Morris County urged to double $5M grant to save Drew University forest from development

By William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record

The Morris County Commissioners heard passionate pleas at their meeting Wednesday night to approve a $5 million grant to help protect 51 acres of woodlands on the Drew University campus. But, they were told, the funding needs to be doubled if preservationists are to have a shot at saving Drew Forest.

Madison borough officials applied to the county Open Space Trust Fund Committee for a $10 million grant earlier this year. If approved, the award would equal the previous high of $10 million awarded to Chatham Township for the purchase of land at Giralda Farms.

Committee Chairman Jay Thomson, making a rare presentation at the commissioner board's Wednesday work session, said that while negotiations for Madison to purchase the property from Drew are "ongoing," the committee could only approve $5 million "at this time."

"Projects of this magnitude typically come to the committee with a signed contract or a multitude of funding partners already in place," Thomson said. "This application has not made some of those benchmarks."

Addressing the lack of a purchase agreement, Madison Mayor Robert Conley told the commissioners "I know and we know Drew will sell. Their preference is what everyone in this room wants, to preserve the forest. But if we cannot do it, there will be houses [built] there, even with Madison kicking and screaming."

Why is Drew Forest for sale?

Madison's push to purchase the acreage followed reports more than two years ago that the university hoped to sell all or part of the land to residential developers.

"A global pandemic, a national decline in college-aged students, a precipitous drop in state aid, and other factors have taken their financial toll on the university and its endowment over the past decade." Drew officials say on their website.

The school's original plans called for the sale of a portion of the land to a group committed to preservation, but with the rest of the property going to developers at market rate.

"The forest is one of Drew’s principal assets that we can leverage for our financial security, and an investment from outside resources is needed to make this a reality," the university says in its online statement.

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The price of preservation is unclear

Madison officials hoped the $10 million grant, combined with federal dollars, state Green Acres money, the borough's own open space fund and other sources would cover a market-rate purchase of the entire tract.

It is unclear what that cost may amount to. Conley declined to put a price tag on the deal when asked in May, but he said on Thursday that it would be "significantly more than $10 million."

"The open space fund typically does not fund 100% of projects," Conley said, adding he is "hopeful" Madison can find additional funding to complete the deal.

Negotiations between the borough and its hometown university have been acrimonious at times, with the parties ending up in court over accusations that Madison took steps to devalue the property.

The Drew statement, however, pledges that the school is "working together with the borough of Madison toward a market-value conservation deal that can meet Drew’s long-term needs and protect the forest’s future forever."

Students, neighboring residents and environmentalists have joined Madison's drive to preserve the property, forming the nonprofit Friends of the Drew Forest. The group collected more than 15,000 signatures on a Change.org petition in support of preservation.

Several members spoke during the public session at the county commissioner meeting on Wednesday following the open space committee's presentation. The speakers urged the commissioners to grant the full $10 million.

Conley said recent talks with the university have been "productive" and "I really feel we will have an agreement."

"One of the things that would get us over the top is a full funding of $10 million," he said.

A final decision is expected soon

The commissioners are expected to vote on a resolution to authorize the grants at its next meeting on Nov. 20. They traditionally approve all committee grant recommendations.

The commissioners are authorized to reject a recommendation, approve it or modify it in accordance with state statutes that guide the use of land-preservation trust funds, county spokesperson Vincent Vitale confirmed.

Since 1994, the Morris County Open Space Program has preserved more than 17,800 acres, with approximately $295 million generated by the county preservation tax approved overwhelmingly by voters in November 1992.

Thomson said prior to its decision, all committee members paid site visits to the 51-acre property, which experts have called an "epicenter of biodiversity." The woods function as a laboratory for science students and a retreat for the Drew University community and its neighbors.

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With a $5 million award, "Morris County would be the first funding partner to commit funding dollars to the project," Thomson said. "We're all hopeful this initial commitment will encourage funding from other sources."

"We'll be assessing it further," Commissioner Christine Myers told the audience Wednesday. "Your passion is understood."

Mayor Conley said: "We have worked hard to this point and there is no stopping now until we can reach an agreement with Drew, secure the necessary funding and preserve the forest for generations to come."

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com 

Twitter: @wwesthoven