The state Pinelands Commission approved spending $867,666 Friday to preserve 450 acres in Atlantic, Ocean, Burlington and Gloucester counties.

Using money from the Pinelands Conservation Fund, the commission’s Permanent Land Protection Committee authorized the funding as part of $2.6 million in purchases partnering with local governments and nonprofit organizations.

“We decide whether it warrants preservation,” said Paul Leaken, a spokesman for the Pinelands Commission, “and these properties have exceptional habitat.”

Leaken said the commission hired a consultant to identify the acquisitions most worthy of funding, based on factors such as the threat of development, ecological value, whether the sites had wetlands or unique habitat or are located in an area that connects to other preserved land.

The properties include 20 acres in Galloway Township, a 63-acre property in Mullica Township, three properties totaling 103 acres in Ocean Township and four other properties in Burlington, Atlantic and Gloucester counties, according to the press release announcing the decision.

Leaken said more specific information would be available about the deals once contract negotiations are complete.

The commission has already allocated $4.2 million out of $6 million set aside in the Pinelands Conservation Fund for permanent land protection. Of the rest of the $13 million total in the fund, the commission has $3.5 million designated for conservation and research projects and another $3.5 million for community planning and design initiatives.

Last September the commission approved funding for 12 other properties, of which three deals have since been closed or are close to closing, three were withdrawn after negotiations broke down with the landowners and the committee granted extensions for six others at Friday’s meeting to finalize negotiations.

The properties acquired in the first round of funding are a 70-acre parcel in Buena Vista Township, a 700-acre parcel in Hamilton Township, both in Atlantic County, and an 11-acre parcel in Jackson Township.

Leaken said the commission is currently reviewing applications to help fund the acquisition of several other properties with the remaining $1.8 million set aside for open space purchases.

 

To e-mail Lee Procida at The Press:

LProcida@pressofac.com