Coastal Habitats Theme Trail

Delsea Region

Geologic History - Ancient episodes of erosion, uplift, volcanic activity, and faulting created the foundation for the varied landscapes of today’s New Jersey. The geologic features and surface materials influence soil qualities and water supplies and determine specific species of flora and fauna. Plant inhabitants of the Delsea region face dual soil problems—low fertility and the inability to retain moisture. Both are needed for plant growth in the pine barrens and the extensive coastal wetlands.

Land Ecosystems - The Eastern Deciduous Forest is perhaps one of the most highly diversified forests in North America. It contains numerous types of trees and other vegetation as well as many kinds of forest dwelling birds, reptiles, and animals. Within the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, the forest is composed of three forest subtypes—the hardwood swamp, white cedar swamp, and pitch pine lowland forest.

Places like Bellplain State Forest and the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area provide great opportunities to explore the pitch pine forest. In contrast with New Jersey’s urbanized surroundings, the United Nations recognized a large area of the pitch pine forest approximately 30 percent of the size of the state as a unique landscape. In 1983, approximately one million acres of the New Jersey Pine Barrens was designated as the Pinelands International Biosphere Reserve. You can explore the Pine Barrens habitat while driving along many of the state and county roads within the northeastern corner of the Delsea region.

Southern New Jersey’s gently rolling topography, sluggish flowing streams, and occasional clay-lined depressions provide the right conditions for water containment areas where white cedar and hardwood swamps form. Here, forest conditions are quite different from the dry sandy pine barrens. Look closely in the bogs of these swamp forests for tiny, highly specialized, and sometimes mysterious insectivorous plants like the pitcher plant and three varieties of sundew.

Aquatic Ecosystems - Exposed coastlines, tidal salt marshes, estuaries, fresh water wetlands, peat bogs, and flowing streams and rivers form a large segment of the coastal habitats of New Jersey.

New Jersey’s vast uninterrupted stretches of relatively undisturbed to pristine tidal salt marshes are among the most productive natural ecosystems in the world. Few of New Jersey’s shore visitors realize the important economic value of this habitat as a breeding and nursery ground for many of the commercial fish species taken and processed through local plants. Within the Delsea Region, Dennis Creek and the Egg Island Wildlife Management Areas and the Fortescue Glades Wildlife Refuge, provide opportunities to learn more about these special places and to explore the awesome vastness of this invaluable coastal habitat.

Preserving Biodiversity - Today, we are witnessing the rapid altering and destroying of natural environments that have fostered a wondrous diversity of organisms. The destruction of natural habitats has generated a worldwide concern about the decline of biological diversity—the degree of variety of living organisms in a community.

Genetic diversity promotes a species ability to adapt to changing conditions and ultimately to survive. Through public awareness efforts about the importance and preservation of biological diversity, perhaps we will be able to maintain or even improve the quality of life we have come to expect.

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Absecon & Cape May Regions

Geologic History - Ancient episodes of erosion, uplift, volcanic activity, glaciation, and faulting created a foundation for the varied landscapes of coastal New Jersey. The Absecon and Cape May regions lie within a physiographic region known as the outer coastal plain. It is characterized by a nearly flat to rolling topography rising gradually from sea level to a maximum of 800 feet along its western edge and by broad slowly flowing rivers and streams.

In general, these regions are characterized by miles and miles of sandy beaches, small coastal dunes, shifting soil and sands, barrier islands, and broad expanses of tidal wetlands all heavily influenced by pounding ocean waves and damaging storms. Cape May Point State Park is a great place to learn about the effects of longshore drift and changing landscapes.

Land Ecosystems - The Eastern Deciduous Forest in New Jersey is composed of three forest subtypes—the hardwood swamp, white cedar swamp, and pitch pine lowland forest. Most of the interior lands of these regions are characterized by the pitch pine lowland forest.

The once vast forest ecosystem of interior Absecon and Cape May regions has been exploited to the point where extensive areas of its original climax forest no longer exist. Natural succession has been held back, modified, or arrested by man through fire, lumbering, livestock grazing, the introduction of new cultivars, industrialization, and urbanization.

