The new jersey pine barrens also known as the pinelands or simply the pines is the largest remaining example of the atlantic coastal pine barrens ecosystem stretching across more than seven counties of new jerseytwo other large contiguous examples of this ecosystem remain the long island central pine barrens and the massachusetts coastal pine barrens. The pine barrens is a protected wilderness area by the new jersey pinelands commission in southern new jersey where christopher and paulie try to dispose of valerys remains the pine barrens make up approximately 25 of new jerseys land area one of the largest wilderness areas in the most densely populated state in the us. pine barrens is an episode of the hbo series the sopranos it is the 11th of the shows third season and the 37th overall the teleplay was written by terence winter from a story idea by winter and tim van patten it was the first of four episodes for the series directed by steve buscemi and originally aired on may 6 2001. The jersey pine barrens are a relatively flat wooded area harriman state park however is a hilly area with some woods and some open pasture like meadows which is what is seen in the episode