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A Northeast
Region Program |
Designated: October 27, 1992 Location:
The 129-mile designated river corridor meanders through twelve
municipalities and four counties in southern New Jersey on its way
to the Great Egg Harbor Bay. Outstanding Resources: The freshwater and tidal wetlands serve as resting, feeding, and breeding areas for waterfowl throughout the year amid undisturbed forests and swamp areas. The river corridor is home to several threatened and endangered species of flora and fauna. The Great Egg Harbor River has been recognized as the longest canoeable river in the Pinelands National Reserve and its rich history and scenic vistas are irreplaceable. Overview: Approximately 99 percent of the eligible waterways and adjacent lands of the designated Great Egg Harbor River corridor are within the boundary of the Pinelands National Reserve. Approximately 25% of the corridor is in public ownership offering prime recreational opportunities and open space protection. Since the majority of the land is in private ownership, balancing preservation, recreational use, and individual rights and interests makes management of the river corridor a complex responsibility. Thirty miles
of relatively undisturbed waterways offer prime spawning opportunities
for anadromous fish which provide food for the growing bald eagle
and osprey populations. The threatened and endangered Swamp Pink,
Knieskern's beaked-rush, and Bog Turtle also thrive in the fragile
ecology of the Great Egg Harbor River corridor. The region is rich
in history. Evidence of the Lenape Indians before occupation by
Europeans in the early 1700s can be found. Remnants of structures
which converted bog iron into cannon balls during the Revolutionary
War,blast furnaces, sawmills, glass factories and brick and tile
works are also visible in the corridor.
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