Local Refuge Trail Receives Grant

DEP PRESS RELEASE:
NEW JERSEY’S RECREATIONAL TRAILS GETTING BOOST
FROM $1.8 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS
TRENTON — A Cape May County trail is sharing a piece of $1.8 million in federal grant money is being allocated for developing, maintaining and improving recreational trails throughout New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection today (Wednesday, Dec. 2) announced.
The funds will improve access to open space, enhance environmental resources, create urban and suburban corridors and provide additional hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities.
In the coming year, the DEP will award approximately $1 million in competitive grants for groups that maintain, develop and operate trails. Recipients are required to provide a 20-percent matching share for each project.
Earlier this autumn, 48 trail projects received a total of $833,109 in funding from the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program.
In this county, the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge received $23,774 for its Two-Mile Beach Unit Boardwalk Trail. In addition, New Jersey Audubon Society with sites in Bergen, Cape May, Hunterdon, Ocean, Sussex and Warren counties received $4,395 for trail improvements.
The DEP also will reserve money from the federal grant program for the development of future motorized trail projects. Thirty percent of each year’s funding must be allocated for motorized trail recreation.
The 48 trail projects were recommended for funding by the New Jersey Trails Council and approved by the Federal Highway Administration under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act. Since the program’s inception in 1993, New Jersey has awarded more than $9 million to federal, state, county and local governments and nonprofit agencies.
The DEP’s Office of Natural Lands Management administers the program. The Trails Council comprises representatives from hiking, mountain biking, motorized trail use, canoeing/kayaking and horseback riding interest groups, as well as several general trail advocates and state government representatives.
Government agencies and nonprofit organizations have until Dec. 15, 2009, to apply for the 2010 funding. Those interested in additional grant information and the application form should visit www.trails.nj.gov or call the DEP Trails Program at (609) 984-1339.