BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ — The Ocean County Board of Commissioners has taken a significant step forward in coastal preservation by approving the acquisition of a new property at Good Luck Point, as part of ongoing efforts to mitigate coastal flooding and protect the shoreline. This latest preservation initiative underscores the county’s commitment to safeguarding its coastal marshlands, particularly in areas still recovering from past storm damages.
Virginia E. Haines, Ocean County Commissioner and liaison to the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust program, emphasized the importance of this acquisition. “The Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Council recommended this purchase to protect the coastal marsh in that area,” Haines stated. The newly acquired property, nearly three-fourths of an acre in size and located off Dorrance Drive, adds to the 22 other properties previously preserved in the vicinity.
The property, adjacent to approximately 10 acres of existing open space, was acquired for $247,000, a price negotiated with the property owner. Funding for this purchase was provided by the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund, with contributions from other sources including the Blue Acres program—a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection initiative aimed at relocating families from flood-prone areas and using the land for natural flood storage and community open space.
Reflecting on the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, Haines highlighted the critical need to protect such vulnerable coastal areas to prevent similar impacts from future storms. “This area of Ocean County was devastated when Superstorm Sandy came ashore,” she remarked. “It’s important to continue to protect this area so future storms will not have the same effect.”
Barbara Jo Crea, Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, also commented on the broader implications of land preservation in the area. “As we preserve more land in the Good Luck Point area, we continue to protect our shoreline which will buffer the coastal marsh from development and help reduce the risk and impact of routine coastal flooding,” she explained.
Since the inception of the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund in 1998, the county has invested over $9 million to acquire approximately 724 acres in the Good Luck Point area, with the overarching goal of protecting the shoreline and its unique marsh habitats. These efforts align with the county’s foundational goals of open space preservation, aiming to protect almost 30,000 acres throughout Ocean County.
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WALL, NJ – The Monmouth County Board of County Co
