Pinelands Among New Jersey’s Hot Ecotourism Sites : Trends: Bird-watchers, nature-lovers boost economy of heavily developed state to the tune of $10 million a year.

Paul Kerlinger, director of the Cape May Bird Observatory on New Jersey’s southern tip, says bird-watching tourists contribute about $10 million a year to local businesses.

Capt. Ron Robbins, a second-generation fisherman, started offering whale-watching trips about seven years ago. Now he runs several sold-out trips a day on a catamaran that holds 150 whale-watchers.

Ecotourism--defined by some as responsible travel that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people--has come to heavily developed, densely settled New Jersey.

“I don’t think we will ever be as exotic as an African safari or a trip on the Amazon, but I can tell you that I think the variety, diversity and quality of what we can offer could make it (ecotourism) a very strong tourism component,” said Eugene Dilbeck, director of the state Division of Travel and Tourism.

Among the attractions for the ecotourist in New Jersey are the million-acre Pinelands National Reserve, a network of unspoiled rivers and tributaries, some designated wild and scenic by the federal government, and an internationally renowned haven for migratory birds along the Atlantic flyway.

Kerlinger, who studied the economic benefits of the bird observatory, is performing similar studies at 21 sites nationwide. He promotes ecotourism as a profitable marriage between traditional foes: the environmental movement and the business community.

“I’m interested in the preservation of open space,” Kerlinger said. “But to make businessmen understand this better, we have to show them that these areas, not only are they beautiful, but they also can be an economic benefit to the community.”

Robbins needs no convincing. He got tired of hauling small groups on three fishing trips a day. One day, he put up a sign offering whale-watching trips.

“The first day I got 35 people, and all I did was run out and show them a whale and bring them back,” he said.

Robbins now runs a research center that engages naturalists to speak on endangered marine life and documents whale, fish and bird sightings for facilities such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.

Cumberland County in southern New Jersey, an economically poor but environmentally rich area, is trying to take advantage of the growing trend in ecotourism. It’s designing a plan to lure preservation-minded travelers.

The Bridgeton Port Authority and the Bridgeton-Cumberland Tourist Assn. recently sponsored a 16-mile trip down the Cohansey River, which empties into Delaware Bay, on a 68-foot boat normally used for fishing trips in the bay.

If the public-private venture continues, visitors will float down the meandering river past salt marshes, woodlands and farm country while an expert lectures on the region’s ecology and history, said Dennis Campbell, Bridgeton director of tourism.

“There’s been a lot of discussion about ecotourism lately in Cumberland County,” said Stephen Kehs, county director of planning and development.

The county--along with citizens, environmental groups and the business community--is trying to put together a broad ecotourism plan to boost the economy, he said.

“Ecotourism may be one way to bridge that--to provide jobs and support the economy and, at the same time, protect our natural resource base,” he said.

David Githens, an avid bird-watcher, agrees. He began running pontoon trips this summer along the quiet tidal creeks and waterways of New Jersey’s back bays under the name Jersey Cape Nature Excursions.

“The area is so wonderful for seeing birds and other wildlife, we thought we should start bringing other people out to see this,” Githens said. “It’s one of the few areas that hasn’t been eaten into as yet in New Jersey.”