Black Run Preserve by Randy Stanard
A Message to Our Members and Followers: A Breakthrough Year for the Black Run Headwaters Thanks to You
This has been one of the most encouraging years ever for the permanent protection of the Black Run headwaters, and it began with the engagement, vigilance, and support of our Pinelands Alliance community.
The 1,300-acre Black Run Preserve (Evesham, Burlington County) is an ecological gem located in New Jersey’s Pinelands that offers passive recreational opportunities and protects wildlife habitat and water quality. For decades, activists have been working to preserve an additional 835-acres adjacent to the Black Run Preserve that is the source of the Black Run, an important freshwater tributary that feeds into the southwest branch of the Rancocas Creek. The property also has critical habitat for numerous native species, including the threatened Pinelands tree frog.
When whispers of renewed development activity surfaced for this Samost property in 2024, your voices and involvement helped bring attention back to this ecologically irreplaceable property, and we went to work. With your support, we advocated for long-overdue changes to the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan that would greatly protect the Black Run Watershed and set the wheels in motion for permanent conservation.
County, Township, and Regional Leaders Step Forward
The Pinelands Commission’s adoption of a more protective Forest Area zoning designation for the Black Run headwaters was the essential first step in making permanent preservation possible. The Commission then reaffirmed its commitment by authorizing $3 million from the Pinelands Conservation Fund to support the acquisition in October 2025. We are deeply grateful for the Commission’s leadership in recognizing the ecological importance of this landscape and taking decisive, meaningful action to safeguard it.
Building on that foundation, Evesham Township has affirmed its support for preserving the Samost property. Township officials have expressed their willingness to steward the land once acquired and to incorporate the new Forest Area designation into their Master Plan. This commitment is especially meaningful because municipal zoning takes effect immediately, helping ensure the land remains protected while Pinelands regulations phase in through 2027. We appreciate the Township’s readiness to take on this responsibility and its partnership with the Friends of the Black Run Preserve, who have long been dedicated stewards of the surrounding landscape.
At the county level, on November 12, 2025 the Burlington County Commissioners announced their commitment of up to $5 million in county open space funds toward the acquisition. County leaders have emphasized the importance of protecting the Black Run’s headwaters, preserving habitat for rare species like the Pinelands tree frog, and expanding opportunities for passive recreation. Their strong commitment to conservation is a major force driving this effort forward, and we are grateful for their leadership.
Acquisition Efforts Are Advancing
The New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) has successfully re-engaged the landowner and secured a Green Acres appraisal that strengthens the potential for a conservation purchase. With early funding commitments from the Pinelands Commission and Burlington County, the prospect of acquiring and preserving the property is more realistic today than at any point since the Black Run watershed was highlighted for protection in 2007 for its high ecological integrity.
Your Engagement Made This Possible
The progress we are seeing is a direct result of your commitment to the Pinelands. Our members and followers helped elevate this issue, demonstrate broad community support, and reinforce the need for decisive action. We are deeply grateful to our partners; NJCF for leading the acquisition effort, Climate Revolution Action Network (CRAN) for mobilizing young environmental activists, and the Friends of the Black Run Preserve for their stewardship and strong community voice. Their dedication, combined with your engagement, has been essential every step of the way.
What’s Next
There is still important work ahead. A purchase agreement has not yet been finalized, and Evesham Township must complete its adoption of protective zoning to ensure the land remains shielded from development. Continued public engagement will be key in the coming months.
Protect the Black Run! Help us Finalize Protections for the Headwaters of the Black Run Preserve
It’s the final push! Greater protections—and even permanent preservation—of the whole parcel is within sight! You can act by speaking at the Evesham Township Planning Board Public Comment Period and you can both complement what has been done so far to make progress and urge them to further advance the cause to move swiftly to protect the headwaters. If we act with urgency, we can win and protect this amazing forest for the benefit of all.
Evesham Township Planning Board
Date: November 20th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Address: 984 Tuckerton Road, Marlton, NJ 08053
But today, we can acknowledge the incredible momentum you have helped create. With aligned leadership, strong partnerships, and committed supporters like you, we are closer than ever to expanding the Black Run Preserve to more than 2,000 contiguous acres of permanently protected forest and wetlands.
Thank you for everything you do for the Pinelands. Together, we are turning long-standing hopes into real, lasting protection.
Learn more about this topic and all the background information on our webpage.
