
Who owns the NJ Pine Barrens?
Approximately 50 percent of the Pinelands National Reserve is owned publicly. This includes Municipal, County, State, and Federal holdings and facilities. The other 50 percent is privately owned and includes home owners, farmers, business, corporations, and nonprofit organizations.
What is a person from the Pine Barrens?
Piney is a historically derogatory term for the inhabitants of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, but is now considered a cultural demonym. The Pine Barrens have sandy, acidic soil considered unsuitable for traditional farming by early settlers, who called the land "barren".
What makes the Pine Barrens special?
The “Pine Barrens” is the special ecosystem that is marked by acidic, low-nutrient water and soils – and all the species of plants and wildlife that are adapted to these challenging conditions. Today, as throughout our history, human beings depend on the health and vitality of the Pine Barrens' ecosystems.
How did Pine Barrens get its name?
They cleared farms around the Pine Barrens, but found the sandy soils of the barrens itself unwelcoming for farm crops – hence the name “Pine Barrens.” Rather than farm, European settlers exploited the Pine Barrens for its natural resources of timber, bog iron and sand.
How deep is the Blue Hole in New Jersey?
100 feetAt its deepest point, the Blue Hole is 100 feet (30 m) The bottom appears to consist of sand rather than mud. Swimming and diving in the Blue Hole are both illegal, but not enforced. It remains a popular swimming spot during the summer.
Are there towns in the Pine Barrens?
Towns of the Pine Barrens, including Chatsworth, Hammonton, Barnegat, Tuckerton and more.
Where did the Russian go in pine barrens?
OK, this is what happened. Some Boy Scouts found the Russian, who had the telephone number to his boss, Slava, in his pocket. They called Slava, who took him to the hospital where he had brain surgery. Then Slava sent him back to Russia.
Are there bears in the Pine Barrens?
The Pine Barrens lost its top predators black bears, cougars and wolves, long ago to hunting and trapping, though black bears are still seen occasionally. Large mammals are now restricted to white-tailed deer, coyotes, the rare bobcat, beavers and reclusive river otters.
Why is pine barren water brown?
Scattered through the river systems are lakes formed by man's damming of the streams. The black or brown water color is caused by large amounts of humates arising from the drainage of the swamp's vegetation.
What kind of pine is in New Jersey Pine Barrens?
Pitch pinePitch pine is the principal tree in these forests, but 30 to 20 percent of the trees are black oaks, scarlet oaks or southern red oaks. White oak or chestnut oak occur in a few limited areas.
What animals live in the Pine Barrens NJ?
River Otters and Long-tailed Weasels are also rarely seen but present along streams. Raccoons and Gray Foxes are common throughout the area. There are no vertebrate species strictly confined to the Pine Barrens, but the area does support a rather unique community of plants and animals not found elsewhere in New Jersey.
Can you visit the Pine Barrens?
There are many great things to do in the Pine Barrens including hiking, kayaking, canoeing, camping, and bird watching. Share: Hike, bike, kayak and explore. The Pinelands offer you the opportunity to connect with the outdoors and nature and learn about the unique history of southern New Jersey.
Is Pine Barrens a real place?
The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, is an enormous and all-encompassing tract of open space that covers 1.1 million acres, or 22 percent of New Jersey's land area.
Where are the Pinelands in NJ?
Byrne State Forest, Bass River State Forest, Penn State Forest, and Double Trouble State Park, which provide public recreation facilities....Pinelands National Reserve.New Jersey Pinelands National ReserveLocationNew Jersey, U.S.Nearest cityHammonton, NJCoordinates39°45′N 74°45′W6 more rows
How do I get to Pine Barrens?
GETTING HERE: From the north/west: Take Route 206 SOUTH to Route 542 EAST to Batsto on the left; from the east: Route 9 to WEST on Route 542 about 12 miles to Batsto on the Right. The Pine Barrens is becoming a popular tourist destination.
What kind of pines are in the Pine Barrens?
The most common trees are the jack pine, red pine, pitch pine, blackjack oak, and scrub oak; a scattering of larger oaks is not unusual.
What is the purpose of the Pine Barrens?
The Pine Barrens territory helps recharge the 17 trillion gallon Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer containing some of the purest water in the United States.
Where is the Pine Barrens?
The Pine Barrens remains mostly rural and undisturbed despite its proximity to the sprawling metropolitan cities of Philadelphia and New York City , in the center of the very densely populated Boston-Washington Corridor on the Eastern Seaboard.
How many species of orchids are there in the pine barrens?
The Pine Barrens is home to at least 850 species of plants, of which 92 are considered threatened and endangered. Several species of orchids, including the Pink Lady's Slipper, are native to the Pine Barrens.
What is the sand that makes up the soil in the Pine Barrens?
The sand that composes much of the area's soil is referred to by the locals as sugar sand .
How much precipitation does the Pine Barrens get?
The average annual precipitation in the Pinelands is from 42 to 46 inches (1,100 to 1,200 mm), but year-to-year precipitation varies greatly.
What is the name of the area with sandy soil?
The name pine barrens refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil. Although European settlers could not cultivate their familiar crops there, the unique ecology of the Pine Barrens supports a diverse spectrum of plant life, including orchids and carnivorous plants.
How cold is the Pine Barrens?
On an average night, a 6 to 8 °F (3.3 to 4.4 °C) difference is commonly seen, but the change can be as much as 10 °F (5.6 °C).
