Green Acres State Land Acquisition Program

Green Acres State Land Acquisition Program is sponsored by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). This program provides funding to acquire land offered for sale or donation by property owners for open space, recreation, and conservation purposes. Acquired land becomes part of the system of state parks, forests, wildlife management areas, and natural areas.

#### **Green Acres Mission** **To achieve, in partnership with others, a system of interconnected open spaces, whose protection will preserve and enhance New Jersey’s natural environment and its historic, scenic, and recreational resources for public use and enjoyment. ** The Green Acres Program was created in 1961 to meet New Jersey’s growing recreation and conservation needs.

Whether in rural, suburban, or urban areas, Green Acres is committed to preserving New Jersey’s rich natural, historic, and cultural heritage. Over the years, voters have authorized $3. 3 billion in Green Acres funding, approving every bond referendum put before them.

Together with with public and nonprofit partners, as of December 2024 the Green Acres Program has directly protected more than 725,000 acres of open space and parkland and has funded 1,256 local and nonprofit park development and stewardship projects in communities around the state.

Overall, the Green Acres Program has helped to plan and grow the state’s protected lands, with the total preserved open space in New Jersey reaching 1,669,874 acres. #### **News and Notices** **NPS Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants Now Available!

** On June 8, 2026, National Park Service announced its Notice of Funding Opportunity for Round 8 of the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program. ORLP funds the acquisition or development of new parks, or substantial renovation of parks, in economically disadvantaged municipalities of at least 25,000 people that lack adequate parks.

The Green Acres Program serves as the lead agency for ORLP proposals. **Project proposals are due to Green Acres by July 27, 2026. ** Please visit the Green Acres ORLP page for more information.

**2026 Green Acres Funding Awards** NJDEP Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak has announced the 2026 Green Acres funding awards for local government and nonprofit park development, land acquisition, and stewardship projects across New Jersey. Read the News Release. Please see the project approval list and project description document for more information.

* 2026 Green Acres Local-Nonprofit Funding Round Project List * 2026 Green Acres Local-Nonprofit Press Package We thank all applicants for their commitment to open space and recreation. We anticipate announcing our 2027 funding round in January 2027. We encourage future applicants to initiate meaningful public engagement in advance of the announcement to help guide project planning and design.

**New Scope of Survey Services in Effect January 1, 2026** An updated Scope of Survey Services affecting all surveys for State acquisitions and all local and nonprofit projects in which Green Acres is involved is in effect as of January 1, 2026, and is available on our Survey Section Standards page.

**Local Government Engagement on State Land Acquisition Initiatives** **_Green Acres State Land Acquisition Program: Engaging with Urban Local Governments for New/Expanded Parks_** **Webinar Description (Recorded)**: Learn how to access Green Acres State Land Acquisition funding and tools to create close-to-home recreational opportunities for your residents.

**_Green Acres State Land Acquisition Program: Engaging with Local Governments to Protect Land for Wildlife_** **Webinar Description (Recorded): Learn about the DEP’s Connecting Habitat Across New Jersey (CHANJ) initiative and how your municipality can help preserve critical land for wildlife by collaborating with Green Acres. ** * CHANJ Project Area/Municipalities (pdf) * CHANJ Website for CHANJ Mapping Web Viewer and videos