Nearly $7 Million in Open Space Preservation Grants Approved

Published on November 18, 2025

County Commissioners Support Projects in Denville, Mendham Township & Rockaway Township

The Morris County Board of County Commissioners has approved $6.95 million in Open Space preservation grants to protect more than 192 acres across Denville, Mendham Township and Rockaway Township, following recommendations submitted by the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee.

The county commissioners voted on the measures at their public meeting today, advancing three major preservation projects ranging in size from 11.7 acres to more than 123 acres. The recommendations were presented during the Commissioners’ public meeting on Nov. 5, 2025.

“Since the open space program’s inception in 1994, communities in every corner of Morris County have experienced its benefits. Our careful review process and focus on local priorities have helped secure more than 14,750 acres through the municipal and non-profit program, and over 18,300 acres countywide. It’s a collective effort that strengthens our quality of life and protects the natural landscapes that define Morris County,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, the board’s liaison to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation.

Funding for the program comes from the Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is supported by a voter-approved dedicated county tax. In addition to open space acquisition, the fund assists with farmland preservation, county parkland purchases, historic preservation, trail construction and design, and the acquisition of flood-prone residential properties.

Approved 2025 Open Space Projects

Mendham Township - 3 Tingley Road

Mendham Township will receive $214,000 to preserve 11.72 acres along Tingley Road within the Washington Valley Historic District. The property lies north of County Route 510 and borders Lewis Morris County Park, offering direct access to Patriot’s Path via a spur trail. The tract contains woodlands, wetlands and meadows, provides a natural buffer between nearby historic sites and sits adjacent to the Whippany River, a designated trout production stream.

Rockaway Township - Wildcat Ridge Preserve

The Land Conservancy of New Jersey has been awarded $1.04 million to acquire 123.3 acres within the Wildcat Ridge Management Area. Surrounded on three sides by state-owned conservation land, the property includes deciduous forest, a two-acre pond and is adjacent to a segment of the West Morris Greenway. The acquisition expands protected habitat and builds on prior county-supported preservation efforts, including the nearby Egbert’s Lake tract.

Denville - St. Francis and Pocono Field Preservation Project

Denville Township will receive $5.7 million to protect 57.29 acres spanning the historic St. Francis and Pocono Field properties. First purchased in 1895 by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, the northern parcel later operated as a senior living community for more than a century, while the southern parcel evolved from farmland into active recreation fields. Both properties were sold in 2022 for a proposed redevelopment on the northern tract that was later withdrawn.

The township plans to convert the northern site into a community park while maintaining the Pocono Fields for active recreation.

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Photo 1: St. Francis and Pocono Fields property, Denville Township.

Photo 2: Wildcat Ridge Preserve in Rockaway Township.

Photo 3: The land at 3 Tingley Road in Mendham Township.