Sherrill Announces GSPT Approval of $88 Million

The Sherrill Administration today announced the Garden State Preservation Trust’s (GSPT) approval of more than $88 million for projects across the state that will preserve open space to protect critical water supplies, connect habitats, and expand access to open spaces, fund capital improvements for New Jersey’s state parks, forests, historic sites, and wildlife management areas, and advance flood protections through the voluntary Blue Acres program.

The funding, which comes from the constitutional dedication of Corporation Business Tax revenue, will enhance the quality of life for residents across New Jersey, especially in many overburdened communities. The Garden State Preservation Trust approved the Department of Environmental Protection-recommended funding package at its meeting on Oct. 21. The package now advances to the Legislature for formal appropriations. For details, visit dep.nj.gov/greenacres/gspt-fy2027/

“The approval of these funds by the independent Garden State Preservation Trust delivers on Governor Sherrill’s mission to protect critical water supplies, enhance natural resources, support recreational opportunities for everyone, and make New Jersey more resilient to the effects of storms and flooding,” Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Commissioner Joe Seebode said. “We look forward to working with all of our partners to advance these projects for the benefit of residents in all corners of the Garden State.”

The breakdown of funding, pending approval by the Legislature, is as follows:

Green Acres Nonprofit Development projects: $7,663,000

Since 1961, the Green Acres Program has funded the acquisition of open space and the development of outdoor recreation and conservation facilities. Green Acres remains committed to preserving New Jersey’s natural, historic, and recreational resources statewide and is proud to continue its long-standing tradition of partnering with nonprofit organizations to serve residents throughout the state.

Green Acres projects create jobs, stimulate economic development, and make communities more attractive places in which to live and work. They also improve air and water quality, providing New Jersey residents with a better quality of life. To date, the Green Acres Program funding has been used to protect more than 725,000 acres of open space and provided hundreds of recreational facilities around the state.

Recent legislation recognized the vital role that many nonprofit organizations play in advancing the mission of the New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites, NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, and the Natural Lands Trust. These nonprofit partners help enhance state-owned lands that provide essential recreation and conservation opportunities across New Jersey.

Green Acres held a special funding round, making non-matching grants available to nonprofit organizations that have established partnerships with the DEP. This funding differs from traditional nonprofit Green Acres awards, which require a 50 percent match.

Five nonprofit organizations successfully applied for funding and are recommended for grant funding. Projects are located in three counties and range from an ecological restoration project to renovations at the New Jersey School of Conservation within Stokes State Forest.

Projects also recognize and honor New Jersey’s history with improvements proposed at several important historic sites, including Princeton Battlefield State Park, Whitesbog Village Historic Site in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, and Washington Crossing State Park.

Green Acres State Land Acquisition: $11,825,000

The State Land Acquisition Bureau within Green Acres serves as the real estate agent for the DEP, acquiring land that has been offered for sale by property owners and meets the DEP’s priorities.

The protection of land around critical water supplies helps protect and enhance drinking water quality, ensuring clean and reliable sources for communities across the state. Projects funded also support the expansion of parks and green space in urban communities, helping to create places where residents can connect with nature close to home. In addition, protecting and connecting habitat through strategic land acquisition helps establish and expand wildlife corridors that are essential to biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Development & Capital Projects: $44,250,000

New Jersey’s state parks, forests, historic sites, and wildlife management areas are enjoyed by over 18 million visitors annually. These funds will be allocated for capital improvements across the DEP’s network of more than 800,000 acres of public lands that include 42 state parks, 11 state forests, more than 50 historic sites and districts, and 122 state wildlife management areas.

Following approval of the funding by the Legislature, projects will improve camping facilities, restore habitats, improve boating and fishing access, stabilize historic buildings, develop new facilities, and facilitate road and bridge repairs, as well as make other health and life safety improvements to ensure a safe experience for visitors.

Through the DEP’s Lead by Example initiative, capital improvements are designed to improve energy efficiency and expand clean energy generation to reduce energy costs and reduce environmental impacts through measures such as low-energy LED lighting, high-efficiency electric HVAC systems, water-efficient fixtures and electric vehicle charging stations. New construction and redevelopment projects also incorporate green roofs and other green infrastructure, along with pervious walkways and pavement that help reduce stormwater runoff.

Blue Acres Acquisitions: $26,325,000

Since 1995, Blue Acres has served the residents of New Jersey, becoming the national standard for helping families move out of areas that flood repeatedly by purchasing properties from willing sellers and restoring the land for natural flood storage and community open space.

