Pinelands Institute for Natural and Environmental Studies (P.I.N.E.S.)

Autumn in the Pines
Students will take a journey with “Tundra Swanicus” to explore migration, go on a harvest adventure to find signs of seasonal survival, find habitat clues along grassy vole trails, and investigate the seasonal changes for plants at interactive stations. Best scheduled for October – November. (PreK to 4th grade)

Spring Adventures
The adventures in this lesson focus on developing a sense-of-wonder through immersion in habitats, and first hand exploration of what lives in those habitats. Activities include: catching frogs in a net, finding tiny animals that live in pond water, crawling through a “mole tunnel”, digging through leaf litter, observing birds at feeders, and building a nest like a bird. Best scheduled for April – June. (PreK to 4th grade)

Cost: $12/ student, minimum charge of $200.00 per group. Five adults per class, including teacher, are free; additional adults, $12 each.

Time: Lessons are designed for a 10am to 2pm time period, but can be tailored to your individual needs.

We bring Pine Barrens nature and culture into your classroom

Pine Barrens Ecology Lab –1 hour
In this lab students will investigate the relationships between soil, water, plants, and animals of the Pine Barrens. Activities include identifying soil types, comparing particle size, measuring the water holding capacity of soils, identifying seeds, testing a seed’s relationship to duff, identifying fuel that causes fire, examining bark from trees, identifying plants, & testing water pH. (4th grade and beyond)
Cost: $150 + mileage, maximum enrollment 25/class, $50 per additional class.
Time: Any time between 10am-2pm

Fire Ecology Lab – 1 hour
This lab introduces students to the conditions that create a fire-prone environment. Activities are similar to the above lab; however, the focus is on the relationship of the soil & plant life to the frequency of forest fires.
Cost: $150 + mileage, maximum enrollment 25/class, $50 per additional class.
Time: Any time between 10am-2pm

Lenape Living In the Pine Barrens
Students will help construct a wigwam, make flour, prepare a winter snack and topical medicines, assist in re-telling Lenape stories, play traditional games and participate in dance. This course emphasizes our past and present connection to the Earth, and the need to think about our impact for the future.
Cost: $250 + mileage, maximum enrollment 25 students /class. $50 per additional class.
Time: Anytime between 10am-2pm

Pine Barrens Ecology – 2 hrs
Experience the beauty and natural wonders of the Pine Barrens as you travel down the back roads of the Pines. Our trip guide will take you through acres of forested land featuring: cool dark cedar swamps, beautiful wet meadows, cranberry bogs and blueberry fields. At each stop, your guide will lead you to explore the Pine Barrens without leaving your seat. Our “Nature in a Bag” kits bring the sights, sounds, smells & textures right into your bus or vehicle. A fun trivia game will challenge what you learn along the way. Our journey ends at the historic Whitesbog General Store for refreshments and an old- fashioned shopping experience. Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge $150, maximum group size 35. *Program available via your bus or caravan

Whitesbog Village History Tour – 2hrs
Enjoy a slice of rural history as your guide takes you on a tour of this early 20th century cranberry and blueberry farm. Revisit the lives of workers in this company town as we tour the village to:

see the worker’s cottages, schoolhouse, pay master’s office, the picker’s village of Florence, cranberry bogs and blueberry fields
experience the stories and artifacts behind the industry related buildings such as the Barrel Factory, where thousands of barrels were made by a cooper and a team of workers
imagine the sounds of tens of thousands of bouncing cranberries
as you wander in the Agricultural Museum displaying cranberry sorting machines, sorting tables, hand tools, and many photographs of the days when cranberries were picked by hand, packed in barrels and shipped by rail.
hear the voice of Elizabeth C. White, outside her home called Suningive, as she recounts her work on the cultivation of the blueberry at Whitesbog
join in the small-town, community atmosphere in the 1920’s General Store as you shop and socialize with the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee in the air

Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge $150, maximum group size 35. *Program available via your bus, car or walking tour.

