Conservancy receives $1.5 million from the 3M Foundation

Funds to be used for conservation projects of partnership in Sourland Mountains

Chester, NJ—November 22, 2004—Preservation of critical habitat in two of our state’s most rapidly developing counties, Somerset and Hunterdon, recently received a welcome boost. This summer, the 3M Foundation announced a $1.5 million gift to The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey to be used on conservation projects of partnership in the Sourlands Region, site of one of the last remaining intact forests in the state and a vital natural area threatened by encroaching development.

“We’re delighted and honored to receive this gift from 3M to protect New Jersey’s Sourland Mountains,” said Barbara Brummer, Ph.D., executive director, The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey. “By partnering collaboratively with local residents, government agencies, and fellow conservation organizations hard at work on the ground in the Sourlands, we look forward to helping to preserve the natural legacy of this stunning area for future generations to enjoy.”

“3M is pleased to join the Conservancy in its efforts to preserve the Sourland Mountains,” said Keith Jacobs, plant manager, 3M Belle Mead. “This land is an important part of the region, and we want to work with our community partners to preserve it.”

Spanning more than 32,000 acres, the Sourland Mountains are located in central New Jersey. The area comprises a mix of relatively intact and undisturbed woodlands and old fields and is home to many headwater streams critical to the state’s central water supply. The Sourlands’ diverse landscape provides habitat for a variety of wildlife, including threatened and endangered birds such as grasshopper sparrow and barred owl, as well as rare plants including wild comfrey and ginseng. The region also serves as a critical stopover point along the Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds.

Unlike much of central New Jersey, the Sourlands remains undeveloped. However, in the last decade pressure for both residential and commercial development in surrounding communities has mounted. This increasing growth makes the Sourlands increasingly vulnerable to suburban sprawl.

Montgomery Mayor Louise Wilson described the initiative as “hugely important.”

She added,“3M has an outstanding partner in The Nature Conservancy, and together I believe they’ll give a big boost to the effort to save this special place.”

“The 3M contribution creates a wonderful opportunity for Hillsborough Township to work with the Conservancy to further protect environmentally sensitive areas in the Sourland Mountains,” said Hillsborough Mayor Steven Sireci.

He continued, “Preserving open space, farmland, and our most valuable and ecologically important properties continues to be a priority for the Hillsborough Township Committee.”

Added Jerry Haimowitz, vice president, Sourlands Planning Council, “We are very supportive of this effort.”

“A gift to help protect the Sourlands has a significance far beyond its borders,” said George Hawkins, Esq., executive director, New Jersey Future. “Sourlands streams provide drinking water to the entire region, while birds along the Atlantic Flyway depend on the region’s fields and forests. This gift will ensure that legacy remains for years to come.”

3M and The Nature Conservancy have enjoyed a partnership spanning two decades. The Conservancy and 3M have worked together locally and internationally, on business councils and land transactions, and with the personal commitment and involvement of 3M employees. In the early 1990s, 3M generously supported the Conservancy’s global Last Great Places campaign with a gift of lands worth $3.4 million. In 2001, 3M made a substantial commitment to The Conservancy’s Campaign for Conservation and pledged a gift of more than $5 million.

3M recently awarded $1.4 million to the Conservancy for land conservation in Alabama. The grant, the largest-ever corporate gift for the state, builds on a longstanding partnership between 3M and the Conservancy, which has included land donations in the United States and abroad.