Nestled in the Pinelands region of Jackson, one mile east of Jackson Memorial High School on Don Connor Boulevard, there is a wealth of learning to be obtained at the New Jersey Forest Resource Education Center.
The New Jersey Forest Resource Education Center is a gem in the heart of Jackson. New Jersey Forest Service Regional Forester John Burkle (center photo) recently accompanied a Tri-Town News reporter on a tour of the facility. There are 7 miles of trails at the center, and guests may see a newly hatched butterfly emerging. At left, employees prepare saplings in the tree shop. “This is the only property in the state that is completely under the auspices of the New Jersey Forest Service,” said New Jersey Forest Service Regional Forester John Burkle. “We currently have about 660 acres here, with about 7 miles of trails.”
Burkle said there are two main projects that occur on the property.
PHOTOS BY DAVE BENJAMIN “The first is the education center, which conducts about 180 school programs for approximately 11,000 to 12,000 children,” he said. “[Second,] on the other side of the Toms River, is our state tree nursery, which was moved here in the early 1980s from Washington Crossing State Park. We grow and ship about 300,000 seedlings a year.”
The center provides tree seedlings and planting directions for forestation and conservation projects.
The education center was opened in 2003, and since that time employees at the center have designed numerous exhibits that are on display at the center and throughout the large tract of land.
Burkle said the center is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Most of the programs are held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“We have school groups not only from Jackson and the surrounding towns, but also from other locations throughout the state,” Burkle said. “[Groups have come from] Newark, Sussex County and Cape May County. The majority of programs are for children, but we also do programs for any community group that wants to reserve a day with us. We also get senior citizens groups.”
On two Saturdays during the year, one in the spring and one in the fall, the center holds programs for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. This year the spring program is expected to be held on June 5. The Fall Forestry Festival is usually held on the first Saturday in October.
Burkle said the New Jersey Forest Resource Education Center has had a long relationship with the Jackson Pathfinders. The group’s members have assisted the center with trail maintenance, and they have helped out with the Full Moon Walk that is held in August.
Burkle said there are full-time and seasonal employees who work at the center and the nursery. Burkle is the supervisor. Terry O’Leary is a resource interpretive specialist, Bob Meierjurgen is the forestry technician, and Mandy DeMartino does all of the computer work and makes signs and brochures.
Over at the nursery there are also several full-time and a few seasonal employees. Several of the seasonal employees are people who are retired.
“We have a group of about 12 programs,” Burkle said as he got into a small motorized vehicle to give a tour of the facility. “When a teacher comes to us, we give them a list of what we have available and they make the selection after they discuss the programs with Terry O’Leary.”
The trails throughout the center are set up as outdoor classrooms, so most programs are conducted outdoors. There are different programs set up at different trails.
“On the other side of the Toms River we have our Forest Product Loop,” said Burkle. “There we have a sawmill, and as the group goes down the path they will stop at different trees and learn about them and what kinds of products we get from those trees.”
The area also contains a Bee Stop where visitors can learn about honey bees and making maple syrup.
There is a Forest Discovery Group where visitors learn about individual trees and how the forest changes.
“There are a couple of trails that are designed to be accessible to individuals with handicaps,” said Burkle. “All of our kiosks we design and build ourselves. We cut up the boards at our sawmill. We don’t have to buy any wood, just nails and screws.”
There is also a “talking tree” where a visitor can push a button and the tree will “talk.”
The sawmill is part of the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson. DAVE BENJAMIN Burkle said a sensory awareness trail has been set up to make people more aware of their senses.
“Anyone who is blind can use this trail as well,” he said. “The signs are also written in Braille. There are lots of things to touch here.”
One area is set aside with demonstrations, designed by an artist, of how a forest ages. Burkle said there are six time frames showing the different stages, from bare ground to how the forest changes to mature trees.
There also is a kiosk from which visitors can learn about forest fires.
“There have been about 63 forest fires that came through this area,” Burkle said.”
Additionally, there is an arboretum with a tree or plant for every letter of the alphabet.
Other programs include the Bluebird Trail, Plant-Soil Relationships, Swamp Life, Watershed Investigations and Wildlife Habitats.
The Sugar Shack is where maple syrup is made. DAVE BENJAMIN Before a reporter left the center, one of the employees discovered a yellow and black butterfly that had just hatched and showed it to Burkle.
For more information about the Forest Resource Education Center, call 732- 928-2360 or visit www.njf orestrycenter.org. Reservations must be made in advance for groups of 10 or more by calling Terry O’Leary at 732-928-0987. Group visitations are scheduled Monday through Fridays from 9:30 to 2 p.m.
It is suggested that visitors to the center wear long pants and closed shoes to protect from poison ivy and ticks.
Curriculum guides are provided to educators, and all programs are correlated to the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.
The Forest Resource Education Center is run under the auspices of the Division of Parks and Forests and the Department of Environmental Protection.