Kathy Buchan lived across the street and she was not happy with this unauthorized dump in her neighborhood. She asked neighbors, and then city officials, who owned it. Finding it was city property, she began attending meetings of various boards and the city council where she made a friend with the Mayor, John Pallone. He suggested that she join the city Green Team, and she did.  

 

From that launch pad and talking to residents and neighbors, she got those interested to back a clean-up. The city public works department pitched in with equipment and expertise and the trash was eventually removed. Then it was a question of what came next. But with a corps of supporters, the Jackson Woods organization was formed to care for and protect the area. It is now a park just off Ocean Avenue in Long Branch with blooming daffodils each spring and pathways and places to sit and enjoy nature. Improving a degraded site to benefit all is a cause to celebrate.