Ramapough Conservancy Inc

We are a land and nature conservancy group with an additional focus on historical and cultural resources for the Ramapo Mountains in New Jersey. The Ramapough Conservancy helps protect, enhance and promote the extraordinary region of the Ramapo Mountains.The Ramapo Mountains and river represent a treasure trove of recreational, cultural, farming, and historic values with scenic beauty unmatched in all of Bergen County. These magnificent mountains encompass more than 15,000 acres of open space, embrace most of the preserved farmland in Bergen County, and contain a variety of historic houses used by George Washington during the Revolutionary War and living cultural resources through the presence of the Ramapough Lunnaape Munsee Indian Nation. The Ramapo Mountains are also home to a variety of state, county and local parks offering unparalleled recreational opportunities from hiking to bird watching and kayaking to cross country skiing, all within a few minutes’ drive to residents of northern New Jersey. Ramapo Valley County Reservation, Ringwood State Park and the Ramapo State Forest are the only places in Bergen County where residents can find the tranquility of the wilderness.Unfortunately these remarkable treasures are in danger of being lost forever. The Ramapo Mountains and valley are threatened by development proposals on public lands, decay of our historic buildings and the potential development of nearby privately owned lands. The Ramapough Conservancy is working to ensure our priceless resources are available for future generations of residents to enjoy.• Tennessee Gas Company is expanding its gas pipeline across the width of the Ramapos and taking public parkland for its private uses. Algonquin Gas Company is preparing the expansion of its gas pipeline along the crest of the Ramapos from Pompton Lakes to the New York state border. Our goal is to ensure that this work is designed, planned and implemented with the highest care in order to minimize the impact to our precious Ramapos. • The Hendrick Van Allen House is one of nine buildings in the valley listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house, which sits in a highly visible location on Ramapo Valley Road, is in disrepair and in need of immediate restoration or it will be lost to future generations. Our goal is to play an active role in restoring Oakland’s Van Allen House,performing emergency repairs to stabilize the building, and raising the significant public funds necessary to restore the house for use as a public museum.• Several critical privately owned parcels of land still remain in the Ramapos, the use of which could have dramatic impacts upon the mountains we love. Our goal is to ensure these parcels are permanently preserved.We are a 501c3 corporation and we currently operate under the stewardship of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, a member supported non-profit land trust dedicated to preserving and protecting New Jersey’s vital natural lands and water resources. The Land Conservancy has been working for over 30 years to inspire and empower individuals and communities to take action to preserve land and protect the environment in New Jersey. Accredited by the National Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2009, The Land Conservancy is one of 158 organizations nationwide recognized for meeting the highest quality standards for protecting open space, upholding the public trust, and ensuring that our conservation efforts are permanent.