Our mission is to protect, enhance, and promote the vital water and other natural and cultural resources of the New Jersey Highlands to sustain current and future generations. We focus on safeguarding the water resources, ecological integrity, biodiversity, and the cultural and scenic resources of the New Jersey Highlands; promoting the implementation of a strongly protective Highlands Regional Master Plan; ensuring the faithful implementation of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, along with the promulgated regulations of NJDEP and other agencies; increasing local, state, federal, and private sources of funding for land conservation and stewardship in the region, and promoting better planning, growth management, and land acquisition strategies; educating the public and decision-makers on, and serving as an information source for, New Jersey Highlands cultural and natural resource protection; and creating strong partnerships and alliances to effectively protect, preserve, and enhance the New Jersey Highlands.
The Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding Program is designed to support the acquisition of property within the Highlands Region for the protection of its resources. Guided by N.J.A.C. 7:70, this matching grant program assists with the purchase of lands for passive recreation or conservation purposes. It aims to further the goals of landowner equity as defined in the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004 and the Highlands Regional Master Plan. The Highlands Council may cover up to 50% of the total purchase price. The program is open to acquisitions in fee simple or through conservation easements.