Moorestown has been awarded a $243,700 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund to support ecological improvements at Swede Run and its associated wetlands in the Swede Run Fields preserved open space.
The township – in partnership with Save The Environment of Moorestown (STEM) – will provide matching in-kind services and financial contributions totaling an additional $243,700. That brings the full project investment to nearly $487,400.
The funds will support the removal of invasive plant species and the installation of new native vegetation in the scrub forest, wetlands and upland deciduous forest that border Swede Run as it traverses the Swede Runs Field preserved open space. The project aims to restore critical habitat, enhance biodiversity and improve the long-term ecological health of the site.
Swede Run Fields is the township’s largest preserved open space, encompassing more than 130 acres. Acquired in 2001, the property includes a dog park, a 4,000-square-foot pollinator garden, wetlands, forested areas, a beaver pond and vernal pools. In recent years, invasive species have spread throughout the area, suppressing native plant communities and threatening habitat function. The ecological project will employ both mechanical and targeted chemical treatments to remove them.
The installation of native plants is expected to support breeding birds and other wildlife while strengthening overall habitat resilience. Grant funding will also support ongoing monitoring to evaluate project success and guide future maintenance efforts.
Swede Run, which flows through the site, is a direct tributary of the Delaware River. Restoration work at Swede Run Fields is anticipated to improve water quality by enhancing stormwater retention and reducing runoff into the Delaware River watershed.
The township is contributing a $100,000 cash match toward the project, along with an additional $24,920 in in-kind services representing approximately 169 hours of staff time.
“This is a great example of what’s possible when a community and a local nonprofit work side by side,” said Mayor Quinton Law.
STEM is a nonprofit dedicated to the stewardship of the community’s natural resources. It has committed $40,000 in cash support and $47,805 in in-kind contributions to assist with restoration and stewardship efforts at Swede Run Fields.
“This grant will allow further habitat restoration in this amazing open space,” said STEM president Mark Pensiero. “STEM is proud of the work that has already been done on site, including the native pollinator garden and the native grass and pollinator fields, and looks forward to working with the township on this exciting project.”
