Celebrating Over 30 Years of Open Space Preservation

In 1992, Morris 2000 worked with the Eagleton Poll at Rutgers University to conduct a study on the potential for a countywide open-space referendum question to be placed on the November 3, 1992 ballot in Morris County. Morris 2000 is a former local think tank focused on the future of Morris County.

The study revealed the majority of voters were more likely to approve of an Open Space Trust Fund if some of the money were used for protecting parklands, wetlands, sources of drinking water, and farmland. Based on the results of the study, the Board of County Commissioners (f/k/a Board of Chosen Freeholders) proceeded with the ballot question. 

On November 3, 1992, with a margin of 2 to 1, the voters of Morris County approved the first non-binding referendum in order to assure Morris County's longstanding tradition of maintaining a high quality of life. On December 22, 1992, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners established the Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund based on the voter approval of the referendum. 

The original committee was comprised of 15 members and was tasked with reviewing, prioritizing, and making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on the funding of grants from the Municipal/Non-Profit program. This program, which provides grants to any of Morris County’s 39 municipalities and qualified non-profit land trusts to preserve open space, is the focus of this StoryMap. A list of the original 15 members can be found to the right.

The composition of the committee has been modified over the years.  It presently consists of one representative from each of the eight municipal regions in the county (see the  Map of County Regions ), plus representatives from the County Planning Board, County Agriculture Development Board, County Park Commission, County Municipal Utilities Authority, County Trail Program Advisory Committee, and two members-at-large. The Committee members are appointed by the Morris County Board of County Commissioners pursuant to the  Rules and Regulations of the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund  (Section 3.3.4.1). Since its inception in 1994, a total of 163 representatives have served on the committee.   The Committee's current member list is located on our website. 

The first meeting of the Open Space Trust Fund Committee was on October 19, 1993.  In September of 1994, the first application was released for municipalities and nonprofits to apply for funding.  The response was overwhelming.  A total of 19 applications, covering over 335 acres, and requesting $7,475,451 in funding were submitted. By November of that year, the Open Space Trust Fund Committee made its first grant recommendations to the Commissioner Board for preservation projects at Liffy Island in Jefferson, Turkey Brook Park in Mt. Olive, and Knuth Farm in Denville.

The map below shows open space preserved with the assistance of a Morris County Open Space Trust Fund grant. To date, the Morris County Preservation Trust has provided 293 grants totaling $204,774,146 to preserve 14,756 acres of open space through the Municipal/Non-Profit program. Click on the map below for additional information.

The Municipal/Non-Profit grant program has successfully contributed funds to preserve open space in practically all years in its 30-year history, and in one year contributed to the preservation of more than 1,400 acres of open space. The program continues to build upon its cumulative preserved acreage every year.

The map below shows the number of projects preserved in each municipality utilizing a Morris County Open Space Trust Fund grant.  To date, open space in 37 of Morris County’s 39 municipalities has been successfully preserved with the assistance of a grant.

The Morris County Open Space Trust Fund provides grants to acquire land and water areas for recreation and conservation purposes, including parkland, natural areas and greenways; the protection of ecologically sensitive areas including wetlands, steep slopes and stream corridors; the preservation of lands containing exceptional flora, fauna and areas of scenic, cultural and historic value; and the protection of critical water supplies.  Some examples of open space uses are included below.

The development of parks recreational facilities is the most familiar aspect of open space preservation. Providing facilities for organized sports, individual exercise, playgrounds, hiking, bicycling, boating, and picnicking are common and much desired amenities. The County of Morris and its local municipalities have successfully created a substantial network of active and passive recreation opportunities, benefiting the health, wellbeing, and overall quality of life of residents.

As the amount of preserved open space in Morris County has increased, so have linear greenway corridors and the development of trails within these and other open spaces, which connect and enhance these resources. The County’s national and state parks, preserves and wildlife management areas include well established trail systems, many of which are linked to the hundreds of miles of trails included in the Morris County Park System. Many of these trails intersect, forming a wide-reaching network of intra and intermunicipal trail opportunities that are constantly being improved and expanded.

The protection of open space can help maintain natural areas, plant and animal biodiversity, ecological communities, and critical wildlife habitat, even when portions of properties are used for active or passive recreation purposes. Critical wildlife habitats include breeding areas for various types of wildlife, migratory stopover areas for migrating birds and wildlife wintering areas. These areas are essential for maintaining a varied and healthy wildlife population. These environmental and ecological benefits are of major importance to the health and wellbeing of Morris County and all who live within its boundaries.

According to the  American Community Gardening Association , community gardens offer a long list of benefits to individual gardeners, families, neighborhoods, and the broader community. They can create opportunities for outdoor exercise, social interaction, and hands-on learning for all ages while also establishing shared community spaces that bring people together. Community gardens can also serve as a place to grow fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to those in need.

Water supply and quality are critical to overall environmental health and human habitation. Water resources include any river, stream, lake, pond, aquifer, groundwater recharge area or other body of water which may be diverted to a water supply system. Water resources used to provide potable water must be protected to prevent contamination of drinking water supplies and aquifers. Water supply and water quality are served by various natural subsystems such as aquifers, groundwater recharge areas, and wellhead protection.

Open space projects and park and recreation projects are important to successful urban redevelopment initiatives. Because preserving open space plays such an important role in bolstering the state’s quality of life and benefiting the environment, but incurs only minimal costs for upkeep, it is generally considered one of the most cost-effective and efficient means of environmental protection.

In October 2019, the Open Space Trust Fund celebrated its 25 ^th  anniversary at Liffy Island in Jefferson Township and Giralda Farms in Chatham Township. The Liffy Island Preservation Project received one of the first Open Space Trust Fund grants, while the Giralda Farms tract at Loantaka Brook Reservation was the Fund’s largest single grant at $10 million. The event was attended by a host of county, state, and local officials, members of the Open Space Trust Fund Committee, and representatives of non-profit land preservation groups.

The Morris County Open Space program has partnered with many organizations and governmental entities over the years to make its preserved lands a reality.  Open Space grant awards, coupled with funding from many of these partners, has made Morris County the desirable place to live and work that it is today. A total of 37 of Morris County’s 39 municipalities and twelve land conservation non-profits have successfully participated and preserved lands through the program.  Funding sources have included both public and private resources, including municipal trust funds, New Jersey Green Acres, and private foundations. See our  website  for past partners/potential funding sources and additional resources.