Belleplain State Forest
Encyclopedia
Belleplain State Forest is a 21320 acres (8,627.9 ha) New Jersey
State Forest
in northern Cape May County
and eastern Cumberland County
. It has many young pine, oak and Atlantic white cedar trees, having better soil than the northern Pine Barrens
. It was established in 1928 and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camps here in 1933, converted Meisle Cranberry Bog into Lake Nummy and constructing the original forest headquarters, maintenance building, a road system, bridges, and dams.
The forest includes recreational facilities for picnicking, boating, camping, hunting and fishing, swimming, and over 40 miles (64.4 km) of walking trails. Seasonal interpretive programs are conducted by the staff. A fee is charged for camping and picnicking.
On June 7, 2002, the Green Acres Program added 230 acres (93.1 ha) of privately-owned land to Belleplain. Donated by the Brewer family, the property comprises approximately 200 acres (80.9 ha) of woodlands - including Atlantic white cedar trees - surrounding 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) Cedar Lake (also known as Hands Mill Pond) on West Creek in Maurice River Township
, Cumberland County.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State Forest
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
in northern Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...
and eastern Cumberland County
Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population is 156,898. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William, Duke of Cumberland....
. It has many young pine, oak and Atlantic white cedar trees, having better soil than the northern Pine Barrens
Pine Barrens (New Jersey)
The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, is a heavily forested area of coastal plain stretching across southern New Jersey. The name "pine barrens" refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil, to which the crops originally imported by European settlers didn't take well...
. It was established in 1928 and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) set up camps here in 1933, converted Meisle Cranberry Bog into Lake Nummy and constructing the original forest headquarters, maintenance building, a road system, bridges, and dams.
The forest includes recreational facilities for picnicking, boating, camping, hunting and fishing, swimming, and over 40 miles (64.4 km) of walking trails. Seasonal interpretive programs are conducted by the staff. A fee is charged for camping and picnicking.
On June 7, 2002, the Green Acres Program added 230 acres (93.1 ha) of privately-owned land to Belleplain. Donated by the Brewer family, the property comprises approximately 200 acres (80.9 ha) of woodlands - including Atlantic white cedar trees - surrounding 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) Cedar Lake (also known as Hands Mill Pond) on West Creek in Maurice River Township
Maurice River Township, New Jersey
Maurice River Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville- Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes...
, Cumberland County.