Rutgers Ecological Preserve is a 370-acre protected natural area on Rutgers University’s Livingston Campus in central New Jersey, spanning parts of Piscataway, Edison, and Highland Park. Once used as a Revolutionary War campsite and later farmed for crops and livestock in the 19th century, the land became a university preserve in 1976. It serves as both an outdoor teaching area and a park-like retreat, valued for its diverse plant life, woodland habitat, and streams that feed the Raritan River. Its rugged terrain also makes it popular for hiking and mountain biking, blending conservation, recreation, and education.