Dear Friend of MCF,
Thank you to our many sponsors and patrons of Spring for Conservation, held on May 14, 2022 at Bayonet Farm in Holmdel. We are also grateful for our many partners and volunteers who make this annual event a fun gathering for all ages. You all helped to net more than $9,000 in support of MCF’s efforts! We had a wonderful turnout, even despite the afternoon downpours.
It is always wonderful to see old friends and meet new members of the community at our events. We hope to see you this fall when we host our Fall for Conservation cocktail party and Holiday Style Luncheon and Shopping Spree, detailed below.
With summer upon us, we encourage you to get out and enjoy your area parks, waterways, and beaches. In case you missed the Governor’s recent announcement, entry to all New Jersey state parks, forests, and recreation areas is free for the summer. (And if you’ve already purchased a 2022 annual State Park Pass, don’t worry, you’ll receive an automatic refund.) Use your extra cash to pick up some New Jersey-grown fruits, vegetables, or handmade items at one of our many farmer’s markets throughout the county. Farmers are our lifeline, and we need to support local.
For now, we hope you enjoy highlights of recent MCF projects in this month’s newsletter.
Sincerely,
William D. Kastning, AICP
Executive Director
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Your donation supports Monmouth Conservation Foundation’s mission of
Creating Parks . Saving Open Space . Preserving Farmland .
Safeguarding Waterways . Teaching Environmental Sustainability .
Protecting Wildlife
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Memorial Day Ceremony at Cedar View Cemetery |
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MCF was honored to take part in a special Memorial Day ceremony at Cedar View Cemetery, a historic black cemetery in the Lincroft section of Middletown, New Jersey. Middletown Mayor Tony Perry presented a plaque of historic significance to the ceremony, and local historian and author Rick Geffken spoke about the history of the site. The event, which honored the lives of African Americans who lived in this region during the Civil War, also featured an invocation by Pastor Terrence Porter from the Pilgrim Baptist Church in Red Bank and a 21 Gun Salute by the 3rd NJ Volunteer Infantry. Friends of Cedar View Cemetery organized the ceremony, and MCF Executive Director Bill Kastning and several Trustees, including John Smack, who is President of Friends of Cedar View Cemetery, were in attendance. |
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L to R: Cindy Weber-Cleary, Denis Cleary, Larry Fink, John Smack, William Kastning, Tina Kastning, Gloria Nilson, and Len Nilson |
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Middletown’s Swimming River Park is becoming a reality as construction takes place this summer to improve public water access and add recreational amenities. An effort years in the making, the project is a successful collaboration of Monmouth County, the Monmouth County Park System (MCPS), and Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF) that preserves green space and restores a natural watershed for the permanent benefit of Monmouth County residents and visitors.
Located at 483 West Front Street in the River Plaza section of Middletown, Swimming River Park includes land that was once privately owned and home to Chris’ Landing and Chris’ Deli & Liquor. The County acquired the waterfront property in 2015 and former site of the deli in 2018, both with assistance from MCF, working together to make approximately eighteen acres at the confluence of the Navesink and Swimming Rivers into a new Monmouth County Park.
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Thank you to the many sponsors of tribute benches and bicycle racks in the new Shrewsbury Riverfront Park! MCF and Monmouth County ensured that Phase One of the park project was a success, with the creation of walking paths, open green space, and fencing along the waterfront. The benches have been installed, and plans are moving ahead for Phase Two completion this year, which will include amenities like a patio, pavilion, and landscaping. The park offers beautiful views, fishing access, and a restful stop to read, relax, or socialize.
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Isabelle Ferreira and her all-female team, the Wave Peddlers, are cycling from Niagara Falls, Canada to Jackson Woods Park in Long Branch, New Jersey this summer as a fundraiser for Jackson Woods. Their bike trek will be approximately 650 miles and take place between June 24 and July 6, 2022. We invite you to follow along on their journey, help spread the word, and consider donating. All funds raised in support of the Ride for Jackson Woods will support further park improvements at Jackson Woods Park.
