Restoring Mason’s Run: DelAtlantic Leads Planting Effort in South Jersey’s Only Trout Stream

delatlantic team restoring masons run in south jersey april 2026

On April 1st and 2nd, staff from the DelAtlantic Conservation District carried out an important restoration effort along Mason’s Run, a unique and ecologically significant stream located at the Trump National Golf Club in Pine Hill, New Jersey.

The project brought together team members Lauren Tigue, Tyler Savage, Sean Yeats, Sean McGee, and Craig McGee, who worked collaboratively to install live stakes and containerized plants throughout a former beaver pond area. In total, approximately 550 plantings were installed over the two-day effort.

Mason’s Run holds special importance as South Jersey’s only trout stream and supports a variety of rare and sensitive species, including swamp pink. Protecting and restoring this habitat is critical to maintaining the ecological integrity of the region.

While beaver activity can provide valuable environmental benefits in many settings, like improving water storage, enhancing wetlands, and supporting biodiversity, the impacts can vary depending on site conditions. At Mason’s Run, the stream’s relatively small size meant that beaver dams created shallow ponds that significantly increased water temperatures. This posed a direct threat to the cold-water conditions required by trout populations.

Following careful evaluation, the beavers were removed and the dams dismantled, successfully reducing water temperature concerns. However, the formerly ponded areas were left degraded, lacking the vegetation needed to function as effective riparian buffers.

To address this, DelAtlantic’s team focused on reestablishing native vegetation across the impacted floodplain. The installation of live stakes and containerized plants will help stabilize soils, improve water quality, provide shade to regulate stream temperatures, and restore critical habitat over time.

This project represents a thoughtful balance between wildlife management and habitat restoration, ensuring that Mason’s Run continues to support its unique ecosystem while maintaining conditions necessary for trout survival.

DelAtlantic Conservation District remains committed to protecting South Jersey’s natural resources through hands-on conservation efforts like this one.