Wild New Jersey: Spring awakens at Rutgers Gardens

by David Wheeler


Wild New Jersey and the COVID-19 pandemic: During these stressful times of social distancing and isolation, taking solace in the natural world is more valuable than ever. I want to share some of my favorite outdoor oases with you. My hope is that by visiting on your own, with your family, or in some cases with your beloved dog, that you too will find the peace and happiness I feel when spending time in the wildest parts of our state.


On a map of the Garden State, our spiderweb of highways seems to converge right near the middle – the New Jersey Turnpike, and Routes 1 and 18. Of course, this being Jersey, where else to locate a beautiful combination of cultivated gardens and wild woods alongside a scenic brook?

Welcome to Rutgers Gardens!

Continue reading “Wild New Jersey: Spring awakens at Rutgers Gardens”

Wild New Jersey: Savoring springtime at Sandy Hook

by David Wheeler

Wild New Jersey and the COVID-19 pandemic: During these stressful times of social distancing and isolation, taking solace in the natural world is more valuable than ever. I want to share some of my favorite outdoor oases with you. My hope is that by visiting on your own, with your family, or in some cases with your beloved dog, that you too will find the peace and happiness I feel when spending time in the wildest parts of our state.

In a time like this, it’s reassuring to find a place where you can admire the New York City skyline across the great New York Harbor – while being surrounded not by people, but by dune grasses, spring migrants, and overhead ospreys carrying fish.

Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Photo by: Tomwsulcer / CC0
Continue reading “Wild New Jersey: Savoring springtime at Sandy Hook”