New Jersey Conservation Foundation

“The board of trustees were given a copy of the 990 form before it was filed. The director of finance reviewed key elements of the form at a board meeting and answered questions.”

“The board and the staff are required to complete annual conflict of interest statements. Any conflicts or potential conflicts are discussed at a meeting of the board of trustees and read into the minutes. If a conflict or potential conflict arises, the party is required to recuse him or herself from the discussion and voting on the subject.”

“During the budgeting process, a subset of the executive committee of the board of trustees reviews the salary of the executive director and compares it to similar organizations.”

“Summary financial statements are presented in the annual report. Full financial statements are available upon request.”

“Within the the bylaws, the executive committee shall, except as otherwise provided by law, have and exercise all the powers of the board during the intervals between the meetings of the board, and shall fix its own rules of procedure.”

“Preserve and steward land nearly 900 acres preserved in 2024! We preserved 16 properties across new jersey in 2024, including family farms and natural areas that safeguard clean drinking water, produce local food, and provide wildlife habitat, scenic beauty, and outdoor recreation. Many of these projects involved essential partnerships. Maurice river watershed we permanently protected 141 acres in gloucester county in partnership with the south jersey land and water trust. This land acquisition prevented the deforestation of an ecologically important property and preserved quality wildlife habitat and clean drinking water. Silty pond mussel eradication - as part of a multi-year effort, we removed invasive silty pond mussels from nine ponds near the headwaters of wickecheoke creek, a delaware river tributary. This was the first known occurrence of this invasive species in north america, and the mussel was in danger of spreading to local waterways, where it could threaten native shellfish and mussel populations and impact long-term ecosystem health. More 2024 successes we expanded candace mckee ashmun preserve in ocean county to nearly 4,000 acres with the addition of pine and oak uplands, pitch pine lowlands, and cedar swamps. After three years of studies and public surveys, a proposed map of designated motor vehicle routes has been proposed for wharton state forest. This measure will help to protect ecologically sensitive areas from off-road vehicle damage while preserving reasonable public access to the forest. We stewarded over 29,000 acres of land, including 19 preserves and 75 miles of trails, as well as conservation and farmland easements totaling almost 6,000 acres. We advanced strong land use policies at the state and federal level to help protect lands, and met with key legislators to discuss forest management legislation. We formed a committee to convene statewide groups to address barriers to accelerating the rate of land preservation. Mitigate effects of climate change new jersey continues to face increased flooding risks and high climate vulnerability. We focused our efforts on initiatives that enhance new jersey's climate resilience, protect critical habitats, and preserve land that provides vital ecosystem services such as storm water absorption, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity. Marsh migration in 2024, we began developing a land protection plan to identify and prioritize key lands for preservation along the delaware bayshore to protect marshes and bay beaches threatened by sea-level rise, which could reach up to 5.1 feet by 2100. These areas provide critical habitat for migratory shorebirds, which have fed and nested in the region for millennia. Advocating for climate-resilient policies we advocated for njpact (protecting against climate threats) state rules aimed at improving storm water management and safeguarding communities from coastal flooding. These measures are the first of their kind in the nation. More 2024 successes we strengthened local food systems in camden by preserving a small urban lot, the site of the center for environmental transformation's urban garden, which was slated for redevelopment. By permanently preserving this plot, we helped to protect this important community resource which improves urban climate adaptation and community resilience. Increase access to nature we are working to expand access to nature, create healthier and greener urban spaces, and build stronger connections between people and the natural world, ensuring these spaces will inspire and benefit communities for generations to come. In 2024, more than 1,200 people attended new jersey conservation-led education and outreach programs, including free fishing day in camden, "big day and "big sit" birding events in jersey city, cadwalader park birding event in trenton, coffee & conservation series at bamboo brook outdoor education center, pine barrens plant courses, and more. Green & healthy cities initiative we began”

“Change in value of land, buildings and easements -70,836. Change in value of split interest 2,597. Bad debt -27,000.”

“The process has not changed from the prior accounting year.”