I’ve not met the person who can claim to want to be indoors as long as so many of us have been during this unprecedented time! The long distance get-away is no longer viable and the neighborhood parks have been explored…so where can one find the kind of beautiful natural place within a stones throw of our Edison based residences at  Edison Woods, Edison Woods Senior 55+, Edison Village, Blueberry Village, & Rivendell Heights?

The answer lies just outside of Edison where you will find the Rutgers Ecological Preserve, a 316 acre tract of forestland that is covered with picturesque hiking trails. Most of these trails are fine for hikers of all abilities, although a few have steeper sections so it’s a good idea to just click here and check on this map before you go.

During colonial days, most of the EcoPreserve was part of the estates of “gentleman/woman” farmers that graced the bluffs along River Road above the Raritan River lowlands. The Metlar-Bodine house, just outside the SW corner of the EcoPreserve, still stands today.  Another estate, Ross Hall was noted for its vineyard and the production of fine wines. General George Washington attended several galas at Ross Hall during the Revolutionary War and both American and British troops camped on EcoPreserve lands at different times.

The EcoPreserve was formally established in 1976 by the Rutgers Board of Governors as the Rutgers Ecological Preserve and Natural Teaching Area with the goal of preserving the natural ecological characteristics of the property and that it serve as outdoor teaching area for the university. Present day management of the EcoPreserve tries to maintain this balance between preserving, if not restoring, the area’s ecological system and natural values while continuing to expand the EcoPreserve’s role as an educational, recreational and aesthetic resource for University students, faculty and staff as well as local citizens.

The Rutgers EcoPreserve participated in the Smithsonian Institute’s Snapshot USA: a collaboration between researchers from each of the 50 states seeking to capture the diversity of animals across the United States using a network of motion-detector cameras set up across the Ecopreserve. Click here and visit the Ecopreserves website to see the amazing array of wildlife this project “captured” in the absence of human beings!

Your explorations in the EcoPreserve will reveal plants, landscapes and wildlife in the full splendor of the great outdoors where a beautiful day is a natural occurrence. Another beneficial natural exploration for those seeking a new home is heading over to BestrentNJ.com’s Apartment Locator page where the Garden States premier residences are always found.