For over 70 years, the Lighthouse International Camp in Barnegat Bay was a Summer retreat for the blind, visually impaired, and multiply handicapped. In August of 2000, following the camp’s closure, the 194-acre property and its 27 buildings were purchased by the Trust for Public Land for $810,000 and subsequently transferred to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. From the very moment they obtained the property, the DEP intended to lease the land and its wooden bungalows and dormitory rooms to naturalists, environmental scientists, and lifelong learners of all kinds to promote environmental education and research.

On Wednesday, September 24, 2003, the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education held its grand opening celebration, formally recognizing the lease agreement between the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Natural Resources Education Foundation, known then as the Youth Environmental Society. This lasting partnership has been a shining example of the government and the private sector working together to preserve natural habitats, engender scientific research and education, and safeguard natural resources for future generations.