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View of the glacier-formed Mud Pond, a scenic limestone wetland that supports rare plants at our Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve.

New Jersey

Places We Protect in New Jersey

TNC has protected more than 60,000 acres of lands and waters in New Jersey.

October 28, 2021

In addition to providing much-needed habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, The Nature Conservancy's preserves in New Jersey are top-rated destinations for visitation. Whether you're looking to explore pristine forests, go birding alongside freshwater marshes, or conquer a mountain, our flagship preserves have you covered. 

Freshwater ponds surrounded by wetland grasses.
South Cape May Meadows Preserve Two miles of walking trails bring visitors through freshwater marshes, forest habitat, and protected dunes.

South Cape May Meadows

Located along the Atlantic Flyway, the 200-acre South Cape May Meadows Preserve is a haven for native and migratory birds, and a globally renowned paradise for birders. The varied landscape boasts dunes, fields, freshwater wetlands and a full mile of undeveloped, protected beach—a rarity on the heavily developed New Jersey shoreline—and wildlife viewing opportunities abound.

Wildflowers growing in a field.
Garrett Family Preserve Wildflowers The pollinator trail winds through a four-acre wildflower meadow. © Damon Noe/TNC

Garrett Family Preserve at Cape Island Creek

With its expansive native wildflower meadows, successional fields and taller tree lines, The Garrett Family Preserve is a haven for migrating songbirds, raptors, and pollinators like bumblebees and monarch butterflies. Visitors can explore over four miles of flat, sturdy nature trails by foot or by bike.
Lizard tail plants blooming in a forest.
Lizard's Tail This plant's tiny, white flowers bloom in summer, growing in tapering spikes that droop at the tip—resembling...a lizard’s tail! © Terry Seidel/TNC

Lizard Tail Swamp

Situated in the outer coastal plain on the Cape May Peninsula and within the richly diverse Cape May Forest, Lizard Tail Swamp Preserve is home to a lush and diverse habitat. Visitors can explore over three miles of hiking trails in a variety of natural communities like pine-oak forest, coastal plain mixed-oak forest, and sweet gum and red maple swamps.
Aerial view of the Maurice River and its surrounding wetlands.
Maurice River The 535-acre preserve gets its name from the majestic bluffs overlooking the Maurice River. © TNC

Maurice River Bluffs

Named for its majestic rounded cliffs overlooking the 35.4-mile “Wild and Scenic” Maurice River, this 500+ acre preserve offers hilly terrain not often found in southern New Jersey. The Maurice River Bluffs Preserve provides crucial stopover habitat for migrating birds, including songbirds, waterfowl, and raptors like nesting osprey and bald eagles. 
A small pond is surrounded by wetlands and forest.
Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve Mud Pond, at the heart of the Johnsonburg preserve, is a limestone wetland providing excellent habitat for rare plant species, along with waterfowl and other wildlife.  © Dwight Hiscano

Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve

Johnsonburg Swamp Preserve is a 700+ acre preserve that protects a spectacular limestone forest and the glacier-formed Mud Pond, a scenic limestone wetland that supports rare plants, waterfowl and iconic mammals like black bear, fox and state-endangered bobcats. Four miles of trails wind through the pristine habitats, with constantly changing angles and views.

Adult bobcat on a rock.
Bobcat Alley Blair Creek Preserve is one of two TNC preserves that anchor Bobcat Alley.

Blair Creek Preserve

Nestled at the base of the Kittatinny Ridge, Blair Creek is a 700+ acre preserve only an hour's drive from NYC. This preserve boasts deciduous forest, beaver ponds, rocky streams, and expansive wetland meadows. Black bears and bobcats are some of the many notable wildlife that rely on this habitat. 
Views of New York City from a mountain summit.

High Mountain Park Preserve

High Mountain Park Preserve features rolling and sometimes steep terrain that winds through woodlands and wetlands. Its 11.5 miles of trails in the Watchung Mountains reward visitors with vigorous hikes, panoramic summit views of New York City and northern New Jersey, and peaceful waterfalls.

Find More Places We Protect

The Nature Conservancy owns nearly 1,500 preserves covering more than 2.5 million acres across all 50 states. These lands protect wildlife and natural systems, serve as living laboratories for innovative science and connect people to the natural world.

See the Complete Map

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