The Land Trust Alliance has honored The Land Conservancy of New Jersey with its 2024 National Land Trust Excellence Award.
Announced during Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference, the nation’s largest gathering of land conservation leaders, the National Land Trust Excellence Award recognized The Land Conservancy of New Jersey for its work in multiple areas, including its land-back project with the Indigenous people of the Ramapo Mountains. The project was a multi-year effort involving parties in multiple states to purchase the Ramapo Munsee Lenape Nation’s most sacred site, help the tribe establish a land trust and then donate the land to the tribe in perpetuity - an act of restorative justice, of equity and of empowerment of marginalized communities.
The Conservancy completed its 500th land acquisition project in 2023, helping landowners to protect and conserve their land in perpetuity - work that in the last ten years alone has provided community landowners with more than $232 million thanks to projects completed with its assistance. It aids municipalities all over New Jersey in protecting natural resources and accessing funding to create parks and preserve farmland. The land trust is building future environmental leaders through education as well. Its scholarship program will award $70,000 in college scholarships in 2025, and its Outdoor Ambassador Program provides city children with opportunities to explore and learn about the organization’s natural area preserves. The land trust is also an active land steward and community supporter through its push for equitable access to healthy food for all, land and stream restoration, and more.
8 окт 2024
