Preserving Land To Preserve Rivers

The Passaic River Coalition’s Butler Forest Preserve & Butler Raceway are two preserves which are contiguous (connected).

Combined they have a combined acreage of 14.9 acres.Four of those acres are deciduous wooded wetlands.

The preserve is Butler, NJ and these areas were purchased to prevent the development of townhouses and provide protection for the Pequannock River.

At PequannockRiver.org, we are reminded that the area around that river and the Wanaque River is often called the "Heart of the Highlands."

Average citizens may not consider the importance of the lands surrounding rivers when they think about preserving the river itself.

This particular area provides critical water supplies to millions of New Jersey citizens.

It also serves as a refuge for sensitive wildlife endangered, threatened and thankfully stable including otters, eagles, bears and bobcats.

Though some of this area seems quite rugged, other sections are at the edge of suburban sprawl. It is quite rugged at the headwaters on Hamburg Mountain, but the flood plains of eastern Morris County are much more suburban. The latter area is also one that continues to demand more land and water for growth.

Pequannock River

Want to learn more and explore the area? Check out their site and events calendar for meeting, hikes and information.