Holiday Shopping at Amazon Will Support Somerset County Parks

 

The Somerset County Park Foundation would like to remind park patrons and supporters that all purchases through www.smile.amazon.com will result in a contribution of 0.5% of the purchase price to the Somerset County Park Foundation.

 

The Foundation has registered with AmazonSmile, a simple and automatic way for financial support with every Amazon purchase. AmazonSmile offers tens of millions of products eligible for the donation, virtually everything available on the standard amazon.com website.

 

Anyone with an Amazon account can register on AmazonSmile and select the Somerset County Park Foundation as the charitable organization. The Amazon Smile Foundation will then donate 0.5% of every purchase price to the Foundation. As everyone continues to practice social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon purchases will provide a much needed contribution to the Therapeutic Recreation department and other Foundation activities.

 

The Somerset County Park Foundation is a 501c(3) created to preserve, support, and promote Somerset County Park Commission programs, facilities, and open space, through advocacy and fund raising. The Foundation is managed by a 15-member Board of Trustees including one member from the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Funds are used to sponsor, underwrite, support, and promote park activities, expansion of programs, improvement of facilities, and capital expenditures to enhance access to active and passive recreation opportunities.

 

For information on the Park Foundation, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org or call 908-722-1200.

Park Foundation Receives US Dept. of Agriculture Grant

 

The Somerset County Park Foundation (SCPF) has been awarded contracts for a $4,000 Forest Stewardship grant and an $8,000 Wildlife grant from the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The funds will be supplemented by a $9,000 matching grant from the Somerset County Park Foundation and applied to projects at the Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center (EEC), 190 Lord Stirling Road, Basking Ridge, New Jersey. 

 

The funding total of $21,000 is estimated to save the Somerset County Park Commission approximately $500,000 in capital expenses, based upon previous engineering costs in planning and dredging of other ponds.

 

The NRCS Forest Stewardship grant will provide funds to hire a state-licensed forester to create a 10-year stewardship plan for the 550-acres of forest and swamp habitat at the EEC that will help manage and maintain a diverse range of native plants and trees which will create rich, dense, forest layers and biodiverse habitats for native wildlife.   

 

The NRCS Wildlife and SCPF grants will allow the EEC to pursue a long overdue wetland enhancement project at Lily Pad Pond. The pond is used as an educational resource by Naturalists to teach students about aquatic ecosystems by testing dissolved oxygen and pH, measuring the water temperature and temporarily collecting and identifying a variety of aquatic insects, arthropods, fish, mollusks, amphibians, and reptiles.

 

The NRCS grant will also provide experienced engineers and biologists to work closely with EEC staff to develop an environmentally friendly plan to enhance Lily Pad Pond and maintain the pond as an educational resource for Naturalists, students, and general park visitors.

 

“We are beyond excited to have the support of the Park Foundation and the expertise from NRCS to help guide us through this delicate project” said Carrie Springer, Manager of Environmental Science for the Somerset County Park Commission.  “We have successfully managed the meadows at the EEC for several years with assistance from the NJ Forest Fire Service through annual prescribed burns.  In the last 15 years we have seen native wildflowers, butterflies, bees, and birds increase in our meadows.  It’s time to focus on our forests and ponds.  With assistance from NRCS, I am confident we can design and implement a plan that will ensure the EEC stays rich in native biodiversity.  We want the park to remain an educational resource and haven for wildlife for generations to come.”

 

The SCPF, 501(c)(3) created to preserve, support, and promote Somerset County Park Commission programs, facilities, and open space through advocacy and fundraising, will provide an additional $9,000 to complete the wetland enhancement project. 

 

For more information on the Somerset County Park Foundation or the Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center, please visit somersetcountyparks.org.

Holiday Shopping at Amazon Will Support County Parks

The Somerset County Park Foundation would like to remind park patrons and supporters that all purchases through www.smile.amazon.com will result in a contribution of 0.5% of the purchase price to the Somerset County Park Foundation.

 

The Foundation has registered with AmazonSmile, a simple and automatic way for financial support with every Amazon purchase. AmazonSmile offers tens of millions of products eligible for the donation, virtually everything available on the standard amazon.com website.

 

Anyone with an Amazon account can register on AmazonSmile and select the Somerset County Park Foundation as the charitable organization. The Amazon Smile Foundation will then donate 0.5% of every purchase price to the Foundation. As everyone continues to practice social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon purchases will provide a much needed contribution to the Therapeutic Recreation department and other Foundation activities.

 

The Somerset County Park Foundation is a 501c(3) created to preserve, support, and promote Somerset County Park Commission programs, facilities, and open space, through advocacy and fund raising. The Foundation is managed by a 15-member Board of Trustees including one member from the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Funds are used to sponsor, underwrite, support, and promote park activities, expansion of programs, improvement of facilities, and capital expenditures to enhance access to active and passive recreation opportunities.

 

For information on the Park Foundation, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org or call 908-722-1200.

Warrenbrook Golf Course to Close for Winter November 8

 

Somerset County Park Commission has announced that Warrenbrook Golf Course on Warrenville Road in Warren Township, NJ will close for the winter season at the conclusion of play on Sunday, November 8, 2020. Opening date in the spring will be determined based on weather and course conditions.

