About
Ocean County Parks & Recreation Programs include outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, and hunting, along with access to ball fields, tennis courts, and playgrounds. The program also offers organized hikes, van tours and trips, educational classes, art classes, wellness programs, Pre-K fun, and senior exercise classes. Virtual Nature Lessons are hosted by Park Naturalists, and special events include the Annual Decoy and Gunning Show in Tuckerton, the Beach Ball Blast in Berkeley Township, the Pine Barrens Jamboree, The Awesome Autumn Festival, and Touch-A-Truck.
Ocean County Parks and Recreation oversees 27 parks and conservation areas with over 4000 acres of preserved and maintained land, and more than 17,000 acres of land for public use through the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program, including over 13,000 acres available for hunting. The department maintains two public golf courses, Forge Pond Golf Course and Atlantis Golf Course. Forge Pond Golf Course was ranked in the top 20 public golf courses to play in New Jersey by Golf Advisor, and Atlantis Golf Course is described as a much longer course than Forge Pond and to some golf enthusiasts one of the best layouts in the state of New Jersey. Ocean County Commissioner Robert S. Arace serves as Commissioner Liaison to the Ocean County Parks & Recreation Department, and Mary Jane Bavais is the Director. The Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program was established in 1997, and the Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission was formed in 1969. The Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission runs peer reviewed grant programs distributing nearly $2 million, provides technical support, produces nearly 50,000 copies of Out & About, and leads historic preservation efforts.
Last updated July 8, 2026.
Ocean County Parks and Recreation oversees 27 parks and conservation areas with over 4000 acres of preserved and maintained land, and more than 17,000 acres of land for public use through the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program, including over 13,000 acres available for hunting. The department maintains two public golf courses, Forge Pond Golf Course and Atlantis Golf Course. Forge Pond Golf Course was ranked in the top 20 public golf courses to play in New Jersey by Golf Advisor, and Atlantis Golf Course is described as a much longer course than Forge Pond and to some golf enthusiasts one of the best layouts in the state of New Jersey. Ocean County Commissioner Robert S. Arace serves as Commissioner Liaison to the Ocean County Parks & Recreation Department, and Mary Jane Bavais is the Director. The Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Program was established in 1997, and the Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission was formed in 1969. The Ocean County Cultural & Heritage Commission runs peer reviewed grant programs distributing nearly $2 million, provides technical support, produces nearly 50,000 copies of Out & About, and leads historic preservation efforts.
Last updated July 8, 2026.
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