03-02-2011, 12:10 PM
New Jersey's Green Acres Program, which began in 1961, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It is the oldest, continuous state-supported open space program in the country and one of its most successful.
Together with public and nonprofit partners, the Green Acres Program has directly protected 650,000 acres of open space and provided hundreds of outdoor recreational facilities around the state. It has received overwhelming public support over the years with voters authorizing $3.1 billion through the approval of all 13 bond referendums put before them.
Roughly a third of the acreage preserved through the program, 217,838 acres, has been incorporated into the state Wildlife Management Area system. Open for multiple use by the public, WMAs provide some of the best hunting, fishing, birding and outdoor recreation locations in the state.
In addition to events to be held throughout the year at dozens of properties acquired or developed with Green Acres funds, there will be a contest for the public to showcase photographs of Green Acres properties. To keep up with the latest plans, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/ga50/ .
To view the DEP news release on the anniversary, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2011/11_0026.htm ; for information on the state WMA system, visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wmas.htm on the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife website.
Together with public and nonprofit partners, the Green Acres Program has directly protected 650,000 acres of open space and provided hundreds of outdoor recreational facilities around the state. It has received overwhelming public support over the years with voters authorizing $3.1 billion through the approval of all 13 bond referendums put before them.
Roughly a third of the acreage preserved through the program, 217,838 acres, has been incorporated into the state Wildlife Management Area system. Open for multiple use by the public, WMAs provide some of the best hunting, fishing, birding and outdoor recreation locations in the state.
In addition to events to be held throughout the year at dozens of properties acquired or developed with Green Acres funds, there will be a contest for the public to showcase photographs of Green Acres properties. To keep up with the latest plans, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/ga50/ .
To view the DEP news release on the anniversary, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2011/11_0026.htm ; for information on the state WMA system, visit http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/wmas.htm on the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife website.