The Division of Conservation and Open Space Stewardship within the Office of Parks and Recreation is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of the 35 conservation areas and preserves which encompass over 8,400 acres.

Responsibilities, projects, and programs include:

Open Space Acquisition and Preservation
To identify and acquire environmentally sensitive acreage to help maintain a healthy balance between open space preservation and continued land development

Open Space Recreation Grants
To provide funding through the Middlesex County Open Space Recreation and Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund for recreational facilities grants submitted by municipalities to fulfill the recreation needs of a community.

Middlesex County Conservation Corps

Deer Management Program

Trail Building and Management
Approximately 34 miles of marked and maintained natural surface trails

Farmer Agreements for Open Space Properties
Five (5) farmers on approximately 349 acres

Habitat Management
Prescribed burning agreement with the NJ Forest Fire Service partnership with Open Space Conservation Cooperative, invasive species monitoring and removal, native plant restoration, and habitat enhancements to benefit native wildlife.

Green Acres
Compliance Inspections by Green Acres and Parkland Diversions/Disposal Process

Maintaining a balance between open space and development has long been a priority in Middlesex County. The Open Space Trust Fund is supported by a special tax levy of 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, which was overwhelmingly supported by Middlesex County voters in both 1995 and 2001. The fund allows for the acquisition of various parcels of land to ensure that many of the County’s undeveloped areas remain untouched forever. To date, the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners have saved more than 8,400 acres from development since the program began in 1997. The County continues to enter into joint-purchasing agreements with the state and local municipalities to purchase lands. Joint purchases allow the leveraging of the open space funds at the municipal, county, and state levels so that these funds can be used in the most efficient manner.

2022 Open Space and Recreation Plan:

• 2022 Open Space Recreation Plan

Open Space and Recreation Public Advisory Committee:

• Minutes of Open Space Advisory Committee Meeting - May 25, 2018
• Minutes of Open Space Advisory Committee Meeting - January 12, 2017

Natural Areas

Deep Run Preserve - Old Bridge
Deep Run Preserve protects 905 acres of environmentally sensitive pinelands and wetlands in Old Bridge Township. Locally rare plants and nesting bald eagles inhabit lands that are drained by the Deep Run and flow into tidal sections of the South River.

Matchaponix Forest - Monroe Township
The County acquired the 100-acre Matchaponix Forest property in 2008. It was zoned for residential use. The area consists of upland areas covered with pine, beech, and oaks. A series of wetlands and streams drain the property, and flow into the nearby Matchaponix Brook—a tributary of the Manalapan Brook. In the Lenape language, matchaponix means "land of poor bread."

Story Farm - Monroe Township
The 107-acre Story Farm was purchased by the County in 2017. The property is a mix of farm fields and wooded areas and played a significant role in the Battle of Monmouth and the Revolutionary War. This site is currently undeveloped.

Peter J. Barnes III Wildlife Preserve - Edison and South Plainfield
Middlesex County has preserved more than 120 acres in the environmentally sensitive Peter J. Barnes III Wildlife Preserve, protecting wetlands and wildlife.

Helping to Protect our Native Pollinators!

Visitors to Davidson's Mill Pond Park may observe odd structures in the fields and meadows. In July 2015, as part of his Eagle Scout Service Project, Patrick Fitzgerald built and installed a series of pollinator boxes and pollinator hotels to benefit native plants and their pollinating insects which are in decline. Visit the Davidson's Mill Pond Page for more information on these pollinator boxes!

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