Ocean County To Preserve 99 Acres for Conservation in Berkeley and Lacey Townships

Ocean County officials plan to purchase over 99 acres across Berkeley and Lacey Townships using the Natural Lands Trust Fund. The price tag? No more than $209,500, with minor tax adjustments tacked on.

A public hearing will decide whether both acquisitions move ahead. The Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee has already given its blessing.

One tract sprawls across 98.89 acres in Lacey Township — Block 3500, Lot 2.12 — just off Lacey Road. That piece of land will run up to $200,000, plus around $900 in tax adjustments.

The other sits in Berkeley Township at Block 786, Lots 27 and 29. It's tiny — just 0.11 acres on Bradley Avenue. The cost won't top $9,500, with an extra $20 for tax adjustments.

Both plots will become part of the county's expanding collection of protected open space. The goal? Keep sensitive areas safe from bulldozers and builders.

Why does this matter? The Natural Lands Trust Fund exists to shield forests, wetlands, and other crucial habitats. Since it started, the program has locked away thousands of acres countywide.

These protected lands do more than look pretty. They give animals places to live and breed. They soak up stormwater that might otherwise flood neighborhoods. They filter and replenish the groundwater people drink.

County leaders say these purchases show their dedication to managing growth without harming the environment. After the deals close, both parcels will remain off-limits to construction, managed as conservation zones under the county's open space initiative.

The Berkeley parcel is minuscule — barely a sliver of land. Meanwhile, the Lacey tract accounts for almost the entire 99-acre haul.

For years, the county has worked to preserve open space. These new acquisitions continue that work, shielding natural areas from development pressure as the population climbs.