Dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals make seasonal stops at various refuges along the Jersey shore, creating a wave of new business opportunities for whale watching and other educational boating excursions. Habitats in New Jersey range from sandy beaches to dynamic salt marshes to dense maritime forests. These environments provide ecotourists a chance to visit barrier islands, wetlands, estuaries, bays and rivers, all of which serve as homes to exceptionally diverse groups of plant and animal life. With its 127 miles of coastline, it is clear that ecotourism has great potential in the coastal zone of New Jersey, not only for its various attractions, but also for its potential to create new jobs and help local economies. And this holds true for a significant portion of the state.
Snowy egrets are a common sight throughout coastal New Jersey.
While northern coastal New Jersey is far more developed than the southern region, there are equally important opportunities in this industrial heartland. The Gateway National Recreation Area and Coastal Heritage Trail Routes are important, as are Watchable Wildlife Sites located in Highlands, Liberty State Science Center and Park and Cheesequake State Park. Public access and travel by automobile are readily available and the area's population density make this region ripe for ecotourism. New Jersey's interest in cultivating and promoting ecotourism became evident two years ago. Governor Christine Whitman appointed Dr. Michael P. Weinstein, President of the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium and Director of its New Jersey Sea Grant College Program to serve as the first-ever Representative of the Ecotourism Sector for the New Jersey Tourism Advisory Council.