Lenape Park is located on Route 523 (Sergeantsville Road), one mile south of the Township Police Station & Municipal Building. This park contains a 5,200 foot walking trail (80 feet short of a mile), picnic grove with tables and grills, a children’s tot play lot, four Little League fields, three girl’s softball fields, two major league fields, four soccer fields and four basketball courts. A pavilion has been constructed and is ready for use. To reserve the above fields, call Public Works Department at 782-1695.

Mine Brook Park is located on Old Croton Road and Capner Street. This park has a pavilion with tables and grills for picnics, a children’s tot lot, a half mile walking trail, sand volleyball court and a boccie ball court. For pavilion reservations, please call Flemington-Raritan Recreation at 908-782-7094.

Morales Nature Preserve is located on Capner Street and Old Croton Road across from Minebrook Park. This park contains 2.12 miles of walking trails through wooded areas to observe nature.

Lone Cedar Park/Nature Preserve is located off Packers Island Lane which is located off River Road. The park is a preserve of 62 acres open for the enjoyment of nature enthusiasts. Park vehicles on Packers Island Lane and walk the mowed circle and enjoy the view. There are benches located along the trail for resting or bird watching.

Blackwell Park is located on the corner of Everitts Road and Lavada Lane. This is a new park opening in the Spring of 2009. The park has seven (7) acres, developed with a 1,865 foot walking trail, a children’s tot lot, a basketball court and open area for general use.

Remember that the Township has both a LEASH and POOPER SCOOPER LAW. Please keep your animals under control and our parks clean by cleaning up after your pets. Have a wonderful and safe summer and enjoy your parks!

Raritan Township Declares Township Parks “Pesticide Free Zones”.  The Raritan Township Committee has passed a resolution adopting the New Jersey Environmental Federation’s pesticide reduction policy as the Township’s Pest Management Policy. This policy will designate certain public properties in Raritan Township such as Mine Brook Park and Morales Nature Preserve as “Pesticide Free Zones”. These Pesticide Free Zones will be tended by the Raritan Township Public Works Department without harmful chemical herbicides and pesticides used to kill weeds and insects. Cost effective and environmentally friendly alternatives to herbicides and pesticides include: hand pulling weeds, mulching areas properly to prevent weeds, planting native plants that do not attract insects, reducing or eliminating lawns to cut down on the need for watering, fertilizing and mowing.

Join the River-Friendly Resident Program! The New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA, www.njwsa.org http://www.njwsa.org/) implements a suite of River-Friendly programs, including those for Golf Courses, Businesses and Residents. Through these programs, NJWSA works with landowners to improve water quality by implementing actions in 4 categories:

Water Quality Management & Nonpoint Source Pollution Management,
Water Conservation
Native Habitat & Wildlife Enhancement, and
Education & Outreach.

The voluntary River-Friendly Golf Course and Business programs are a cooperative effort between the participants and NJWSA. They provide an opportunity for landowners to become local stewards, to showcase positive environmental actions they have already taken and to work with NJWSA to implement new practices. Participating landowners receive ongoing technical information, support and guidance for implementing environmental actions tailored to their unique location, resources and needs.

The River-Friendly Farm program, administered by North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council (www.njriverfriendlyfarm.org) and the Raritan Watershed Agricultural Committee, uses a set of five criteria, including nutrient management, pest management, riparian buffers, soil loss and irrigation water management. Several local farms are participating in the program. Contact Abigail Jones at (908)-735-0733 x102 or ajones@northjerseyrcd.org. Residents can fill out a self-certification questionnaire at www.njwsa.org/wpu to receive recognition as a River-Friendly Resident. The questionnaire includes questions about lawn management practices, water conservation and septic system management. This quick and easy questionnaire is a resident’s pledge to manage their property in a responsible manner to help protect our drinking water resources and the environment. Technical assistance is available to residents who wish to implement River Friendly actions on their property. Certified residents receive a River-Friendly Resident reusable shopping bag to acknowledge their commitment to protecting water resources. For more information on any of these programs, contact Tara Petti, (908)-685-0315, x233 or tpetti@raritanbasin.org.