De Marco Farmland
Chatsworth

From:

Garden State EnviroNews 021120 (www.gsenet.org)
LARGEST PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION DEAL IN NJ HISTORY (10,000 acres)
Date: 18 Nov 2002
From: "Stephanie" {[email protected]}

Location:

The property is located in the "Heart of the Pine Barrens" in Burlington County, surrounding the Village of Chatsworth in Woodland, Tabernacle and Bass River Townships. It connects five state-owned properties: Brendan Byrne State Forest (formerly Lebanon State Forest), Wharton State Forest, Bass River State Forest, Greenwood Wildlife Management Area and Penn State Forest.

Geology:

Fourteen tributaries of the West Branch of the Wading River originate on or pass through the property.

History:

James Garfield DeMarco was at one time the nation's third-largest cranberry grower.  His family worked the land for more than 60 years.

New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) has signed an option to purchase the nearly 10,000-acre DeMarco Farm, one of the largest privately owned tracts of land in New Jersey.

NJCF is working closely with Garfield DeMarco, President of A.R. DeMarco Enterprises - the farm's owner, but has only five months to raise the money needed to purchase the property.  The family decided to give half the value of the property to NJCF as a gift.

Habitats:

1,500 acres of reservoirs; wetland and upland forests; 600 acres of Atlantic white cedar swamp; 800 acres of cranberry bogs; 300 acres of blueberry fields..  Habitat for pine barrens tree frog.