Central to Schiff's mission is preserving additional land for conservation and passive recreational purposes. To that end, we are always at work raising funds for local land conservation.

We have also recently collaborated with The Trust for Public Land and Mendham Borough on an agreement to acquire the 107-acre Valley Brook Springs Property, adjacent to the nature preserve. Once completed, this acquisition will protect one of the most important pieces of land left in the region and provide all of us with more trails to hike, bike and ride. Mendham Borough, The Trust for Public Land and Schiff have
been successful at raising the $8 million purchase price from a variety of sources including a $5 million grant from the Morris County Preservation Trust. However, Schiff is still trying to raise an additional $100,000 for land stewardship and site improvements. We anticipate closing on Valley Brook Springs in during 2008.

In 2006, Schiff was awarded a $850,000 grant from the Morris County Preservation Trust to purchase approximately 15 acres from our neighbors, the Community of St. John Baptist. If we are successful in purchasing this property, it would expand Schiff Nature Preserve allowing new trail and ecological restoration opportunities.

In addition to these important expansions of the preserve, we continue to work with The Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit land conservation organization, and Mendham Township to help purchase 117 acres, located off Mosle Road in both Mendham Township and Peapack-Gladstone, from the Sisters of Saint John the Baptist. This $8.1 million purchase is expected to close sometime in 2008, and the new Mosle Preserve property will ultimately be managed by Mendham Township.