Howe Athletic Complex at Colonial Park Now Open

The Somerset County Park Commission, State and County officials, representatives from the Somerset County Park Commission, and members of Gymkhana Cricket Club, Somerset Cavaliers Cricket Club, and Dutch Total Soccer officially opened the Howe Athletic Complex at Colonial Park in Somerset, New Jersey.

The Howe Complex, off Colonial Drive at the northeastern corner of the park near Elizabeth Avenue, includes two adult soccer fields, three youth soccer fields, and a full sized cricket pitch.

“We have been waiting a long time for a pitch like this,” commented Aslam Khan of the Cavaliers. Added Rana Aftab of Gymkhana, “It’s a beautiful pitch, perfectly flat as it should be.”

“It’s a great location and a rare thing to have so many fields in the same place,” commented Jordi Meijer of Dutch Total Soccer. “We often find ourselves spread out at many school fields but here adult and children’s games can be played at the same time.”

The facility was constructed on the former homestead of Dr. Eugene and Lois Howe. The Howe’s placed the funds received from the sale of the property to the County in a trust account to be returned to the Somerset County Park Commission upon their passing. Mrs. Howe passed away in 1995 and Dr. Howe passed in 2008. A significant portion of the trust’s assets were used to construct the complex, a generous gift to the people of Somerset County.

Dr. Howe was well known in Franklin for volunteer work that included co-founding the Meadows Foundation that continues today to serve as stewards of early Dutch and American Heritage. His passion for reading, poetry and preservation drove him to also become a volunteer at the former Franklin Inn in East Millstone, a structure that also served as a used bookstore.

Dr. Howe was employed as a scientist and researcher at MERCK & Co. where he was awarded 18 patents for his work in isolating and synthesizing amino acids.

Reservations for use of the soccer fields and cricket pitch may be made by online at http://www.somersetcountyparks.org/applications/applications.pdf or by calling the Park Commission at 908-722-1200, ext. 225.

Green Knoll Golf Course Earns Environmental Sustainability Award

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP RECOGNITION ADDS TO SOMERSET COUNTY GOLF SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS

BRIDGEWATER, NJ – Somerset County Park Commission Green Knoll Golf Course, located at 587 Garretson Road in Bridgewater, has earned Environmental Stewardship Recognition from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).

In the letter to the golf course, NJDEP states that the agency “formally recognize(s) the voluntary and proactive measures you have taken in an effort to improve the environment.” Green Knoll was cited for Hazardous Material Reduction; Water Use Reduction; Transportation Energy Use Reduction, and Enhancement Projects.

Neshanic Valley Golf Course at 2301 South Branch Road in Neshanic Station and Quail Brook Golf Course at 625 New Brunswick Road in Somerset have previously received the Environmental Stewardship Certification.

In addition Neshanic Valley, Green Knoll, Quail Brook, and Spooky Brook, located at 582 Elizabeth Avenue in Somerset have been designated as Groundwater Guardians by the Groundwater Foundation and River Friendly by the New Jersey Water Supply Authority. Neshanic Valley has also been recognized as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International and as a Sustainable Business by the South Branch Watershed Association.

“Protection of our environment and our natural resources are of primary concern throughout the Park Commission,” stated Darrell Marcinek, Director of Golf Maintenance. “John  Zujkowski, supterintentdent at Green Knoll and the staff at all of our golf courses fully understand the importance of these programs and strives every day to assure compliance with the responsibilities set forth and assure that we are doing everything in our power to provide world class golfing venues while remaining environmentally responsible.”

Park Commission Helps Restore the American Chestnut Tree

SOMERSET COUNTY PARK COMMISSION HELPS

RESTORE THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT

The First Orchard of Its Kind Planted at Lord Stirling Park

BASKING RIDGE, NJ – The Pennsylvania/New Jersey Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) recently planted a progeny test orchard of 250 of the most advanced, potentially blight-resistant American chestnut seedlings at the Somerset County Park Commission, Lord Stirling Park in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. The seedlings, called Restoration Chestnuts 1.0, are part of a unique breeding program led by TACF to restore the American chestnut to the eastern forests of America.

Corporate volunteers from Verizon and Johnson & Johnson helped prepare the area for the planting. Goldman Sachs employees provided labor and funding through the New Jersey Land Conservancy’s Partners for Parks corporate volunteer program.

Once the giants of the eastern forests, American chestnuts stood up to 100 feet tall and numbered in the billions. They were a vital part of the forest ecology, a key food source for wildlife, and an essential component of the human economy. In the beginning of the 20th century the fungal pathogen responsible for chestnut blight was accidentally imported from Asia and spread rapidly through the American chestnut population, killing an estimated four billion mature trees from Maine to Georgia by 1950. Several attempts to breed blight-resistant trees in the mid-1900s were unsuccessful.

In 1983, a group of scientists formed The American Chestnut Foundation with a mission to develop blight-resistant American chestnut trees. Now assisted by nearly 6,000 members, volunteers, and partners, the organization is undertaking the planting of potentially blight-resistant trees in select locations throughout the eastern US.

“The Pennsylvania/New Jersey Chapter’s partnership with Somerset County Parks represents a huge step in our chestnut restoration program,” said TACF Regional Science Coordinator Sara Fitzsimmons. “This orchard is the first of its kind in New Jersey, enabling us to test and evaluate our Restoration Chestnuts 1.0 for blight resistance and growth characteristics.”

Jane Parks, Environmental Education Center, Environmental Events Specialist stated, “The Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center started working with TACF in 2006 by planting a test site of American and Chinese Chestnuts. We are very pleased that our location has been selected for the first Restoration Chestnut 1.0 planting in New Jersey.  The planting aligns with our mission to educate the public about the importance of preserving our fragile environment.”  

At the Park Commission, They Practice What They Preach

The Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center (EEC) programs are focused on science, nature, sustainability, and healthy lifestyles. Standing behind what they say, staff recently braved the rain and mud on the EEC trails during their official Let’s Move! initiative kickoff.

The initial step in the program was a meeting with a certified nutritionist to learn about calorie intake, burning calories, healthy eating, and My Plate, the current nutrition guide published by the United States Department of Agriculture. The next step was a Naturalist led walk along the trails, which meander through the western portion of the Great Swamp. A collective 32,500 steps were walked, while the group stopped along the way to experience activities including log walking and or acting out the life cycle of a butterfly.

Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady of the United States, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation. There are five pillars of the initiative:
1.    Creating a healthy start for children
2.    Empowering parents and caregivers
3.    Providing healthy food in schools
4.    Improving access to healthy, affordable foods
5.    Increasing physical activity

The Environmental Education Center has signed up to participate in the Let’s Move! initiative for a minimum of one year, and will be focusing primarily on the fifth pillar, increasing physical activity, by challenging staff and on-site program participants in K-12 field trips, Tree House Gang, Forest Fitness, KinderNats, Young Explorers and Scouts to be active on our trails. Along with their Naturalist guide, participants will use pedometers to calculate the distance walked during their visit. Personal progress will be posted on the Environmental Education Center webpage and followed on social media outlets.

In addition to getting kids to be more active outdoors, the EEC will engage and promote nutrition awareness and healthy eating. Many of the summer programs include gardening, which is a perfect opportunity to talk to kids about where food comes from, and how food is fuel for the body.

Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled. Today, almost one in every three children in our nation is obese or overweight. The Center for Disease Control states that obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, which are some of the leading causes of preventable death.

To find out more about Let’s Move! visit their website: http://www.letsmove.gov/. Information on the Somerset County Park Commission may be found at www.somersetcountyparks or by calling the EEC at 908-766-2489.