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The state put out a small green brochure, similar to the standard brochure for each state park, just on the Batona Trail. It had a map of the entire trail. Given the state's finances the last few years, I have no idea if it's still avaiable. I'm pretty sure I have several of them stashed away in...

What Emil said pretty well sums it up for me as well. I've known him for some time and he is a straight shooter (unlike the air guard :)) and tends to cut right through the crap and get to the point. Anyone who knows the slightest bit about the pines knows the ignition source is the most minor...

I seem to remember Jeff being one of the biggest reasons I stopped posting on the old site. I was new at the time, and often avoid getting into arguments when I'm the new kid on the block. I also didn't know if he was friends with the regulars or not. So when some of the nonsense he posted got...

Boyd, I came in with my 2x4 pickup from Warren Grove and Sim's Place bogs. I drove through what were obviously deeper puddles in wetter times but had no trouble yesterday. I take that route to Oswego Lake from Wells Mills alot when we canoe there and have noticed a few puddles getting worse over...

I visited this pond on the Plains Branch of the Oswego River for the first time yesterday. I'm surprised I never stumbled upon it before. It's quite a neat, peaceful place. A few very open wet spots seemed like a great site for interesting plants as well. I didn't look for any since I had my...

In addition to the predicted calls for closure of the bombing range (we don't all agree on that, which is fine), I wonder how long it will take the political types to make the perennial demand that a new north/south road be built to relieve the traffic nightmare created by incidents such as...

I stopped and took a few pics on Rt. 539 on my way to work yesterday. One thing that struck me was how much garbage was visible on the forest floor of the burned areas close to the road. I know the litter topic has been pretty well covered in other threads, but I was freshly disgusted.

In my opinion the housing and commercial developements wedged into the pinelands and in the path of the fires are the problem, not the ignition source of the fire. I can think of three decent sized fires off the top of my head started at the range, but many, many more started by other sources...

Fire isn't necessary to sustain the environment, just to sustain the pine forests. Without it, natural forest succession would lead to a stand of mostly oak in our area. If the fire is hot enough to kill the largest pines as well as any oak saplings in the understory, the forest floor will be...

Hmmmm. This could be fun. I haven't had my turn at getting into trouble yet! :dance:

Great stats, Bob, but you left out how many hotdogs were eaten!

I just read that the planes are supposed to drop the flares from a higher altitude to ensure they burn out during times of high fire danger. It seems to me to make more sense to just not drop them during those times. I can understand the need for gunnery practice but how much practice does it...

A few years ago, I took part in a tour of the base given by its past commander, along with Walt Bien from Drexel U., who some of you might know. Despite whatever problems the base may create, like setting the woods on fire or shooting up my daughter's school, they have some interesting things...

The leaves in the pic are just a hair too small for me to say with 100% confidence that's it's a tulip, but I'd say it with 99%. :mrgreen:

Doesn't look like a maple to me, but the bark on larger trees has fooled me before. Yellow poplar (AKA tuliptree) maybe???

I'll lay odds that the episode will not involve a place where trains ran, but rather Bobby Bacala's model railroad hobby, which was featured in several episodes. Maybe someone will end up getting clubbed to death with a Blue Comet engine or passenger car. The standard gauge Blue Comet of the...

The name "never-wet" always brings back memories. Gene Vivian was the first one who used that name for the plant to me about 20 years ago.

Looks like Golden Club

The two I use the most are Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers and Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. The first has plants grouped by color of bloom and the second by botanical relationships and uses a key to narrow the plant down if you are starting blind. Both have their fans. If you want to learn...

Yep. I'm the Ocean County Parks Department's Chief Egg Shaker. Since that would piss off the PETA folks if it was on my name tag, it just says Naturalist instead. You wouldn't need to apologize if you were an activist though. I consider myself one to a degree. Activists come in all flavors and...