Celebrate preservation milestone
By: Michele S. Byers
When the Pinelands Protection Act was passed more than 25 years ago, not everyone was happy. But today more and more people are recognizing the foresight of the law that effectively preserved the Pinelands. October is Pinelands Month in New Jersey and a perfect opportunity to visit the Pine Barrens and find out what the past 25 years of fuss has been about.
The Pine Barrens are globally significant and have been recognized by the United Nations and state and federal governments. A Comprehensive Management Plan was adopted to protect, preserve and enhance the plants and animals as well as the cultural resources of the Pinelands.
The Comprehensive Management Plan has been remarkably effective. The Pinelands Reserve is the largest open space on the mid-Atlantic coast, with primordial swamps and vast forests of pygmy pine, oak and cedar. More than 350 kinds of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as well as 850 different kinds of plant species from the north and south, come together in the Pinelands at the limits of their respective ranges producing a unique diversity. And a massive underground aquifer system, estimated at 17 trillion gallons, provides some of the purest water in the country.
"Today, the Pinelands protection program is nationally and internationally renowned for its innovation and success," said John C. Stokes, executive director of the Pinelands Commission. As sprawl has covered so much of New Jersey, the contrast with the landscape of the Pinelands could not be greater.
Pinelands Month in October should not be missed. You can enjoy the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival on Oct. 21 and 22. Or take a Sunset Hayride through the Whitesbog cranberry bogs on Oct. 21 and stay for Pinelands songs and stories around the bonfire. On Oct. 28, join a Jersey Devil hunt at Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest, or celebrate "All Hallows Eve in the 1830s" on Oct. 29 at Allaire State Park. And of course, there are canoe and kayak trips along a number of Pinelands creeks throughout the month, as well as park cleanup days throughout the region.
These events just scratch the surface. Get a full calendar from the Pinelands Preservation Alliance at www.pinelandsalliance.org, or by calling (609) 859-8860. There is truly something for everyone, and you will always treasure a trip to the Pinelands.
Michele S. Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation. For more information, contact her at [email protected] or visit NJCF’s Web site at www.njconservation.org.

