Mordecai Land Trust Marks 25th Year with Living Shoreline Project
joycemedia2026-07-30T12:01:48-04:00This month the Mordecai Land Trust in Beach Haven celebrates 25 years as a New Jersey nonprofit corporation, its mission now and from its inception to protect and preserve Mordecai Island.
The island is located in the bay off the Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club, where the land trust was formed.
Linda Colgan, land trust president, said according to early Mordecai newsletters, members of Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club, who had been stewards of the island since it was donated to them in 1960, approved the transfer of Mordecai Island to the trust on July 20, 2001.
“The club recognized that to preserve Mordecai from continued erosion, public support was needed and that transfer to a nonprofit organization would be needed to approve any anti-erosion projects,” she said.
The claw-shaped island currently covers 45 acres, although at one time it consisted of more than 70 acres.
According to the land trust, the island protects Beach Haven’s western edge from storms and at the same time serves as a habitat for a variety of species of wildlife that includes migrating birds, shore birds and a number of threatened species. Over the years, the land trust has been involved in temporary measures to stave off erosion. In the beginning these included dredging projects along with geotube placement and grass plantings. More recently, the land trust in partnership with ReClam the Bay installed oyster castles near the island’s western shore.
But the main agency involved in restoring the island is the Army Corps of Engineers, which is assisted by the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies. Colgan said the recommended plan for the project consists of a rubble mound living shoreline breakwater that extends 3,000 linear feet on the western side of Mordecai Island; the placement of up to 30,000 cubic yards of sand dredged from the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway; and planting marsh vegetation on approximately 11 acres of restored intertidal marsh habitat after dredged materials from the Intracoastal Waterway are placed. The Corps will be responsible for monitoring, repair and replacement of the breakwater for five years after completion of the project. After that, the land trust becomes responsible for monitoring and any repair of the breakwater.
“It has taken more than 20 years to bring the project from beginning feasibility studies toward completion,” Colgan said. “It’s taken a long time to get to this point, with dedicated people from the Army Corps and the DEP working with the trust. Because of everyone’s hard work and perseverance, we’re almost there.”
Colgan said the ACE is targeting fall 2027 construction for the rubble mound breakwater, with designs nearing completion. Final designs and related steps will support solicitation of a construction contract.
“Given the island is an island off an island, in this case LBI, the project will call for construction from the water off the western shoreline of Mordecai,” she said. “As a state and federal backed project seeking to protect Mordecai Island from navigation impacts, the project has involved environmental review, and all steps will be taken to minimize impacts on the surrounding environment.”
Colgan said most of the funding comes from federal and state sources; the land trust’s share is 6.2%.
“We’re not going to know the final project costs until the bids come in,” she said.
Colgan said the land trust will hold a special anniversary meeting on Sunday, Aug, 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. on the third floor of the yacht club. A presentation on the land trust’s history and the “Mordecai Story” is scheduled. The public is welcome to attend.
For more information, call Colgan at 610-761-2652.
The land trust looks to benefit from a “Boutique By the Bay” event on Thursday, Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second floor of the yacht club. Admission is free; 20% of the proceeds from items purchased will go to the trust.
Lauren Baker, who with Maggie Zeugner, Jess Davidson and Alison Sorrentino is coordinating the event, said browsers can expect to find women’s clothing, home goods, jewelry and more.
“The public is invited,” said Baker. “This is not just something for the yacht cub members.”
For more information on the boutique, call Baker at 917-589-2112.
— Eric Englund