To date, the Blue Acres program has completed more than 1,250 voluntary residential buyouts across 50 municipalities, preserving approximately 440 acres of flood prone land. As flooding intensifies statewide, Blue Acres is advancing a wider mission centered on proactive disaster preparedness and bolstering climate resilience.

Current buyout priorities include reducing flood risk and strengthening long term community resilience through buyouts and post buyout land restoration with a focus on supporting overburdened communities that face disproportionate climate impacts. These efforts underscore the state’s commitment to protecting residents, restoring natural floodplains, and managing flooding.

Resources

• To learn more about the Green Acres Program, visit Green Acres Program
• To learn more about Blue Acres, visit NJDEP| Blue Acres | Blue Acres
• To learn more about New Jersey’s system of state parks, forests, and historic sites, visit Get Outside – State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites.
• To learn more about lands managed by NJDEP Fish & Wildlife, visit NJDEP | New Jersey Fish and Wildlife | Home

Additional Details on Nonprofit Grants

American Battlefield Trust – Restoring Fencing at Princeton Battlefield ($227,000): American Battlefield Trust will restore the historic fencelines throughout Princeton Battlefield State Park, located in Princeton, Mercer County, as part of the effort to restore the 1777 landscape of the battle that played a pivotal role in the American Revolution.

“Receiving this Green Acres Program grant marks another major milestone in the transformation of Princeton Battlefield State Park into the heritage tourism destination it deserves to be,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust. “We are deeply grateful to the Green Acres Program and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and promise to be responsible stewards of this generous grant.”

Friends of NJ School of Conservation, Inc. – New Jersey School of Conservation Restoration ($3,000,000): Friends of New Jersey School of Conservation, Inc. will make improvements throughout its 240-acre campus, located within Stokes State Forest in Sandyston Township, Sussex County, that will support the use of the site as a premier public environmental education center.

“The Friends of the New Jersey School of Conservation are so grateful to the Garden State Preservation Trust and NJDEP’s Green Acres program for approving our application,” said Kerry Kirk Pflugh, the school’s executive director. “We would also like to thank our legislative champions Senators John McKeon and Bob Smith and Assemblymember Alixon Collazos-Gill who sponsored the legislation making it possible for the Friends of NJSOC to be eligible to apply for this funding. This approved project will allow the Friends of NJSOC to fulfill our statutory mandate to steward this unique conservation resource and expand our ability to provide environmental education programming to the residents of New Jersey.”

The Nature Conservancy – Hyper Humus Restoration ($2,994,000): The Nature Conservancy is proposing improvements to the Hyper Humus marsh, located in Andover and Hampton townships in Sussex County, within the Paulinskill River Wildlife Management Area, including stream restoration, trail improvements, riparian planting, removal of an existing bridge, and interpretive signage.

“The Nature Conservancy looks forward to partnering with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on the restoration of the Paulinskill River Wildlife Management Area (Hyper Humus),” said Barbara Brummer, New Jersey State Director for The Nature Conservancy. “For more than 75 years, this habitat contributed peat for sites like Yankee Stadium and the Garden State Parkway at the expense of its own ecological health. We applaud the NJDEP’s Green Acres Program for investing in healing the land and restoring the river to a more natural state. The program’s funding empowers us to lead action that will improve water quality and flow in the Paulins Kill, rejuvenate function of the land surrounding the river, enhance wildlife habitat and provide more recreational opportunities for people.”

Washington Crossing Park Association – Forests & Meadows of the Crossing ($689,265): Washington Crossing Park Association is proposing improvements to Washington Crossing State Park, located in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, including removal of invasive species, rehabilitation of meadows, and reforestation.

“After years of witnessing the effects of Emerald Ash Borer-related canopy loss and invasive plant infestations across Washington Crossing State Park, this grant gives us a meaningful opportunity to restore the park’s forests and meadows and renew the ecological diversity and visitor experience of this historically and ecologically significant landscape,” said Washington Crossing Park Association Conservation Committee Chair Michael Rahtz. “The match-free funding is a fantastic opportunity for non-profit organizations like the Washington Crossing Park Association to make lasting improvements to the public lands we care about. We hope our project Forests & Meadows of the Crossing will not only benefit the Park for generations to come but also serve as a model for how community organizations can partner with NJDEP to steward and restore New Jersey’s state lands.”

 Whitesbog Preservation Trust – Suningive Gardens & Landscape Rehabilitation ($388,635): The Whitesbog Preservation Trust will make improvements to Suningive Gardens at Whitesbog Historic Village in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in Pemberton Township, Burlington County. The project will include improving walkways and access points, as well as removing invasive species and replanting Suningive House’s historic garden beds with native species.