On Earth Day, April 22, residents of Fair Haven and other neighboring communities (Little Silver, Rumson and Red Bank) are invited to join members of the borough’s Natural Area Committee and Shade Tree Commission in a team opportunity to “care for a treasure that improves all of our lives.”

That treasure is the Fair Haven Fields Natural Area, the approximately 40 acre recreational facility whose trails regularly hosts a wide range of open-air activities for community members of all ages (in addition to the occasional warm-weather movie night). And beginning that Saturday morning, the community has a chance to give back to a resource that keeps on giving year-round.

Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to meet at the community gardens area (parking area is accessed on the north side of Ridge Road) at 9 a.m., at which time small teams will be organized and deployed on projects ranging from trail clean up to new plantings and much more. Volunteers are also asked to bring gloves, garden (hard) rakes, leaf rakes and spade shovels if possible.

As the project’s coordinator Christopher Rodriguez explains, “We are aiming to get an army of volunteers out in 2017 to dwarf previous years.” The project is expected to proceed “rain or shine,” and additional information can be obtained by emailing crod1972@gmail.com.