1977: Long Island Pine
Barrens Society Founded

In 1977, three environmental science students, John Turner, Robert McGrath, and John Cryan, founded the Long Island Pine Barrens Society (LIPBS) to raise awareness about the Pine Barrens’ importance. The approximately 100,000-acre ecosystem in the Towns of Brookhaven, Riverhead, and Southampton includes pitch pine woodlands and pine-oak forests, coastal plain ponds, marshes, and streams. In the late 1980s, development threatened the survival of the Pine Barrens and the underlying drinking water supply, and the organization focused on preservation. In 1989, the LIPBS filed an environmental lawsuit with the support of dozens of civic and environmental groups. As a result, New York State enacted the Long Island Pine Barrens Protection Act in 1993, permanently preserving 52,000 acres and limiting development in 48,000 acres. Outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and fishing are permitted in designated areas. A section of the Pine Barrens in Southaven County Park is shown here.