With acquisition of the Wooden property in West Amwell Township, D&R Greenway Land Trust has reached a new milestone.
D&R Greenway has preserved 250 properties since its founding in 1989.
Walter Wooden, who owned the property and began working with D&R Greenway to protect it, died in April 2012 at age 57 before the sale was completed. His wife, Debra, and family brought the transaction to fruition, honoring Wooden’s commitment to preserving the family legacy.
The site had been purchased by Wooden’s grandfather at the turn of the last century as part of a larger property. According to family lore, he paid $3,000 for 100 acres – less than 1 percent of the $425,000 acquisition price for 43 acres in 2013.
To acquire the Wooden property, D&R Greenway put together a public and private partnership that is emblematic of the collaborative character of today’s conservation projects. The State of New Jersey’s Green Acres Program, West Amwell Township, Hunterdon Land Trust, Hunterdon County Open Space Program and The Willow School contributed funds.
The property is jointly owned by D&R Greenway and West Amwell Township.
The 43 acre property extends along the west side of Woodens Lane, south of Route 518. The property has views of Baldpate Mountain, Delaware River, Jericho Mountain and Bowman’s Tower in Bucks County, Pa..
The Wooden Preserve is part of the Sourland Mountain greenway, which features a cohesive landscape of protected working and natural lands, connected by a growing network of publicly accessible trails. The trails link to a network that connects Mercer County’s Howell Living History Farm and Baldpate Mountain Preserve, Washington Crossing State Park, Fiddler’s Creek Preserve and trails along the D&R Canal.
D&R Greenway will manage the Wooden Preserve with help from West Amwell Township and volunteers to improve habitat value for grassland and forest-dwelling birds.
The site’s value is enhanced by its proximity to large swaths of preserved forests and fields. With proper stewardship, these lands can support grassland birds including bobolink, grasshopper sparrow and savannah sparrow, all listed as threatened in New Jersey. The woodlands are potential breeding habitat for vulnerable species such as Kentucky warbler, worm-eating warbler and veery, and other migratory songbirds.
More information is online at drgreenway.org.
