DEP Announces Addition to Malibu Beach Wildlife
Management Area
Fulfills Governor's Promise to Increase Fishing
Access
(04/113) Trenton -- Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today
announced the preservation of the final remaining open space
parcel adjacent to the Malibu Beach Wildlife Management
Area in Egg Harbor Township, Atlantic County. DEP will manage
the beachfront property as part of the Malibu Beach Wildlife
Management Area.
"This is a victory for anyone who has ever spent time
in New Jersey's coastal regions," said Governor James
E. McGreevey. "Our beaches are among our state's greatest
treasures. With the preservation of these 29 acres, we are
ensuring the Malibu Beach area remains a place for New Jersey
families to enjoy for generations to come."
The newly preserved property is located at the foot of
a new bridge that spans Great Egg Harbor Inlet, connecting
Longport in Egg Harbor Township and Ocean City, Cape May
County. It includes nearly one mile of beachfront, a pond
and uplands. The beachfront provides habitat for waterfowl
including black duck and mallards and the threatened least
tern and piping plover. In addition, the property serves
as a stopover for migratory shore birds including red knots,
sandpipers, ruddy turnstones and dunlins during the spring
and fall.
"The preservation of this Malibu Beach parcel will
protect threatened species habitat, restore vulnerable wetlands
and provide opportunities for fishing," said Commissioner
Campbell. "This acquisition will provide additional
outdoor amenities including enhanced ocean views and fishing
access and increased access to the wildlife management area
by adding parking spaces."
The DEP Green Acres Program acquired the Malibu Beach property,
which will be open to the public, for $975,000. The New
Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) will reimburse
Green Acres for the purchase price of the land. DOT will
restore wetlands on a portion of the property near the pond
and Longport Boulevard to mitigate impacts from a nearby
bridge project on Route 52. In addition, DOT will remove
concrete rubble from the site.
"Under Governor McGreevey's leadership, the DOT is
committed to making preservation of open space a priority,"
said DOT Commissioner Jack Lettiere. "We are working
closely with Commissioner Campbell to ensure projects like
the Route 52 Causeway replacement contribute to the protection
of New Jersey's natural treasures."
Under the terms of the permit for the new bridge, the Cape
May County Bridge Commission will make several improvements
to the site. These projects include the transformation of
the old Longport Bridge into a fishing pier and the demolition
of a building on the newly acquired Green Acres parcel.
In addition, the Cape May County Bridge Commission will
remove billboards on the property to enhance the views of
Great Egg Harbor Inlet, Longport and Ocean City. A parking
area will be created to enhance public access to the fishing
pier, which is a popular site for bass, blackfish and tautog
fishing.
The purchase of this property reflects Governor McGreevey's
commitment to expand public access to fishing waters. On
April 13, 2002, Governor McGreevey directed DEP to use Green
Acres funds to purchase access rights along productive fishing
streams that allow the public to wade and walk along the
streambed and banks in key areas of the state. In response,
DEP purchased 43 properties, including the Malibu Beach
property, which provide fishing access to the public. The
properties are located in thirteen counties throughout the
state and comprise 3,662 acres of permanently protected
open space.
The DEP Green Acres Program purchases land to protect environmentally
sensitive open space, water resources and other significant
natural and historical open space. Land acquired becomes
part of the statewide system of parks and forest, wildlife
management areas and natural areas.
Since Governor McGreevey took office, the Green Acres Program
has acquired 68,952 acres of open space- 45,873 acres for
state projects, 11,797 acres for local projects and 11,282
acres for nonprofit groups. To date, the Green Acres Program
has protected more than 551,358 acres of open space and
provided funding to develop hundreds of parks statewide.
The statewide system of preserved open space and farmland
totals more than 1.27 million acres.
|