New Jersey Pinelands Commission

12/07/2020

New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites

#WildlifeWednesday-Eastern Painted Turtle

Have you heard that an Eastern painted Turtle can breathe out of its butt?

You read that right! Butt-breathing is one of the amazing adaptations the eastern painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) has to survive the winter. They spend the winter buried in the mud under a slow-moving body of water. When they are under the water, they are not able to breath out of their lungs like they would in the warmer months. Instead, they begin to rely on other methods to obtain oxygen, such as cloacal respiration. Cloacal respiration is where blood vessels near the cloacal (the end of the digestive track) take in oxygen from the water. Butt breathing is not the only thing these turtles do to get through the winter. They also have an antifreeze system in place. When their surroundings are frozen, chances are these cold-blooded creatures will be too. Their cells are able to produce something called Cryoprotectants which prevents large ice crystals from forming and damaging their cells.

The eastern painted turtle is one of the most common turtles we have here in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. In the warmer months, you may see them basking on logs or swimming around catching aquatic insects. The eastern painted turtle is also most noted for the beautiful colorations along their shell, neck and head. It is because of these colorations that they got their name.. The bottom of their shell (plastron) is a very bright yellow, and the top of their shell (carapace) has vibrant red stripes underneath. Their head has lustrous yellow stripes followed by radiant red stripes that flow down their neck and limbs making this turtle a wonderful sight to see.

Make sure to keep an eye out come spring as the baby eastern painted turtles make their way out into the world. While the eggs hatch in the fall, the babies will stay in their nest throughout the winter.

Article by Nicole Bendixen- Seasonal Naturalist at Brendan T Byrne State Forest

#NJStateParks #iheartNJparks

12/06/2020

Get your free 2021 Pinelands National Reserve wall calendars at today’s Handmade Holiday Craft Fair at historic Whitesbog Village in Pemberton Township!

The outdoor shopping event will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission and parking are free.

Here is more information about the fair:
https://m.facebook.com/events/333985457921351

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #pinebarrens #whitesbog #whitesbogvillage #whitesbogpreservation #whitesbogpreservationtrust #ilovenj #shoplocal #njhistory #njartists #njart #environmentaleducation #pinebarrensbyway

12/04/2020

Pinelands Interactive Map

Is your property located in the Pinelands?

If so, what Pinelands Management Area is your property located within?

The Pinelands Commission's Interactive Map has answers! Give it a try:

https://njpines.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=28ef313eb49f4e8f96ca249d871d06fe

12/02/2020

ATTENTION: Copies of the 2021 Pinelands National Reserve wall calendar are now available free of charge at three new locations in the Pinelands!

This is the fifth edition of the Pinelands National Reserve calendar, and it places a spotlight on the Pine Barrens Byway, a state-designated scenic byway that traverses 130 miles of roadways in the southern Pinelands region. The Pinelands Commission is overseeing the administration of the Byway, and the calendar features 38 photos of plants, animals, historic sites, landscapes and various destinations that can be found along, or in close proximity to, the Byway route. The calendar also includes important dates in Pinelands history, along with tentative dates of Pinelands Commission meetings.

The Pinelands Commission worked with Rowan College at Burlington County to produce the calendar. All of the photos were taken by members of the Commission’s staff.

Copies of the calendar can be obtained at the following locations and times, while supplies last:

Jake’s Branch County Park Nature Center
Address: 1100 Double Trouble Rd, Beachwood, NJ 08722
Hours: Sunday and Saturday (Senior citizens and immune compromised only from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.; 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. for general public); Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (Senior citizens and immune compromised only from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the general public).
Phone: (732) 281-2750

Wells Mills County Park Nature Center/Offices
Address: 905 Wells Mills Road (Route 532), Waretown, NJ 08758
Hours: Wednesday – Sunday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: (609) 971-3085

Whitesbog Village General Store
GPS Address: 799 Lakehurst Road, Browns Mills, NJ 08015
Hours: The General Store will be open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Phone: (609) 893-4646

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #pinebarrensnj #pinebarrens #pinebarrensbyway #ilovenj #njisbeautiful #njisntboring #whitesbog #whitesbogvillage #wellsmillscountypark #jakesbranchcountypark

12/02/2020

A few more reflections on the Rancocas Creek in the New Jersey Pinelands ...

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #jerseygirlsphotoadventures #gardenstate #njisbeautiful #rancocascreek

12/01/2020

A minute to reflect, while on the banks of the Rancocas Creek in the New Jersey Pinelands ... volume up ...

