Participate

The Natural Lands Trust Fund Program was established to acquire and maintain environmentally sensitive lands, natural areas or open spaces that would generally remain in their natural state and for the preservation of farmland. The objective of the program, is to establish of a system of protected lands which, in combination with the Farmlands Preservation Program, enhance the quality of life in Ocean County by:

• Helping to maintain the County’s rural characteristics;
• Protecting critical environmental resources and water supply;
• Maintaining and enhancing active agriculture;
• Buffering areas that are not compatible with development.

In 1997, the residents of Ocean County, overwhelmingly voted to establish the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program. The approval of a 1.2 cent dedicated tax provides the Board of Chosen Freeholders with the funds to acquire lands in Ocean County for conservation and farmland preservation. On February 18, 1998, the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders established a nine member Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee to advise on the preparation of the required open space plan and the nomination of properties to be acquired through the Natural Lands Trust Fund. The committee’s purpose is to review nominations for the Trust Fund and to forward recommendations to the Board of Chosen Freeholders for consideration.

The program now generates over $10 million per year for natural lands acquisitions and farmland preservation. Several important parcels have been preserved and acquired through partnerships with non-profits, municipalities and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

For more information on the program click here.

** November/December meetings are combined. Date and location to be determined. Meetings are subject to change, please contact the Ocean County Planning Department to confirm dates at 732-929-2054.

For more than three ​decades, ANJEE has organized one of the leading annual conferences for environmental education professionals in New Jersey, designed to promote innovation, networking, learning, and dissemination of best practices.

Our Annual Conference will focus on the power of education to create positive change for the future. EE is a force for building a more civically engaged citizenry. It’s a force for creating a more diverse and inclusive movement. It’s a force for linking research and practice, and for demonstrating the impact of interdisciplinary education. It’s a force for optimizing human potential and delivering excellent educational opportunities for all. Join us as we share ideas and explore ways to create a more sustainable future through the great power of environmental education.

During the conference, we will share ideas and innovation about how we can imagine a better future and create a path forward for the field in the coming decade and beyond.
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Our Friday conference will include hour long workshops in the following strands:

• Building Leadership for Environmental Literacy
• Connecting with Nature
• Conservation and Environmental Education
• Educating for Sustainable Communities
• Green Schools and Career-Connected Learning
• Linking Research and Practice to Increase Impact
• ***Event details may change at any time. Please review the official website or check with the event organizer when planning to attend the even

Hey neighbors! One of our dedicated Board members is hosting a trash clean up in Browns Woods. He spotted lots of trash during his bird walk. Join us at the EcoCenter for a cup of coffee and lend a hand!

Save Barnegat Bay is hosting the annual Browns Woods Great Back Yard Bird Count at the Barnegat Bay EcoCenter. Our special guest Naturalist Chris Claus will be leading the walk through our beautiful 40 acres. In addition our Board Member and avid birder Kevin Knutsen will be leading the data collection effort for Cornell Lab of Ornithology. See below for more info about the national event. We will have a limited number of binoculars for borrow on the day of the event.

“Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count was the first online citizen-science project to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real-time.” Learn more http://gbbc.birdcount.org/

The Natural Lands Trust Fund Program was established to acquire and maintain environmentally sensitive lands, natural areas or open spaces that would generally remain in their natural state and for the preservation of farmland. The objective of the program, is to establish of a system of protected lands which, in combination with the Farmlands Preservation Program, enhance the quality of life in Ocean County by:

• Helping to maintain the County’s rural characteristics;
• Protecting critical environmental resources and water supply;
• Maintaining and enhancing active agriculture;
• Buffering areas that are not compatible with development.

In 1997, the residents of Ocean County, overwhelmingly voted to establish the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program. The approval of a 1.2 cent dedicated tax provides the Board of Chosen Freeholders with the funds to acquire lands in Ocean County for conservation and farmland preservation. On February 18, 1998, the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders established a nine member Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee to advise on the preparation of the required open space plan and the nomination of properties to be acquired through the Natural Lands Trust Fund. The committee’s purpose is to review nominations for the Trust Fund and to forward recommendations to the Board of Chosen Freeholders for consideration.

The program now generates over $10 million per year for natural lands acquisitions and farmland preservation. Several important parcels have been preserved and acquired through partnerships with non-profits, municipalities and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

For more information on the program click here.

** November/December meetings are combined. Date and location to be determined. Meetings are subject to change, please contact the Ocean County Planning Department to confirm dates at 732-929-2054.