The Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA), headquartered in Madison, received a 23-acre parcel of land in 1997 donated by GSWA member Luther LaBarre. The property, located in Harding Township, has been designated as an ongoing restoration and education project.

According to biologist Blaine Rothauser, who has spearheaded this project, "I’ve spent hundreds of hours along with other volunteers studying the sites’ topography, biology, and unique characteristics. Based on our studies, we’ve cleaned up the site, removing invasive plants, clearing trails and installing nesting boxes. We then moved on and built two temporary footbridges and planted over a thousand native plants representing 35 species. It took regular GSWA volunteers, along with corporate, civil and religious groups, about 1,500 work hours to accomplish that."

Rothauser continued, "Now we’ll be monitoring the survival of the herbs, trees and shrubs we’ve planted. We’ll also be erecting six strategically placed deer-proof enclosures. By planting native species inside and outside the enclosures and monitoring their progress, we’ll be able to evaluate the ability of plants outside to withstand competition and deer browsing."

Regarding the property’s additional uses, the Conservation Area subcommittee of GSWA’s Science and Technology Committee agreed on an environmental-education focus, with emphasis on the local community’s role in watershed management. They’re hoping that visitors to the site will become better stewards of their own property.

Volunteers are needed to research the property’s history, pull invasive plants, record flora and fauna, monitor new plantings and maintain trails. Call Great Swamp Watershed Association at 973-966-1900 to volunteer. For a closer look at the property, a virtual tour is available on GSWA’s website at www.greatswamp.org.

Great Swamp owes its survival to the remarkable efforts of the citizens of New Jersey, who continue to fight to protect this precious natural jewel. Celebrating its 20^th Anniversary as a non-profit organization, the Watershed Association relies solely on membership and contributions to protect the continued health of our watershed’s area. If you’re not already a member, become one today. For more information, call (973) 966-1900, or visit their website at www.greatswamp.org

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