Torpey Complex Earns Statewide Award

The Baseball Field at the Somerset County Park Commission Frank “Nap” Torpey Athletic Complex in Bridgewater is the recipient of the 2017 Sports Field Managers of New Jersey (SFMANJ) “Field of the Year” award.

The 2017 award complements the 2013 award for the softball field, and is the second time that the baseball field has earned the honor, having also been recognized in 2011. The award criteria is based on playability and appearance of the playing surface, maintenance procedures, and physical improvements.

The Torpey Complex consists of one lighted grass baseball field, one lighted grass softball field and a state-of-the-art synthetic turf multi-purpose athletic field with seating for 1,500 programmed for seasonal sports. All fields are available for rental for tournaments, league play, and practice.

Additional amenities at the complex include a 10,000 square foot building that includes a climate-controlled press box; two team lockers rooms with bathrooms; large public restrooms; a concession area; and a staff support area and office.

“This award is a tribute to Athletic Field Specialist Dave Kuczynski and the Torpey staff,” commented Pierce Frauenheim, Deputy Director/Maintenance for the Park Commission. “We are proud to provide a facility that is used virtually every day during peak seasons and even more proud of the fact that it is in the same great condition today and the day it opened.”

Kuczynski, former groundskeeper at TD Bank Ballpark, home of the Somerset Patriots, is also responsible for field preparation at the recently opened Mountain View Park in Hillsborough and North Branch Park in Bridgewater.

The SFMANJ is an organization committed to enhancing the professionalism of athletic field managers in New Jersey. Goals include improved safety, playability, and appearance of athletic fields at all levels.

Information on this event and other Somerset County Park Commission activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org.

Business Partnerships Make Park Commission Programs Possible

Partnerships with the business community enable the Somerset County Park Commission to offer enhanced programming for county residents, often and at nominal or no cost. The generosity of our sponsors supports many of the programs that are available throughout the year at all Commission facilities.

Thankfully, the list of Park Commission supporters continues to grow as business leaders and their families partake in events and programs, experiencing first hand the value of having a corporate name associated with these award winning programs and facilities.

Leading the way is the Hughes family and Hughes-Plumer Associates who have assumed a leadership role in the annual Pro Celebrity Golf Outing that has raised over a million dollars for the Somerset County Park Foundation and the Therapeutic Recreation programs over the past 26 years.

The free summer concerts at Duke Island Park are made possible by the generous donations from Magic 98.3 WMGQ, The Courier News& mycentraljersey.com, and New Jersey State Council on the Arts through funds administered by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program Grant.

Horticulture events and programs at the Colonial Park Gardens received support from Storr Tractor Company, Messinas, Four Seasons Nursery & Landscape Company, Wegmans Food Market, ShopRite of Somerset, and Sunrise Creek Deli & Grocery.

The Friends of Lord Stirling Stable are an active group of volunteers who present programs and activities to raise funds to support the efforts of staff at Lord Stirling Stable. Stable programs are also supported by businesses including Horsemen’s Outlet, Phoenix Performance Products, and Marcello’s Italian Ristorante.  

The Environmental Education Center received support from Portfolio Evaluations, Jersey Cares. Ingredion, Applegate, BASF, Enbridge, Janssen, GlaxoSmithKline, and REI.

           

Park Ranger programs receive extensive support from local businesses including National Trails Day sponsored by Recreational Equipment, Inc., REI, Eastern Mountain Sports, Princeton Tec, Access Fund, Jersey Off Road Bicycling Association 

All of these programs enjoy support from dozens of businesses that understand the importance of these events as contributors to the quality of life that we enjoy in Somerset County. To sponsor Park Commission events and activities, call 908-722-1200.

Park Commission Thanks Volunteers

The Somerset County Park Commission is all about the people of Somerset County who visit the parks by the millions annually. The enjoyment of the parks is due to the efforts of employees and volunteers who assure that every visit to the parks exceeds expectations. While active and passive parks and programs and activities rely on both of these groups, it is the volunteers who are a most cherished resource.

