Nature Conservancy, Partners Protect 477 Acres in Green Creek

GREEN CREEK – The Nature Conservancy, in partnership with the American Littoral Society, state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Green Acres Program, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Open Space Institute, closed on a 477-acre land parcel in Green Creek, the largest privately-owned property remaining on the Cape May Peninsula, on Dec. 21, 2017. The acquisition, which cost $1,332,500, was immediately turned over to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be added to the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. 
“This is a particularly satisfying achievement because it is the culmination of more than 10 years of effort by many dedicated people and organizations,” stated Barbara Brummer, state director of The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey, in a release. Negotiations to protect the land from being developed or used for sand mining began with the original ownership group in 2005.
“Protecting and preserving South Jersey’s pristine environment has always been a top priority of mine,” stated U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd). “Local successes are due to the public-private partnerships developed with the shared goal of promoting our region’s natural treasures. Today’s news reaffirms the importance of those relationships as the leadership and staff of The Nature Conservancy worked diligently with its partners on this critical land acquisition. This is a win-win-win for Cape May County residents, ecotourism and environmental stewardship.”
“Working cooperatively with our conservation partners was critical to protecting this important property in Cape May County,” stated Martha Sapp, director of DEP’s Green Acres program. “Preservation of this land will provide outdoor recreational opportunities for the public while providing important habitat for wildlife, especially migrating birds.”
The land, previously owned by Cape Viking LLC, a subsidiary of South State Inc. General Contractors of Bridgeton, provides important ecosystem functions, including recharging freshwater, protecting against impacts of climate change and providing habitat for migratory birds.
“My team and I were evaluating the property for potential development opportunities,” stated Chip Ottinger, principal at South State Inc. “However, when we learned of interest in the property from The Nature Conservancy and other conservation organizations, we agreed that it would serve the greatest good as a protected site. Some properties make sense to develop; others are simply best left alone.”
“This is an important addition to the protected mosaic of lands that make Cape May one of North America’s most important migratory stopovers and world-renowned ecotourism destinations for birding and outdoor recreation,” stated Kathleen Cox, realty specialist at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Jim Feaga, regional biologist for Ducks Unlimited, agrees, stating, “The streams that originate on the property flow to Delaware Bay carrying sand and sediment to replenish the marshes and shorebird migration beaches. As sea levels rise, eroding the beaches and marshes, these functions will become even more important for wildlife and people.”
The western border of the acreage is located less than a mile from Delaware Bay and less than a quarter-mile from adjacent salt marsh, meaning that the protected expanse will also provide space for the salt marshes to move as they migrate inland.
“This is an excellent example of collaborative land protection with five partners contributing funding and expertise to the project,” stated Tim Dillingham, executive director of American Littoral Society. “This collaboration allowed us to save a critically important place as part of our larger effort to protect the environment of the Delaware Bayshore.”
“By protecting both drinking water and shoreline habitat, this addition to Cape May National Wildlife Refuge is a win-win for wildlife and residents in the region,” stated Peter Howell, OSI’s executive vice president.
The Open Space Institute supported the project through its Bayshore Highlands Fund, which is made possible by the William Penn Foundation and which seeks to accelerate strategic land conservation in the New Jersey Bayshore and the Pennsylvania Highlands. Since its inception in 2010, the Bayshore Highlands Fund has protected more than 7,000 acres on the Bayshore and in Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill Highlands.
The Nature Conservancy provided capital for the preservation through private bequests, funding from the Victoria Foundation, and grants from North American Wetlands Conservation Act (Ducks Unlimited), the Open Space Institute and DEP Green Acres.  
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have helped protect 130 million acres worldwide, including more than 55,000 in New Jersey. Visit The Nature Conservancy online at nature.org.