South Branch Preserve

In 2010, The Land Conservancy of New Jersey began working with six partners to acquire the headwaters of the South Branch of the Raritan River in Mount Olive Township, Morris County. This area is critical as it provides clean drinking water to 1.5 million New Jersey residents. When none of the partners expressed an interest in owning and managing the properties, The Land Conservancy agreed to take title to the property and named it the South Branch Preserve, which features 400 acres today.

Highlights include installing a deer fence around 37 acres and planting more than 7,000 native trees, restoration to native wildflower meadows to provide habitat to declining pollinator species such as the Monarch Butterfly, and converting land into an organic farm which features a partnership with City Green, a nonprofit that offers equitable access to healthy food while promoting environmental stewardship and ecologically sustainable communities.

The 145-plot Community Garden at South Branch is a prime example of how the preservation of public lands can offer people the chance to grow their produce and flowers and provides opportunities for education, gardening, and picnicking within a bountiful and resilient ecosystem. Partnering with City Green, gardeners donate weekly to the local food pantry in Mt. Olive.

The South Branch Preserve has become a hub for outdoor community activities. In 2020, The Conservancy installed a horseshoe pit and land art station where visitors can make art from native materials found at the Preserve. Picnic benches have also been installed as well as a 1.5-mile hiking trail.

For their efforts, The Land Conservancy received an Environmental Quality Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for this restoration work, marking the first time a housing subdivision had been restored to its native habitat in New Jersey.