Volunteer opportunities are available in every facet of the Park Commission. Individuals interested in wildlife and resource conservation may participate in park cleanup projects and trail construction and maintenance projects. The Volunteer Park Patrol plays an important role in maintaining trails at Washington Valley Park and the Sourland Mountain Preserve by patrolling for safety hazards and trail erosion. There are also opportunities for individuals in garden docent programs, planting, general maintenance, horse grooming, and stable cleaning.

The Park Commission welcomes volunteers with skills and interest in athletics, crafts, dance, cooking, and theater and vocal arts. Volunteers help with the Junior Golf summer program, serve as Naturalists assistants, help out with the Therapeutic Recreation programs, and assist with equestrian classes. Volunteers also support special events, helping with facilities setup and breakdown, and parking.

Scout, school, and corporate groups contributed thousands of hours in 2017. The Environmental Education Center (EEC) was fortunate to have nine different corporate groups working on a variety of outdoor projects.  Portfolio Evaluations, Jersey Cares, and Ingredion all worked to complete a large renovation and restoration project in the Discovery Garden an educational native plant garden. Applegate and BASF removed invasive plants and re-planted the area with bare root native trees. Enbridge, Janssen, GlaxoSmithKline, and REI assisted with rebuilding the Boondocks Boardwalk Trail, with REI also volunteering at the Sourland Smackdown. Oak Knoll School students did a fall cleanup of the native plant and rain gardens in front of the EEC building.

Five Eagle Scout candidates have completed or will complete their Service Projects at the EEC in 2017. James McCarron, Troop 28 built and mapped Bluebird boxes and Wood Duck boxes. Julien Wadhwa, Troop 555 created a life-size wing span chart of native birds. John Kavouras, Troop 83 built a kiosk and bluebird boxes. William Bigham, Troop 28 created a children’s nature discovery area in the Discovery Garden. Jason Quinn, Troop 351 is nearing completion of the new one-mile Orange Trail. A group of scouts from Troop 154 replaced the trail maps on all of the EEC trails. Additionally, Zachary Wyman, Troop 351, built and installed bat boxes at the Ross Farm and Brandon Pierson, Troop 555, built and installed compost bins and garden paths at the Ross Farm.

Individual volunteers from the area high schools including Ridge High School, Oak Knoll, and Watchung Hills Regional High School assisted year round at the EEC with park maintenance and beautification, Naturalists Programs, and Special Events.

For information on volunteer opportunities at the EEC for individuals, groups, or companies, please contact Jane Bodnar, at 908-766-2489, ext 323 or NJ Relay at 711 for individuals with a hearing or speech impairment. For volunteer opportunities outside of the EEC contact Dave Dendler at 908-231-0802 ext 22.

Deputy Director Elected to National Parks & Rec Group

Cindie Sullivan, Deputy Director of the Somerset County Park Commission (SCPC), has been elected to the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. Sullivan was inducted recently at the Academy’s Annual Meeting during the National Recreation and Park Association Conference in New Orleans, LA.

The Academy is a group of distinguished practitioners and educators who are leaders in the field of park and recreation. They must have served for at least 15 years in a high level of administration in a park and recreation agency or as a recognized educator in parks and recreation administration or they must manage a park and recreation department for an agency with a population of more than 500,000. They also must have demonstrated outstanding ability in administration, management or education in the profession; displayed broad interest with a direct service benefit to the advancement of public parks and recreation or assumed leadership with a keen desire to contribute to the advancement of the field. The Academy is limited to 125 active members.

Established in 1980, the Academy was formed to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators to enhance the practice of park and recreation admin­istration; promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and conduct research, publish scholarly papers and/or sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration.

“Cindie’s recognition by the national academy is a tribute to her dedication to the parks and recreation industry and to Somerset County and the people who use our parks,” commented Ray Brown, Director of the SCPC. “She is totally committed to the parks, to the staff, and to making Somerset County a better place every day.”

More information on the Academy is available at www.aapra.org. For information on the programs and activities at the Somerset County Park Commission visit www.somersetcountyparks. org or call 908-722-1200.

Skillman Park Dog Park Officially Opened

Officials from the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Montgomery Township, and the Somerset County Park Commission recently gathered at Skillman Park in the township to officially open the Skillman Park Dog Park.

