Hunterdon County Deputy Director Kuhl celebrates grand opening of Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve
EAST AMWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ (Hunterdon County) – Hunterdon County Deputy Director Jeff Kuhl in Friday attended a celebration to mark the grand opening of the newest open space destination, Rainbow Hill at Sourland Preserve, located in East Amwell Township.
The 1,150-acre property straddles the border of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties and is one of the state’s most scenic and ecologically important areas.
The preserve features woodlands, farm fields, a picturesque lake, and several tributaries of the Neshanic River – a source of clean drinking water for the region. The site also provides opportunities for various passive recreational activities and features three newly blazed trails within the preservation area.
“On behalf of my Commissioner Board colleagues, I am extremely proud of the Sourland Mountain land preservation deal. The Sourland Mountain range is the largest adjoining forest in Central New Jersey, with 528 acres located within Hunterdon County. Continued preservation of open space and farmland is critical to preserving Hunterdon County’s high quality of life for current and future generations,” Kuhl said.
Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve took many years of effort to assemble and is made up of several contiguous properties that were acquired over the past decade with the assistance of the Hunterdon County Planning Board.
The New Jersey Conservation Foundation hosted the event and spearheaded a partnership of public and private agencies that contributed to the preservation of all the adjacent properties, including the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres Program, Hunterdon County, Somerset County, the State Office of Natural Resources Restoration, Hillsborough Township, East Amwell Township, Hunterdon Land Trust, Raritan Headwaters Association, The Nature Conservancy, 1772 Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation, and anonymous donors.
“What a wonderful day it is in Hunterdon County! The Board of Commissioners thanks everyone involved for making this open land preservation a reality. I know this took a lot of time, effort, and determination from many different entities to preserve this beautiful 1,150 acres. Through numerous grant applications and various phases of land purchase, this dream is now a reality,” Kuhl said.
