interstitialRedirectModalTitle

interstitialRedirectModalMessage

Places We Protect

Gandy’s Beach Preserve

New Jersey

A large group of shorebirds take flight over the grassy area near a beach with the ocean in the distance.
Gandy’s Beach Preserve Shorebirds rely on the beaches and marshes of Gandy’s Beach. © Erika Nortemann/TNC

The shoreline and tidal marshes near Gandy’s Beach act as a natural buffer from storm effects to the local community.

Overview

Description

Gandy’s Beach Preserve, located along an undeveloped shoreline on the Delaware Bay, provides valuable habitat for a variety of fish, migratory birds, horseshoe crabs and other wildlife. The shoreline and tidal marshes near Gandy’s Beach and Money Island act as a natural buffer from storm effects to the homes, businesses and roads in this area of Downe Township. Over time these vulnerable areas have eroded badly—in fact, the Gandy’s Beach shoreline has shrunk by nearly 500 feet since 1930.

The Nature Conservancy teamed up with The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, Rutgers University, and other organizations at Gandy’s Beach and Money Island to increase the resiliency of tidal marsh, beach and oyster habitats to impacts of climate change and sea level rise. Strategies included installing oyster reef breakwaters, coir logs, and vegetation along the Gandy’s Beach shoreline and Nantuxent Creek.

Access

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

During the shorebird migration in May and June, the beach is closed.

Hours

Open year-round during daylight hours.

Highlights

Bird-watching, beach access, Delaware Bay views

Size

2,485 acres

Explore our work in New Jersey

Nearby Preserves

Can’t get enough of nature? Visit The Nature Conservancy’s other nearby preserves.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

See The Complete Map