Mission

The Meadowlands Conservation Trust is a New Jersey state agency that “is in but not of” the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. It is also one of two state land trusts. The Trust was formed to acquire and preserve environmentally valuable land and to enhance the environment of the Hackensack Meadowlands District and the Hackensack River Watershed. The Trust is supported in part by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) through the use of their staff and facilities.

Signed into law on March 2, 1999, the Trust was established for the purpose of acquiring or holding interest in land in order to permanently preserve and enhance environmentally sensitive lands located in the Hackensack Meadowlands or within the Hackensack River watershed. These lands shall be permanently preserved and managed in their natural state for the purposes of conserving and enhancing natural resources, protecting elements of natural diversity, open space or providing public outdoor passive recreational opportunities.

An executive director was brought on in December of 2003 to better facilitate and make the vision of the Meadowlands open space area a reality.

The land acquisition projects are obtained by diverse public and private sources – landowners, foundations, businesses, nonprofit organizations, citizens’ groups, and government agencies.

The moneys in the Meadowlands Conservation Trust fund are specifically dedicated and shall be utilized only to further the mission of the Trust. Such grants, contributions, donations and reimbursements from federal aid programs as may be lawfully used for the purposes of the Trust as set forth by the state of New Jersey and held in the Trust fund.

All Meadowlands Conservation Trust conservation easements and fee simple property acquisitions are protected in perpetuity. There are numerous benefits to preserving open space in northern New Jersey with the support and backing on many levels from the NJ Governors, counties and local municipalities. New Jersey residents have repeatedly voted for and realized the important balance of development and land preservation in New Jersey. Keeping or enhancing New Jersey land in its natural state positively benefits the quality of life for present and future generations.