 

Winter closing dates for Quail Brook Golf Course on New Brunswick Road in Somerset and Green Knoll Golf Course on Garretson Road in Bridgewater will be based on weather and playing conditions and will be announced when confirmed.

 

Spooky Brook Golf Course at Colonial Park in Somerset and Neshanic Valley Golf Course on South Branch Road in Neshanic Station will remain open throughout the winter.

 

Information on all golf facilities may be obtained by calling the Somerset County Park Commission at 908-722-1200, ext. 5427.

Park Commission Planting for the Future

 

The Commissioners and staff at the Somerset County Park Commission take their responsibility as stewards of the environment very seriously. In addition to providing an extreme variety of active and passive recreation opportunities through Somerset County, the staff at the Park Commission is responsible for the oversight and protection of over 15,000 acres of open space.

 

Part of this responsibility is to plan for the future of the environmental throughout the county, assuring that both parks and open space continue to provide the beauty and natural protections that trees and plants offer.

 

More than one hundred new trees are planted, mulched, staked, and provided with cultural care each year at various parks and golf courses. These trees reduce the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen back into the air; filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark; absorb pollutants such as nitrogen oxide, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and ozone; and help to reduce soil erosion and prevent water pollution by slowing rain water run-off. Additionally, trees provide a canopy, food, and habitat for wildlife including birds, bees, opossums, raccoons, and squirrels.   

 

Normally accomplished as an annual fall project, the 2019 large scale tree and shrub planting project was delayed by weather and completed a last May.  The next fall tree and shrub planting is scheduled to take place in 2021. The Commission Forestry Coordinator is preparing a tree planting project for the summer with expected completion in the fall of 2021.

 

The Arboretum of Colonial Park collects, conserves and cares for trees and shrubs, displaying them in a conscientious manner that promotes education, inspiration, and enjoyment. This is accomplished with careful consideration for a beneficial impact on the plants, the environment, park patrons, and employees. Staff promotes an understanding of the relationship between plants, people, and place through display and through programs that integrate science and culture. The 5 1/2-acre Arboretum is located in the western section of Colonial Park in Colonial Park Gardens and is comprised of over 900 specimens of trees and shrubs.

 

Park Commission Horticulture staff is currently working on a massive bulb planting project at the recently redesigned Perennial Garden at Colonial Park with over 200,000 bulb plantings.   

 

Information of Park Commission programs and activities may be found at www.somersetcountyparks.org or by calling 908-722-1200.

Quail Brook Recognized for Environmental Excellence

 

Somerset County Park Commission Quail Brook Golf Course, located on New Brunswick Road in Somerset, New Jersey, has achieved designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses.

 

Tom Marshall, Golf Course Superintendent, completed the effort to obtain sanctuary designation on the property. Quail Brook Golf Course is one of only 900 courses in the world to hold the title of Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.

 

"Quail Brook Golf Course has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property," said Christine Kane, CEO at Audubon International.

 

"To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas," explained Kane. These categories include: Environmental Planning, Wildlife & Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management. Quail Brook Golf Course’s accomplishments include:

Extensive native acreage on the property

Reducing irrigated areas to conserve water

Establishing buffers around water bodies

Providing Excellent Wildlife Habitat

Conducting Outreach & Education activities

 

“Environmental stewardship has always been a top priority at Park Commission golf courses and we strive to fulfill our responsibility to the environment and to our golfers,” commented Marshall. “We continually prove that we can maintain the highest quality golfing experience while still protecting the environment around us.”

Quail Brook joins Neshanic Valley Golf Course as an Audubon Sanctuary. Quail Brook has also been recognized as a Groundwater Guardian Green Site by The Groundwater Foundation and as a River-Friendly Golf Course by the New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA).

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, endorsed by the United States Golf Association, provides information and guidance to help golf courses preserve and enhance wildlife habitat and protect natural resources. Golf courses from the United States, Africa, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia have achieved certification in the program.

 

Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Troy, NY,  providing programs for businesses, schools, communities, golf courses, and new developments with the purpose of delivering high-quality environmental education and facilitating the sustainable management of natural resources. For more information, call Audubon International at 1-844-767-9051 or visit www.auduboninternational.org.

Now Accepting Photo Contest Entries

 

The Somerset County Park Commission has announced that they are accepting entries for the “Show Us Your Best Shot: 2020 Photo Contest.

 

Photos must be taken in a park managed by the Somerset County Park Commission and fall into one of the following categories: Scenic; Wildlife; Horticulture; or People. A listing of parks may be found at www.somersetcountyparks.org.

 

The deadline for submissions is Monday, November 30, 2020.

 

Selected photographers will be awarded Park Commission prizes and photos will be featured on the Park Commission website and social media.

 

Photos must be 200 dpi or higher and should be sent as an attachment to an email to dhealey@scparks.org, indicating “Photo Contest” and category in the subject line.

 

The 2019 winning entries may be found at http://www.somersetcountyparks.org/2019%20Photo%20Contest/2019%20Photo%20Contest.pdf .

 

For information on this any other Park Commission programs and activities visit www.somersetcountyparks.org or call 908-722-1200.