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Anonymous Gift Enables Pollinator Garden at Edgemere Park
MCF has been awarded $10,000 from a foundation which wishes to remain anonymous in support of building a new pollinator garden at Edgemere Park in Sea Girt, New Jersey. A 2.69-acre natural green space situated in a built-out area, Edgemere Park has long been neglected and underused, but has recently undergone a rebirth thanks to the efforts of a collaborative of non-profit organizations led by the Sea Girt Conservancy. Efforts are well under way to expand the park’s visibility, access, and recreation opportunities in line with the Sea Girt Conservancy’s master plan. They are now poised to install the pollinator garden as a centerpiece of Edgemere Park, benefiting visitors as well as the natural environment.
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The pollinator garden will include native plants, predominantly flowering plants, which will attract and provide vital habitat and food for pollinators such as hummingbirds, bees, moths, and butterflies. Pollinators are critical to our planetary ecosystem, and they are facing global declines due to habitat loss, poor nutrition, and pesticide exposure. No matter the size, natural spaces serve as a green corridor, connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities, structures, and development. The Sea Girt Conservancy also plans to install an accessible walkway, benches, educational and interpretive signage, and bird and pollinator feeders. Once constructed, visitors who drive, walk, or bike to Edgemere Park may enjoy the garden for tranquil reflection, photography and art, birding and wildlife viewing, walking and hiking, picnics and social visits, and other passive and active recreation. Residents of Sea Girt, tourists visiting the region, and individuals of all ages will be served by the park and fully accessible garden.
We are incredibly grateful for the generous funding to enable this project and pleased to continue collaborating with the Borough of Sea Girt and the Sea Girt Conservancy.
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Summer Run for Conservation - Registration is open for MCF’s annual Summer Run for Conservation! Join us on Thursday evening, July 14, 2022 at Bell Works in Holmdel to run or walk around the complex and socialize after at Bar Bella’s rooftop deck.
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Saturday, September 24, 2022 evening
Hosted by John and Robin Klein at their estate on the Navesink.
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Wednesday, November 30, 2022
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Shadowbrook at Shrewsbury
Featuring keynote by Lee Woodruff.
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Welcome Erik Yngstrom as MCF Trustee
We are pleased to welcome Erik K. Yngstrom to MCF’s Board of Trustees. Yngstrom heads the Litigation Department of Lomurro Law, which includes representing the rights of injured workers throughout New Jersey, as well as individuals with serious personal injuries and municipal court matters. He is a member of several professional associations including the Monmouth Bar Association, the New Jersey Advisory Council on Safety and Health, and the New Jersey Association of Justice.
Yngstrom previously served as a Red Bank borough council member and collaborated with MCF on plans to develop a former landfill into an eight-acre park on the west side of Red Bank. He hopes to help bring Sunset Park to fruition in his new capacity as a MCF Trustee.
A life-long resident of Monmouth County, Yngstrom grew up in Freehold and graduated from Monmouth University, where he was a political science major and played football for the Monmouth Hawks. He earned his law degree at Duquense University School of Law. He and his wife, Donna, who is Executive Director of Lomurro Law, now reside in Wall Township. Yngstgrom’s favorite Monmouth County Park is Hartshorne Woods, where miles of hilly trails offer a great workout.
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Acquisition News Coming!
At the core of MCF’s work is land preservation. We are currently engaged in a number of conversations with property owners and strategic partners to negotiate new acquisitions and easements. We expect to share news and highlights of the new properties in the coming weeks!
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Your donation supports Monmouth Conservation Foundation’s mission of
Creating Parks . Saving Open Space . Preserving Farmland .
Safeguarding Waterways . Teaching Environmental Sustainability .
Protecting Wildlife
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(732) 671-7000
www.monmouthconservation.org
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