Pigeon Swamp State Park in South Brunswick, New Jersey, preserves 1,078 acres of largely undeveloped wetlands, ponds, meadows, and hardwood forest within the Lawrence Brook watershed. Its history reflects changing views of the land: owned in the 18th century, it was partly drained beginning in 1780 through the Great Ditch for farming, then later altered again by sand dredging in 1945. The swamp was once a major nesting site for passenger pigeons, linking it to the region’s lost wildlife history. After remaining unprotected into the 1970s, it gained recognition as a National Natural Landmark in 1976 for the scientific importance of its habitats and is now protected by the state.