Throughout the northeast, forest fragmentation is so widespread that interior woodland species are becoming increasingly rare as "edge" species seek their habitat. With fragmented forests and diminished "edge" habitat, preservation of species biodiversity becomes much more difficult if not impossible.

Coastal Landforms - The shores of the Absecon and Cape May regions are characterized by sandy beaches and offshore islands. Although these lands are subject to erosion by winds and waves, here and there, the original vegetation and its associated wildlife persist.

The plants, birds, and mammals of this habitat face problems which inland species do not have to—fresh water is scarce, drying winds are constant, and salt blows inland for considerable distances. The sandy soil is unstable and ocean waves shift it from the shore, moving it inland to form dunes.

Without the survival of these plants and animals, the dune community along the shore would never exist and the effects of erosion would continue to dramatically alter the shoreline and coastal community. Visit the Higbee Beach WMA and the Nature Conservatory’s Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge to learn more about these special habitats.

Aquatic Ecosystems - Exposed coastlines, tidal salt marshes, estuaries, fresh water wetlands, peat bogs, and flowing streams and rivers form a large segment of the coastal habitats of New Jersey. Wave action, surf, tidal rips, and other water movements are characteristically severe, making the sandy shore at low tide appear barren of life. But the beach is not as dead as it seems—beneath the wet and glistening sand, life exists—waiting for the next high tide. Corson’s Inlet and Cape May state parks provide opportunities to walk and explore the sandy shores.

New Jersey’s vast uninterrupted stretches of relatively undisturbed tidal salt marshes are among the most productive natural ecosystems in the world. Few of New Jersey’s shore visitors realize the important economic value of this habitat as a breeding and nursery ground for many of the commercial fish species taken and processed through local plants. The Wetlands Institute, Tuchahoe WMA, and Forsythe Nat’l. Wildlife Refuge have vast expanses of tidal salt marshes and provide opportunities to learn more about this valuable resource.

Preserving Biodiversity - Today, we are witnessing the rapid altering and destroying of natural environments that have fostered a wondrous diversity of organisms. The destruction of natural habitats has generated a worldwide concern about the decline of biological diversity—the degree of variety of living organisms in a community.

It is genetic diversity that promotes a species ability to adapt to changing conditions and ultimately to survive. Through public awareness efforts, perhaps we will be able to maintain or even improve the quality of life we have come to expect.

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Barnegat Bay Region

Geologic History - Ancient episodes of erosion, uplift, volcanic activity, glaciation, and faulting created the foundation for the varied landscapes of coastal New Jersey. Along the Atlantic coast of the Barnegat region a fragile ribbon of barrier beaches dominates the landscape. These barrier islands absorb most of the pounding ocean waves and protect developed coastal areas from the perils of storm and flood waters. Over the centuries, the pounding waves and the daily changing of the tides slowly alter the form and character of the landscape.

Geologic features and surface materials influence soil qualities and water supplies and determine specific species of flora and fauna. For example, plant and animal inhabitants of the coastal dunes face multiple problems—low soil fertility, constantly shifting sand and soil, the desiccating effects of salt laden winds, and the inability of the soil to retain moisture. Only those plants and animals adapted to tolerate these conditions will survive.

The Barnegat Bay region lies wholly within a physiographic region known as the Atlantic Coastal Plain. This plain is characterized by a nearly flat to rolling topography rising gradually from sea level up to a maximum of 800 feet on its western edge and by broad slowly flowing rivers and streams.

Land Ecosystems - The Eastern Deciduous Forest is perhaps one of the most highly diversified forests in North America. It contains numerous types of trees and other vegetation as well as many kinds of forest dwelling birds, reptiles, and animals. The forest is composed of three forest subtypes—the hardwood swamp, white cedar swamp, and pitch pine lowland forest.

Coastal habitats, like those found at Double Trouble State Park, provide great opportunities to explore a unique environment known as the pine barrens. The United Nations recognized a large area of this habitat, approximately 30 percent of the size of the state, as a unique landscape. In 1983, approximately one million acres of New Jersey’s pine barrens was designated as the Pinelands International Biosphere Reserve. You can explore the Pinelands habitat while driving along many of the state and county roads within the Barnegat Bay region.