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #jerseygirlsphotoadventures #gardenstate #njisbeautiful #rancocascreek

12/01/2020

🎶 Blue skies, smiling at me 🎶

It didn’t last long, but there were some bright blue skies and puffy clouds above the New Jersey Pinelands earlier today. Here are photos of the Rancocas Creek Canoe Trail in Pemberton Township ...

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #jerseygirlsphotoadventures #gardenstate #njisbeautiful #rancocascreek

11/26/2020

Happy Thanksgiving from the New Jersey Pinelands Commission! Thanksgiving reminds us of home, and here are photos of the Commission’s home at the historic Fenwick Manor in Pemberton Township. The first photo shows the 3.5 story farmhouse, which was built in the 1820s. The original farmstead included multiple structures. The farmhouse, a barn, and a carriage house have all survived and are used as office space by the Pinelands Commission’s staff. Over the span of 125 years, Fenwick Manor was owned by a variety of individuals from the same family. Benjamin Jones, owner from 1827-1844, was a colorful entrepreneur who built a railroad. His cousin, Colonel James Fenwick, was the second owner and a gentleman farmer who experimented in cranberry culture. Upon his death in 1882, the Colonel’s son-in-law, Joseph Josiah White, acquired the farm and expanded cranberry operations at nearby Whitesbog. White's daughter, Elizabeth White, helped to develop the cultivated blueberry in 1916 while she was living in Fenwick Manor. The property is also home to the Richard J. Sullivan Center for Environmental Policy and Education, which was built in 2001. Fenwick Manor is listed in the State and National Register of Historic Places.

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #naturelover #newjerseyhistory #njdotcom #jerseygirlsphotoadventures #gardenstate #sjadventures #southjerseyadventures #njhistory #history #whitesbog #elizabethwhite #njisbeautiful #historicbuildings

11/25/2020

Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving this year! We are thankful for the opportunity to help preserve, protect and enhance the New Jersey Pinelands ... What are you thankful for this year?

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #pinebarrensnj #thanksgiving #happythanksgiving

11/25/2020

Cranberry Farming Has a History in NJ (Thanksgiving Recipe Included)

A timely article about cranberry farming in New Jersey, along with a recipe!

https://www.tapinto.net/sections/nj-flavor/articles/cranberry-farming-has-a-history-in-nj-thanksgiving-recipe-included

#pinelands #pinebarrens #pinebarrensnj #gardenstate #njagriculture #agriculture #cranberries #cranberry

What’s Thanksgiving without cranberries? Whether you whip up a batch of homemade chutney (see below) or open a can of jellied sauce, there’s a good chance that the famous red berry will make an...

11/25/2020

A mighty sycamore towers over the New Jersey Pinelands Commission’s headquarters on Springfield Road in Pemberton Township.

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #gardenstate #njisbeautiful

11/24/2020

🎶 On the Road Again 🎶

Today’s brief drive through Brendan Byrne State Forest in the million-acre Pinelands of southern New Jersey ...

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #gardenstate #njisbeautiful #brendanbyrnestateforest #newjerseystateparks

11/24/2020

PITCHER PERFECT: Native, insect-eating pitcher plants (Sarracenia purpurea) are thriving at the New Jersey Pinelands Commission’s indoor bog terrarium in Pemberton Township. They get plenty of moisture and are fed the occasional stink bug. Yum!

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #bestofthegardenstate #njinbloom #pitcherplants #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #jerseygirlsphotoadventures #gardenstate #nativeplants #njisbeautiful #nativegardening

11/23/2020

Happy National Eat a Cranberry Day in the New Jersey Pinelands! New Jersey is among the nation’s top producers of cranberries, with all of the production occurring in the 1.1 million-acre Pinelands. Cranberries are native to the Pinelands, and the berries are typically harvested from mid-September to mid-November. After you peruse these photos of cranberry cultivation/harvesting in the Pinelands, please feel free to share your favorite ways to eat, cook or bake with cranberries!

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #njhikes #bestofthegardenstate #njhiking #njinbloom #cranberries #cranberry #cranberryharvest #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #jerseygirlsphotoadventures

11/23/2020

NJ.com

Here's a great video of Wharton State Forest in the 1.1 million-acre Pinelands National Reserve of southern New Jersey ...

This is the largest state park in New Jersey, and it's bursting with beauty, history and activities for the whole family. Who would you bring along to check out what Wharton State Forest has to offer?