What are the Pine Barrens called?
After many left the Pine Barrens, those who stayed behind were rural, backwoods families. For years, these people have been called “Piney’s” by outsiders, which was considered to be a derogatory term. Today, many Pineland residents are proud of both the name and the land.
Why are pine barrens important?
The sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil has created an unique ecosystem. This is why Pine Barrens is so important and well-known. But, this is not the only thing it’s famous for: the legendary Jersey Devil calls it home.
What were the industries in the Pine Barrens?
Pine Barrens was the location of various industries during the colonial era. The Dutch and Swedish settlers developed whaling and fishing settlements along the Delaware River, but most industries were developed after the Dutch abandoned their claim to the English in 1664. The English used the trees in the area (cedar, oak and pitch trees) for their shipbuilding operations in 1688. Iron coming from the Pine Barrens was supplied to the American Military. Weapons and camp tools were developed during the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Second Barbary War. This last war was a war between the US and Algeria in 1815. When coal was discovered in Pennsylvania, many residents headed west, leaving their home behind. But, not everyone left.
How big are the pines in New Jersey?
Pine Barrens, or The Pinelands or simply The Pines, covers 1,1 million acres (4,500 km2) of woodland. This is 22% of New Jersey’s land area. The Pine Barrens were formed in the Tertiary Era, over 2,6 million years ago. It’s notable for the population of rare pygmy pitch pines and other plant species that depend on the frequent forest fires that renew large parts of the area each year. The fires are a common occurence here, even long before humans lived here.
What happened to the iron industry in the Pine Barrens?
By 1869, the iron industry had disappeared completely from the Pine Barrens. Entire towns were abandoned and fell into decay. Railroads were reclaimed by nature, giving the area an even more spooky vibe. Towns such as Astion, Batsto Village, the Harrisville and Martha furnaces, the Friendship cranberry farm and the Pasadena or Brooksbrae brick making factory. All these towns and factories have their own stories to tell, but we’ll zoom in to a couple of them, because some of them are haunted.
What is the name of the monster in Pine Barrens?
The Jersey Devil. An area so big and mysterious is bound to have a legend or two. And it has. The best-known legend of the Pine Barrens is that of the Jersey Devil. This monster has a horse-like head, hooves, wings, fierce claws and a forked tail.
Who settled in the pine barrens?
Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region via flickr public domain. Before the first European settlers (mainly Swedish and Dutch) settled here in the 17th century, the land belonged to the Lenni Lenape Indians (since 1200 AD).
Where are pine barrens in New Jersey?
The Pine Barrens is a 1.1 million-acre area of southern New Jersey . It's a heavily forested area covered in sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil that is well suited for cranberries, orchids, and carnivorous plants.
Who crashed in the Pine Barrens?
Brendan McInerney/Insider. While looking for a place to land in the storm with only a flashlight to guide him, he crashed in the Pine Barrens and died. Legend holds that if you flash your car lights at the statue, you will hear the plane and see Carranza's flashlight searching for a place to land.

Overview
History
Between 170–200 million years ago, the Atlantic coastal plain began to form.
The Barrens formed in the southernmost and newest land area in New Jersey 1.8 to 65 million years ago, during the Tertiary era.
Over millions of years, the rising and falling of the coastline deposited minerals underground, culminating with the end of the last ice age about 12,000 years ag…
Geography
The New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve contains approximately 1.1 million acres (4,500 km ) of land, and occupies 22% of New Jersey's land area, including territory of much of seven counties. Counties affected by the act are Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean. The Pine Barrens comprise a major part of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion.
Climate
The Pine Barrens of New Jersey are in the transition zone between humid subtropical and humid continental climates. The Pine Barrens, however, have a microclimate that allows for a shorter frost-free season, and colder nighttime temperatures compared to most of New Jersey. Because of sandy soil and very little development, clear and calm nights can get much colder in the Pine Barrens than in the surrounding areas. On an average night, a 6 to 8 °F (3.3 to 4.4 °C) difference i…
Flora
The Pine Barrens is home to at least 850 species of plants, of which 92 are considered threatened and endangered. Several species of orchids, including the Pink Lady's Slipper, are native to the Pine Barrens. The region hosts more than 20 species of wild berries, including wild raisin, red chokeberry, highbush blueberry, huckleberry, bearberry, and cranberry.
Fauna
The Pine Barrens is home to at least 39 species of mammals, over 300 species of birds, 59 reptile and amphibian species, and 91 fish species. At least 43 species are considered threatened and endangered by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, including the rare eastern timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) and bald eagles.
A threatened species of frog, the Pine Barrens tree frog, has a disjunct population there. America…
Economy
Industries in the Pine Barrens are primarily related to agriculture and tourism.
New Jersey produces the third-highest number of cranberries in the country, mostly cultivated in the areas around Chatsworth, including Whitesbog. The first cultivated blueberries were developed in the Pine Barrens in 1916 through the work of Elizabeth White of Whitesbog, and blueberry farms are nearly as common as cranberry bogs in the area. Most blueberry farms are found in and aroun…
In popular culture
• The Pine Barrens is the setting and title of an episode of the TV program The Sopranos. Despite the name, the episode was not filmed in either the New Jersey Pine Barrens nor one of the other, smaller pine barrens in the Northeast. Filming took place within Harriman State Park in New York because the production was denied a permit to film at the South Mountain Reservation in Essex County, though that reserve is also not within the New Jersey Pine Barrens.