N.J.'s trailblazing Green Acres program turns 50

New Jersey's Green Acres program, which began in 1961 as a result of a bond referendum aimed at doubling the Garden State's open space and recreational lands, is now celebrating its 50th anniversary as one of the most successful land conservation efforts in the nation.

Together with public and nonprofit partners, the Green Acres program has directly protected 650,000 acres of open space and provided hundreds of outdoor recreational facilities in communities around the state. Over the years, voters have authorized $3.1 billion in Green Acres funding, approving all 13 bond referendums put before them to preserve more than 1.2 million acres.