, and a bird sanctuary,” he said. “The residents of Warren County and the State of New Jersey can be very proud,” Chamberlain added. Freeholder Angelo Accetturo praised the “great cooperative effort” between a private nonprofit, the state and the county Land Preservation Department to accomplish the farm’s preservation.

Freeholder Angelo Accetturo praised the “great cooperative effort” between a private nonprofit, the state and the county Land Preservation Department to accomplish the farm’s preservation. “I’ve been driving past this farm for years. It’s nice to know it will always be open space,” Accetturo said, adding, “It’s a credit to all the people that have worked together to make this happen.” “Most of all, we have to thank the vision and dynamic leadership of the owner, Mr. Gurdon Wattles,” Gardner noted, adding, “Certainly, the Wattles family has been benefactors in this region for a long time.”

Freeholders Chamberlain and Gardner listen as Freeholder Accetturo praises all the entities that worked together on the preservation project.

The Wattles family, which owned the farm near Port Murray for decades, previously donated land to Mansfield Township where the Municipal Building is located.

At one time, as many as 900 homes were contemplated for the property. Some 760 homes had been officially proposed and a later plan downsized that to a still significant 540 homes.

Wattles received $5,364,600 for the entire property. Using its open space and farmland preservation fund, Warren County paid $3,686,882 for a portion of the tract that will be divided into two farms, totaling 97.677 acres and 122.192 acres. The development rights will be retired and those farms will be auctioned next year so that they can continue in productive agriculture. The county is seeking about $1.5 million in state farmland preservation funds to reimburse part of the acquisition costs.

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres program paid $1,348,718 for 96.337 acres that fronts on the Musconetcong River, which will provide passive recreation space and a buffer to protect the river.

The NJ Audubon Society paid $329,000 for the remaining 51.479 acres of the farm, including a stone farmhouse dating back more than 200 years and outbuildings, where it will run a stewardship center open to the public. Wattles significantly reduced the price for this portion of the property as a contribution to the Audubon Society.

The freeholders hosted an event to show off the property to guests including Fisher and Assemblyman John DiMaio, who as a Warren County freeholder voted to proceed with the acquisition earlier this year; and representatives of the state farmland preservation program; the NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife, which will manage the property purchased by Green Acres; the county Agriculture Development Board; Mansfield Township officials; The Heritage Conservancy and the Musconetcong Watershed Association, two conservancy groups active in the area; and the partners in the Wattles purchase, the Audubon Society and Green Acres.

“What’s really important is the job everybody did together to make this happen,” said Rich Osborn, Northwest Team Leader for Green Acres. Osborn remarked that not only does the acquisition preserve prime farmland, “We also knew that we’ve got one of the best trout streams in the country,” in the Musconetcong River.

Land Preservation Department Administrator Robert Resker leads a bus tour of the Wattles Farm.

“Wow, what a property. We are very excited about this venture,” said John Parke, Audubon’s Director of Stewardship Projects North Jersey. He noted that while Audubon has one preserved habitat in Warren County, this will be the organization’s first staff center in the county.

According to Gylla MacGregor, NJ Audubon Society Conservation Ecologist, the society’s stewardship staff will be located on the property and the “Wattles Stewardship Center” will serve as a model demonstrating “how to go green and reduce your carbon footprint.”

MacGregor said NJAS expects to conduct several educational programs a year at the site, and provide grassland habitat for birds as well as trails for the public to use.
	John Parke of the NJ Audubon Society (center) describes the group’s plans for its portion of the Wattles Farm to Susan Craft, executive director of the state Farmland Preservation program, Kimberly Testa, Green Acres Northwest Team program development specialist, and Freeholder Chamberlain.

The acquisition of the farm is a win for all parties, MacGregor remarked, noting, “It’s preserved farming, it’s preserved habitat, it’s protecting the river. You couldn’t ask for more than that.”

The county Land Preservation Department has been working with the property owner since late 2003 on the project, department Administrator Robert Resker said. Resker is now in the process of reviewing surveys and getting a closing package together so that Warren County can receive state farmland preservation funding to defray part of its costs on the acquisition.