Greendell Ridge Preserve is a vital sanctuary of 32 acres for local wildlife and a cherished natural space for community members, families, hikers, and birdwatchers. Hunters are currently permitted to bait deer within 150 feet of neighboring residences, a practice that is not only unethical but creates serious safety concerns in such a small space so close to homes. Nature preserves should remain places where people can connect with the outdoors without fear or risk during active hunting seasons.

As outdoor recreation increases, the conflict between trail use and hunting grows more dangerous. The primary mission of a land trust and conservancy should be the holistic protection of biodiversity alongside safe, accessible green spaces for the community. Under the current program, hunters from outside the community are permitted to hunt this land with no bag limits and no data-driven basis for how many deer, if any, should be removed. This is not wildlife management, it's unmanaged and unsafe. Furthermore, this policy was adopted with zero input from the very community that lives adjacent to and uses this parcel, the residents and families most directly affected by it were never consulted.

We, the undersigned residents and supporters of local conservation, respectfully urge the Ridge and Valley Conservancy to immediately suspend all hunting activities within the boundaries of Greendell Ridge Preserve until a proper wildlife study is completed. That study should:

• Establish clear, measurable goals for restoring native understory vegetation
• Conduct a current deer herd population count
• Calculate, based on that data, the specific number of deer (if any) that should be removed to meet ecological goals
• Define a method for assessing outcomes and adjusting the plan over time

Until this science-based framework is in place, we ask Ridge & Valley Conservancy to prioritize public safety, non-consumptive recreation, and responsible wildlife stewardship by keeping this preserve free of hunting activity.

Want to do more?

  Call Ridge & Valley Conservancy Trustees: Contact their office directly at (908) 362-7989 to express your disapproval from a public safety perspective.

  Email the Trustees Send your concerns to info@ridgeandvalleyconservancy.org to demand they protect the preserve's passive recreation status.

Time is running out before September 12th. Please head over to Protect Greendell Ridge Preserve on Facebook to get involved, sign, and share this with your neighbors!