As 2023 winds down, we're moving into reflection mode. We want to thank you, as a part of our beloved TLCNJ community, for your kindness and support. Every one of our members and partners plays a crucial role in our mission to protect and preserve the beautiful landscapes and natural resources that make New Jersey so unique.
If you haven't supported The Land Conservancy of New Jersey with a donation this year, now is a great time. For Giving Tuesday, we're offering everyone who donates $50 or more before midnight on 11/28/23 a gift of one of our new bandanas—hot off the presses! Even more importantly, you'll be sharing in the work and reward of saving New Jersey's precious land and water resources. It's exciting what we can accomplish together!
Thanks to the support of our members, amazing things are happening. Take, for instance, the discovery of endangered Hottonia inflata at our Nancy Conger West Brook Preserve earlier this year. This plant, commonly known as featherfoil, grows in only four other locations in the state. This critically imperiled species is thriving as a direct result of our restoration work on the West Brook, and is a clear sign that this once-damaged ecosystem is repairing.
This is great news for the frogs and birds that once again make their homes in these wetlands, and for the families who can now enjoy walking the trails there. But equally important, the West Brook flows into the Wanaque Reservoir, which provides drinking water to more than 2 million New Jersey residents. A cleaner West Brook, preserved in perpetuity by The Land Conservancy, ensures a cleaner supply of water for our communities for generations to come.
On Giving Tuesday, we are asking you to help us keep this momentum going. Please consider investing in our work as an essential partner in our conservation efforts. Your membership enables us to:
Embark on the next phase of our West Brook restoration, where we are creating conditions to reintroduce endangered native brook trout. Not only a beautiful and iconic species, these fish also serve as an important indicator of water quality. They help maintain a healthy balance in the aquatic food chain and support the overall biodiversity of the ecosystem, contributing to the long-term sustainability of the watershed.
Provide permanent access to sacred Split Rock Mountain for the Ramapo Lenape Nation. The Split Rock Mountain property we purchased and donated to the Ramapo Lenape tribe last winter does not include access to a road. We are working to purchase an adjacent property so the Ramapo people can visit and use their ancestral land, safely and permanently.
Expand Yards Creek Preserve, a critical area for water protection within the Delaware River Watershed. Restoration work at Yards Creek is already rehabilitating forests and improving groundwater. Acquiring this land and transforming it back into a haven for wildlife is also key for the growth of Bobcat Alley, a greenway that connects more than 1,000 acres of state, county, municipal, and nonprofit parkland—much of which has been preserved by The Land Conservancy.
In the face of ever-increasing environmental challenges, we continue to use our expertise and 42 years of experience to make the Garden State more beautiful and more resilient. But we can only do that with your continued support.
Together, we can make sure future generations have fresh air to breathe, clean water to drink, and beautiful places to enjoy a peaceful moment. We are profoundly grateful for your role in these accomplishments, and we remain honored to share them with you. Thank you!