The Lighthouse Center

Discover what makes the Lighthouse Center special

The Natural Resource Education Foundation of New Jersey operates the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, located in Waretown, New Jersey, under a lease agreement with New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Located on a sprawling 194 acres of protected land, the Lighthouse Center stewards a variety of coastal habitats, including wetlands, maritime, forests, a brackish impoundment, freshwater ponds, and miles of hiking trails to explore. A vast array of wildlife species inhabit the property such as fresh, brackish, and marine fish and shellfish, reptiles, amphibians, resident and migratory birds, foxes, deer, and other spectacular fauna.

The Lighthouse Center hosts a wide selection of engagement opportunities for students, environmental professionals, community members, and groups to connect with nature. Students come to explore Barnegat Bay’s abundant natural resources, study coastal ecology, and learn about some of today’s most relevant and challenging environmental issues.

NREF members and non-member visitors alike frequent the property to hike and explore miles of trails, observe our bayfront living shoreline project, bird watch over a vast open water impoundment, and engage in a wide variety of NREF environmental education programs and events.

Whether you’re just visiting for a quick hike through the maritime forest or lingering at the picnic tables by the hidden pond, or even staying overnight for a sleepaway camp or environmental field course, the Lighthouse Center is the perfect place to experience Barnegat Bay.

  • Locandro Lodge

    Our largest meeting space. The spacious lodge is air conditioned and equipped with ample seating, meeting tables, a projection screen, and a small kitchen.

  • Dormitories and Cabins

    Overnight accommodations which include the East and West Wing dormitories, each with 24 beds, as well as several cabins that sleep for. Each dorm room connects to a bathroom suite with a shared sink area for freshening up, and a separate room with a toilet, sink, and shower.

  • Dining Hall

    The industrial kitchen and dining hall are ideal for overnight guests or day groups to prepare meals or simply sit and dine together.

  • Hiking Trails

    The Lighthouse Center serves as the nexus of several hiking trails, all offering different ecologcial experiences.

  • Marine Field Lab

    Renovated from a two-room cabin into a fully equipped field research station, the Marine Field Lab houses laboratory benchtops, microscope stations, fish tanks for live specimens, and copious storage space for equipment and preserved specimens.