A Quiet Victory: How 60 Acres in Tewksbury Became the Treanor Preserve

In 2023, sixty acres in the heart of Tewksbury Township quietly became something more than just land. They became the Treanor Preserve.

This property of woods, meadow, and stream corridor sits just outside Mountainville. Its protection was the result of years of effort by the Tewksbury Land Trust, working with the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the NJDEP Green Acres Program, and the Highlands Council.

The land had once been considered for a homestead. Over time, though, it grew into something different. Neighbors walked their dogs there. Families strolled along gravel roads and through the woods. Old logging paths slowly turned into informal trails. Even while privately owned, the land already felt like public space.

Making its preservation possible required more than good intentions. It took funding and the right legal tools. A federal Highlands Conservation Act grant provided a deed of conservation restriction, the first time the program had been used in this way. State Green Acres funding and local contributions then made the final purchase possible.

Today, the Treanor Preserve protects steep slopes, high-quality forests, and streams that feed Rockaway Creek and the Raritan River. It supports migratory songbirds, native trout, and the groundwater that supplies drinking water throughout the region. In a state where open land is constantly under pressure, sixty acres matter.

The preserve also ties into nearby protected lands, including the Jeffrey Preserve and the Olsen Easement, creating opportunities for trail connections and wildlife corridors. Since the acquisition, volunteers have built a multi-loop trail system, cleared invasive plants, and begun planning for long-term care.

The work is not finished. Multiflora rose and barberry still fill much of the understory, and managing them will take years. But the biggest step has already been taken. This land will never be developed.

The Treanor Preserve is open to the public for hiking, birding, and quiet enjoyment. It is a place shaped by patience and community commitment. It stands as a reminder of how land trusts protect the landscapes we love, carefully and with the future in mind.

To learn more about the federal program that helped make this possible, you can read the linked article from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

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www.fws.gov

Highlands grant protects 60 acres in New Jersey | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

A drive down Water Street in Tewksbury, New Jersey, is a trip back in time. As you enter the hamlet of Mountainville — on the National Register of Historic Places — you're greeted by its well-preserved hotel, general store and homes from the 1800s. “You’ll wonder what state and century you’re in,” said Chris Teasdale, secretary of the Tewksbury Land Trust.

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