Partner Organizations
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In the heart of urban central New Jersey with 2.5 million people, lies the Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh. This 1,250-acre wetland complex extends from the Delaware River up Crosswicks and Watson Creeks, and when adjacent undeveloped publicly owned land is included, the 'Marsh' covers more than 2,900 acres. More than three-quarters of the Marsh lies within the Abbott Farm National Historic Landmark, New Jersey 's first archeological landmark designated in 1976 because of its "exceptional historical value." In addition, the Marsh provides significant educational and recreational opportunities and supplies critical habitat for more than 1,200 documented plant and animal species. The Marsh is owned by a variety of entities, both public and private.
D&R Greenway Land Trust has a long history of land preservation and public education in the Marsh area. We have partnered with NJ DEP Green Acres, Mercer County , Hamilton Township, and Bordentown to purchase land and implement preservation. Since the early 1990s, D&R Greenway Land Trust has actively promoted stewardship and protection and has led the development of interpretive nature trails and a self-guided canoe/kayak trail on Crosswicks and Watson Creeks.
The Friends for the Marsh was formed in 2002, under the aegis of D&R Greenway Land Trust, to expand educational and outdoor programs that have helped raise awareness about this overlooked urban treasure intersected, as it is, by four major roadways. While D&R Greenway Land Trust currently provides administrative and technical resources to the organization, all contributions to Friends for the Marsh go directly to support the organization's initiatives to protect and promote the Marsh.
People from all over the state have enjoyed the story about how two urban wetlands: Hamilton-Trenton Marsh and Hackensack Meadowlands - are coming back to life as natural ecosystems. The tape is available for purchase thorugh New Jersey Network.
"Turning the Tide" has won several awards, including Local Hackensack Riverkeeper Media Arts Award, National Cine Golden Eagle Award, and International New York Festivals Gold World Medal.
Friends for the Marsh
Please consult website for more details.
Information: www.marsh-friends.org or call 609-895-5420.
Upcoming trips to the Hamilton-Trenton- Bordentown Marsh:
CANOEING AND FAMILY NATURE WALKS -
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Friends for the Marsh sponsors walks and canoe trips at the Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh.
See Friends for the Marsh
Sunday, June 15 - Fathers Day
Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh Canoe/Kayak trips are provided by the Outdoor Club of South Jersey (OCSJ). Marsh trips are based on tide conditions. For schedule and OCSJ registration, visit the www.marsh.ocsj.org website. Participants must provide their own canoe or kayak. (There are no boat rental companies in the Trenton / Bordentown area). Contact George & Leona Fluck 609 259-3734 or Leona@pineypaddlers.com for additional information, meeting time and to confirm trip participation.
*Field trip: *
Saturday, June 21, 10 am - noon.
Dragonflies with Herb Lord. Contact / information, 609-895-5420.
Cosponsors: City Smiles of Trenton, Washington Crossing Audubon, Mercer County Parks, D & R Greenway Land Trust
See New Jersey Trails Association website for other walks in central New Jersey.
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D&R Greenway Land Trust, recognized by the State of New Jersey as a leader in preserving the land and biodiversity of the Sourland Mountains, has formed a partnership with Rainforest2Reef, (formerly called, Amigos de Calakmul), a land trust in Mexico that protects the tropical forest surrounding the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in the Yucatán. In 2002, representatives of these two regional land trusts initiated partnership discussions at the national Land Trust Rally in Austin, Texas, which culminated in the creation of the first international sister land trust relationship.
Our shared objective is to protect both summer and winter habitats for over 100 species of neotropical migratory birds which depend on both geographical areas for their species' survival. This successful partnership has broad potential impact as an international model for land preservation, education and stewardship that can be replicated by the 1,400 land trusts that currently exist in the U.S.
Rainforest2Reef is a non-profit organization based in Tahoe City, California with a proven record of land preservation in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. With more international support, the organization is expanding to include the larger biological corridor within an area extending from the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve to the Sian-Kaan Biosphere Reserve in Guatemala. Its' mission is to protect biodiversity, maintain ecosystem services, and slow climate change by safguarding tropical rainforests, coral reefs and the corridors connecting these threatened habitats.
In 2004 Rainforest2Reef (then called Friends of Calakmul), received a Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grant from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to study neotropical birds. Rainforest2Reef coordinates its efforts with 14 associated organizations in Mexico and Central America toward protection of the 12 million acre Mayan forest, the largest remaining tropical forest north of the Amazon.
The first joint project was to fund and build a biological research station in Calakmul, Mexico to support data collection on neotropical migrant birds. D&R Greenway Land Trust is working with Rainforest2Reef on a number of initiatives, including obtaining grants and helping create international awareness for a research station to track and band birds during migration.
What is the significance of preserving the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in concert with the Sourland Mountains?
- Protection of the northern breeding habitat, the winter habitat and intact migration stopover areas are essential for maintaining global populations of neotropical migrant birds in New Jersey and Mexico as well as many other regions of North, Central and South America
- Most neotropical migrant land birds of North America use the Yucatán peninsula and the isthmus of Central America as winter habitat or as critical migration or stopover areas
- The Sourland Mountains are breeding and stopover grounds for migrant birds traveling the Atlantic Migratory Flyway (with over 65 species of neotropical migrant birds recorded as breeding in the Sourlands and at least 51 additional species have been identified as stopover migrants).
- The Sourland ridge and flanking valleys are important for forest-interior and declining migrant grassland bird species
- The Sourlands are expected to receive designation as an Important Bird Area in North America in the near future
- The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve has been designated an Important Bird Area in Mexico by BirdLife International
- Useful Links for more information:
http://www.reservasdeguatemala.org
http://www.calakmul.org/
http://www.yaxhanatural.com/
New Jersey Trails Association 
NJTA is a cooperative project of environmental organizations dedicated to making free information conveniently available to the public about places to walk or hike, promoting their use to encourage healthy, active lifestyles. NJTA assembles information on trails open to the public, and posts the information on this site. We also work with state, county, local, and non-profit land preservation groups and parks agencies to plan more trails. New Jersey Trails Association has recently published a new walking brochure to promote active lifestyles. Additional materials include walking kits for use by physicians, trainers, recreation directors and other health care professionals.
Founded in 2002 under the guidance of D&R Greenway Land Trust, the NJTA is a joint effort of D&R Greenway Land Trust, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Lawrence Township Conservation Foundation, Mercer Walks, and New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
Garden State Preservation Trust
The Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) was created to collect funds for distribution to the NJDEP Green Acres Program and NJDA SADC Farmland Preservation Program (see below).
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program supports the acquisition of land throughout the State.
New Jersey Department of Agriculture
The State Agricultural Development Committee's (SADC) Farmland Preservation Program supports the acquisition of farmland throughout the State. Please click here to view D&R Greenway's presentation given at the First Annual SADC Farmland Summit (PowerPoint™ - 8MB).
Local Grassroots Organizations:
Other Sites of Interest: