Newsletter

    A special Thank you to the dozens of individuals who recently joined or renewed their membership with the Coalition. This support will enable the Coalition to continue our grass-roots initiative so we can all realize our goals of preserving the Forked River Mountains and the vast wilderness that surrounds them.
    Members of the Coalition will be able to participate in the sixth Annual Meeting and election of members to the Board of Trustees. The Annual Meeting is scheduled for May 10, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. at Wells Mills County Park. If you are a member of the Coalition, you will receive a written notice of the election about a month before the Annual Meeting.
    If you are not currently a member of the Coalition but would like to join, or if you are a member and have not yet renewed your membership, simply complete the registration form. Be sure to mark the appropriate box and return the form along with your $15 membership dues for 2000. Contributions are tax-deductible.

Here are three exciting opportunities to learn more about the Forked River Mountains and view the area's unique flora and fauna. . .

Barnegat Bay Festival

       The fourth annual Barnegat Bay Festival will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2000. The festival is a cooperative effort of non-profit organizations and government agencies dedicated to maintaining the health and quality of the Barnegat Bay and its vast watershed covering most of Ocean County. The festival is designed to heighten environmental awareness about the natural resources of the watershed and the impact of human activities on these resources. Nearly two dozen activities are being planned.
       The Forked River Mountain Coalition and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, will present a program entitled: Exploring the Forked River Mountain Reserve. The program will begin with a slide presentation about the Forked River Mountains and this vast Pinelands wilderness. Afterward we will hike into the forest to explore a pristine Pinelands stream and an Atlantic white cedar swamp.
       Open space conservation in the Pinelands compliments efforts to protect Barnegat Bay because many of the streams and rivers that flow into the bay originate in the Pinelands. The Forked River Mountain area contains the headwaters to three major tributaries of Barnegat Bay, including the Cedar Creek, Forked River and Oyster Creek.
         There is a limit of 20 persons for our program so pre-registration is necessary. For additional information call (732) 506-5313.

* Some illustrations from A Field Guide to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, by Howard Boyd, Plexus Publishing, Inc. Medford, NJ by Howard Boyd, Plexus Publishing, Inc. Medford, NJ

Canoe Trip

      The Forked River Mountain Coalition will sponsor our sixth annual canoe trip down Cedar Creek on May 29, 2000. We will depart Double Trouble State Park at 10:00 am and return approximately 3:00 pm. The cost is $10 per person. There is a three (3) person limit per canoe.
         Bring lunch, drink, insect repellant, sun tan lotion, hat or sun glasses. Long pants and sneakers are recommended. No alcohol.
          We will provide canoes, life preservers and transportation back to Double Trouble State Park.
        Persons who are interested in attending should complete and return the registration form or call (609) 971-1635 for more information.

Treefrog Hike

       If you would like to try your luck at discovering an endangered Pine Barrens Treefrog join us on the evening of Friday, June 9, 2000. We will meet at the Bamber Village Store at 7:30 pm and return around 9:30 pm. The Bamber Store is located at the intersection of Lacey Road and Dover Road about 5 ½ miles west of the Garden State Parkway exit 74.
         There will also be an opportunity to view several unique plants during the hike including sundews, pitcher plants and the endangered curly-grass fern.
          The cost for this program is only $5 per person. You must provide your own transportation. Pine Barrens Tree Frog Long pants and boots are recommended. Bring insect repellant and a flashlight. Persons who are interested in attending should complete and return the registration form or call (609) 971-1635 for more information.

Did you know...

•	During World War Two, the army built an observation tower on the mountain and tested ammunitions in the area
•	The area is bordered by public lands, Double Trouble State Park to the north, Wells Mills County Park to the south, Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area to the west and the Garden State Parkway to the east
•	Three Pinelands management areas are within the Forked River Mountain area, Preservation Area 40%, Forest Area 50% and Rural Development Area 10% (% are approximate)
•	It has been stated that the Forked River Mountain area may be the largest tract of undeveloped, privately owned land in New Jersey without a paved road
•	Just about every plant and animal that can be found in the Pine Barrens can be found in the Forked River Mountains, it is said that the largest concentration of endangered species in the northern Pinelands can be found here
•	Yet, most of the area remains privately owned, currently, only about 4,000 acres or about 1/5 of the area has been permanently protected as open space.

Bog Asphodel, a member of the Lily Family, is a perennial herb with very narrow, stiff, grass-like, mostly basal leaves, 4-8" high, curving up from the rhizone. The simple, erect 10-16" long stem leads to a spike-like raceme of yellow flowers that appear from mid June to late July.

Bog Asphodel plants grow in association with Atlantic white cedar swamps, often in open sphagnum bogs, in moist savannahs and in disturbed wetlands sites. On quaking bogs, colonies frequently form turf-like mats intertwining their rhizomes, thereby excluding many competitors. Associated plant species include Gold Crest, Rose Pogonia and New Jersey Rush. Bog Asphodel appears to have strict habitat requirements in order to flower. The plant cannot tolerate dense shade, extended flooding nor extended desiccation.

Bog Asphodel was first discovered in New Jersey in a sphagnum bog near Quaker Bridge in the early 1800s by noted botanist Frederick Pursh. Subsequently it was found at two locations in Delaware and at a site in North Carolina and another in South Carolina. Those populations outside of New Jersey are now extirpated. This globally imperiled species, is now believed to be restricted to an area of approximately 20 x 30 miles in Burlington, Ocean and Atlantic Counties.

As previously described, the narrow habitat requirements for Bog Asphodel and its extremely limited range make the need to preserve and manage critical habitat for this species most urgent