The Cranberry Industry at Whitesbog -Then & Now – 2hrs
Discover the journey of the cranberry from bog to barrel and beyond. Your tour guide will take you back to a 1920’s farm work-day through an historical slide presentation, visit to a workers cottage, barrel factory, agricultural museum, and General Store. Your tour will include an interpretive drive of the bogs and observation of modern harvesting operation, if in progress. Along the way, your feet will stay dry as you explore the “Bog in a Bag” featuring vines, berries, sand, and muck. For the adventurous, we will conclude with an optional excursion into the cranberry wetlands. Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge $150, maximum group size 35. *Program available via your bus, car or walking tour.



	The P.I.N.E.S. program operates in cooperation with Brendan T. Byrne State Forest to provide educational programs featuring the natural and cultural history of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Programs include school field trips, in-school presentations, adult group presentations, teacher workshops, and special events. Mission: To provide opportunities for people to be immersed in local habitats, to foster awareness of all living things within those habitats and to help people discover their past and present connection to the land. Location: Our center is located in historic Whitesbog Village, Brendan T. Byrne State Forest, just outside of Browns Mills, New Jersey.

	On Site Program Accessibility: The General Store, meeting room & restroom are easy to get to. There is limited accessibility to some buildings. Some sand roads & pathways are reachable to motorized carts and wheelchairs

	To Schedule A Program Please Call: 609-893-1765



	We Offer: On-site field trips In-school presentations On-site adult group presentations Bus tours, car caravan and walking tours Hands-on adult group programs Presentations we can bring to your location Teachers workshops Jobs and internships Links to related sites

	Offered Courses by Grade:



	Curriculum Goal for School Programs: To provide creative delivery of outdoor educational programs designed to supplement & reinforce what is being taught in the classroom.

	NJ Core Curriculum Standards: All lesson activities are correlated with the NJ Core Curriculum Standards. For details, call and request the Lesson Outline for the topic of your interest. Each Outline features instructional objectives, an activity list with applicable core curriculum objectives, and suggested pre-and post- trip activities.

	What Classroom Teachers Have Said About Our Lessons: “This program does a wonderful job of relating natural resources and community in a concrete way to the students” “The program satisfied many state & district standards & benchmarks” “The environmental message is one we try to foster in our classroom and this made it very real for the children. “This is a well-run program. The staff bends over backwards to meet the needs of the participants.” “Please continue these programs. They are wonderful hands-on experiences. They’re among the best class trips I’ve ever been on.”


	The New Jersey Cranberry Industry Where does our food really come from? Explore the soil and water in the wetland habitat of the native cranberry plant. Activities include a short slide presentation of early cranberry farming at Whitesbog; a journey into the bog to investigate the soil, plant life, & other living things; observation of modern harvesting operation, if in progress; and a chance to pick cranberries by hand from old bogs. Best scheduled for - October. (K to College) Life in a Company Town After its founding by J.J. White in the late 1800’s, Whitesbog became an important company town for the cranberry industry. Students will hunt for clues around the historic village, participate in old time house chores, and do some farm work in the cranberry bog. Through these activities students will experience what life was like a century ago, and become acquainted with our connection to the land through farming. Best scheduled for November - June. (3rd grade to College)

	Water Quality Why is the abundance and quality of water an important feature of the New Jersey Pine Barrens? Using water test kits, students will study water quality and then discuss its effect on the plants and animals of the Pine Barrens. May be scheduled at any time. (4th grade to College)

	Fire Ecology Forest fires have been a part of the Pine Barrens ecology for a long time. Students will explore a burned area to discover how fire effects the forest. Investigations in an unburned area will allow opportunities for comparison. The ecology, forest fire prevention, and fire-fighting methods will be discussed. Best scheduled for November - March. (4th grade to College)

	Pine Barrens Ecology Students will work in teams using equipment to collect information on water & soil pH, soil composition, percolation, habitat characteristics, plant identification and animal signs. Activities will be conducted in upland, lowland and cedar swamp communities. Students will use the results of their investigations to describe the characteristics of each community & the importance of each as a habitat for specific animals. Best scheduled for November - early April. (4th grade to College)

