FRIENDS OF HOPEWELL VALLEY OPEN SPACE

COMMUNITY CONSERVATION LAND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS - GUIDED BY ITS PRIMARY MISSION TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT LAND THROUGHOUT HOPEWELL VALLEY, FO HVOS NOT ONLY PERFORMS LAND STEWARDSHIP WORK ON FOHVOS PRESERVES, BUT ALSO ON OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE FUNDED THROUGH CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION GRANTS, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS, AND FEES-FOR- SERVICE. CORPORATE, COMMUNITY AND STUDENT VOLUNTEERS HELP FOHVOS STEWARDSHIP STAFF WITH PLANTING, TRAIL WORK AND RESTORATIONS. PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAM RECEIVED GUIDANCE ON NATIVE PLANTS, INVASIVE SPECIES, AND DEER MANAGEMENT AND MAY PURCHASE NATIVE PLANTS AT WHOLESALE PRICES. FOHVOS COMMUNITY CONSERVATION EXTENDS THE ECOLOGICAL LAND STEWARDSHIP BENEFITS TO OVER 3,000 ACRES OF LAND AND RESULTS IN IMPROVED BIODIVERSITY AND WATER QUALITY, INCREASED HABITATS FOR DECLINING WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, AND A COMMUNITY THAT IS MORE CONNECTED TO THE LAND.

FOHVOS NEW JERSEY INVASIVE SPECIES STRIKE TEAM - FOUNDED IN 2008 WITH A MISSION TO PROTECT NEW JERSEY'S NATURAL LANDS, THE STRIKE TEAM SERVES AS A STATEWIDE RESOURCE FOR CONSERVATION THROUGH ITS DEDICATED FOCUS ON MITIGATING THREATS POSED BY INVASIVE SPECIES. THE STRIKE TEAM SERVES AS A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION ON INVASIVE SPECIES AND OFFERS TOOLS, TRAINING AND OUTREACH THAT REACH 2,000 PROFESSIONALS AND LAYMEN EVERY YEAR. ITS PARTNERS INCLUDE FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS, CONSERVATION GROUPS, PRIVATE LANDOWNERS, VOLUNTEER GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS DEDICATED TO PROTECTING PRIVATE PROPERTY AND LOCAL PARKES. TOGETHER, THEY DETECT, TRACK, AND ELIMINATE INVASIVE SPECIES BY MAPPING THEM WITH A PROPRIETARY PHONE APP AND MAINTAINING A STATEWIDE DATABASE. SINCE INCEPTION, THE STRIKE TEAM HAS SEARCHED 800,000 ACRES, DOCUMENTED 20,000 INVASIVE POPULATIONS, AND ELIMINATED 4,000 OF THEM.