Old Pine Farm Projects
News Articles
Gloucester County Times, Sunday Feb. 17th 2002
Deptford deeds land for preservation
By BRIAN ARRINGTON Staff Writer
DEPTFORD TWP. - Old Pine Farm is five acres bigger after tile township gave up the acreage to -the non-profit conservation agency. Deptford officials deeded the land to Old Pine Farm Land Trust, which maintains the land located at Bayer and 1st Avenue, for $42,500. The land was assessed at $86,000 but half of the cost will be covered by the state's Green Acres program, which offers state funds to pay for conservation efforts, said John Flynn, the program development specialist for the Green Acres program.
With the new parcel of land, the 32-acre park along Big Timber Creek will allow the preservation of a greenway from the creek to the Delaware River, trust Chairman George Willoughby said. Park property is open to visitors and can be accessed on Pine Avenue, he said. "It is open to the public," he said. "We call it passive recreation, open from dawn to dusk but you cant bring SUVs or automobiles."
The green space along the creek was saved and Deptford also gets a parcel that will never be developed, Willoughby said. "Our goal is to extend the greenway from the headwaters of Big Timber Creek to a portion of the Delaware River," he said. "We believe it is important to save land, most importantly along the streams. We believe it is important to do and it is worth doing."
"We took the property off the market in the hopes that we could help the Old Pine Farm Land Trust," Township Manager Joseph Picardi said. "The council was wholeheartedly in this and it is a wonderful land to be preserved."
Courier Post, Friday, February 15, 2002
Deptford deeds five acres to Old Pine Farm
By BERNIE WEISENFELD
Courier-Post Staff
DEPTFORD The Old Pine Farm Natural Lands Trust grew by five acres Thursday, thanks to the town- ship and the state's Green Acres program. At a real estate settlement, the township deeded the wooded parcel at Bayer and 1st avenues to the nonprofit Old Pine Farm for $42,500. That will be paid with Green Acres funds.
Old Pine Farm consists of 32 acres on the Big Timber Creek. The new land advances a plan to preserve a greenway along the creek to the Delaware River, said trust Chairman George Willoughby. "It is beautiful woodlands, not disturbed much by human beings," he said.
Members of the trust privately own and manage the Old Pine Farm wetlands and woods, although the property is open to visitors. The entrance is on Rankin Avenue, off Good Intent Road in the Blackwood Terrace section.
Although the five acres were assessed at $85,000 and could have been sold to a developer, the township agreed to sell the parcel at half that price to increase open space, said Township Manager Joseph Picardi.
Land trust board member Joe Birmingham, who lives adjacent to the property, proposed its acquisition, Willoughby said. "We'll develop trail here and there so it's available" for visitors, Willoughby said.
New Benches at Old Pine Farm
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Adam Kalb of boy scout troop #62 organized an eagle scout project to install 6 benches along the nature trail at Pine Pine Farm.
New Parking Area at Old Pine Farm
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New parking area and sign.
Bruce Williamson and Ed Cleary, two trustees of Old Pine Farm, construct a split rail fence at the start
Joe Birmingham, center, also assisted in constructing the split rail fence with Bruce Williamson, left and Ed Cleary, right..
The finished split rail fence flanked by forsythia in bloom during April.
Pine trees were planted at the beginning off the trail.