|
| Name of Project: |
Braddock Enterprises |
Geographic Fund: |
Delaware Bay |
| Location of Project: |
Middle
Township, Cape May County |
|
Watershed Management Area (WMA): |
#16 Cape May
|
Type of Project: |
Land Preservation |
|
Size: |
437 acres
|
| Nonprofit Organization: |
The
Conservation Fund |
|
Status: |
The Conservation Fund has applied for several sources of funding,
including Congressional funding, in order to raise $6.4 million
to close on the sale. |
| Total Project Cost: |
$6.4 million |
| Funds Raised: |
$4.8 million |
| Funds Needed: |
$1.6 million |
|
Leverage: |
Not yet available |
| PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE |
The
Braddock site is located inside the legislative Boundary of
the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. This property includes
lands with extremely high natural resource value. The Refuge
land protection plan considers this a priority 1 acquisition.
The property is also listed as a priority acquisition under
the NJ DEP Landscape project due to the presence of top ranked
emergent wetland, forested wetland and forest habitat.
Given
its strategic location, Cape May features internationally
significant wetlands and migratory waterfowl habitat. The
Refuge has been designated as a flagship refuge of the North
American Waterfowl management plan, as part of the Wetlands
of International Importance under the Ramsar convention. It
is also an important Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve
Network site, and part
of The New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. The American Bird
Conservancy has identified the Refuge as a Globally Important
Bird Area.
|
| PROJECT DESCRIPTION |
|
The
Refuge currently encompasses 11,000 acres of critical habitat
for 12 species of federally listed threatened and endangered
species. Lands could be included to encompass a total of 21,000
acres. The
Conservation Fund is planning to acquire the Braddock property
and convey it to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for inclusion
into the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. Once in their
hands, stewardship of the property will be guided by their
Comprehensive Conservation Plan as adopted in 2004. The refuge
vision states that “Cape May National Wildlife Refuge will
continue to contain some of the most important migratory bird
habitat in the National Wildlife Refuge system. It will continue
to be a focal point for the protection, management, restoration
and enjoyment of migratory birds and other Federal Trust resources
in coastal New Jersey. The Refuge will provide stop-over
and wintering habitats of sufficient size and quality to assist
in maintaining migratory birds in the Atlantic Flyway.” |
| FUNDS NEEDED |
The
Conservation Fund is seeking $1.6 million for this project.
|
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