Central New Jersey’s gently rolling coastal plain, sluggish flowing streams, and occasional clay-lined depressions provide the right conditions for water containment areas where white cedar and hardwood swamps may form. Here, forest conditions are quite different from the dry sandy pine barrens and coastal dunes. Look closely in the bog areas of these swamp forests for tiny, highly specialized, and sometimes mysterious insectivorous plants like the pitcher plant and three varieties of sundew.

Aquatic Ecosystems - Exposed coastlines, tidal salt marshes, estuaries, fresh water wetlands, peat bogs, and flowing streams and rivers form a large segment of the aquatic ecosystems of New Jersey.

New Jersey’s vast uninterrupted stretches of relatively undisturbed to pristine tidal salt marshes are among the most productive natural ecosystems in the world. Few of New Jersey’s shore visitors realize the important economic value of this habitat as a breeding and nursery ground for many of the commercial fish species taken and processed through local plants. Cattus Island County Park, Island Beach State Park, and Great Bay Boulevard WMA, provide opportunities to learn more about these special places and to explore the awesome vastness of this invaluable coastal habitat.

Preserving Biodiversity - Today, we are witnessing the rapid altering and destroying of natural environments that have fostered a wondrous diversity of organisms. The destruction of natural habitats has generated a worldwide concern about the decline of biological diversity—the degree of variety of living organisms in a community.

It is genetic diversity that promotes a species ability to adapt to changing conditions and ultimately to survive. Through public awareness efforts about the importance and preservation of biological diversity, perhaps we will be able to maintain or even improve the quality of life we have come to expect.

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Sandy Hook Region

Geologic History - Ancient episodes of erosion, uplift, volcanic activity, glaciation, and faulting created the foundation for the varied landscapes of coastal New Jersey. The Sandy Hook region includes a fragile pennisula that jutts out into Raritan Bay. This moderates the pounding ocean waves of the open ocean and protects developed coastal bay areas from the perils of storm and flood waters.

Mount Mitchill, the highest point on the Atlantic Seaboard is subject to slump blocking, where chunks of rock slide off the highlands and down the cliff face. Learn more about this at Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook.

Geologic features and surface materials influence soil quality, water supplies, and the flora and fauna that live there. For example, inhabitants of the coastal dunes face multiple problems—low soil fertility, constantly shifting sand and soil, the desiccating effects of salt laden winds, and the inability of the soil to retain moisture. Only those plants and animals adapted to these conditions will survive.

Land Ecosystems - Within the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, three common forest types are the hardwood swamp, white cedar swamp, and pitch pine lowland forest. They contain numerous types of trees and other vegetation as well as many kinds of forest-dwelling birds, reptiles, and mammals.

Central New Jersey’s gently rolling coastal plain and sluggish flowing streams provide the right conditions for water containment areas where white cedar and hardwood swamps may form. Here, forest conditions are quite different from the dry sandy pine barrens and coastal dunes. Look closely for tiny, highly specialized, insectivorous plants like the pitcher plant and various sundews.

At Sandy Hook, Gateway National Recreational Area, you can discover one of the largest and oldest maritime forests in New Jersey. These trees survive the pruning of salt-laden winds and the brutality of coastal storms.

Aquatic Ecosystems - Exposed coastlines, tidal salt marshes, estuaries, freshwater wetlands, peat bogs, flowing streams, and rivers form a large segment of the aquatic ecosystems of New Jersey.

Tidal salt marshes are among the most productive natural ecosystems in the world. They are also important economically as a breeding and nursery ground for many of the commercial fish processed locally and shipped throughout the nation. Explore Cheesequake State Park and its tidal marshlands.

Preserving Biodiversity - Today, we are witnessing the rapid alteration and destruction of natural environments that have fostered a wondrous diversity of organisms. The loss of habitat has generated a worldwide concern about the loss of species. This decline in biological diversity (the variety of living organisms) may limit future medical and technological advances that could have been based on extinct species.

Explore New Jersey’s diverse coastal habitats and learn for yourself about the pivotal role that it plays in maintaining species worldwide. A great diversity of organisms is crucial to maintain our quality of life.

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Last Updated: March 26, 2001 .