Regional Open Space Coordinating Committees

Periodically, DVRPC convenes a committee of open space and farmland preservation professionals who work at nonprofits and government agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Each committee – the Pennsylvania GreenSpace Coordinating Committee and the New Jersey Open Space and Farmland Preservation Coordinators' Roundtable – meets about once a year to discuss pertinent topics. In the future, DVRPC will host an occasional meeting that brings both committees together to discuss issues and topics that cross state borders and affect all of the region's land preservation partners and colleagues.

Meeting agendas, highlights, presentations, and other resources are posted here for committee members and the public's review.

Joint Open Space Coordinating Committees Meeting

PA Chair: Molly Morrison, President of the Natural Lands Trust
NJ Chair: Chris Jage, Assistant Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Staff contacts: Patty Elkis and Chris Linn

Friday, January 30, 2015

• Meeting Agenda [0.1 MB pdf]
• Meeting Highlights [0.2 MB pdf]
• Keynote Speaker: Russell Shay [0.5 MB pdf]
• Panel II Presentations [3.5 MB pdf]

Pennsylvania GreenSpace Coordinating Committee

Chair: Molly Morrison, President of the Natural Lands Trust
Staff contacts: Patty Elkis and Chris Linn

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

• Meeting Agenda [0.1 MB pdf]
• Land bank resources [0.1 MB pdf]
• Guest Speaker: Growing Greener [0.7 MB pdf]
• TPL's Local Funding Guide: Pennsylvania Act 13 Conservation and Recreation Funding [1.4 MB pdf]
• Guest Speaker: PALTA [2.0 MB pdf]

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

• Meeting Agenda [0.1 MB pdf]
• Meeting Highlights [0.1 MB pdf]
• Guest Speakers: New Farmers and Access to Land, Knowledge, and Capital [4.5 MB pdf]

New Jersey Open Space and Farmland Preservation Coordinators' Roundtable

Chair: Chris Jage, Assistant Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Staff contacts: Patty Elkis and Chris Linn

Friday, February 21, 2014

• Meeting Agenda [0.1 MB pdf]

Friday, April 19, 2013

• Meeting Agenda [0.1 MB pdf
• Meeting Highlights [0.1 MB pdf]
• Speaker Bios [0.1 MB pdf]
• Guest Speaker: New Jersey Statewide Habitat Connectivity Plan [2.9 MB pdf]
• Guest Speaker: Open Space Institute's Preservation Programs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey [8.7 MB pdf]

2011 Stewardship on a Shoestring

Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania lead the nation in their commitment to preserve farmland and open space. Unfortunately, with dwindling public resources, some state, county, and municipal governments are struggling to sustainably-manage protected open space as well as other public lands, such as street medians, stormwater basins, and public school lands. On November 30, 2011, DVRPC and the Natural Lands Trust partnered to host "Stewardship on a Shoestring" - a one-day workshop that highlighted those communities and organizations that are working together to save green and manage green while "going green."