Located off Main Boulevard, Parking Lot A in the 247-acre general use park, the leash-free dog run is a 2-acre fenced in park separated into sections for small dogs and large dogs.

According to Freeholder Caliguire, “Skillman Park is a tranquil and beautiful park that encourages people to walk the paths, and bring their dogs to accompany them.  Now our pets have their own play area within the new facility, to run free and enjoy the park.  The Freeholders, the Park Commission, and Montgomery Township are proud to have this addition.”

Montgomery Mayor Ed Trzaska said, “I am thrilled that dog owners will have a place where they can meet friends and let their dogs exercise at the same time.”

Freeholder Caliguire added, “Many Montgomery residents remember this was a blighted area for many years. Through the vision and leadership of Somerset County and Montgomery Township, this is now a world class park, now with a first class dog exercise area”.

Skillman Park is the newest park in the Somerset County system. The 247-acre general use park is located off of Route 601 in the Skillman section of Montgomery Township and features wide beautiful vistas and a 2.25 mile paved multi-use loop trail. Benches are located strategically throughout the park and chess tables are available at one of the trailheads.

Foundation Opens New Locations for Commemorative Benches

The Somerset County Park Foundation, in cooperation with the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, is providing the public with an opportunity to create a lasting memory in the Somerset County Parks while supporting the valuable programs funded by the Somerset County Park Foundation.

The Tribute Bench program provides an enduring tribute to family members or friends through the donation of a commemorative bench at a location of choice within the Somerset County Park system. Locations include general use parks, Colonial Park Gardens, Leonard J. Buck Garden, the Environmental Education Center, Lord Stirling Stable, and any of the five county golf courses.

The popularity of the program has created new opportunities for locations to place benches including East County Park, Skillman Park, and Mountain View Park.

For a tax-deductible donation of $2,000.00, a bench and plaque memorializing the contribution will be placed in a prominent park location. The Park Foundation will maintain a listing of all benches with information including the donor and the person being honored or memorialized. Tribute Benches are available in three styles conforming to the type of park in which the bench is to be placed.

The Park Foundation also provides opportunities to memorialize friends, family, non-profits, and important events with the designation of a commemorative trees in a county park or a commemorative brick in the main gate entrance to TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ.

The timing of placement of benches, trees, and bricks will be at the discretion of Parks staff. A certificate will be provided when a purchase is made as a gift.

Information is available at www.somersetcountyparks.org.  For information call the Park Foundation at 908-722-1200, ext. 228.

The Somerset County Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) created to preserve, support, and promote Somerset County Park Commission programs, facilities, and open space through advocacy and fundraising.

Park Rangers Ask That You Don't Feed the Geese

Among the many advantages to living in Somerset County is a remarkable combination of urban and suburban environments. Somerset County residents enjoy virtually immediate access to major commercial and cultural centers while living in a “green” county with open space purchases by the Board of Chosen Freeholders serving to ensure more than 14,500 acres of green space preserved in perpetuity.

These extensive active and passive recreation areas have created a unique interaction among humans and waterfowl, one that should remain at arm’s length because feeding may be harmful or fatal to wild birds.

Waterfowl have patterns by which they seek out and feed on nutritious marsh and grassbud plants. In our region, extreme cold and snow severely reduces the quality and quantity of important foods. Most waterfowl migrate south in search of a habitat that will support them before returning in the spring to their breeding grounds where they are a familiar part of the Somerset County landscape.

Many of these migratory birds are sidetracked when they stop to feed or rest in the lakes and marsh areas found in Somerset County. These new homes become even more appealing when they are fed by well-meaning individuals, delaying their migration and enticing them to become permanent residents.

Very often, the food provided is “junk food,” including popcorn, potato chips and bread. Unfortunately, though willingly accepted by the wildfowl, these foods lack important nutritional value, resulting in the birds becoming dependent upon handouts, no longer seeking the natural, more nutritious foods that they require. In addition, these birds often congregate in small areas, competing for the new food source, resulting in overcrowding, competition, and a new susceptibility to life threatening diseases.

In the end, the seemingly kind and generous act of feeding waterfowl can foster a continuing cycle of spreading disease and creating a nuisance by damaging park land, golf courses, residential lawns, and creating water quality problems caused by droppings in ponds.

