Project Location:  Morris County, NJ



Project Purpose:  The establishment of a conservation nursery will provide a continuous source of conservation plant material for a variety of projects including, but not limited to, education and stream bank restoration.



Brief Description:  Morris County, NJ developed a plan to convert the grounds of Greystone Park into a “Central Park” for the County.  The location of the nursery will be part of, and central to, the large developing park.  The Morris County Soil Conservation District has secured a plot of land approximately one acre in area on the grounds of Greystone Park.  The Conservation Nursery will serve two (2) functions.  The first is as a convenient source of containerized conservation plants for projects throughout northern NJ.  The second function will be as an outdoor education facility on a variety of conservation topics for local organizations and schools.  Most prominent of these topics will be the selection, care, and handling of plant stock.  Volunteer groups will be instructed on selecting the right plant for the right site, as well as proper handling techniques.  The nursery will house over 1,000 conservation plants in a pot-in-pot (PIP) production system.  The plants selected will emphasize their conservation value rather than a horticultural value.  This pot-in-pot (PIP) system is an intensive production system which will produce over 300 plants annually.  In addition, a portion of the Conservation Nursery will be set aside for live cuttings.  These management systems will convert bare root plantings into a containerized material and live stakes that are readily available for conservation projects.  The use of bare root stock limits all planting projects to early spring.  However, the conversion of bare root stock to a containerized material will accommodate a variety of labor pools, funding sources, and schedules associated with most conservation projects.  The Conservation Nursery will facilitate these projects by providing a product which is sized to be hand planted, but provides the convenience of a balled and burlapped (B&B) plant.  Too often the proper prior planning required for any planting project is hampered by funding, volunteer labor, and plant accessibility.  The funding used to purchase larger plants, as well as, the equipment needed is typically not available for these volunteer efforts.  Plant availability from distant sources, as well as, the storage and transport issues can hamper these one time efforts.   The PIP system will add an essential element of convenience for project schedules and by allowing project coordinators to focus on labor and funds.



Resource Values/Project Output:  The establishment of a conservation nursery in Northern NJ as well as the various program relationships throughout Northern NJ will provide an, affordable, convenient, and continuous source of conservation plant material for a variety of projects.



Cost/Budget:  $71,250.00 total budget including in kind services:
Morris County SCD:  $35,750 (cash)
County of Morris:  $28,500 (cash / in kind)
Morris Land Conservancy: $1,500 (in kind)
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service:  $2,500 (in kind)
Urban Conservation Action Partnership:  $1,500 (in kind)
North Jersey RC&D:  $1,500 (in kind)



List of Partners: County of Morris, NJ, Morris Land Conservancy, USDA Natural resource Conservation Service, Urban Conservation Action Partnership; North Jersey RC&D, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, US Environmental Protection Agency, NJ Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership.



CWRP/Contribution: $20,000 in cash to contribute to the construction and operation of the Conservation Nursery.