Jokes about the Pine Barrens abound. But visitors willing to look closer will find a place steeped in nature, history and adventure.

Gathered round Martha’s Pond in New Jersey’s iconic Pine Barrens, students in Claude Epstein’s environmental science class ...

When I tell someone that the New Jersey Pine Barrens are among my favorite spots for a weekend getaway, they look at me like I just proposed vacationing on Jupiter. I suspect this incredulity ...