Gaining Ground

New Jersey

332,877

Acres Protected

That’s about 252,180 football fields!

Land trusts have already conserved 61 million acres of private land across the nation — more than all of the national parks combined. Help us conserve another 60 million acres by the end of the decade.

Together, let’s keep Gaining Ground.

Visitors to Land Trust Properties

45,300

More and more people are enjoying the benefits of nature.

Percent of Land Trusts That Provide Public Access to Their Lands

100%

Land trusts provide opportunities to recreate and recharge.

Number of People Served

6,335

Land trusts provide programs and activities to get people outside and learn about the land.

Miles of Trails

176

Walking, hiking and other outdoor recreation improve people's health and well-being.

Miles With Universal Access

53

Universal access trails are designed to be used by all people, regardless of ability.

Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Community Engagement in the Last Five Years

89%

Land Trusts Are Deepening Relationships With:
  • People from various racial and ethnic backgrounds

  • Older adults or those living in retirement communities

  • People who identify as LGBTQ+

  • People living with disabilities

  • Veterans

Land Trusts Are Helping Address Community Needs, Including:
  • Youth education and development

  • Community and economic development

  • Food security and agriculture

  • Health and wellness

  • Social and environmental justice

Demographics

Every land trust is as unique as the community it serves.

New Jersey land trusts are community-led and supported and protect lands and waters that help the entire state.

Active Land Trusts

28

A land trust is a nonprofit that conserves land by acquiring and stewarding land or conservation easements.

Learn more about land trusts
Alliance Member Land Trusts

21

Land Trust Alliance members commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.

Learn about the land trust alliance
Accredited Land Trusts

12

Accredited land trusts undergo a thorough review of their practices in governance, finance, transactions and stewardship.

Learn about land trust accreditation

People

  • 36,859

  • 23,249

  • 106

  • 80

  • 328

Land Trust Longevity

  • 127 years old (1897)

  • 22 years old (2002)

  • 38 years old

Percent of Land Trusts Who Increased Focus on Climate Change in the Last Five Years

67%

Percent of Land Trusts Receiving Funding to Address Climate Change

22%

Land Protected

There has been a 14% increase in New Jersey land protected by land trusts since 2010.

Acre by acre, land trusts are helping to conserve New Jersey lands, waters and ways of life.

2010
2015
2020
Total acres protected
292,387
317,693
332,877
+14%
Under easement
12,592
14,386
16,421
+30%
Owned
73,165
73,754
74,806
+2%
Acquired and reconveyed
181,188
107,242
117,160
0%
Protected by other means
25,443
123,341
124,490
+389%

Disclaimer: Land trusts conserve land in many different ways and every project is unique. Category totals may change depending on how acres are reported by survey respondents to reflect the most current data and minimize double-counting. In some instances, the total may be greater than the sum of the separate categories due to organizations that provided total acres not broken down by category.

Percent of Land Owned and Under Easement Held by an Accredited Land Trust

92%

Source: 2020 National Land Trust Census

Total Public Funding for Conservation From 1998-2017

$4.8 billion

Source: Trust for Public Land's Conservation Almanac

Acres of Land Lost to Development From 2012-2017

17,800

Source: NRCS - Natural Resources Inventory

This information reflects data collected in the National Land Trust Census, the longest-running comprehensive survey of private land conservation in America. Learn more about the Census and see which land trusts participated in the 2020 National Land Trust Census.

Making a Difference

New Jersey land trusts are gaining ground.

Land trusts across the state are helping find solutions to some of New Jersey's most pressing issues.

  • Providing local food: The accredited Land Conservancy of New Jersey established a community garden at its South Branch Preserve in Mt. Olive. The 145 organic plots are on land that was purchased to protect the headwaters of the South Branch of the Raritan River, a drinking water supply source for more than 1.5 million New Jersey residents. Over the past five years, the gardeners donated nearly 3,000 pounds of fresh food to the community.

    Read more
  • Protecting land for future generations: The accredited Tewksbury Land Trust has worked on the 10 Mile Trail, a network of trails and preserved lands located roughly 50 miles west of New York City near Oldwick. Development of the 10 Mile Trail was a collaborative project from Tewksbury Land Trust, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Raritan Headwaters, Hunterdon County Division of Parks and Recreation that has fostered community unity.

    Read more
  • Providing access to land for all: When it comes to telling a preserve’s story, sometimes a sign isn’t enough. The story’s too complex, and many hikers would rather move than stand and read anyway. As one solution, the accredited D&R Greenway Land Trust in Princeton, New Jersey, turned to a device that hikers are rarely without: their smartphones.

    Read more

Land Trusts Working in New Jersey

Land Trust Alliance member land trusts, listed below, commit to adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices as their guiding principles.