February 26, 2021 — More than 500 acres of wetland habitat near the Jersey Shore is in line to be protected, thanks to a $1 million grant from the federal government.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would award the funds to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres Program to help pay for the acquisition and permanent protection of 517 acres in Atlantic and Cape May counties.
The federal agency declined to give a specific location for the tract, but said it is adjacent to the state’s Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area.
The total cost of the project is expected to reach $1,492,000, according to the USFWS. That leaves nearly $500,000 to be matched by the state and any local conversation groups that are partnering in the effort.
The property is part of the Great Egg Harbor estuary, which includes a variety of wetland habitats, from barrier islands and back bays to mud flats and forested areas. The area is critical for the survival of various fish and shellfish, plus hundreds of species of birds, including the threatened red knot.