Metro Trails | Morris Canal Committee | New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg| Warren County Parks Foundation
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[coming soon]Metro Trails
Metrotrails assists Warren County with planning, developing, maintaining, and promoting trails. Formed in 1997, Metrotrails mission is to assist in cultivation of trail systems in the New York/Philadelphia metropolitan area, as well as education and preservation of natural and historic aspects of their routes. The organization has been instrumental in developing the Warren Highlands Trail, including volunteering many hours to designing, constructing, and maintaining sections of the trail passing through Warren County’s Marble Hill and Oxford Mountain Natural Resource Areas. Metrotrails also works on numerous trail projects on state, municipal, and nonprofit lands throughout Warren County and the metropolitan region. For more information about Metrotrails, please visit: www.metrotrails.org.
Morris Canal Committee
In 1981, the Board of Chosen Freeholder of Warren County made the Morris Canal part of the County’s open space plan and established the Morris Canal Committee. The Committee serves as an advisor to the Warren County Planning Board and the Board of Chosen Freeholders in the review of the historical data, engineering features, potential uses and means of acquisition of portions of the Morris Canal. The goal of the Committee was then and continues to be the preservation and protection of the remains of the Morris Canal while raising public awareness of this historic marvel. The Committee is made up of volunteers who have devoted untold hours to this goal. Key achievements include the competition in 1983 of the Historic Survey of the Morris Canal in Warren County (which provides a framework for conservation efforts) and in 2012, the Morris Canal Greenway 25-Year Action Plan. Additionally, with the County’s support they have established visitor attractions at Bread Lock Park and Port Warren Park by creating displays and guided programs, leading tours of canal sites and installing of more than 20 kiosks with interpretive signage at public access points along the canal.
New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg
The New Jersey Youth Corps of Phillipsburg assists Warren County with maintaining its parkland. Founded in May of 1998, the Youth Corps is a ‘second chance’ program for young adults aged 16-25 who did not complete high school. Through a balance of academic instruction, service learning, and counseling, this program provides students with a foundation upon which to build a brighter future. Youth Corps staff design personalized education plans for each student which is geared towards helping them to earn their High School Equivalency. The students also participate in community service learning projects that provide supervised work experiences that allow them to develop the maturity and skills necessary to become a stronger candidate for employment. Ongoing counseling and mentorship by Youth Corps staff are designed to help students overcome personal barriers, develop better self-esteem, clarify their values, and develop leadership skills.
Warren County has proudly supports the New Jersey Youth Corps and has been extremely grateful for their partnership in helping to maintain and improve county parkland. Working out of the County’s Port Warren Farmhouse, the Youth Corps not only keep our park grounds well-manicured and looking nice, but they routinely keep trails open, safe, and accessible along the Morris Canal Greenway and elsewhere. They also assist with sign installation, landscaping, ecological restoration, and light construction projects, including many of the picnic tables and benches enjoyed by visitors throughout our parks. To learn more about the New Jersey Youth Corps and their exemplar program, please visit: https://www.njycphillipsburg.com/
Warren County Parks Foundation
Formed in 2015, the Warren County Parks Foundation is the only charitable nonprofit organization whose sole mission is to directly support the protection, enhancement, use and enjoyment the county’s parks through volunteerism, fundraising, conservation, education, and community partnerships. The Foundation not only supports the county’s parks by raising funds for conservation, maintenance, and improvement projects, but it also connects residents and visitors with the county’s natural and historic resources through outreach, engagement, and education programs. By fostering partnerships with governments, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals, the Foundation is also helping to establish a vested community interest in sustaining the county’s parks for future generations. To learn more about the Warren County Parks Foundation, please visit: warrenparksfoundation.com.