Rancocas, WMA 19

The Friendship Creek Preserve permanently protected 226 acres along the headwaters of Friendship Creek - a tributary to the Rancocas Creek.  The property is dominated by a mix of hardwood swamps and Atlantic white cedar forests with disperse upland ridges of pitch pine forest.   This property provides great opportunities for nature trails and wildlife study.

The Friendship Creek Preserve project marked the Rancocas Conservancy’s first preserve in the southwestern portion of the watershed and their largest preserve to-date.  The Rancocas Conservancy was founded in 1989 as a land trust and watershed association. The Conservancy defined its focus as the watershed of the Rancocas Creek, located in south-central New Jersey. 

The Rancocas Conservancy purchased the Friendship Creek Preserve in August 2007.  The Conservancy will be managing the property in partnership with New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF).  This partnership was created due to the significant staff time that NJCF has devoted to this project and the assistance they can provide in managing the property. Primary management objectives will be eliminating ATV usage, removing litter from the property and providing an enjoyable trail experience.

The Conservancy paid $338,000 for the property by using a $188,000 grant from the Green Acres Program, and $150,000 from the Office of Natural Resource Restoration from a Natural Resource Damage Settlement, with these settlement funds being administered by Conservation Resources Inc. The remainder of the purchase price came from private donations. Conservation Resources Inc. also provided the Conservancy $5,000 through its Small Grants Program to help cover closing costs.