	Lenape Living in the Pines Students will help construct a wigwam, make flour, prepare a winter snack and topical medicines, assist in re-telling Lenape stories, play traditional games and participate in dance. This course emphasizes our past and present connection to the Earth, and the need to think about our impact for the future. Thirty minutes of class will be conducted outside; in extreme weather, all activities will be conducted indoors. Scheduled for January and February. (3rd grade to College)

	Exploring Freshwater Wetlands Students will venture into the depths of 5 different wetland areas. By exploring the habitat, taking measurements, recording observations, and investigating the plant and animal life in each area, students will become aware of the relationship between living organisms and their habitat. Best scheduled for April - June. (5th grade to College) Pond Ecology A lesson based on discovering the multitude of living things found in freshwater habitats. Students will use nets to find what lives in a pond, use binoculars to observe bird life in a swamp, visit the “listening” station along mudflats of the canal, and see organisms under a micro-projector that are small enough to live in a drop of water. Students will explore the interdependence and adaptations of plants and animals that live in these wet areas. Best scheduled for April – June. (K to College)

	Autumn in the Pines Students will take a journey with “Tundra Swanicus” to explore migration, go on a harvest adventure to find signs of seasonal survival, find habitat clues along grassy vole trails, and investigate the seasonal changes for plants at interactive stations. Best scheduled for October – November. (PreK to 4th grade)

	Spring Adventures The adventures in this lesson focus on developing a sense-of-wonder through immersion in habitats, and first hand exploration of what lives in those habitats. Activities include: catching frogs in a net, finding tiny animals that live in pond water, crawling through a “mole tunnel”, digging through leaf litter, observing birds at feeders, and building a nest like a bird. Best scheduled for April – June. (PreK to 4th grade)

	Cost: $12/ student, minimum charge of $200.00 per group. Five adults per class, including teacher, are free; additional adults, $12 each.

	Time: Lessons are designed for a 10am to 2pm time period, but can be tailored to your individual needs.


	We bring Pine Barrens nature and culture into your classroom

	Pine Barrens Ecology Lab –1 hour In this lab students will investigate the relationships between soil, water, plants, and animals of the Pine Barrens. Activities include identifying soil types, comparing particle size, measuring the water holding capacity of soils, identifying seeds, testing a seed’s relationship to duff, identifying fuel that causes fire, examining bark from trees, identifying plants, & testing water pH. (4th grade and beyond) Cost: $150 + mileage, maximum enrollment 25/class, $50 per additional class. Time: Any time between 10am-2pm Fire Ecology Lab – 1 hour This lab introduces students to the conditions that create a fire-prone environment. Activities are similar to the above lab; however, the focus is on the relationship of the soil & plant life to the frequency of forest fires. Cost: $150 + mileage, maximum enrollment 25/class, $50 per additional class. Time: Any time between 10am-2pm Lenape Living In the Pine Barrens Students will help construct a wigwam, make flour, prepare a winter snack and topical medicines, assist in re-telling Lenape stories, play traditional games and participate in dance. This course emphasizes our past and present connection to the Earth, and the need to think about our impact for the future. Cost: $250 + mileage, maximum enrollment 25 students /class. $50 per additional class. Time: Anytime between 10am-2pm



	Pine Barrens Ecology – 2 hrs Experience the beauty and natural wonders of the Pine Barrens as you travel down the back roads of the Pines. Our trip guide will take you through acres of forested land featuring: cool dark cedar swamps, beautiful wet meadows, cranberry bogs and blueberry fields. At each stop, your guide will lead you to explore the Pine Barrens without leaving your seat. Our “Nature in a Bag” kits bring the sights, sounds, smells & textures right into your bus or vehicle. A fun trivia game will challenge what you learn along the way. Our journey ends at the historic Whitesbog General Store for refreshments and an old- fashioned shopping experience. Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge $150, maximum group size 35. *Program available via your bus or caravan

