Hilltop Conservancy Celebrates 20th Anniversary

December 12, 2023 marked the Hilltop Conservancy’s 20-year anniversary. The Conservancy, together with its more than 100 volunteers, is dedicated to preserving and caring for the Hilltop Reservation, a 284-acre passive-use facility of the Essex County Parks system, located within the borders of Verona, Cedar Grove and the Caldwells.

In recognition of the 20th anniversary the Conservancy would like to take the opportunity to thank its donors, members and volunteers. With this support, the Conservancy’s major achievements over the past 20 years have been:

• Cleaning Up – bagging, dragging and tagging more than 60 truckloads of trash and debris; removing 10 dumpsters of concrete and rubble; filling and covering 20 open storm drains; demolishing 8 decrepit buildings from the former sanitorium; removing graffiti; and addressing dumping.
• Ecological Assessment and Master Plan – commissioning an Ecological Assessment to document the Hilltop’s ecological values and conditions, and identify future stewardship priorities to maximize its ecological health; giving input to the Hilltop Master Plan, a 10-year action plan to improve the ecological health of the Reservation, enhance visitor experience and maintain its natural state into the future.
• Restoration – restoring a 15-acre grassland; 3-acre upland; 5-acre forest; and 6-acre wetland.
• Trails – creating and maintaining 11 trails; producing a trails map; and installing trail markers and signage.
• Community Outreach – launching a website and presence on social media; organizing hikes, bike rides, bird and butterfly walks.
• Enhancing Visitor Experience – installing interpretive signage and entrance kiosks.

More in-depth details are available on the Conservancy’s website.

To fund and implement all this great work, the Conservancy relies on membership dues and donations from local residents, as well as service groups and volunteers. This financial support enables the Conservancy to purchase supplies and services, and to conduct events and projects in the Reservation.

Membership dues for 2024 are as follows:

Single membership: $30

Family membership: $50

Memberships can be purchased electronically via the Membership Page on the Conservancy’s web site. If you prefer to pay via check, please make it payable to “Hilltop Conservancy” and mail it to:

Hilltop Conservancy, Inc.

c/o Theresa Trapp, Treasurer

34 Depot Street

Verona, NJ 07044

The Conservancy also welcomes donations! Visit our Donate Page or mail a check.

“Your continued support is GREATLY appreciated” says Chris Lawrence, a Conservancy board member. “It will allow the Conservancy to continue our volunteer efforts to care for and improve the Hilltop for the enjoyment of all, now and in the future.”