3,000+ Acres Of Woods In Lacey Donated For Conservation

LACEY, NJ — An additional 3,100 acres of the Pinelands has been donated to the county to be preserved permanently, the Nature Conservancy (TNC) announced Wednesday.

This acreage adds to an existing 8,000-acre protected area purchased by Ocean County in 2019 for $15 million.

Combined, it forms an 11,100-acre environmental preserve called Forked River Mountain Wilderness Area, which will remain in a natural state and be open to the public for hiking and other passive recreation, according to TNC.

TNC received the pristine Pinelands property via a donation more than a decade ago by Stephan Leone, a Toms River lawyer, businessman and visionary friend of the outdoors.

In 2019, the Ocean County Board of Freeholders (now Ocean County Board of Commissioners) voted to accept the gift, along with a maintenance endowment of more than $112,000 from TNC, and those transactions are now complete, the group said.

“Ocean County has a great parks program, and we are certain they will be excellent stewards of this land for people and wildlife. The site is easy to find and provides access to the Pine Barrens for people who previously may have been hesitant to visit this ecological treasure in our state,” said Eric Olsen, director conservation programs for TNC’s New Jersey chapter.

“This donation is not only adjacent to the largest tract we have acquired under the county’s open space program but it is also one of the most environmentally sensitive tracts we have purchased under our Natural Lands Trust Program,” said Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines. “This type of land preservation is what the open space program is all about.”

“On behalf of the Board of Commissioners, I extend our deepest appreciation for this donation from The Nature Conservancy and Stephan Leone,” she added. “This parcel mirrors the environmental qualities of the Forked River Mountain tract and is a perfect fit for our open space program since it is surrounded by land already preserved by Ocean County and the state. Our residents and visitors will always be able to enjoy this environmental gem.”

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. The group has conserved more than 60,000 acres in New Jersey since 1955. To learn more, visit www.nature.org.