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Clearing at Scudder Preserve. Photo by Jena Cosimo. — Photo by Jena Cosimo

Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF), Monmouth County's only land trust, has become a landowner for the first time.

Driving through the hills of the Navesink section of Middletown, lies a hidden gem – the Scudder Preserve. The 90-acre property is split by Browns Dock Road, that leads to the ridge overlooking the Navesink River and comprising Huber Woods, a Monmouth County Park.

Scudder Preserve’s 30-acre eastern parcel and 60-acre western parcel contain extensive wooded areas with century forest, natural trails connecting to Huber Woods, wetlands, vernal ponds, multiple grassy meadows, a main house with landscaping, and accessory buildings. Water features include two eastern ponds, a western pond, wetland areas, and Claypit Creek, which runs through the Preserve and feeds into the Navesink River, a Category 1 waterbody.

After overseeing the site’s conservation easements for decades, MCF took over ownership of the Scudder Preserve from New Jersey Audubon (NJA) Society, which we jointly announced in April 2024. An organizational first to possess our own land, this Preserve provides a future homebase and opportunities for continuing to share the bounty of nature with all residents.

“MCF is excited to enter this new chapter. The Scudder Preserve is an important natural habitat, which offers tremendous opportunities for us to have a physical space for engaging with the public, conducting educational programming and demonstration projects for conservation and habitat restoration,” said MCF President, Matthew Cohen.

The property was originally owned by Richard “Dick” Scudder (1913-2012) and his predeceased wife, Elizabeth “Libby” Scudder (1920 – 2004). It was preserved through conservation easements donated to MCF from 1983 to 1999. In 2007 Dick donated the 60 west side acres to NJA, and in 2012 the remaining 30 acres and homestead were gifted to the organization in his will.

If the family name Scudder sounds familiar, Dick Scudder appeared in the masthead of newspapers in almost any major city throughout the nation, as the publisher. In fact, he was a noted journalist before taking on the role of publisher. In co-founding Media NewsGroup, he became the nation’s second largest news outlet publisher. Dick was not only an entrepreneur and inventor, but he also pioneered newspaper recycling and started an industry and a company that now continues to be one of the nation's large paper recyclers. He was, as his daughter, Jeannie, described, devoted to nurturing and preserving land.

A Nature Lover’s Oasis

The NJDEP Connecting Habitat Across New Jersey (CHANJ) project identified the Scudder Preserve as core wildlife habitat contiguous to 400-acre Huber Woods Park (part of Monmouth County Park System) and a 38-acre MCF-preserved farm. The area’s habitat features a variety of wildlife species, including threatened, endangered, and other important birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, and flowering plants.

“From the beautiful woods full of enormous tulip and oak trees, mountain laurel and wild azaleas, to the plentiful bird life, pond, and hundreds of blooming plants, our parents, Dick and Libby, nurtured and shared their land generously during their lifetime and made sure it was conserved. We look forward to the years ahead, where Monmouth Conservation Foundation will continue our family’s respect for and stewardship of this very special place, providing joy and safety to both people and the plants and animals that depend on its protection”

— Jeannie Scudder, daughter of Dick and Libby Scudder

Photo by Bill Kastning

Photo by Jena Cosimo

MCF’s multi-year plan will bring environmental and forestry experts to Scudder to conduct a comprehensive natural resource inventory and devise restoration and management plans for the site. Specifically, these measures will address the changing climate and provide the organization with the ability to model innovative, nature-based solutions for resiliency in our coastal communities.

Future Enhancements for Sustainability and Accessibility

Today, the 90-acre Scudder Preserve under MCF’s ownership will not only continue to be a sanctuary for nature and people for generations to come, but also be enhanced for better public access. Currently the site is open to the public but not universally accessible and not widely used.

Plans also include assessment for public access and a strategy to address those needs. Finally, MCF will be able to build and launch an educational outreach program to deliver programs on-site and remotely that invigorate and engage students who are the future generation land stewards and conservationists the world needs.

“I am very grateful to the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, especially board members Valerie Montecalvo and Jennifer Beck, who helped champion the continued preservation of the historic Scudder property,” said Middletown Mayor Tony Perry. “Middletown will continue to partner with both government agencies and nonprofit organizations to maintain and protect Middletown’s quality of life.”

Looking Ahead

To achieve MCF’s vision for Scudder Preserve will require considerable funding from grants, private donations, and organizations who support our shared goals. MCF has secured an initial $1 million donation from an anonymous donor to support costs related to the acquisition and future activities at the site. This seed money will help MCF make the Scudder Preserve a model property for its inherent beauty and fulfill Dick Scudder’s wishes that provide a conservation legacy for all residents.

“This remarkable gift enables MCF to solidify our organizational relevancy long into the future. In our 47 years, MCF has often acted behind the scenes to help preserve some of Monmouth’s most cherished parks, green spaces, and farms. Having our own preserve will allow us to engage with our community directly, model sustainable practices, and hopefully excite future generations to carry on our work to #KeepMonmouthGreen. ”

— Bill Kastning, MCF’s Executive Director

MCF’s impetus for becoming a landowner was its strategic vision to establish a hands-on education and outreach plan to reach Monmouth County residents of all ages, focused on environmental sustainability and quality of life related to its mission. The organization rolled out a new three-year strategic plan in summer 2023 to re-establish and expand K-12 educational initiatives and devise a plan for land ownership.

This trend toward land ownership is growing in the land trust community because there is only so much land remaining that is not yet developed or preserved, and at some point, land trusts will focus primarily on fostering their protected lands. Thus, land trusts nationwide (including MCF) are thinking long-term about their changing role. In MCF’s case, our vision is to focus on educational outreach to immediately increase awareness and rally support for and involvement in land conservation, and into the future, continue to educate the public on environmental sustainability.

We look forward to seeing you at MCF’s Scudder Preserve and having you join us for the positive changes to come to the site.