Please remember that these marvelous creatures are wild animals that should be enjoyed through observation and photography, not through feeding.

Current information on all Somerset County Park Commission activities may be found at www.somersetcountyparks.org or by calling the Park Commission at 908-722-1200 or NJ Relay at 711 for individuals with a hearing or speech impairment.

Join EEC October Fitness Walks in the Forest

Environmental Education Center (EEC) Naturalists will lead a weekly walking group on Tuesdays, October 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31, 2017 and Sundays, October 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2017 from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. The Environmental Education Center (EEC) is located at 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge.

Adults seeking an interesting way to enhance their routine workouts will enjoy a brisk walk to improve health and clear the mind along the beautiful trails of Lord Stirling Park. Walkers will maintain a moderate pace for the hour-long walk.

The trails at the EEC include eight and one-half miles and relatively flat terrain as they meander through 450 acres of The Great Swamp. Approximately three miles are board walked. The Yellow Trail approaches the Passaic River and the southern perimeter of the park (the Blue and Red trails) is a succession that is slowly changing abandoned farm fields to woodland.

Fee for the four Sunday sessions is $20 and fee for the five Tuesday sessions is $25. Registrations and payment may be made on-line at www.somersetcountyparks.org, in-person at the Environmental Education Center, via mail, or by telephone (if using a credit card) at 908-766-2489. 

The Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center is nestled within the western portion of the Great Swamp Basin of the Passaic River. The wide variety of habitats provide homes for diverse plant and animal populations in this environmentally sensitive park. All are within walking distance of the multi-faceted building. An environmentally-based library is located within the Center itself.

“The Great Swamp Experience” on the lower level at the EEC features interactive displays, vignettes, taxidermy, and archeological artifacts highlighting the history and ecology of the Great Swamp. The exhibit is open 7 days a week from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Admission is free.

The Environmental Education Center is open seven days each week. Call 908-766-2489 for schedule updates

Dog walking is not permitted on the trails of the EEC

Introduce Children Age 3 to 5 to Science & Nature in October

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The Naturalists of the Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center (EEC) have announced the September dates for an entertaining and educational science and nature program for children ages 3 to 5, scheduled to run on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Tree House Gang programs introduce children to science and nature through an enhanced learning program that incorporates outdoor hikes, hands-on activities, and interaction with live animals. The program takes place at the Environmental Education Center, 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

The program runs from 12:45 P.M. to 3:15 P.M. and is offered on four Tuesdays, October 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2017, or four Thursdays, October 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2017. Each session has a different theme.

Register for either the Tuesday or Thursday sessions. Fee for either two-day session is $65 per person. For information and registration log onto www.somersetcountyparks.org or call 908-766-2489.

The Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center is located within Lord Stirling Park, in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, and is nestled within 450 acres of the western portion of the Great Swamp Basin of the Passaic River. A swamp vivarium, and an environmentally based library are located within the Center itself.

“The Great Swamp Experience” on the lower level at the EEC features interactive displays, vignettes, taxidermy, and archeological artifacts highlighting the history and ecology of the Great Swamp. The exhibit is open 7 days a week from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Admission is free.

Please be advised that dog walking is not permitted on the trails at the EEC.

Information on this event and other Somerset County Park Commission activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org.

Neshanic Valley Part of MGA/Golf Channel "Dream 18"

Somerset County Park Commission Neshanic Valley Golf Course, located at 2301 South Branch Road in Neshanic Station, New Jersey was included in the Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) “Modern Dream 18” on Tuesday, June 20, 2017.

The Dream 18 is a selection of 18 holes at different courses constructed since since1982, the initial year of compiling the Dream 18 by the MGA. The 18 holes chosen for the Dream 18 form a par 72, 7,624-yard challenge selected from courses in the metropolitan area. Hole #14 is Neshanic Valley Golf Course Meadow #9, a par 5, 577-yard layout played from the championship tees.

Players included Matt Ginella, Golf Channel’s travel host; Brian Mahoney, Executive Director of the MGA; Michael Sullivan, President of the MGA; and Joe Saladino, two-time MGA Player of the Year.

