JACKSON – Formerly known as the Big Tree event, the Forest Resource Education Center off Don Connor Boulevard hosted their rechristened Spring Forestry Festival recently.
Regional Forester Joseph C. Bennett told The Jackson Times, “We changed the name to make it more inclusive to other forestry programs as we branched out a little more from what we have done in the past. We have done the fall forestry festival and then the pandemic hit and put a stop to that. So this is the first year that kind of was the fall festival but in the spring.”
“We have about 30 tables representing different agencies. We have Fish & Wildlife, New Jersey Forest Fire, New Jersey Forest Service, State Parks is doing a camping demonstration,” he added.
Bennett added, “there is a birding hike, Fish & Wildlife has a nice exhibit at their table, there is a watershed table and we have another table where they will be talking about the importance of trees and water sheds. Dr. Michael Grossman of Georgian Court, he’ll be in our break room area with microscopes. We have a little a bit of everything going on today.”
NJDEP Educator Julia Sommer said her job is to be “the educator who supports other educators teaching the climate change learning standards. New Jersey is the first state that requires all teachers K-12 to teach climate change in every subject area. Not just science but math, English, art and others. Some teachers don’t know how to do that because it wasn’t part of their training and they don’t necessarily feel confident in explaining issues around climate change so my role as a former teacher is to bring resources to those educators both formal and non-formal and give them ideas about how to bring that into the classroom.”
Bluegrass music was heard at the event while tree climbers from across the performance stage rose up to the high branches of an oak tree on the property as part of a tree examination program by New Jersey Arborists ISA based in Moorestown.
Lou Trowbridge of Wall Township, leads the group called the Yankee Dime. He explained their name which has southern roots. “Right after the Civil War and the reconstruction, carpet baggers all went down south and played fast and loose with everybody especially with the young ladies. They’d say hey sweetheart get me another cup a tea and I’ll give you a Yankee dime and back in those days 10 cents was a lot. The girl comes back with the drink and all they’d get was a kiss on the cheek. That’s a Yankee dime, talk about a cheapskate.”
“We like to do service work at senior centers and youth groups and stuff like that and here for the Forest Service because it is a nice community event,” Trowbridge added.
Making a colorful dragonfly craft was Jackson resident Alexandra Music who was among the people providing activities on site. “This will be a great activity for the kids,” she said.
New Jersey Bluebird Society member Jean Montgomerie noted that “this location has had eastern blue bird nest box for over 25-30 years and I got involved with it through Laura Stone of Jackson who mentored me. I retired from the state of New Jersey as an environmental specialist and I decided I would get involved with people to monitor bluebird boxes. We have 15 of them here scattered all around.” She also served on the Pinelands Commission and the Jackson area was part of her territory.
Sharon Petzinger of New Jersey Fish & Wildlife conducted the bird walk. “This is my third or fourth event.”
Howling Woods Farms a popular educational facility based in the township was well represented at the event. They provide learning experiences to the public about wolves and wolfdogs. Along with their volunteers were the dark-maned Arista who is half wolf and half dog and the white-haired Oberon who is 70% wolf and 30% dog. The white wolfdog recently visited Jackson Town Hall when Howling Woods Farms was presented a proclamation by the Township Council.
“They are both rescues. We do DNA tests on them. Arista was found in South Carolina. He was in a hording scenario and found in a small enclosure and weighed only 40 pounds and had heartworm. We were worried he would be a little aggressive but he was not. He just wanted some human attention. He is now 90 pounds and perfectly healthy,” said volunteer Eden Malone of Point Pleasant.
“I started volunteering when I was seven or eighteen years old and I’m 20 now. When I was 18 and in trade school, I was looking for something to do on the weekend so I started volunteering and have been doing it for two and half years now. I just love animals.”
A big favorite at the event was the mascot of forest fire prevention himself, Smokey the Bear. He had his photo taken adults and children throughout the day.
From the Forestry Service Communication Department, which falls under the State Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) was a representative doing some photos and videography.
