A pavilion in the park provides shade from the sun and a place to relax.
Not everyone may know that there is a “marine forest” of trees, plants, flowers and wildlife in Sea Isle City.
Permanently protected as open space, this wooded refuge on 94th Street, at the foot of the Townsends Inlet Bridge, is one of the remaining places in the beach town not gobbled up by development.
Known as Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park, the tranquil hideaway will receive some improvements thanks to a $5,000 grant awarded to Sea Isle on Monday from Atlantic City Electric’s Sustainable Communities Grant Program.
Sea Isle spokeswoman Katherine Custer said the improvements are planned for 2025 and will generally enhance the natural beauty of what she called “the beloved park.”
Members of the Sea Isle Environmental Commission and city officials will discuss ideas for the improvements, Custer noted.
“It’s money that will be well-spent,” she said.
Sea Isle City officials celebrate the award of a $5,000 check from Atlantic City Electric’s Sustainable Communities Grant Program. (Photo courtesy of Sea Isle City)The park includes acres of pines, cedars and other trees, creating a lush, green canopy towering overhead. Dunegrass, bushes and plants blanket the ground to add to the forest-like surroundings. The park, despite being just steps from the busy summer beaches, is a serene oasis classified as a “maritime forest.”
The park overlooks Townsends Inlet in the southern tip of Sea Isle. However, not everyone who visits, or even lives in Sea Isle, may be familiar with it.
“It is a park that gets a lot of use. But not a lot of people may know about it because it’s in the inlet,” Custer said.
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.
Sea Isle’s forestry plan began in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in 2013. It provides guidelines and objectives for the inventory, maintenance and improvement of the parks, streetscapes, landscaping and vegetation throughout the island.
Townsends Inlet Waterfront Park includes boardwalk-style pathways through the wooded refuge.When entering Townsends Inlet Waterfront 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 plant life.
The park’s natural vegetation serves as a habitat for wildlife and also attracts Monarch butterflies.
One sign describes how 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.
Boardwalks and sandy pathways wind through the wooded area, giving visitors a close-up view of the trees, plants and wildlife.
A big, blue "Beachcombing" sign marks the way to the start of the tour.A pavilion provides shade from the sun and a place to relax. Over the years, the pavilion has also served as the setting for weddings, family portraits and other special occasions.
Townsends Inlet beach is just a few steps from the waterfront park. In summer, the park serves as a gathering point for the city’s family-friendly beachcombing tours along Townsends Inlet.
“Hundreds of hundreds of people do the beachcombing,” Custer said of the popularity of the weekly summer tours.
