86 Acres of Farmland Preserved in Franklin Township
A father’s wish becomes reality as family farm is preserved
Press Release from SJLWT – May 26, 2020
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY, MAY 2020 — According to the Corwonski family, it was their father’s wish that their property always remain a farm. Now, thanks to the work of the nonprofit conservation organization South Jersey Land and Water Trust (SJLWT) in cooperation with Franklin Township, his wish will be granted. The 86 acres of farmland that have been in the Corwonski family for generations is now permanently preserved.
For over twenty-five years, SJLWT has worked to preserve land across southern New Jersey. As of this year, SJLWT has preserved over 1,500 acres of open space and over 600 acres of farmland. The preservation of this Franklin Township property, however, breaks new ground for the organization.
“This is the first farm that has been settled since SJLWT assumed the management responsibilities for Franklin Township’s Municipal Farmland Preservation Program,” Ken Atkinson, the Land Program Manager with SJLWT, says. Earlier last year, SJLWT formed a partnership with Franklin Township to work to preserve farmland like this property throughout the town.
“This partnership [with SJLWT] is the beginning of a good thing for our township,” Ralph Travaglione, Secretary of Franklin Township’s Agricultural Advisory Committee, says, “The Township of Franklin has long realized that preserving farmland in this two-hundred year old township is the key to keeping its residents pleased with its rural character.” This 86-acre property is likely just the first of several farms that will be preserved in Franklin Township. Currently, SJLWT is working on more than seven other Franklin Township properties that are in some stage of the Farmland Preservation process or have initiated an interest in the program.
In addition to preserving the rural beauty of an area, the preservation of these 86 acres of farmland also protects the health of local natural resources. Farmland helps to recharge groundwater and provide critical habitat for local wildlife and protect the biodiversity of our environment.
The preservation of this property was led by SJLWT but was supported by a number of other organizations including the State Agriculture Development Committee, the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and the Franklin Township Municipal Committee, who all provided funding for the acquisition of the property’s development rights. The Gloucester County Office Land Preservation also provided a great deal of technical support throughout the preservation process, as did the Franklin Township Agricultural Advisory Board. The County of Gloucester holds the easement on the property, and is responsible for future monitoring to ensure it continues to operate within the parameters of the Farmland Preservation Program.
South Jersey Land & Water Trust is a nonprofit organization that works to preserve and protect South Jersey’s open space, farmland, and educate the public about the importance of threatened species and habitats. Visit www.sjlandwater.org for more information on this organization and all the great work they are doing!
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