Additional New Jersey courses to be played include Metedeconk #3 in Jackson; Liberty National Golf Club #18 in Jersey City; Bayonne Golf Club #16 in Bayonne; Hamilton Farm Golf Club #18 in Gladstone; and Trump National Golf Club #16 in Bedminster. Neshanic Valley is the only public facility on the New Jersey list.

Recorded by Golf Channel for future broadcast and sponsored by Rolex, the Dream 18, began at 5:45 A.M. at Friar’s Head in Riverhead, New York and concluded at Liberty National. Travel for the day included helicopter, automobile, and ferry.

Upon completing play, Ginella commented that Neshanic Valley was the most picturesque hole played thus far and the crowd surrounding the 9^th green was “the largest gallery of the day.

Neshanic Valley provides a complete golfing facility with a 27-hole Championship Course, a 9-hole Academy Course, the Learning Center, and the Callaway Golf Performance Center and High Definition Golf™ simulator.

The state-of-the-art Learning Center includes a double-ended driving range with grass and mat hitting areas, a 12,000 square foot putting green, a practice facility including bunkers and three chipping greens, and two practice holes.

The Performance Center at Neshanic Valley offers a state-of-the-art computerized golf club fitting and swing analysis system, operated by Callaway-trained professionals.

Information on Neshanic Valley, the four other championship county golf courses, and additional Somerset County Park Commission activities may be found on the Internet at www.somersetcountyparks.org.

Park Commission Welcomes 100,000th Visitor in 2017

The Somerset County Park Commission entertained its 100,000^th visitor in 2017 on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at Lord Stirling Stable. Receiving gifts commemorating the event were Ms. Colleen Joyce and her nephew, Colin Joyce, age 4, who visited the Stable to enjoy a Lead Line pony ride.

With the summer season approaching, the Park Commission again expects to exceed 1,000,000 annual visitors enjoying active and passive recreation opportunities.

TR Manager Named NJRPA President

Dina Trunzo, CTRS, Manager, Somerset County Park Commission Therapeutic Recreation, has been installed as 2017-2018 President of the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA).

The 700-member NJRPA is the state organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of New Jersey residents by supporting outstanding park, recreation, and natural resources management programs. 

Ms. Trunzo is Manager of the Park Commission Therapeutic Recreation Department (TR). TR uses recreation to help people with disabilities to develop and experience leisure in ways that support health, functional abilities, educational needs, independence and quality of life. Through social, cultural, artistic, and culinary programs, sports, fitness, community outings, horticulture, and special events, participants can improve social skills, enhance self-esteem, improve overall health and well-being and physical ability, enhance communication skills, constructively use leisure time, eliminate boredom, reduce of stress and anxiety, and enhance skill development.

In 2016, Trunzo received the Evelyn N. Aronow Award from the New Jersey Commission on Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities. The award is given to an individual who, through legislation, education, public relations, and technical support, has promoted growth and development and made a lasting contribution to community recreation services for individuals with disabilities in New Jersey.

She has also been a featured speaker at the World Leisure Organization World Conference, held in Rimini, Italy. The annual conference welcomes both leisure and therapeutic recreation professionals from around the world.

Information on Somerset County Park Commission programs and activities may be found at www.somersetcountyparks.org.

Buck Family Dedicates Bench at Buck Garden

Members of the Leonard J. Buck family gathered on Sunday, May 14, 2017 at the Leonard J. Buck Garden at 11 Layton Road in Far Hills, New Jersey to formally dedicate a teak bench commemorating the life of Mr. Charles Austin Buck, son of Leonard and Helen Buck.

Attending the dedication ceremony were (l to r) Pierce Frauenheim, Somerset County Park Commission Deputy Director, Maintenance Division; Dr. Holly Pyne Connor, Granddaughter of Leonard Buck; Mrs. Nancy Pyne, Daughter of Leonard Buck; Somerset County Freeholder Director Peter Palmer; former Governor Tom Kean; Jim Avens, Somerset County Park Commission Manager of Horticulture.

Park Commission Supports Public Garden Day Legislation

The Somerset County Park Commission is in full support of the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly Resolution proclaiming the first Friday in June each year as “New Jersey Public Garden and Arboretum Day.”

