The Fight To Save The Drew Forest Makes Its Way To Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — An environmental organization based in Morristown has officially joined the fight to prevent the overdevelopment of the Drew Forest, which is home to some of Morris County's oldest trees.

The Great Swamp Watershed Association (GSWA) is one of the most recent organizations to officially join the campaign to save the Drew Forest from development.

Drew Forest is a 53-acre undeveloped, biodiverse preserve on the Drew University campus in Madison, New Jersey, with glacial ponds and some of Morris County's oldest trees. The forest has been described as a living classroom for Drew University students and the wider community to learn and conduct research.

"Great Swamp Watershed Association is proud to support this important preservation initiative," said Sally Rubin, GSWA Executive Director. "The Drew Forest is an invaluable natural resource that will be lost forever if the Borough is ordered by the court to allow construction and the land is fragmented by development."

The Buried Valley Aquifer runs beneath the forest and supplies drinking water to the boroughs of Madison and Chatham, as well as 30 municipalities in the counties of Morris, Essex, Somerset and Union. Every year, the forest provides critical recharge by capturing and purifying approximately 71.5 million gallons of rainfall.

According to the GSWA, the Department of Environmental Protection values this ecosystem service at $1.5 million per year.

Drew University recently requested that the Borough of Madison rezone the Forest to allow for the construction of hundreds of market-rate housing units. More than 15 municipalities, government agencies and organizations have urged Drew University to collaborate with the Borough of Madison to preserve this parcel of land.

In urban areas, trees and natural forest space are important because they improve air quality and filter and retain stormwater. Proper forest conservation, can help to mitigate some of the negative impacts and social consequences of urban development.

The Great Swamp Watershed Association, which was established in 1981, works to protect and improve the Passaic River's health through science, education, land preservation, stewardship and advocacy.