Ecological Preserve – Page 20 – Rutgers University Ecological Preserve Located on Livingston Campus

Trail Crew hard at Work improving trail system

August 21, 2013 RU Eco Preserve

The 2013 trail crew/land stewards have been hard at work at a number of projects this summer. Highlights include: constructing a new boardwalk on the green trail; clearing a new gateway trailhead and trail linking the EcoPreserve to Livingston Campus; interpretative sign installation and invasive plant control. In the photo above, the crew is helping to reopen a remnant little bluestem meadow and black haw shrub thicket in the southeastern portion of the Preserve. The objective is to maintain a…

HS Students study how fallen trees change EcoPreserve habitat

July 19, 2013 RU Eco Preserve

July 10. As part of the 4H Summer Science Program, the EcoPreserve hosted nearly 20 high school students for a day of GIS mapping of fallen trees impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The objective was to teach the students how geographic information and global positioning system technology could be used in a hands-on ecological field study. Students recorded the type, size and geocoordinate location of the fallen trees to add to the database that Principles of Natural Resource Management students started…

Trails Work Day April 26 1-5pm

April 24, 2013 RU Eco Preserve

To Celebrate Earth Week a Trails Work Day was held on Friday April 26 1-5PM 15 Students from the Rutgers Naturalist and the Rutgers Outdoors Clubs participated. We spread wood chip mulch made from a number of the Hurricane Sandy downed trees that were cleared from the trails back in January. Turning lemons into lemonade.

Spring Wildflowers blooming

April 17, 2013 RU Eco Preserve

Cutleaved Toothwort blooming in Kilmer Woods A number of spring wildflowers are starting to emerge from the leaf litter and bloom in the mid-Spring sun. The most common species in Kilmer Wood by far is the spring beauty, Claytonia virginica. Another species that is blooming right now is the cutleaved toothwort, Dentaria laciniata (pictured above). An alternative name for this plant is the pepperroot as the roots are purported to have a peppery taste. The speckled foliage of the trout lily,…