NJ Forest Fire Service Will Conduct a Prescribed Burn at Hillside Farm in Hopewell

D&R Greenway Land Trust is working with The New Jersey Forest Fire Service to conduct a prescribed burn on a large field located on Hopewell-Wertsville Road, which is part of the Betty Wold Johnson Hillside Farm Preserve. This prescribed burn is scheduled for Monday, March 10th, weather permitting. An advisory letter has been sent to neighboring property owners, and signage along the roadway will be posted accordingly. The preserve has not yet been opened to the public.

In light of the recent brush fires in our area, this announcement is intended to define this prescribed burn as a controlled application of fire by a team of experts to enhance desired plant communities and wildlife habitat and to reduce the risk of future wildfires. Every year, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service conducts prescribed burns while protecting life, property, and the state’s natural resources.

D&R Greenway applauds our Hopewell and Pennington firefighters and the NJ Forest Fire Service for containing the wildfires that erupted last weekend nearby, but not on, the Woosamonsa Preserve we manage with Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space. Our Hopewell officials and firefighters have been made aware of the controlled prescribed burn scheduled for March 10 at Hillside Farm.

“This land management technique is often used by conservation organizations to appropriately care for land and its natural resources and wildlife habitats. Prescribed burns manage problematic invasive plant species, encourage native plant growth, and reduce thatch from years of mowing,” said Linda Mead, President and CEO of D&R Greenway Land Trust. “”Over the next two years, D&R Greenway will plant these fields with native wildflowers that will provide important habitat and enhance the view for everyone who travels along the roadway,” she added.

A map showing the prescribed burn location along Hopewell-Wertsville Road in Hopewell Township, NJ is attached. The burn will last for one day. The fire will be lit, monitored and managed by the Forest Fire

Service officials who have undergone rigorous training (photo attached). D&R Greenway’s website and social media pages will provide updated information as the process progresses.

Fire has played an important part in shaping local plant and animal communities for thousands of years. Native Americans frequently utilized prescribed burns to reduce pests, increase grasses for game forage, and increase production of edible berry shrubs. “Our long-term plan for stewardship is to closely monitor and control invasive plant species in this field and to seed native grasses and wildflowers, such as early sunflower. This will provide better forage for wildlife such as grassland birds, butterflies and moths.  Native wildflowers already in the field will benefit from the prescribed burn,” said Tina Notas, D&R Greenway’s Director of Land Stewardship. 

The NJ Forest Fire Service is trained in controlling fires to reduce smoke. However, nearby landowners are advised to keep their windows closed. After the burn, smoldering is normal to see, but flames increasing in size are not. Anyone who sees flames after the burn should first call NJ Forest Fire Service at 609-292-2977.