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The Land
Conservancy of New Jersey History
The Morris County Parks and Conservation Foundation was
founded in 1981 by Russell W. Myers, the first director
of the Morris County Park Commission. Mr. Myers was
devoted to preserving open space in Morris County and
dedicated his life to making its park system the largest
in the state.
Among the Foundation’s first programs was the awarding
of Green Grants to various groups in order to aid them
with conservation in Morris County. An early project
funded by the Green Grants was the distinctive "Rockaway
River Sensitive Area" signs placed along local roadways
by the Friends of the Rockaway River.
In 1992 the Foundation changed its name to Morris Parks
and Land Conservancy and the first issue of the
Newsletter was published featuring a tribute to the
recently deceased Russell W. Myers.
In 1994, the Conservancy opened its first office and
hired David Epstein as its first Executive Director and
full-time staff member. The original 56 members are now
more than 1,400 and the staff of 1 is now 15.
In 1995 Randolph Township became the first town to
retain Morris Parks and Land Conservancy as its Open
Space Advisor. The Conservancy’s Partners for Greener
Communities program grew from this early opportunity,
and The Conservancy currently serves as open space
advisor for 29 municipalities and has helped towns
obtain nearly $124 million in county, state, and federal
open space grant awards.
In 1996 a volunteer project with Prudential Insurance
launched the Conservancy's award-winning Partners for
Parks Program that puts volunteers to work on projects
to beautify and maintain our region's magnificent parks.
More than 5,000 volunteers have participated in the
program.
In January 1999, Morris Parks and Land Conservancy
changed its name to Morris Land Conservancy. The
Conservancy preserved its 1000th acre as a result of
projects in Randolph, West Milford, Pequannock, Madison,
Mt. Olive and Kinnelon.
In 2000, the Conservancy established its Aresty Mapping
Center thanks to a generous contribution from Jim and
Wendy Aresty. The Center produces professional,
computer-generated maps that are being used throughout
the state to target open space lands for preservation.
In 2001, Morris Land Conservancy relocated its
headquarters to a beautiful house, formerly owned by
Fred and Myrtle Hierwarter, on the grounds of the
44-acre Wild Acres park that the Conservancy helped
Montville preserve.
In 2004, the Conservancy helped to pass the Highlands
Water Protection and Planning Act and the Highlands
Stewardship Act.. Executive Director David Epstein was
named by the Governor to the Highlands Task Force whose
recommendations were the basis for the legislation.
The Conservancy successfully completed its Preserve Now
– Protect Forever Campaign in 2004 by raising $3,037,000
from generous members, foundations, corporations and
friends.
In 2005, the Conservancy preserved 3,814-acres – more
than doubling the acres preserved in any previous single
year. The Conservancy completed eight Green Acres
projects, doubling the total of number of Green Acres
projects completed in the previous eight years.
In 2006, Morris Land Conservancy celebrated its 25th
anniversary. It has helped preserve over 10,000 acres of
natural lands. Most importantly, the Conservancy has
been busy completing Russ Myers' vision by preserving
important properties and adding them to the network of
local, county and state parks throughout the region.
In 2008 Morris Land Conservancy changed it's name to The
Land Conservancy of New Jersey to better reflect the
scope of their work.
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