New Jersey is not known for its wilderness areas.  When people hear New Jersey the first things they think of is “The Jersey Shore” thanks MTV, oil refineries and toxic landfills.  Yes we do have our share of those but what they don’t know is that New Jersey is home the longest stretch of the East coast that has never been developed (Island Beach State Park), the largest area of open space on the Mid-Atlantic between Boston and Richmond (The Pinelands), and is home to part of the largest National Recreation Area on the East Coast (Delaware Water Gap). 

The total acreage of New Jersey is just under 4.5 million acres.  When you take all of the acreage made up of the Pinelands, Delaware Water Gap, and of the State Parks of NJ, you get just under 1.5 million acres or around 31% of the total area of the state.  Considering New Jersey is the most densely populated state per square mile, this is quite a feat.  

These protected areas are coming under increasing pressure from developers and utility companies who want to develop or utilize them for their natural resources.  We need to keep them protected for our future generations.  Follow me as I photograph the hidden treasures in these protected areas.  I am focusing on the Pinelands and the Delaware Water Gap.  Every time I venture into these two great areas I am excited and surprised by what I find.

Follow me as I photograph these areas to show the world the hidden beauty in NJ.