• Our Reserve
  • Trails
  • Organic Farm
  • Stewardship
  • Research
• River-Friendly
• Kate Gorrie Butterfly House
• Nature Center

Stewardship

Open Space Preservation

Beginning with Muriel Gardiner Buttinger’s original gift of 525 acres, the Watershed Association embarked on an effort to preserve and manage its land for conservation, education, recreation and research. Over the past 20 years, the Watershed Association has expanded the Reserve by adding lands through fee purchase and conservation easements, and using funds obtained through the NJ Green Acres Program. Additionally, we have assumed management responsibilities for adjacent lands owned by Mercer County. Today’s 860-acre Watershed Reserve is the result of a number of land ownership and management arrangements.

In our surrounding community the Watershed Association also secures and contributes Green Acres funds in partnership with other organizations and municipalities to purchase open space throughout the region. We advocate for open space funds and programs at the local level as well as strong open space protections and funding opportunities at the state level.

Water, Wildlife & Habitat Management

The Watershed Association has a number of continuing water, wildlife and habitat management programs on the Watershed Reserve. In 2007, we converted 44 acres of existing fields to native warm season grasses as habitat for grassland-nesting birds and other wildlife. These deep-rooted grasses provide added benefits by helping precipitation percolate through the soil into the aquifer.

In 2009, we began a plant inventory and survey of our forests to plan how to best manage our Reserve in the long term. We completed our own in-house River-Friendly Business Certification by carrying out a number of stewardship projects, including a demonstration rain garden, installation of rain barrels, and habitat restoration projects. We provide nesting boxes throughout the Reserve to encourage cavity-nesting birds, such as Bluebirds, Purple Martins and Wood Ducks. We protect habitat diversity by preserving two vernal pools and keeping the White-Tail Deer population in check through our deer management program.

Sustainability & “Green” Building

The Watershed Association strives to manage our buildings and equipment in an environmentally responsible manner as well. Since 2004, our Nature Center has benefited from photovoltaic panels on the roof, which today provide more than 90 percent of the electricity used in the building. For the interior of our buildings we use only low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint. We have retrofitted three of our largest buildings with rain barrels to collect, reserve and recycle rain water for watering our gardens and plants. We have recently replaced three toilets with low volume dual flush varieties. We choose Energy Star rated appliances and energy efficient equipment, like our propane lawnmower. Composting and recycling are also part of our daily routine. In addition, a number of boardwalks on our trails and the Hildick-Smith Memorial Education Dock at the pond are made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

From repairing boardwalks and painting barns, to planting native plants and our clean-up days, the Watershed Association has a variety of projects ready for volunteer support. We welcome individuals, organizations and groups to help us improve our environmental stewardship. Become a volunteer today!