The Maurice River and its tributaries drain the southwest portion of the Pinelands National Reserve, providing a critical link between the Reserve and the Delaware Estuary. The Pinelands Commission considers the entire Manumuskin watershed an ecologically critical area, with the vast, unspoiled Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer underlying most of the region. State and local governments, and conservation organizations own significant acreage for preservation purposes. The rivers and associated wetlands serve as nurseries for ocean-going wildlife, offering food and habitat for resident and migrating species, many of which are considered endangered. Each year, huge flocks of birds alight within the watershed to enjoy the area's natural bounty. The Maurice River corridor is rich in natural, cultural and historical significance. Its tributaries, and the bay beyond, not only shaped the lifestyle and livelihood of the region's past inhabitants, but they continue to support the areas' economy and the lifestyle of many residents today. Early industries relied on the river water channeled swiftly into flowing mill races. Some residents built dikes so they could farm the often boggy land close to the river. Others worked in maritime occupations. Local ship builders provided vessels for fishing and for carrying local products to distant markets. The region's entire glass making industry emerged because of, and still depends on the sandy deposits found throughout the watershed. Cumberland County's heritage is steeped in the history of the Lenni-Lenape people, a nation that numbers some 6,000 inhabitants at the time of the earliest colonial explorations of the Delaware Bay region.

This park preserves 40 miles of the middle Delaware River and almost 70,000 acres of land along the river's New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores. At the south end of the park, the river cuts eastward through the Appalachian Mountains at the scenic Delaware Water Gap. A one-day auto tour of the park can include waterfalls, rural scenery, and historic Millbrook Village. Visitors can also canoe, hike, camp, swim, picnic, bicycle, crosscountry ski, and horseback ride. Fishing and hunting are permitted in season with state licenses.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,180-mile footpath along the ridgecrests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in northern Georgia. It traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, it was built by private citizens and completed in 1937. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area encompasses 70,000 acres of ridges, forests, lakes and rivers on both sides of the Delaware River in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Delaware River, the only remaining undammed river in the eastern United States, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River system; its exceptional quality waters provide both recreation and drinking water for millions of people in neighboring metropolitan areas. With habitats ranging from rivers and ponds to dry ridge tops, Delaware Water Gap is home to a variety of animals, from black bears weighing up to 800 pounds to ruby-throated hummingbirds, only 3-4 inches long. The Delaware River and its tributaries are home to more than 60 fish species, including both species that make the park their permanent home and migratory species such as eels and American shad that travel between the upper reaches of the river and the Atlantic Ocean. Great blue and green-backed herons wade in shallows looking for fish, frogs, and crustaceans for a meal. Otters glide silently through the water. On the river's floodplain, rich soil supports bountiful farm fields. Visitors can commonly see white-tailed deer and wild turkey searching for food. After nightfall, the park comes alive with a whole new set of animals: foxes, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and, in the night sky, owls, and six species of bats.