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Growing Endangered Species
We need your help protecting 66 acres of grassland habitat in Cape May County. Please contact Cape May County to express your support for our proposal to restore endangered species habitat at no cost to taxpayers. This week, Cape May County is holding a hearing to receive public comments. Tell the County that you want the property to be offered for agricultural practices that are compatible with wildlife habitat. Publicly owned lands can be managed is such a way that it produces agricultural products AND provides quality wildlife habitat. Last year, NJAS submitted a competitive bid to Cape May County to lease a 66 acre agricultural field. We proposed to plant a mixture of native and cool season grasses to provide hay to the local community as well as providing grassland habitat for breeding and migrating birds. Since that time, the County has rejected all bids and is in the process of revising the specifications for the new bid package that will be released soon. You can express your support by sending a letter or by calling the County directly and attending a public hearing. To express support via phone, please contact Stephen O’Connor, Clerk/Administrator at 609-465-1065 You can also attend the public hearing on June 26 at 3:00pm at the Lower Township Municipal Building, in the Council Chambers, at 2600 Bayshore road, Villas, NJ.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I am writing to request that Cape May County and the Board of Chosen Freeholders offer a bid package for County owned lands that will allow for agricultural practices that are compatible with wildlife habitat. Cape May County is known to be a globally important area for migratory birds. Allowing the field to be used as grassland will benefit rare wildlife, provide hay for local livestock, as well as save water and reduce the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that leech into our water ways because native grasses do not need to be fertilized or watered. Providing increased habitat is also important to the region's strong and growing nature-based tourism economy. Throughout the New Jersey and the nation,conservation on agricultural lands hosts a vibrant wildlife-dependent tourism industry. I understand that the New Jersey Audubon Society previously offered a bid package to establish grassland on the property known as the Schellenger Farm (Block 497.01 Lot 5.03). I encourage you to either accept NJAS' first bid or release a new bid package that will allow hay farming and other wildlife compatible practices on the property.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
Overview
We need your help protecting 66 acres of grassland habitat in Cape May County. Last year, NJAS submitted a competitive bid to Cape May County to lease a 66 acre agricultural field. We proposed to plant a mixture of native and cool season grasses to provide hay to the local community as well as providing grassland habitat for breeding and migrating birds. Since that time, the County has rejected all bids and is in the process of revising the specifications for the new bid package that will be released soon.
This week, Cape May County is holding a hearing to receive public comments. Tell the County that you want the property to be offered for agricultural practices that are compatible with wildlife habitat. Publicly owned lands can be managed is such a way that it produces agricultural products AND provides quality wildlife habitat. You can do this by calling the County, submitting a letter (see link) or attending the public hearing.
Background
Cape May County owns an 88 acre property in Lower Township: 66 acres in agricultural production and 22 acres of forested wetland. The property is referred to as the Schellenger Farm and is located on the corner of Fishing Creek and Tabernacle Road. The property has previously been leased to a row-crop farmer. Last year, Cape May County offered the property for a long-term lease of 25 years.
Adjacent to the field is one of only a handful of known breeding sites for eastern tiger salamander. In addition, the field is in the lower 10 kilometers, which is known to be globally important for migratory birds. NJAS views the 25 year lease as an opportunity to create a demonstration site for compatible wildlife and agricultural uses. By working with a local hay farmer, we developed a plan to provide locally grown hay to Cape May County while managing the field to provide habitat for both breeding grassland birds and migrating songbirds and raptors. Providing hay for local livestock and wildlife habitat are not the only benefits our plan will provide; we will also be saving water and will reduce the amount of pesticides and fertilizers that leech into our water ways because native grasses do not need to be fertilized or watered.
An Environmental Impact Statement was prepared for the Schellenger Farm, concluding that the current status as grassland would be preferable to an end use of continued farming. The County’s Engineer listed several reasons why it would not be feasible or affordable for Cape May County to manage the property as grassland. However, NJAS’ proposal solves all of the problems because NJAS has offered to manage the field for the County as well as pay an annual rental fee.
We need you to tell Cape May County that you want the property managed for wildlife habitat in addition to other uses. Please take action today! The public comment session closes at 4:30 pm on June 26. You can call, write, or attend the hearing.
