Author Talk – “Preserving the Pines” with William Lewis

There’s so much to be said about the history of the New Jersey Pinelands and its place in the environmental movement. From the author, “I have read it’s wise to write the book that is going to change your life. Well, out of all of my published works, this is the one! I can honestly attest to it precisely what this new book of mine has done.” The history of Earth Day and the broader environmental movement isn’t just a historical footnote for New Jerseyans. We should be proud of our part in leading the way to a greener, one could argue ‘evergreen’, brighter tomorrow!”

Author Bio

William J. Lewis is a lifetime resident of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, as were multiple generations of his family before him. He is the author of New Jersey’s Lost Piney Culture (The History Press, 2021) Adventure with Piney Joe: Exploring the New Jersey Pine Barrens (South Jersey Culture and History Center, 2022), South Jersey Legends & Lore: Tales from the Pine Barrens and Beyond (The History Press, 2024), and Preserving the Pines: New Jersey and the Origins of Environmentalism (The History Press, 2025). He shares his Piney adventures on social media networks under the name Piney Tribe. He preaches exploration without exploitation and teaches our children to be tomorrow’s environmental stewards. After proudly serving as a U.S. Marine, William went on to graduate from Rider University; he founded an environmental nonprofit to get kids outdoors and has served in leadership roles for both government and New Jersey nonprofit organizations.