We are proud to introduce our new Land Projects and Stewardship Manager, Gabrielle Acampora! Gabrielle comes to us from the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania.

Following her graduation with a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame in 2022, where she was also a member of the Band of the Fighting Irish, Gabrielle has remained dedicated to her passion for environmentalism. She has gained experience in habitat management, invasive species control, and prescribed burns as a wildland firefighter, working across diverse landscapes including barrens, dunes, marshes, and old-growth forests.

In her leisure time, Gabrielle engages in a diverse array of activities, including participating in a pre-professional ballet company, competing in figure skating, exploring painting, and mastering the electric bass. She eagerly anticipates contributing to the RVC community's growth and enhancing the natural resources and wildlife habitats of the RVC preserves for a more sustainable future.

JCP&L Plants Trees Despite Rain

Despite a torrential downpour that pelted the grounds of Dark Moon Preserve, the team persisted and planted all 400 donated trees! RVC was incredibly impressed with the vigor, persistence, and generosity of this mighty squad.

Pictured: The First Energy/JCPL team after the tree planting on April 12th, 2024.

Cub Scouts Double-Up

Not once, but TWICE did Cub Scout Pack 83 of Stillwater, NJ come out in full force to volunteer with RVC. Their first project at Blair Creek Preserve cleared almost a mile of invasive species while their thorough removal of barberry bushes at Limestone Ridge Preserve was nothing short of impressive. We are extremely grateful to this pack for their incredible stewardship.

Pictured: Cub Scout Pack 83 at Limestone Ridge Preserve on our first Open Volunteer Day of 2024!

As of 2024, Ridge and Valley Conservancy will no longer use nail mounted trail markers in our preserves, to reduce damage to our trees. We will be gradually phasing out old trail markers. Using a diamond-shaped sponge and bark-safe paint, we will be painting markers directly onto the trees. This method will continue to provide directions to our visitors without puncturing any of our rooted friends. A win-win for everyone and everything!

Pictured: RVC Member, Bob Lewis, holds a diamond-shaped marker sponge.

Thank you to Simple Bare Necessities of Sparta, NJ, for inviting RVC to their Third Anniversary Earth Day event and for donating all proceeds from their raffle to our organization! They are the only zero-waste store in Sussex County, and we support their environmental commerce leadership.

Pictured: Simple Bare Necessities storefront in Sparta, NJ

Join us for our May Open Volunteer Date at Blair Creek Preserve. We will be removing invasive species alongside the Paulins Kill Watershed Community and the Fairview Lake & Watershed Conservation and Foundation.

Join us at Gnome Hollow Preserve on May 18th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a guided tree identification walk, led by board member, Sharon Wander of Wander Ecological Consultants.