Trusted NJ Land Conservation Organizations Unite

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey (TLCNJ) and Ridge and Valley Conservancy (RVC) are pleased to announce that they are merging, uniting two trusted land conservation leaders into a stronger, more resilient preservation force.

This merger is the natural evolution of work both organizations have pursued side by side for years. The Ridge and Valley region is a critical landscape of forests, ridge tops, pristine rivers, and fertile farmland. RVC has protected over 5,000 acres of ecologically important open space and local farmland there since 1992. This region has also been a core geographic priority for TLCNJ for 23 years, supported by a track record of successful land acquisitions and local partner projects. By formally uniting, the organizations are locking in a permanent conservation vision that will enable the protection of more land across northwestern New Jersey, faster and more effectively than ever before.

The Land Conservancy’s President David Epstein says, “Combining RVC’s deep local roots with TLCNJ’s regional scope and resources ensures this remarkable landscape receives the dedicated protection and permanent care it deserves. TLCNJ excels in complex land preservation acquisitions and municipal planning, while RVC possesses an outstanding volunteer stewardship program and deep community engagement. Together, this combination will strengthen efforts across the board by covering every step of conservation, from acquisition to long-term care.”

The Ridge and Valley Conservancy name will continue as TLCNJ’s Ridge and Valley Region, expanding our focus beyond campaign-specific names to encompass the full landscape, connected wildlife corridors, and local communities across Warren and Sussex counties. Importantly, the trusted RVC staff isn’t changing or leaving—they will continue living, working, and stewarding local preserves in the Ridge and Valley region as TLCNJ staff. These conservation leaders will now be backed by TLCNJ’s enhanced technical resources, stronger finances, and a shared commitment to safeguarding our local lands and waters forever. 

RVC’s Executive Director Susi Tilley emphasizes, “The legacy of Ridge and Valley Conservancy will continue through the establishment of a regional advisory council that will carry forward our voice, our values, and our commitment to land preservation, ensuring that the RVC’s important work and legacy remain part of the ongoing effort to protect and care for this region.”

By bringing our teams under one unified banner, we aren’t just preserving RVC’s programs—we’re now able to expand and accelerate them. Core local programming, volunteer stewardship opportunities, public events, and trail networks remain intact. All lands and conservation easements protected by RVC remain protected in perpetuity, and all active land conservation projects in the RVC pipeline will move forward seamlessly under TLCNJ’s Land Team. For the past year, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s land specialists Elise Covacchi and Richard Dodds have expertly assisted RVC with its land projects, and now they will be passing the baton to TLCNJ’s Vice President of Land Preservation, Sandy Urgo. In addition, we are grateful to the F.M. Kirby Foundation for providing a grant to make this merger possible.

Ridge and Valley Conservancy is an accredited land trust that, in cooperation with strategic partners, permanently protects and stewards land in northwestern New Jersey for the benefit of natural communities. RVC envisions a region that is abundant in natural beauty and biodiversity protected for the future. That vision remains through this merger, with a continued focus on community conservation, stewardship of RVC preserves, and land protection in this beautiful region.