Washington Township Land Trust

10/31/2026

From all of us at the Washington Township Land Trust, we wish everyone a safe and fun-filled Halloween!

09/23/2026

Last weekend the WTLT Stewardship Committee held another successful workday at Mill Pond Park! WTLT Board advisor Chris, and one of our newer trustees Dan assisted volunteers Adam, and Mya clearing two downed trees along the trails.

Trustees Catherine and Mary did cut back on Frying Pan/ Trestle Trail, and volunteer Gil mowed Mill Pond Trail and did cut back along the trail's edges. Then Mary and her daughter Gil cleared some old logs by the perimeter of the mill.

Thanks to everyone that joined us for a fun day of stewardship, and to anyone else that might be interested in helping out, we are always looking for new volunteers! Reach out directly or follow along on here as we post upcoming events and opportunities!

09/11/2026

We are pleased to share that The Long Valley Junior Women's Club will be offering a walk to remember, and raise awareness for Su***de Awareness Month, along our trails on Sunday, September 27th at 4:30 pm. All are welcome to join, and they plan to meet by Racks Valley Boutique before embarking on the trails!

Please join us for a walk to remember and raise awareness for Su***de Awareness Month. We will meet by Racks Valley Boutique on Sunday, September 27th at 4:30 pm.

08/18/2026

This past weekend, the Stewardship Committee installed two brand new interpretative nature signs at the Helen Andrew’s Memorial & Outdoor Education Area in Mill Pond Park!

Our volunteers logged an impressive 18 hours on Saturday August 15th, installing the signage, clearing invasives, and doing trail maintenance and cutback!

The new signage—Discover the Living Forest & The Forest Food Web, was developed in house, and designed by Pannier Graphics, and made possible through generous grant funding from First Jersey Energy and the Long Valley Junior Women’s Club (LVJWC).

With the signs now installed we plan to welcome the LVJWC to join us for a wellness walk thru Mill Pond Park as a special thanks. Next time you're at Mill Pond Park, take a look and let us know what you think!

07/28/2026

This summer the stewardship committee has been busy keeping the invasives at bay in Mill Pond Park! The crew has been cutting back the steady advance of Knotweed and helping to ensure that our recent riparian planting has plenty of room to grow unencumbered!

If anyone is looking for a fun way to spend a few hours outdoors, sharing laughs and camaraderie, while helping out a worthy cause, the stewardship committee is always seeking additional volunteers! We meet most Thursday mornings, and on the third Saturday of the month, weather permitting! Contact us and let us know if you plan on joining in on the fun this summer!

07/21/2026

Another important investment in New Jersey's historic preservation! 🌟

The historic Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill in Long Valley has received a Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund grant to support the next phase of its restoration. This funding will help prepare the construction documents needed to move this remarkable 18th-century landmark closer to full rehabilitation, ensuring its story can be shared with future generations.

Every preservation project begins with careful planning, and this grant represents another meaningful step toward safeguarding one of Morris County's most significant historic resources. Congratulations to everyone working to preserve this treasured piece of New Jersey's industrial and agricultural heritage!

Read the full story: https://patch.com/new-jersey/longvalley/historic-long-valley-saw-mill-be-preserved-county-grant-funds

07/04/2026

From all of us at the Washington Township Land Trust, we wish you and your family a joyous Independence Day 2026!

06/10/2026

This time of the year, it's not uncommon to find fawns left alone by their mothers, as they go off to graze vegetation. This is perfectly normal adaptive behavior, and there is no need to "rescue" the fawns or transport them to the local animal shelter. Doing so can actually overburden the shelter's staff and resources and stress the deer. Please remember to observe from a safe distance and let them be. Nature knows best of course!

Well say it AGAIN and AGAIN
FOR those in the Back!

🚨 PLEASE STOP "RESCUING" FAWNS 🚨

We know your heart is in the right place.

Every spring, kind and caring people come across a tiny fawn lying quietly alone in the grass and assume it's been abandoned. The urge to help is completely understandable.

But the truth is...

That fawn is almost certainly exactly where it's supposed to be.

Mother deer intentionally leave their babies hidden for long periods while they feed nearby. The fawn's job is to stay still, stay quiet, and wait. Mom's job is to stay away until it's safe to return.

Unfortunately, we see the heartbreaking consequences of unnecessary "rescues" every year.

Healthy fawns are taken from the wild and brought to rehabilitators dehydrated, stressed, malnourished, injured from improper handling, or suffering from aspiration after being fed the wrong things. Some don't survive the stress alone. Others lose the chance to be raised by the one creature best equipped to care for them—their mother.

If a fawn is curled up quietly, appears alert, and has no obvious injuries, please leave it alone.

Do not touch it.
Do not feed it.
Do not move it.
Do not pose for photos with it.

The greatest act of kindness is often doing nothing at all.

However, if the fawn is continuously crying for hours, wandering aimlessly, covered in flies, visibly injured, weak, or has ears that are curled and dehydrated, then it's time to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately.

Please help us spread the word. Share this post. Talk to your friends and neighbors.

Every fawn that stays with its mother has the best possible chance at life.

Sometimes the best rescue... is no rescue at all. 🦌❤️

06/05/2026

Did you know that Saturday, June 6th, is National Trails Day! If you've never hiked along our trails, we would encourage you to get out and explore this weekend! There's always something to see out along the trails, especially during the mornings or late afternoons!

Dress for the weather, and don't forget some sturdy hiking boots, and remember to bring extra water since the forecast is looking like it's going to be hot and sunny. Maybe bring a friend for some good company while you're hitting the trails!

Mill Pond Park and Crystal Springs are always a great option for light exploring, and you can learn more about some of our other properties on our website https://wtlt.org/properties/ Let us know what you think and we'd love to see photos or videos as well!

05/25/2026

Today we honor and celebrate the memory of those who have served and sacrificed for our great country. On behalf of the entire Land Trust, we pause to solemnly remember and pay tribute to our fallen. In reverence, Memorial Day 2026.