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The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

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The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Pine Barrens Program Area

 

Pine Barrens map

 
 
 

Places to Visit

East Plains Preserve
Forked River Mountain Preserve
Hirst Ponds Preserve
Oswego River Preserve


Field Guide
Learn more about this project in the online Field Guide.
 

Pine Barrens Fact Sheet
Download our fact sheet
(.pdf, 516 KB) 
 

Pygmy Pines

Pygmy Pines
© Damon Noe


Spanning more than one million acres, the Pine Barrens is the most extensive undeveloped area on the eastern sea-board between Boston, Massachusetts and Richmond, Virginia. The region harbors the largest example of pitch pine barrens
on Earth as well as globally rare pygmy pine forests. These fire-shaped landscapes rely on natural fire regimes or ecologically prescribed burns to survive. Mixed pine and oak forests and Atlantic white cedar swamps also thrive here, as well as many threatened plants and animals including curly grass fern (Schizaea pusilla) and pine barrens treefrog (Hyla andersonii).

The Progress: Lasting Results
In the Pine Barrens, we’ve safeguarded nearly 3,400 acres at four nature preserves. These special places include the 520-acre Oswego River Preserve which spans diverse natural communities; Forked River Mountain Preserve, 1,740 acres linking neighboring protected lands to form an impressive greenway; and the Berkeley Triangle Project, a donation from a developer of nearly 4,500 acres, now protected and open to the public.

The Partnerships: How We Work
The Conservancy protects places where plants, animals, and natural communities can survive for generations to come. We use science to identify and preserve ecoregions—large geographic areas of land and water defined by climate, vegetation, geology, and other natural patterns. Conservation by Design, a systematic, science-based strategy helps us identify and preserve the most critical areas for long-term protection of plants, animals, and natural communities in the Pine Barrens.

We use creative conservation strategies that achieve lasting results by finding common ground in local communities. We believe in balancing human and ecological needs. We acquire land, work with conservation minded-landowners, and forge partnerships with public and private groups to protect natural areas for future generations.

Using our science-based conservation as well as our creative partnerships and strategies, we’re addressing threats to the Pine Barrens’ natural heritage—alterations to natural fire regimes and inappropriate development. We use science to promote ecological fire management to protect fragile fireshaped landscapes and natural communities. We also monitor the health of other plants, animals,
and natural communities. Our creative partnerships with the Pinelands Preservation Alliance, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the Forked River Mountain Coalition, state and local agencies, the agricultural community, and corporations have also helped preserve the natural heritage of this special place.