The Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF) is our county's only continuing land-trust organization. Our mission and challenge is to keep Monmouth County's uniqueness preserved for future generations. Each year, our population continues to grow and, today, well exceeds 600,000. As more farmlands and open spaces are developed into residential communities the unique character of our community becomes compromised.Monmouth County's 665 square miles is known for its beauty and diversity of land, flora and fauna. Our County offers a rich blend of rural, suburban, and urban lifestyles that make it one of the most desirable areas on the East Coast for people to live and raise families. That desirability is due in large measure to keeping open spaces and avoiding the sprawl and density that have plagued other communities. The MCF's ongoing and persistent efforts today to preserve our open lands and keep our fragile ecosystem healthy will determine what Monmouth County means for future generations.