11/20/2020

Scenes from today’s brief, lunchtime excursion to the Winslow Wildlife Management Area in the New Jersey Pinelands ...

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #njhikes #bestofthegardenstate #njhiking #njinbloom #winslowwildlifemanagementarea #naturelover #nature #naturephotography #jerseygirlsphotoadventures

11/20/2020

Wondering what the Pinelands Commission's staff has been doing lately? Wonder no longer! The Commission's Management Report for October 2020 is hot off the presses, and it includes detailed information about the agency's efforts to preserve, protect and enhance this special part of New Jersey. To view the report, please click on the link below:
https://www.nj.gov/pinelands/infor/online/Oct2020MonthReport.pdf

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #pinebarrensnj #pinebarrens #njpinebarrens #njpines #pinelandscommission #njisbeautiful #ilovenj #gardenstate #southjersey

11/20/2020

Makepeace Lake in Mays Landing, NJ.

November 2020

11/19/2020

Very interesting information ...

#WildlifeWednesday - How Beavers Survive the Winter

What did the beaver say to the tree?
It's been nice gnawing you!

Have you ever wondered how a beaver survives the winter? The American beaver, Castor canadensis, does not hibernate and instead spends the winter huddled up with its family inside their well-insulated lodges. In order to prepare for the colder months beavers spend a lot of time in the fall building and maintaining their lodges. These cone shaped homes are built of twigs, logs, rocks and mud with the entrance underwater. They are typically located in the deepest, quiet part of the water for protection from predators and so when the surface water freezes over they can still swim underwater to access food under.

Not only do beavers spend a lot of time maintaining their lodges, they also are busy with caching, or storing food in the fall. In the summertime beavers eat a lot of fresh vegetation but once the cold hits they transition to a diet, consisting of bark and twigs of softwood treesstored underwater near the entrance of their lodge. The snow and ice makes it harder for the beavers to travel longer distances so having the food supply nearby is essential. This helps them not expend too much energy or lose too much heat while out in the cold. This is also where their thick coat of fur comes in handy, insulating them and keeping them warm in the freezing water.They also produce castor oil, which they rub all over their fur making it waterproof.

Winter is also the start of the mating season for the American beaver which lasts from January to March. Gestation lasts about three months and there can be anywhere from one to four newborns known as kits. Ahe typical lodge includes the two parents, yearlings and newborns. Mating in the winter ensures that the mother has enough time to nurse before the busy season starts back up again in the spring.

As you are out hiking this winter, one simple way to know if a lodge is occupied is to see if the snow on top has melted. An inhabited and well insulated lodge can get up to 34 degrees fahrenheit, just warm enough to melt the snow off the top of the lodge. So be sure to keep an eye out!

Article by Nicole Bendixen- Seasonal Naturalist at Brendan T Byrne State Forest

#NJStateParks #iheartNJparks

11/18/2020

The Spotted Lanternfly - Steve Rettke, Rutgers Cooperative Extension

*** Reminder: The Pinelands Commission will host its final, free webinar of the year at 10 a.m. TOMORROW (Nov. 19th)!

The presentation will focus on the Spotted Lanternfly, which has found its way into New Jersey and has raised concerns about damages wrought by the invasive insect.

Presenter Steven Rettke of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension will discuss the spotted lanterfly’s life cycle, including the egg, nymph and adult stages. Rettke also will provide information about the insect’s distribution and spread throughout the northeastern United States since 2014, and he will discuss the typical host plant that the insect feeds on, while evaluating insecticides and the use of Tree of Heaven as trap trees.

To watch the webinar, please click on the link below:

https://youtu.be/30D1PxZUMEA

The spotted lanternfly life cycle will be reviewed including the egg, nymph & adult stages. Their distribution & spread will be shown throughout the northeas...

11/17/2020

Scenes from yesterday’s lunchtime adventure at the 11,726-acre Makepeace Lake Wildlife Management Area in the New Jersey Pinelands ... It’s another site on the Pine Barrens Byway!

#pinelands #pinelandsnationalreserve #njpinebarrens #pinebarrens #southjerseyadventures #southjersey #jerseygrammers #njphotographer #njphotography #njshooterz #WildNewJersey #njisntboring #njhikes #bestofthegardenstate #njhiking #njinbloom #njisbeautiful #gardenstate #makepeacelake #naturephotography #nature #naturelovers