Today was day 3! We went on a fun hike in the Pine Barrens. When we got to Pineland Adventures in Shamong, our tour guide John Volpa gave us an overview about the Pine Barrens and the history about the bog iron industry that developed there. Then we took a bus to the starting point of our hike on the Batona Trail and its smaller off-trails. Along the way, John told us some interesting facts about the Pine Barrens, the trees in it, and some of the animals in it. The main two trees in the Pine Barrens are oaks and pines. Forest fires are vital to ensure that the Pine Barrens stay the Pine Barrens and not the Oak Barrens, as pine are insulated to withstand flame, while oaks are not. Some pines are pitch pine or yellow pine. Also, lichen is a mix of algae and fungi.
We saw groups of deer walking through the woods. We then took a break to have a snack and learned about the 10 essentials you should bring on a hike, including water, food, first aid kit, and moleskin, in case of blisters while walking. Then we had lunch at the beautiful Batsto River. At the river, John asked us some questions about the information he had told us along the way, rewarding us with fruit snacks. Then we continued walking and looked at different plants, such as the pitcher plant. We walked to the Quaker Bridge overlooking the river. In the end we hiked back and he showed us some interesting insects, such as a dragonfly larvae, that lived in the lake by where we parked. We finished up our journey by driving back and getting on the school bus. In total we walked 4.4 miles. It was a great day, and we would love to come back.
