Pinelands Student Research Day 1

The Pinelands, also known as the Pine Barrens or simply the Pines, is a heavily forested area of coastal plain stretching across more than seven counties of southern New Jersey.

Population Density (people per square mile) The Pinelands includes 1.1 million acres the largest tract of open space between Boston and Washington D.C. This is a dot density map of population. State Population Size (square miles) Population Density (people per square mile) New Jersey 8,807,501 7,417 1,171 Rhode Island 1,053,209 1,214 1,005 Massachusetts 6,559,644 7,840 829 Alaska 698,473 570,373 1.2 National Average 307,006,550 3,790,000 96

The Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer Is like a giant underground lake below the Pinelands. The sandy soil acts like a filter which traps any impurities before they reach the aquifer. This means the water in the aquifer is very clean and pure. The aquifer contains 17 trillion gallons of water (think of a plastic milk jug). If we could pump that water above ground it would be enough to cover the entire state of New Jersey 6 feet deep in water.

Pitch pines and oak trees dominate this area. Pinelands Vegetation Pitch pines and oak trees dominate this area.

Pinelands Vegetation Bog Asphodel apparently only exists in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Within the Pinelands, populations have suffered, historically, from the creation cranberry bogs and other transformations of the habitat. Current threats are mainly from alteration of habitat, such as succession. Whether or not this succession has been accelerated by humans is an important question to be investigated. Beavers also destroy populations when they create ponds that flood the plants. This extremely rare plant is one of our highest conservation priorities.

Pinelands Vegetation Curly Grass Fern is probably the most famous plant of the Pine Barrens. It seems to be always be at the bases of trees, but typically only in relatively early successional situations, such as spots where there is some exposed soil. You can find it year-round.

The soil of the Pine Barrens is of such poor quality and lacks nutrients so it is difficult for many plants to survive. However, carnivorous plants thrive in the Pine Barrens environment. Sundew Pitcher Plant Bladderwort

Early settlers of the Pine Barrens came for many different reasons Early settlers of the Pine Barrens came for many different reasons. One was to harvest blueberries and sphagnum moss.

The Pine Barrens also includes thousands of acres of cranberry bogs.

In the early 1900’s, Whitesbog was the largest cranberry farm in New Jersey.  Its founder, Joseph J. White, was a nationally recognized leader in the cranberry industry.  In 1916, Elizabeth C. White collaborated with Dr. Frederick A. Coville of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and successfully developed the first cultivated blueberry at Whitesbog.

Settlers made coal using a Collier Settlers made coal using a Collier. Pitch pines would be harvested and put in a tee-pee formation. A slow-burning fire would be set in the tee-pee. After burning the wood for several days charcoal would be created.

An acre of 20-25 year old trees will produce 20-22 cords of wood = 800-850 bushels of charcoal 2 tons of iron

Settlers mined Bog Iron, which is made of iron sediments (about the size of sand crystals) which are in Pine Barrens water. Since the rivers are slow moving the sediments are deposited on the bottom of the river and over time they turn into hard, pieces of iron. This iron was heated and used to create wheel spokes, belt buckles and pots/pans.

The Pine Barrens of New Jersey is the second most fire prone plant community in the world after the chaparral of southern California.

Working with your group, complete the Pinelands Student Research worksheet. You may go back and review the slides.