The Sourland Planning Council is a non-profit organization working to protect the ecological integrity, historical resources and special character of the Sourland Mountain region.
Over Twenty Years of Protecting the Sourland Mountain
The Sourland Planning Council was founded in 1986 to protect the Sourland Mountain region from encroaching development. Over the past two decades we have built a coalition that unites local residents, businesses, all levels of government and other conservation organizations for the single purpose of maintaining the environmental quality and the rural nature of the Sourland Mountain.
Contact us:
info@sourland.org
PO Box 72, Hopewell, NJ 08525
Sourlands Advocates
In 2010 the Sourland Planning Council took dramatic steps forward in the protection of the Sourlands:
Smart Growth Project Phase III — Adopted by all five municipalities.
The Sourland Mountain Comprehensive Management Plan has been adopted by all five townships with jurisdiction in the Sourlands, including East Amwell, Hillsborough, Hopewell, Montgomery, and West Amwell. The Plan addresses preservation and conservation at the municipal level.
Sourlands Stewards
The SPC considers education and outreach critical to our mission.
- SPC produced Living in the Sourlands, a beautiful 50-page publication designed to engage residents in active stewardship of the Mountain. We mailed the booklet to every resident and business in the Sourlands.
- SPC established Sourland Slow Hikes program, guided hikes on Sourlands trails led by local experts in the region’s flora, fauna, and history
- SPC joined the Central Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team partnership of state, county and municipal government, conservation groups, and private citizens to address invasive species on the mountain.
A Strong Voice for the Mountain
Received NJDEP’s highest award for environmental excellence
- Living In The Sourlands: A Guide to Responsible Stewardship, provides Sourlands residents with ways to live in harmony with the Sourlands landscape.
- Our newsletter, The Sourlands Journal, features articles on current issues affecting the Sourlands, stewardship, flora & fauna, history, and art inspired by the Sourlands.
- Map of the Sourlands was distributed to 20,000 residents and remains a critical resource for residents and visitors.
- New Jersey’s Sourland Mountain, published by the SPC in 2001, is the authoritative reference on the region’s cultural and natural history.
Learn More: Buy New Jersey's Sourland Mountain by T.J. Luce.
This wonderful book is full of valuable information about the Sourlands, great colored maps and paintings, and black and white photos, maps and illustrations. Click here to visit a page that includes the book's Table of Contents and lists of its maps, photos and illustrations.
The book is available for a very reasonable $23 (includes regular mail shipping) by emailing us at info@sourland.org, or by going to our Donation page.
The Sourland Planning Council:
2011 Officers
Cliff Wilson, President
Jennifer Bryson, Vice President
Tom Kilbourne, Secretary
Andrea Bonette, Treasurer
Staff
Tamara Garaffa, Executive Director
Trustees
Steven Bales, Hillsborough Township
Tracy Carluccio, East Amwell Township
Debbie Fabricatore, Hillsborough Township
Charles Clark, Hillsborough Township
Marion Fenwick, Hillsborough Township
Joanna Fiori, Montgomery Township
Caroline Katmann, Hillsborough Township
Jared Rosenbaum, Hillsborough Township
Peg Van Patton, Hillsborough Township
Tom Seessel, Hopewell Township
Pat Sziber, Hopewell Township
Honorary Trustees
Scott and Hella McVay
Joel Coyne
Chris Sturm
Jerry Haimowitz
Judy Jengo
Photo credits from top:
Diabase boulder with moss and lichens, Jared Rosenbaum
Cinnamon fern, Rachel Mackow
