Land Acquisition to Protect Quality of Ramanessin Brook

State and local officials and conservation groups today took their first steps upon what is now the largest piece of permanently protected, undeveloped land in Holmdel, thanks to the efforts of a public-private partnership.

State Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Shinn joined Agriculture Secretary Art Brown Jr., and a number of environmentalists and local dignitaries in a celebration and guided tour of the most sought-after open space parcel, the 416.8- acre Chase Tract.

Once approved for commercial development, the prime swath of land has long been the target of preservation efforts. The state Green Acres Program, Monmouth County, Holmdel Township, the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, Friends of Holmdel Open Space, the State Agriculture Development Committee, and the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program, in a public-private partnership, preserved the parcel for future generations to enjoy at a cost of $19,024,800.

Shinn stated that the landmark deal will protect the Ramanessin Brook, an important source of fresh water that flows into the Swimming River Reservoir, which provides drinking water for more than a million Monmouth County residents. He also noted the land contains freshwater wetlands, a stream corridor, threatened and endangered wildlife habitat as well as farmland.

Shinn also praised the broad based, multi-faceted public-private partnership, citing it as a sterling example for all levels of government to follow and the kind of team effort that is essential to achieving the state's million-acre open space goal.

"We're committed to continue to work through partnerships like this to leverage our open space dollars so we can realize our goal of preserving an additional million acres here in the Garden State. I want to thank the terrific cooperation of all of the partners including the willing seller, JP Morgan Chase which as good corporate citizens, enabled this long-sought parcel of land to be preserved and protected for generations to come," Shinn said. "We are also grateful to acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco and the other legislative leaders who made the funds available through passage of the Garden State Preservation Trust Act because more open space means cleaner air, cleaner water, a better habitat for wildlife and a better quality of life for all."

The negotiated agreement permanently protects 226.8 acres of open space. The land will be managed by the Monmouth County Park System for recreational purposes. The remaining 190 acres of the 416.8 tract is productive farmland that will be resold at auction to a private owner, with deed restrictions that permanently preserve the land for farming.

Holmdel Township committed township funds and applied for a loan from the state Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program.

Executive Director of the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Dirk C. Hofman said, "The state-wide movement we've seen in the past few years to preserve open space in New Jersey has presented a great new opportunity for the Trust, and for the Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program that we are a partner in with DEP. Although the financing program is normally known for financing wastewater and drinking water projects, our mission is to help preserve and enhance water quality. So it only makes sense that we help finance the acquisition of land that will preserve our water resources."

Additionally, Hofman noted that this is the first year that the Environmental Infrastructure Trust has been involved in land acquisition, and he said the level of interest has been enormous.

"This year, we expect to loan more than $50 million to partnerships like the one that has acquired this important tract, and we could easily double that figure next year," said Hofman.

The acquisition of the tract will connect areas of open space between Holmdel and Thompson County Parks, Bayonet and Cross Farms, the Ramanessin Brook Greenway Trails, and the Swimming River Natural Areas as well as protecting threatened and endangered bird and wildlife species, native vegetation, and water quality.

The Chase Tract is part of the original 1677 land grant to the Holmes family, from which Holmdel got its name. The tract contains several historic homes and barns from the 1700s and 1800s and several Lenape archeological sites registered with the New Jersey State Museum.