Tell Evesham Township Council to protect our Pinelands!
Tell Evesham Township Council to protect our Pinelands!
The Issue
The fate of the headwaters of the Black Run Preserve is at stake! The Black Run Preserve is one of the most beloved natural areas in New Jersey and an important keystone of the Pinelands National Reserve. The headwaters forest of the preserve is threatened by a development proposal that would bulldoze some 778 acres and degrade the water and harm the rare and unique ecosystem and habitat quality for generations. Bulldozing these 778 acres could create pollution that ultimately would contaminate the aquifer which provides drinking water for residents. The 778 acres of forest neighboring the Black Run Preserve could potentially be developed into 270 single family homes. The developer is actively pursuing a development plan for these homes in Evesham Township. The Pinelands Commission is in the middle of a months-long process to rezone the area, which would rein in the development potential. The proposal from the Pinelands Commission won’t be voted on until August 15, 2025. Good news is, the Pinelands Commission is expected to adopt the Forest Area Designation, it is now incumbent upon Evesham Township to urgently create a new Forest Area Zone for their township Master Plan.
Importantly, an Evesham municipal Forest Area Zone can legally be even more protective than the standard Pinelands Commission's Forest Area designation. This is why it is so important for the Evesham Township mayor and council to act now in directing their planning board to adopt a new Forest Area Zone for the Black Run Watershed. This zone will substantially protect the headwaters of the Black Run Preserve from pollution and development and will encourage Devel LLC to sell to the New Jersey Green Acres program for inclusion into the Black Run Preserve.
We can’t wait for the Pinelands Commission! We need Evesham Township Council to re-designate the 778 acres to protected forest land. We need Evesham Township Council to limit development in our rare ecosystem, the Pinelands.
We ask Mayor Jaclyn Veasy, Deputy Mayor Dr. Krystal Hunter, Councilwoman Heather Cooper, Councilman Joseph Fisicaro, Jr., and Councilman Christian Smith to step up and protect our Pinelands by designating 778 acres around Black Forest Preserve as protected forest land.
Note from Amanda Bee (petition creator)- This is a grassroots petition not affiliated with any non-profit or other such entity involved with the fight to preserve this land. I have listed the sources I have obtained my information from below.
Sources
Headwaters of the Black Run Preserve Threatened
Make a Public Comment to Pinelands Comission to Save Black Run Headwaters
680
The Issue
The fate of the headwaters of the Black Run Preserve is at stake! The Black Run Preserve is one of the most beloved natural areas in New Jersey and an important keystone of the Pinelands National Reserve. The headwaters forest of the preserve is threatened by a development proposal that would bulldoze some 778 acres and degrade the water and harm the rare and unique ecosystem and habitat quality for generations. Bulldozing these 778 acres could create pollution that ultimately would contaminate the aquifer which provides drinking water for residents. The 778 acres of forest neighboring the Black Run Preserve could potentially be developed into 270 single family homes. The developer is actively pursuing a development plan for these homes in Evesham Township. The Pinelands Commission is in the middle of a months-long process to rezone the area, which would rein in the development potential. The proposal from the Pinelands Commission won’t be voted on until August 15, 2025. Good news is, the Pinelands Commission is expected to adopt the Forest Area Designation, it is now incumbent upon Evesham Township to urgently create a new Forest Area Zone for their township Master Plan.
Importantly, an Evesham municipal Forest Area Zone can legally be even more protective than the standard Pinelands Commission's Forest Area designation. This is why it is so important for the Evesham Township mayor and council to act now in directing their planning board to adopt a new Forest Area Zone for the Black Run Watershed. This zone will substantially protect the headwaters of the Black Run Preserve from pollution and development and will encourage Devel LLC to sell to the New Jersey Green Acres program for inclusion into the Black Run Preserve.
We can’t wait for the Pinelands Commission! We need Evesham Township Council to re-designate the 778 acres to protected forest land. We need Evesham Township Council to limit development in our rare ecosystem, the Pinelands.
We ask Mayor Jaclyn Veasy, Deputy Mayor Dr. Krystal Hunter, Councilwoman Heather Cooper, Councilman Joseph Fisicaro, Jr., and Councilman Christian Smith to step up and protect our Pinelands by designating 778 acres around Black Forest Preserve as protected forest land.
Note from Amanda Bee (petition creator)- This is a grassroots petition not affiliated with any non-profit or other such entity involved with the fight to preserve this land. I have listed the sources I have obtained my information from below.
Sources
Headwaters of the Black Run Preserve Threatened
Make a Public Comment to Pinelands Comission to Save Black Run Headwaters
680
Supporter Voices
Petition created on July 16, 2025