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Ecotourism

Trails | Gardens | Water | Birding

The term "ecotourism" was originally conceived with regard to far-away, remote areas with an intact ecosystem, unaffected by industrial human presence. Recently, the word has gained favor in describing a wide range of activity that would also come under the umbrella of "nature-based" recreation. Still, there is an implication of passive interaction with the environment. Whether ecotourism is meant to include active recreational use such as biking, horseback riding, or fishing is questionable. But even if we are engaged in plain old outdoor recreation, an increasing awareness of our place in the ecology can be nothing but healthy. Really, the more we know about it, the more fun it is.

There is a big difference between what we want to do here and traversing the jungles of Costa Rica. There is hardly an inch of space in New Jersey that has not been under human management for some economic use. A large part of northwest New Jersey's forests weren't even here 100 years ago, when the hills were stripped bare for fuel to run furnaces or for room to plant crops and feed dairy cows. With the exception of Hutcheson Memorial Forest, a 65-acre tract of old growth forest in Somerset County, our woods tell largely human stories. Even the most pristine tracts in Stokes, High Point or Waywayanda are filled with invasive species, foundations, holes and ditches of unknown origin, fences, and rock walls. In fact, that is what makes our woods special. An old railroad spike or a barely recognizable tie, a piece of barbed wire, a rotten fence post, an old insulator or bottle... these are treasures for many searching for a pieces of New Jersey history and heritage. While you enjoy a wide range natural phenomena - watchable wildlife, bird species, wild flowers etc. Photo: Simon Laufer­ don't miss the rest of the story.

Additional Resources

This sampling of nature-based recreational resources in Northwest New Jersey has been compiled largely from material previously published in the Skylands Visitor Magazine with additional contributions from regular photographers and writers for the publication.

Travelwebdir.com is a Travel Directory featuring articles, links and photos.