Morris County committee recommends $6.95 million to preserve 192 acres across Denville, Mendham, and Rockaway
MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee has recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve $6.95 million in grants to preserve more than 192 acres of land across Denville, Mendham Township, and Rockaway Township.
The recommendations, presented during the Commissioners’ public meeting this week in Morristown, propose projects ranging from 11.7 acres to more than 123 acres. The Board of County Commissioners is expected to make a formal decision on the grants before the end of the year.
“Nearly every municipality in Morris County has benefited from this program since its inception,” said Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, the board’s liaison to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation. “By carefully reviewing each application and prioritizing local needs, we’ve preserved more than 14,750 acres through the Municipal and Non-Profit grant program, and more than 18,300 total acres to date through the county’s entire open space program. This is a remarkable shared achievement that adds to the quality of life for our residents while protecting the county’s environmental heritage.”
“These recommendations represent months of careful evaluation and collaboration with our local partners,” added Jay Thomson, chair of the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee. “Each project reflects our shared commitment to protecting natural resources and expanding public access to open space for generations to come.”
Funding for the program comes from the voter-approved Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is supported by a special county tax. The fund also supports farmland preservation, county parkland acquisition, historic preservation, trail construction, and the purchase of residential properties prone to flooding.
2025 Open Space Recommendations
3 Tingley Road, Mendham Township
Mendham Township is recommended to receive a $214,000 grant to preserve 11.72 acres along Tingley Road within the Washington Valley Historic District, just north of County Route 510. The property provides a natural buffer between two nearby historic sites and lies adjacent to the Whippany River, a designated trout production waterway. The tract borders Lewis Morris County Park and connects directly to Patriot’s Path via a spur trail. Preservation would protect a mix of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows while enhancing trail connectivity.
Wildcat Ridge Preserve, Rockaway Township
The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has been recommended to receive a $1.04 million grant to preserve 123.30 acres known as the Wildcat Ridge Preserve. Surrounded on three sides by state-owned open space within the Wildcat Ridge Management Area, the property’s acquisition would expand the existing network of protected lands, providing additional wildlife habitat and reinforcing long-term conservation efforts in the region’s mountainous terrain. The site includes deciduous forest and a two-acre pond, and it borders the Egbert’s Lake tract, which was preserved in part through a previous $400,000 county open space grant. The property also contains a section of the Park Commission’s West Morris Greenway.
St. Francis and Pocono Field Preservation Project, Denville Township
The Township of Denville has been recommended to receive a $5.7 million grant to preserve 57.29 acres spanning the historic St. Francis and Pocono Field properties.
The land was originally purchased in 1895 by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, a Catholic congregation of Franciscan sisters. The St. Francis residential community was later established on the northern parcel, serving as a senior living facility for more than 120 years. The property south of Pocono Road operated as a farm and eventually became home to the recreational fields that remain active today. The original barn now serves as a thrift store.
Both properties were sold in 2022, with initial plans to construct a modern senior living complex on the northern parcel. Those plans were later abandoned, opening the door for preservation efforts.
If approved, the projects will expand Morris County’s network of protected lands and continue the county’s decades-long effort to conserve open space, preserve local history, and enhance recreational opportunities for residents.
