By Skip Davis • Updated Aug 30, 2022
New Jersey’s coastline along the Atlantic Ocean fuels a robust shipping industry and vibrant resort towns. The state’s largest freshwater body, Lake Hopatcong, serves Sussex County’s water supply and offers recreational fishing and boating. The New Jersey Water Science Center, a U.S. Geological Survey division, monitors over 140 surface‑water sites—including rivers and lakes—and 30 groundwater wells to ensure water quality and detect contamination.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Jersey boasts more than 2.1 million acres of forest, covering roughly 42 % of its land area. Concentrated urban growth around the Greater New York City, Greater Philadelphia, and the Jersey Shore has spared most forests. Eleven state and national parks, managed by the Division of Parks and Forestry, highlight the region’s natural beauty. Notable preserves such as Delaware Water Gap and High Point State Park attract hikers, kayakers, and climbers, boosting local tourism.
New Jersey’s mineral resources underpin the construction sector and road‑building industry. The state is home to clay, peat, stone, sand, and gravel deposits, and it uniquely produces greensand marl—a soil‑fertilizer used by farmers—among all U.S. states (USGS). Industrial sand in South Jersey supplies glass‑making and foundry operations, while gravel remains one of the most common quarry outputs nationwide. Ongoing mining activities create jobs and support regional economies.
