A t a meeting in December, the Ocean County Board of Freeholders approved the purchase of 54 acres of environmentally sensitive lands by West Turkey Swamp Park in Jackson to preserve the tract as open space.
“The consolidated properties comprising West Turkey Swamp Park in Jackson currently encompass about 672 acres of countyowned property within the Metedeconk River headwaters area,” said Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. “Being in the headwaters area of the Metedeconk River makes this property environmentally significant.”
The property was owned by Hess Brothers, Parlin, and the county was expected to purchase the land for $175,000. The original asking price was $325,000 and the land is zoned for light manufacturing, according to a press release.
The tract is near Bismark and Kolendorski roads and Interstate 195 in Jackson. “These 54 acres meet the requirements to be included in our natural lands program,” Bartlett said. “It is a nice addition to the large parcel of open space in the area.”
The purchase was recommended to the freeholders by the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee.
The county, since establishing the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund in 1997, has helped save 12,642 acres of environmentally sensitive lands, according to the press release. And, almost 3,300 acres of farmland has been preserved in Ocean County, said Freeholder Gerry P. Little.
“Of the 408,000 acres of land in Ocean County, more than 60 percent, including lands preserved by municipalities, is protected as open space,” Little said. “All told, 222,691 acres have so far been preserved as open space in Ocean County.”