30

—opinion

Herald A lantern 30 September 81

r Disappearing Farmland

The Garden State Should be Protected

by Edward H. Salmon I am concerned and d.slurhed by the disappearance of Ne* Jersey farmlands. This is the Garden State—it is much more than a corridor between New York and Philadelphia, or a serteKOf highways to our shore resorts. A recent report by the National Agricultural Land* Survey released by the Dept, of Agriculture, indicates 3 million acres of farmlands are lost in this country every year to housing tracts, highways, airports, parking lots. businesses, and manmade lakes The public isn’t.aware of this trend. Do you realize Uwt every single day, four square miles of the best farmland in this Wintry are covered over, and New 19 n0 !’ escaping this disaster, Soiifh Jersey especially has vast cage of farmlands endangered by this trend. Trento* should be greatly conderned with this situation because it> drastically changing the face of the state, the vitality of our agricultural communities, and the very patternadf family life There's another side to this coin, in that we are notonly cutting off our food sources, but we are doing it in a form of a vicious cycle The flight from the cities brings many new home seekers to the rural areas, which sets off a' chain of events The new homes offered them are built on former farmlands, so the need arises for government services such as sewer, water, pblicc,-and schools ^o the ■h<im<-iP-plarmB the farmlands The value of Ihc land goes up. and an do the lattes High taxes drive other farmers out of husiness, and more farmlands are lost.. It is the responsibility of the state and local governments to proiect the farmlands, and I think they should do all they can to sfow down this economic-morry-go-round of more people and less food producers. . The State .Shield of New Jersey, has thfet* plows on it, showing the agricultural soul of this 6«*tr The farmlands and their way of life should be protected in New Jersey from the encroachments of urban living This is the Garden State, and I for one wrfnt to see it stay that way Edward Salmon, a 'candidate /at- State Senate. i« a Cumberland County Freeholder

ANOTHER NEW HOlJS^oesu^^ond the hedgerow on the opposite side of a field in Cold Spi^ng. Once planted in soybeans, alfalfa, llmas or corn — the farmland of past seasons Is fast becoming a neighborhood residential area.

The State We're In

Doing Something About Open Space Preservation

The waning harvest moon brings shortened days aqd bracing weather hinting at the rigors of another approaching winter. It makes me want to get out and walk In the wilds, and probably you feel that stirring too. So let’s go for a hike But where? If we’re lucky enough to be handy to New Jersey’s dwindling boondocks, it should be easy. Except that even boondocks are owned by someone, and chances art that person does not welcome trespassers \ ’ In this tiny state, the most densely populated of them all, the odds against more persons being handy to available outdoor recreation places grow higher with each passing year of spreading development. Bergen County used to have an’abundance of farmland and open space between its towns Look what’s happenirfg In Middlesex, . Monmouth, Sussex and othdT counties. Suburbia is ^ homogenizing our countryside ( THAT’S WHY MY ORGANIZATION, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF). regards preservation of adequate outdoor recreational space, within easy reach of everyone, wherever they are, to be a key to the quality •of life our children and their children will inherit. We’re doing something about it. As a nonprofit corporation with the tax benefits that status brings, NJCF is a vehicle for open space preservation - not to impede development, because that wOOld be silly and unjustified; but to reUin islands of open space ' accessible to everyone in.every part of the state. We have a certain amount of money with which we buy .land for resale (without profit), to various levels of govern- » ment for parkland uses. When we get our money back this why. it goes back into the kitty. THAT’S GOOD. YET OUR MOST important service opportunity lies in being the recipient of gifts of land, oriuse

easements on land

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This subject is far too complex to cover In this amount of space. That’s why NJCF, funded by a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, held a daylong seminar on the topic Tax ajjd Estate Planning; Land Preservation. Speakers at the event held at the Morris County Golf Club in Morris Township brought out in detail such a variety of ways in which land can be retained for public use that even I was astonished. The participants represented a wide spectrum of estate planners, lawyers, bankers, appraisers, realtors, accountants and conservationists. ’ IT SOON BECAME APPARENT that, regardless of income or the size of one’s holdings, there’s a wljy to provide the ultimate gift of perpetual open land use jihile receiving completely justified benefits of one kind or another. reader's forum Don’t Vote To Cut * by Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Among the proposals tome considered by the voters on the fall ballot, there is one of such overriding concern and potentially disastrous financial effect on every family in New Jersey that I feel it should be.brought to the

attention of all citizens.

Among many meritorious bond questions lurks a proposed constitutional amendment whiqh would drastically reduce the state’s claim to riparian dr tide-flowed lands. This claim has existed unvexed since colonial times. The revenue, when there have been sales of state lands, has been additional income to New Jersey over the centuries — and is so now. This income has been dedicated to a fund for public education over unnumbered decades providing strength to our school districts and more secure finances behind the learning of our younger

children.

In late years this fund (standing inviolable as the state treasurer has publicly said) has served as a guarantee for local school bonds. Becau^^f it, the bonds of our New Jersey schools are ratreSn the ranks of the uniquely creditworthy. The coats of borrowing for schools to New Jersey residents have been significantly lower because of this guarantee. WHETHER WE HAVE CHILDREN of school age or no, whether our youngsters go to public school or not; whether our family preferences or traditions are in parochial or private education or not; the results fall on us if this question is approved. This can fall with particular severity on families in our central cities in Paterson, Newark, Camden, Atlantic City or elsewhere. The school fund is now approximately $35 million. It has been estimated that-once the tidelands maps are promulgated and claiifls are made, the fund should stand at over $100 Bullion. The proposed amendment would transfer thepeople's land to some private owners without compensation to the school fund. It should be noted that, in 1965. then Governor Richard J. Hughes vetoed legislation with a similar purpose, calling it a $100 million giveaway. This ntove apparently started because of perceived new large business needs in Atlantic City. Be this true or not. immediate concerns of time or convenience do

We had a stenographer record the entire day's proceedings', and now we’ve published each talk in a booklet which is available to NJCF members for $5 per copy, or $7 to nonmembers. The booklet can be ordered from NJ.CF, 300 Mendhpm Rd., Morristown, N.J. 07960. While it’s of especial interesUo estate planners and those in allied professions, It conums a wealth of information which can in-

terest anyone.

And if you have a specific question regarding donations or sales of land, or of easement rights which permit continued ownership, drop me a note at the above address. I’ll be l$appy to reply. David Moore Is executive director of NJCF.

Riparian Claims not Warrant results so far reaching for us and for generations yet unborn. This is not a political matter and I do not know the ' position of either of the candidates for governor. It is a matter of self-governance in a free society. I hope and indeed pray that all of us here in New Jersey will become informed and concerned, and vote against the riparian constitutional amendment. Fai^pigh S. Dickinson Jr., as n state senator, spon sored the Hackensack Meadowland Reclamation and ’ Development Act, and was first chairman of the Meadowlands Regional Planning Board.

. Gave You A Seat On the Supreme Court And Now You Want More 71 "