	Whitesbog Village History Tour – 2hrs Enjoy a slice of rural history as your guide takes you on a tour of this early 20th century cranberry and blueberry farm. Revisit the lives of workers in this company town as we tour the village to: see the worker’s cottages, schoolhouse, pay master’s office, the picker’s village of Florence, cranberry bogs and blueberry fields experience the stories and artifacts behind the industry related buildings such as the Barrel Factory, where thousands of barrels were made by a cooper and a team of workers imagine the sounds of tens of thousands of bouncing cranberries as you wander in the Agricultural Museum displaying cranberry sorting machines, sorting tables, hand tools, and many photographs of the days when cranberries were picked by hand, packed in barrels and shipped by rail. hear the voice of Elizabeth C. White, outside her home called Suningive, as she recounts her work on the cultivation of the blueberry at Whitesbog join in the small-town, community atmosphere in the 1920’s General Store as you shop and socialize with the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee in the air Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge $150, maximum group size 35. *Program available via your bus, car or walking tour.

	The Cranberry Industry at Whitesbog -Then & Now – 2hrs Discover the journey of the cranberry from bog to barrel and beyond. Your tour guide will take you back to a 1920’s farm work-day through an historical slide presentation, visit to a workers cottage, barrel factory, agricultural museum, and General Store. Your tour will include an interpretive drive of the bogs and observation of modern harvesting operation, if in progress. Along the way, your feet will stay dry as you explore the “Bog in a Bag” featuring vines, berries, sand, and muck. For the adventurous, we will conclude with an optional excursion into the cranberry wetlands. Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge $150, maximum group size 35. *Program available via your bus, car or walking tour.


	At Your Location or Ours

	Pine Barrens Ecology Lab – 1½ hours An indoor field trip- The Pine Barrens of New Jersey has many special ecological characteristics. Why is the soil dry, the vegetation flammable, and the water brown? Participants in this program will work in small teams at hands-on stations to experiment with the soil, seeds, leaves, bark and water of the Pine Barrens. Characteristics of different communities and their importance as a habitat for specific plants & animals will be discussed. Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge of $150, maximum group size 25. An optional 1-hour walk may be scheduled following the lab for $20 additional fee.

	Fire in the Pine Barrens Lab -1½ hours An indoor field trip- How do the vegetation and conditions of the Pine Barrens contribute to frequent fires? Participants in this program will work in small teams at hands-on stations similar to the program above. In a follow-up discussion participants will gain an understanding as to why fires are common, and in what way they affect plants and animals. Cost: $10/person, minimum group charge of $125, maximum group size 25. An optional 1 hour walk may be scheduled following the lab for $20 additional fee. Lenape Living in the Pines - 2 hours This program emphasizes our past and present connection to the earth, and the need to think about our impact for the future. Participants will work in teams to help construct a wigwam, grind flour, prepare a winter snack, make topical medicine from local plants, play traditional games & music. Thirty minutes of this lesson will be conducted outdoors; in extreme weather, all activities will be conducted indoors. Scheduled in January and February Cost: $12/person, minimum group charge $200, maximum group size 25.


	If you would like to be on the mailing list for upcoming workshops and public events, contact us at 609-893-1765 with your mailing address & e-mail address.


	Opportunities available for teaching, curriculum development, and special projects related to science and history education. Call us for more information. 609-893-1765


	Whitesbog Preservation Trust -historical photos & info on Village www.whitesbog.org 609-893-4646

	Pinelands Preservation Alliance -background on issues, teacher workshops, classroom resources www.pinelandsalliance.org 609-589-8860 Pinelands Commission -curriculum, kids activities, research, issues www.nj.gov/pinelands 609-894-7300 Brendan T. Byrne State Forest -exploring & camping in the pine barrens www.state.nj.us/dep/forestry/parks 609-723-1191 Alliance for NJ Environmental Education (ANJEE) -conference, workshops for formal & non-formal educators www.ANJEE.net 908-766-5787

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