Clinton Township Newsletter

1 8 f e b r u a r y 2 0 2 4 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M "Green Acres is the place to be! Farm livin' is the life for me! Land spreadin' out so far and wide..." This month, Clinton 3Q caught up with the Chair of the Clinton Township Open Space Committee and Director of the Clinton Township Deer Management Program, Mike Aversa, to chat about some open spaces! C3Q: Hello, Mike! How did you get involved with the Open Space Committee, and what is it, for people who might not be familiar? MA: My family moved here in 1981, my children went through Clinton Township schools, and about five years ago, I got involved with the Clinton Township Open Space Committee. It's a volunteer group, which is an advisory committee for the Township. At present, there are eight people in the group. The objective is simple: we're always looking for properties to acquire and preserve as Open Space, in lieu of them being developed, to keep the atmosphere of Clinton Township rural. Often when Open Space acquires a property, we put hiking trails on it so that people have recreational access. The money to purchase properties comes from a combination of things; money is available from the county and state through Green Acres grants, and also from local property taxes. When Open Space is interested in a property, we have to get two appraisals done to determine the value of the property, then we average them for the offer price. Ultimately, the land owner decides whether to sell to Open Space or not, and all we can do is make an offer. Clinton Township has some wonderful properties preserved through the Open Space Program. These properties are preserved for conservation and recreation, such as Windy Acres, Bray's Hill Preserve, and Prostak Farm, (as well as others listed on the Clinton Township Open Space website). C3Q: What makes Open Space important, in your opinion, and are there ways for people to get involved? MA: If someone is looking to sell a property, they can reach out to the Open Space group. We have been contacted about properties by the county, landowners, and realtors. Open Space is so important because it's one of the ways that people can ensure that not every parcel of land in Clinton Township becomes developed. Recently there has been a lot of discussion about development in our area. If people want to get involved, the best way is to go to the Township's Council and Planning Board meetings and voice their concerns. When a development is already in process, it's very difficult at that point. When addressing the Master Plan for the Township, that is the time that people need to come and listen and express their views. On the Township website, https://clintontwpnj. g o v / b o a r d s - c o m m i s s i o n s / o p e n - s p a c e - advisory-committee, you can request email notifications of meetings as well as the meeting agenda. As for ways to help, there are always new projects and additions to our Open Space properties. For example, last year, on the Windy Acres property, w e h a d w i l d f l o w e r s a n d beehives added, so that was a real benefit for pollinators. We are always looking for volunteers to help. T h e r e a r e n e e d s f o r new signage for trails, parking, installing signs, and trail maintenance. We've had Girl Scout and Boy Scout groups help with making benches and other projects, and it's a wonderful way to earn service hours or contribute to the community. Open Space always welcomes groups or individuals coming to us with ideas for a project, or who are willing to donate their time. C3Q: Great to know! Also, I know that deer hunting season is just coming to a close...You have been instrumental in beginning a Deer Management Program in Clinton Township, can you tell us a bit about that? MA: In 1995, along with Joe Schultz and Les Guise, we began the Deer Management Program in Clinton. A lot of hunters shoot one deer for the season and they are done. We were trying to reduce the abundant New Jersey deer population which impacts automobile safety, gardens, forests, and farms. The objective was to have a donation program where hunters could donate their deer to help feed the hungry. Food banks often have difficulty getting red meat protein, so they're always grateful for these venison donations. In the organization's first year there were six deer donated and last year we were just shy of 1,000 donations. According to the Clinton Township Police Department, the number of vehicle collisions due to deer have been reduced significantly. Every deer provides 30-40 lbs of venison, and it really helps the community. Certain Open Space properties are utilized for the program. The ones that are large and away from developments are preferable, because there's lots of room for hunters to hunt a safe distance away from residents. Signs mark the areas where there is hunting in progress, and hunters know to stay away from hiking trails and areas. There are strict safety procedures, and hikers have priority. (However, it is a good reminder to always wear orange when hiking during hunting season. Make sure to put orange on your pet as well, and keep them leashed on Open Space property at all times). Note that some properties are for archery only. The details of how to join the program are on the website: https://clintontwpnj.gov/deer-management- program. Basically, there are applications for teams of two or three people, age eighteen and up, who submit which properties they're interested in hunting, and those property designations are distributed by lottery. We require the hunters to take a lot of does (female deer), due to the objective of the program. There's a required summer orientation meeting for every hunter involved. Last year, we had thirteen teams participate in the program, and there is room for growth. Applications for the 2024-2025 hunting season go live in May 2024 from the Open Space website. Thank you, Mike, and hope to see you and everyone out enjoying the trails! n Rachel Sprague, a resident of Clinton Township, has a degree in journalism from Rutgers. With her husband Russell, Rachel is raising two young children in the Clinton Township School District. She thinks that Clinton Township is a delightful place to live. Welcome to with Rachel Sprague * C linton ree Questions * The Clinton Township Open Space Committee and amazing volunteers conduct a successful Bulk Tree Planting Day at Windy Acres in April 2023.

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