Ocean County voters will be asked this November to consider increasing funding for the county’s longstanding Natural Lands Trust Fund, a program that has preserved tens of thousands of acres of open space and farmland over the past three decades.

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners plans to place a referendum on the November ballot seeking to raise the trust fund’s dedicated tax rate from 1.2 cents to 2.2 cents per $100 of total county equalized real property valuation.

According to county officials, the increase is intended to help keep pace with rising land acquisition and preservation costs while ensuring that future conservation efforts can continue.

“Over the last 30 years, while the open space tax has remained the same, the cost of purchasing and preserving the land has continued to rise,” said Ocean County Commissioner Director Frank Sadeghi, who serves as a co-liaison to the program. “This proposed increase would allow for additional funding to support the continued land preservation and conservation efforts throughout the County.”

Since its establishment in 1998, the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund has preserved more than 30,000 acres of open space and over 3,600 acres of farmland. Overall, nearly 186,000 acres — approximately 47 percent of Ocean County — have been preserved through a combination of federal, state, county, and local efforts.

Commissioner Rob Arace said continued preservation is especially important as Ocean County experiences rapid population growth.

“Ocean County continues to grow in population size, with it being the highest population change in all 21 counties in New Jersey according to the 2024 census survey,” Arace said. “We as a Board want to make sure that the County continues to prioritize preservation as a way to ensure that the natural character of Ocean County stays intact.”

Arace noted that the program has helped protect environmentally sensitive lands, provide buffers around Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and limit development in key areas.

The trust fund was first approved by voters in 1997, when residents in all 33 municipalities supported the creation of a dedicated funding source for land preservation. The program was expanded in 2019 through another referendum, allowing funds to be used not only for land acquisition but also for recreation projects and historic preservation efforts.

Under the program, properties must be formally nominated for consideration and can only be acquired from willing sellers. Any proposed acquisition must also receive approval from the local governing body and meet environmental or conservation objectives established by the program.

In advance of the upcoming referendum, county officials have launched a new website detailing current preservation projects, land maintenance efforts, habitat restoration initiatives, and potential grant opportunities. The site also provides information about the proposed tax increase and its anticipated impact on future preservation efforts.

The Board of Commissioners is expected to formally approve the ballot question at a future meeting.