$560K Will Benefit Hovnanian Sanctuary In Berkeley

BERKELEY, NJ — A charitable donation of $560K over five years will help benefit New Jersey Audubon's largest South Jersey sanctuary.

New Jersey Resources (NJR) announced the milestone funding commitment from its charitable foundation to advance local environmental improvements in partnership with New Jersey Audubon in a news release.

The funding will support New Jersey Audubon’s efforts to preserve, restore and enhance the habitats and resiliency of the Hovnanian Sanctuary in Berkeley Township. The Hovnanian Sanctuary is New Jersey Audubon’s largest South Jersey sanctuary at 512 acres.

“NJR’s milestone funding commitment and partnership with New Jersey Audubon punctuates our progress on sustainability issues,” Steve Westhoven, president and CEO of New Jersey Resources, said. “Working together on this project helps restore an important local ecosystem, improving resiliency and sustainability in our communities for generations to come. Through commitments like this and our Coastal Climate Initiative, NJR is leading on environmental stewardship in our state.”

The gift will help support:

• Restoration and enhancement of over 100 acres of upland forest in part to reduce the risk of wildfire to local communities and residents, improve water quality and enhance the climate resiliency of the forest.
• Enhancement and restoration of an additional 15+ acres of Atlantic white cedar forest to help reverse the decline of this critical natural resource in the Barnegat Bay watershed that provides important ecological and weather resilience benefits to coastal areas.
• Development of new and improved recreational opportunities for the area’s residents and visitors, including five miles of walking trails, public access points, mapping, and signage.

“Working together under this partnership agreement, NJR and New Jersey Audubon are building a more sustainable future for New Jersey wildlife,” said Alex Ireland, president and CEO of New Jersey Audubon. “The critical funding provided by NJR will help restore and preserve environmentally sensitive areas in the Pinelands National Reserve, with a focus on climate resiliency, water improvements, and wildlife habitat restoration. We appreciate NJR’s continued commitment to these efforts through its Coastal Climate Initiative, enabling environmental stewardship in fragile ecosystems where attention is most needed.”