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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2005

Contact: Karen Hershey
(609) 984-1795

DEP PRESERVES MORE THAN 2,000 ACRES OF OPEN SPACE IN ATLANTIC COUNTY

(05/129) TRENTON -- Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell announced the preservation of a 2,200 acre parcel in Estell Manor City in Atlantic County. DEP's Fish & Wildlife will manage the land as part of the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area. The land will be open to the public for hiking, bird watching and other types of outdoor recreation.

"This acquisition is just one example of how we're protecting environmentally sensitive areas and open space throughout the state," said Acting Governor Richard J. Codey. "By preserving these 2,200 acres of land, we are providing New Jersey residents with more opportunities for bird watching and hiking in Atlantic County."

The newly preserved property is located at the intersection of Route 557 and Route 50 in Southwest Atlantic County. The undeveloped parcel contains pine-oak forest interspersed with wooded wetlands. Atlantic white cedar swamps, pitch-pine lowlands and red maple swamps add to the diversity of the site and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife species including yellow-throated warblers, mink, beaver, white-tailed deer and butterflies.

"With this acquisition, DEP is preserving nearly 100,000 acres of contiguous properties in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties," said Commissioner Campbell. "The preservation of this parcel will protect critical habitat for forest species and expand our network of wildlife management areas."

The DEP Green Acres Program purchased the unimproved land for $2,435,000 from Crown Financial Corporation.

"Estell Manor was pleased to work with the state Green Acres Program to save this land from the development of 300 new homes which would have tremendous impacts on our rural life," said Estell Manor City Council President Creed Pogue.

The DEP Green Acres Program purchases land to protect environmentally sensitive open space, water resources and other significant natural and historical open space. Land acquired becomes part of the statewide system of parks and forests, wildlife management areas and natural areas.

During 2005, the DEP Green Acres Program has preserved more than 30,640 acres of open space. The program has protected a total of over 588,695 acres of open space, in addition to providing funding for the development of hundreds of parks throughout New Jersey. To date the statewide system of preserved open space and farmland totals over 1.3 million acres.

To learn more about the Green Acres Program, visit DEP's Web site at:
http://www.nj.gov/dep/greenacres/

 

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