Nearly $7 million approved for open space preservation in Denville Township, Mendham Township and Rockaway Township
MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners has approved nearly $7 million in Open Space Trust Fund grants to preserve more than 192 acres across three municipalities, supporting major land conservation efforts in Denville Tonwship, Mendham Township and Rockaway Township.
The commissioners unanimously advanced the funding at their public meeting Tuesday, following recommendations from the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee presented earlier this month.
“Since the open space program’s inception in 1994, communities in every corner of Morris County have experienced its benefits. Our careful review process and focus on local priorities have helped secure more than 14,750 acres through the municipal and non-profit program, and over 18,300 acres countywide,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, the board’s liaison to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation. “It’s a collective effort that strengthens our quality of life and protects the natural landscapes that define Morris County.”
Funding for the projects comes from the Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, supported by a dedicated voter-approved county tax. The trust fund also aids farmland preservation, historic preservation, parkland purchases, trail development and the acquisition of flood-prone properties.
Approved 2025 Projects
Mendham Township — 3 Tingley Road
Mendham Township will receive $214,000 to preserve 11.72 acres within the Washington Valley Historic District. The parcel borders Lewis Morris County Park and offers direct access to Patriot’s Path. The site includes woodlands, wetlands and meadows, and provides a buffer near historic locations while supporting the Whippany River, a designated trout production stream.
Rockaway Township — Wildcat Ridge Preserve
The Land Conservancy of New Jersey was awarded $1.04 million to acquire 123.3 acres in the Wildcat Ridge Management Area. Surrounded on three sides by existing state-owned conservation land, the tract includes forested habitat, a two-acre pond and is adjacent to the West Morris Greenway. The purchase expands preserved land and builds on previous county-supported acquisitions in the area.
Denville — St. Francis and Pocono Field Preservation Project
Denville Township will receive $5.7 million to preserve 57.29 acres across the historic St. Francis property and the Pocono Field tract. The northern parcel, originally purchased in 1895 by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, operated as a senior living community for more than a century. The southern parcel was once farmland and later converted into athletic fields.
Both sites were sold in 2022 for a proposed redevelopment that was later withdrawn. The township now plans to create a community park on the northern property while maintaining Pocono Fields for active recreation.
