The New Jersey Pinelands Biosphere Region is a cooperative effort of federal, state, and local governments to preserve, protect, and enhance the resources of a region of national and international significance. The Biosphere is defined by three areas or zones: a protected area, a managed use area and a zone of cooperation.

The New Jersey Pinelands Commission, an independent state agency with federal, state, and local representation, manages the biosphere region. The area serves as an ongoing experiment in the development of innovative land management techniques for resource protection and growth management.

The Biosphere was originally designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (or UNESCO) as part of the Man and Biosphere Programme (or MAB) in 1983. At that time, it was part of a multiple-site reserve called the "South Atlantic Coastal Plain Biosphere Reserve/Pinelands National Reserve." In 1988, UNESCO redesignated the Pinelands as a single-site Biosphere Region.

To view a map of the 28 Biosphere Regions in the United States, please click here.

To learn more about Biospheres, please watch the video below.