Since passage in 1979 of New Jersey Pinelands Protection Act and the creation of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, the Pinelands has been a national test case for large-scale regional ecosystem management. In balancing protection and development, the Rutgers Pinelands Field Station informs policies and practices on everything from forest fire management to water quality. Above, a student studies Chytrid fungus, a bioindicator for monitoring water quality.