Sea Isle City Looks to Preserve Natural Resources as Green Space

By Donald Wittkowski Acres of pines, cedars and other trees create a lush, green canopy towering overhead. Dunegrass, bushes and plants blanket the ground to add to the forest-like surroundings. Permanently protected as open space, this wooded refuge overlooking Townsends Inlet at the southern tip of Sea Isle City is one of the remaining places in the beach town not already gobbled up by development. The Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park is one of the centerpieces of Sea Isle’s Community Forestry Management Plan, an environmentally-friendly program that protects the natural resources on the barrier island. At its meeting Tuesday, City Council accepted a $3,000 Green Communities Grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Parks and Forestry that will help Sea Isle to update its forestry plan. “The plan recognizes that the city, a barrier island and seashore resort community, experiences a unique set of opportunities and challenges,” explained George Savastano, Sea Isle’s business administrator. Tall trees dominate the Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park, which is considered a maritime forest. Sea Isle’s forestry plan began in partnership with the DEP in 2013. It provides guidelines and objectives for the inventory, maintenance and improvement of the parks, streetscapes, landscaping and vegetation throughout the island. “One of the most important aspects of the city is that it owns and controls virtually all of the park, streetscape and naturally occurring tree assets within its boundaries. The city indicates, through this plan, its intention to protect and enhance the city’s tree resources, including parks and streetscapes,” Savastano said. One of the city’s most significant natural assets is the wooded area at the Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park, which has been identified as a maritime forest, Savastano noted. Located on 94th Street, at the foot of the Townsends Inlet Bridge, the park consists of picnic areas, walkways and a pavilion amid the trees and vegetation. In summer, the park serves as a gathering point for the city’s family-friendly beachcombing tours along Townsends Inlet. Walkways cut through the wooded areas, allowing visitors to enjoy the park's scenery without trampling on the fragile plantlife. When entering the park, visitors immediately see a sign declaring the area as a state Green Acres site that is “dedicated to permanent recreation and open space.” Other signs sprinkled through the park educate the public about the wildlife and plantlife. One sign indicates that the majestic Monarch butterflies use the park as a stopover during their annual migration from Mexico to the United States to lay their eggs. Visitors can also read about the importance of the American beachgrass, commonly known as dunegrass, that covers the park grounds. The dunegrass sign also reminds visitors to use the walkways, instead of trampling on the fragile vegetation, with the words “Don’t tread on me!” Visitors learn about the annual migration of Monarch butterflies from one of the educational signs in the park.