Follow the Green Needle Road

Rooftree

Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
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Haddon Township
There's been a brief discussion on the Pygmy Pine Plains on another post. I thought a new post would be best showing a few photos of an aftermath of a fire as the Pine Plains are dependent on fire for its survival. It appears the seeds from serotinous cones were able to germinate better in the turned up soil in a fire break than elsewhere. These photos were taken back in January 2013 before I became a member of this site. The area is just south of Bombing Range Road, west of RT 539, and east of Governors Branch. I'm not sure if this is a result of a forest fire or a control burn. I believe I read once though, that a fire from a control burn is not hot enough to open a serotinous cones.

Pinelands-2013Winter 066.jpg



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bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,657
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Pines; Bamber area
I recall seeing that in Bass River state forest as well Ron. I suppose it could be that the duff on the forest floor (outside of the ditch) keeps the seeds from reaching the soil.

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Boyd

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Jul 31, 2004
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Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
I'm not quite sure about the location of your photos, but there was a big fire around there back in 2007:

https://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/pine-plains-on-539-after-the-fire.3368/

The red outline was my *guess* of the area that burned.

fire-guess.jpg


Unfortunately many of the photos in that thread went away when the NJPB gallery was phased out. Here are a few of mine.

DSC_0053.jpg



DSC_0231.jpg


This pano gives a sense of the devastation (click and scroll to see more detail)
pano.jpg


And the "ash vortex" was one of the coolest things I've ever seen in the pines. :)

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Teegate

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Sep 17, 2002
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That was a great fire. I remember we had quite a few photos and discussions about it.
 

Rooftree

Explorer
Mar 24, 2017
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Haddon Township
Bob, you always seem to be one step ahead of me. It sure looks like the same spot. And it looks like we were there during the same time of the year. For me, it was 1/31/2013. It was just south of Governors (Watering Hole) Pond and not too far off of Governors Branch. That's probably why the taller trees. And I like that word "duff". I'll have to start using that.

Boyd, base on your map I was not in your outline area. I was south of Bombing Range Road and west of the shooting range on RT 539. However, looking at your photo, that area is certainly coming back nicely.
 
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