|
|
|
|
ACTION ALERT! SUPPORT FUNDING FOR OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION With bipartisan leadership, New Jersey has dedicated an average $200 million a year for open space funding since the creation of the Garden State Preservation Trust in 1998. But funds from the Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act 2009 are now fully allocated. Your voices are needed to ensure a bill is considered to continue critical preservation efforts! The legislation SCR84/ACR130 would provide continued funding for the Green Acres program, as well as Blue Acres projects to purchase flood-impacted properties in both inland and coastal areas and to protect undeveloped coastal watershed and riparian lands to help prevent future flood damage. It would also provide sustainable funding for farmland and historic preservation efforts. This fiscally responsible approach would dedicate 4% of Corporate Business Tax (CBT) revenues to critical open space preservation and environmental protection programs through FY2019, and an additional 2% of existing CBT revenues from FY2020 going forward. This would establish a long-term, dedicated source of funding for land and water protection efforts without any fiscal impact until FY2020, when the additional 2% of CBT revenues would be allocated. Please call and email your Assembly Representatives as soon as possible, asking them to support a quick hearing and vote for this critical bill! The bill must be considered in time to appear on the November ballot for voters to ultimately decide. The following talking points can be utilized when you place calls. 1) All Green Acres, Blue Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation funds from the 2009 $400 million bond act are now fully allocated. Without action, critical efforts will come to a standstill while many identified preservation needs remain. 2) SCR84/ACR130 provides a fiscally responsible solution and should be given a hearing and a vote in the Assembly as soon as possible. 3) This bill provides a long-term, dedicated source of funding for park and preservation efforts without any fiscal impact until FY2020. Calls: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp Emails: http://www.capwiz.com/njaudubon/issues/alert/?alertid=63243776&type=ST Thank you for your advocacy! |
|
RECENT EVENTS | |||
KGA TRAILS DAY PROJECT Saturday, June 7, 2014
|  To celebrate National Trails Day, volunteers cleared away a tree and other debris blocking the flow of Heathcote Brook under the old stone bridge in the Cook Natural Area.   It was a cool way to spend a warm day! Many thanks to our industrious crew.   KGA ANNUAL MEETING AND PROGRAM-- NATURAL BEAUTY: SOMERSET COUNTY PARKS Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Clifford Zink, award-winning historian, preservation consultant, and author, gave a presentation on the subject of his latest book, NATURAL BEAUTY: SOMERSET COUNTY PARKS. He traced the development of Somerset County’s park system from its roots in the County’s agricultural past through its evolution over nearly six decades into an organization utilizing creative public-private partnerships to preserve open space and serve more than 2,000,000 visitors and program participants annually. | Businessmen and political leaders worked tirelessly to establish the Somerset County Park Commission in 1956 by public referendum, and they adopted a visionary plan to preserve prime open space and provide excellent recreational opportunities for the public. Since that time, inspired public officials and professional staff have implemented and expanded the plan into a countywide network of 26 parks encompassing more than 13,500 acres.  Somerset County parks today include award-winning facilities like the Environmental Education and Equestrian Centers at Lord Stirling Park, the horticultural centers at Colonial Park and Leonard J. Buck Garden, the Torpey Athletic Center, and the Neshanic Valley Golf Course. The Parks also contain exceptional landscapes and natural areas like Natirar and Sourland Mountain Preserve, the largest county park in New Jersey. To obtain a copy of NATURAL BEAUTY, please call 908 722-1200 ext. 236, or visit Somerset County Parks Commission
KINGSTON GREENWAYS ASSOCIATION FALL FOLIAGE WALK |
Sunday, October 20, 2013  Rick Henkel (at far right) and fall foliage walkers--Photo by Jonathan Michalik In celebration of this 100th anniversary year of the founding of Princeton Nurseries, Rick Henkel led a walk through the Nurseries' Kingston site. Rick was formerly Sales Manager for Princeton Nurseries, where he worked for 32 years. After leaving the Nurseries, he founded Princeton Horticultural Services, which he continues to run. Rick has an extraordinary knowledge of trees, and knows the Kingston Site and its trees intimately. View a gallery of photos taken by Jonathan Michalik: Fall Foliage Walk 2013 ANNUAL MEETING AND MOVIE--“Crash: A Tale of Two Species” Wednesday, May 22, 2013 For those who were unable to join us, the film "Crash: A Tale of two Species" is available from Netflix. It explores the fascinating, endangered relationship between the red knot, a South American shorebird which flies each year to the Arctic to mate, and the horsehoe crab, whose eggs fuel the most grueling portion of the red knot's journey north.  Courtesy of Conserve Wildlife But now that humans are using the horseshoe crab for fishing bait and for medical purposes (its blue blood is pervasively used to test intravenous drugs, vaccines, and medical devices for bacterial contamination--see http://www.horseshoecrab.org/med/med.html for more information) the relationship has become increasingly endangered. Maria Grace, the Education and Outreach Manager of Conserve Wildlife (Conserve Wildlife) fielded many questions raised by the documentary. Despite grim challenges to both species, there is some hopeful news--this short Star Ledger video provides some post-Sandy coverage: Researchers optimistic about Delaware Bay horseshoe crab spawn and shorebird migration |
NATURE GALLERY | Does a tree grow in Kingston that you would like to honor? Now you can nominate it to KGA's brand new Kingston Tree Registry. Tree Nomination Form |  |
NJ WILD BLOG SITE |
| ABOUT KINGSTON GREENWAYS Kingston Greenways Association aims to establish a permanent green belt around the village of Kingston consisting of natural environments, recreational park land, agricultural and horticultural land, wetlands, streams and ponds, and sites of historical interest. The Association further aims to preserve and create connections of green among and beyond these for walking, jogging, bicycling and horseback riding. The Association aims also to promote understanding of our local region through study and education, and to provide oversight and advocacy for open space in the Kingston area. We will work in partnership with other regional, state and national groups in pursuit of open space preservation and awareness. KGA BYLAWS |
|
| HOW YOU CAN HELP ** Become a member ** Become a trustee ** Join us for walks, talks, workshops, cleanups, trail building, and field trips ** Get on our email list ** Keep us informed about events, opportunities, and impending zoning/legislation issues ** Attend public meetings, and tell state and local officials you're concerned about overdevelopment, loss of open space, and damage to wildlife habitat and water resources |