The joint legislative resolution was written by Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset Mercer, Hunterdon, Middlesex) and Assemblymen Jack Ciattarelli and Andrew Zwicker.

“As a longtime advocate of environmental protection and historical preservation, I have dedicated much of my time in public service to ensuring our children and grandchildren can continue to call New Jersey the ‘Garden State,’” Senator Bateman said. “It is our hope that recognizing New Jersey Public Gardens and Arboretum Day will encourage our residents to visit these treasured institutions, and experience firsthand the lasting positive impact they have had on our state.  I and my colleagues Assemblymen Ciatterelli and Zwicker are pleased to have sponsored this resolution.”

New Jersey Public Gardens and Arboretum Day will take place annually on the first Friday in June, as a special day designed to promote awareness of the Garden State’s public gardens and arboreta.

“The Horticulture staff at the Somerset County Park Commission is in full support of the efforts of the Senator and Assemblymen,” commented Jim Avens, Manager of Horticulture. “We are proud of the most exquisite gardens in New Jersey and are pleased that our elected officials are working to bring attention to our efforts.”

Leonard J. Buck Garden, located at 11 Layton Road in Far Hills, is a naturalistic setting incorporating large rock outcroppings creating varying exposures and microclimates that enable different plant associations to thrive. Tucked among the rocks are rare and exotic rock garden plants. The wooded trails connecting the outcroppings are lined with beautiful wild flowers that have flourished and multiplied through the years.

Throughout the garden grow various ferns. At the base of the valley walls, azaleas and rhododendrons produce a colorful display in May and early June. The Buck Garden's peak bloom is in spring, when favorite wildflowers, diminutive alpines, and delicate azaleas all compete for attention, but there is something interesting in bloom almost every week of the year.

The Colonial Park Gardens in Franklin Township include the one-acre Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, a formal display garden, comprising plantings with over 3,000 roses of 325 varieties.  The garden is at its peak of color and fragrance from late spring into autumn.

The Perennial Garden is a beautiful five-acre garden with a gazebo that provides year-round interest and color from its collection of flowering shrubs, bulbs, perennials, and annuals.

The 144-acre Arboretum provides displays of flowering trees, evergreens, shade trees, dwarf conifers, and flowering shrubs.  This includes the three-acre Shrub Collection which showcases plants that grow well in central NJ and are is designed to give year-round interest by using flowering shrubs; trees; perennials; and ornamental grasses; and the areas surrounding the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden and the Perennial Garden.

EEC Opens "The Great Swamp Experience" Interactive Exhibit

At a ribbon cutting attended by Commissioners and staff, the Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center (EEC) officially opened “The Great Swamp Experience” earlier today.

Located downstairs at the EEC, 190 Lord Stirling Road in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, “The Great Swamp Experience” features interactive displays, vignettes, taxidermy, and archeological artifacts highlighting the history and ecology of the Great Swamp. 

Open to the public 7 days a week from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., visiting children can crawl into a beaver lodge, feel animal fur, or explore the toddler area.  For adults, habitat vignettes share educational content of the flora and fauna found in the swamp’s river, meadows, ponds, marshes, and forests. Historical exhibits include information about the Wisconsin Glacier, mastodon bones, Paleo-Indians, and Lord Stirling.  Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about hydrology, sustainability, and the park’s geographic location. Admission is free.

The EEC is nestled within the western portion of the Great Swamp and borders the 7,768-acre Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, established to conserve natural resources while protecting threatened and endangered species for future generations. The wide variety of habitats includes: floodplains, swamps, rivers, intermittent streams, marshes, meadows, fields, forests, and natural and man-made ponds.  These habitats provide homes for diverse plant and animal populations in this environmentally sensitive park.

The multi-faceted EEC building is located at the western portion of the Great Swamp on 500+ acres of Lord Stirling Park. The facility features 8.5 miles of trails and boardwalks, a year-round schedule of programs and exhibits for children and adults, an environmentally-based library, and gift shop. The Environmental Education Center is open seven days each week. Call 908-766-2489 for schedule updates.

For more information, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org. or call 908-766-2489.