500 acres included in open space plans
By: Frank C. D’Amico
Approximately 500 acres of local land has been included in the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) plan for farmland preservation.
The GSPT was formed June 30, 1999, by Gov. Christie Whitman to “oversee the permanent preservation of an additional million acres of open space in New Jersey.”
In Upper Freehold, the 18-acre Herbst tract, the 53-acre Jannuzzelli tract and the 62-acre Reese tract were included in the 461 acres in Monmouth County acquired by the GSPT.
In Washington, two Washington Township properties were added: the 80-acre Levanduski farm and the 52-acres owned by Robert Wood Johnson.
In Ocean, 226 acres of Plumsted land was included in the plan. The 49-acre Ervin property, the 31-acre Goff property, the 98 acres owned by Hip Hin Realty, the 32-acre Myroncuk property and the 16-acre Senesy property were added.
The GSPT also monitors the state’s goal of preserving 1 million acres of land by 2008. New Jersey has preserved approximately 130,000 acres of open space prior to this year.
On May 16, the GSPT voted to approve a funding package of $55.45 million for farmland preservation that will be used to acquire the local lands and land in the future.
The state Agriculture Development Committee recommended projects to the GSPT.