Intensive Learning @ MFS
The World At Your Fingertips
Though we did not head into the Pine Barrens today, we did have a little hike on the cross country course. Interestingly, that is how we began this adventure during our first group pre-experience. I think we were aware of a lot more this time. We recognized six different birds, with the help of...
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Today we spent the fifth and last full day of our Intensive Learning program at the Franklin Parker Preserve. The trail began at the same location as Tuesday’s hike to Apple Pie Hill, but we went in a different direction. Our trip today was focused on hiking along train rails and bird watching. We...
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I was in the pines because I found it hard to believe that so much wilderness could still exist so near the big Eastern cities. – John McPhee, The Pine Barrens, 1967. Upon arriving at Rancocas Cranberry Preserve (a former cranberry farm now managed by PPA), our guide Jason started our visit off with...
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There ain’t no place like this left in the country, I don’t believe — and I traveled around a little bit, too. -John McPhee, The Pine Barrens, 1967 On the third day of the Pine Barrens IL, we visited Franklin Parker Preserve and hiked the Batona Trail. On this trail, we learned lots about...
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Today gave us a true look into local farms and farming in New Jersey and how even the smallest things can have a large effect on them. It created more awareness that off-roading and illegal activities cause immense harm in the Pinelands. It also gave us a much deeper understanding of the functioning and...
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3/21/2025 Spring has sprung at Batsto Village! The signs were everywhere from a sunny but windy day, to crocuses and snowdrops in bloom, to singing birds. Our first day provided us with a preview of our upcoming adventures through both the human and ecological histories of Batsto and the Pine Barrens. We practiced with our...
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We gathered in the Field House Commons on a rainy Thursday morning for our final day of IL 2024, grateful that the weather held throughout the week for our time in the Pines. While some groups captured additional film footage around campus, others spent a relaxing – and competitive – time with Ms. Thomson’s...
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For our fourth day in the Pine Barrens (3/27), we took a trip to the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA) headquarters, where we first looked at submissions of the Pinelands Photo Exhibit, which captured closeups of wildlife and landscapes across the seasons. We were then distracted by a parrot that a visiting truck driver had...
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On the third day of our Pine Barrens IL, we visited Apple Pie Hill, hiked around four-and-a-half miles, and climbed the Pinelands’ central fire tower. While exploring the Apple Pie Hill, the notorious Jersey Devil showed itself to us to answer questions and make appearances in our videos. When we were at the fire...
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Today we went to Rancocas Cranberry Farm. We met up with members of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance & Pinelands Adventure Co., who were our guides. We did a four-and-a-half mile hike through the Barrens, walking around decommissioned cranberry bogs, wetlands, and heavily forested areas. We also did some dip-netting at a reservoir where we...
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Our Intensive Learning program, a one-week exploration of the NJ Pine Barrens, started with a hike in the Black Run Preserve. Thanks to our incredible guide John Volpa, who founded the Friends of Black Run Preserve, we learned all about the Pine Barrens starting with the difference between the Pinelands and the Pine Barrens....
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What a week! Today we celebrated our adventures in the Pine Barrens with pancakes and waffles, deftly cooked by Isaac, Vikram, and Vincent. We then had a viewing party for our Jersey Devil videos – they would have been contenders at Sundance! Finally, we debriefed the week, highlighting our favorite sites while also offering...
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Today, the group visited Franklin Parker Preserve. We left school at 9 AM and took a 40-minute bus ride to the Chatsworth Lake entrance to the preserve. When we arrived, we were eager to quickly start our hike, as it was very cold and windy. As we were hiking, we saw bridges, blue jays,...
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Today, we ventured to the Carranza Memorial and Apple Pie Hill via the Batona Trail. We departed school at 9 am, and after a 40-minute bus ride, we arrived at our first destination, which was the Carranza Memorial. The monument was built in honor of Emilio Carranza, a Mexican aviator who died in a...
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Today we went to the Black Run Preserve. We were lead by Mr. John Volpa, who has been working with MFS’s Pine Barren trips for 10 years and taught us a lot about the history and science behind the Pine Barrens. We hiked about four miles, stopping frequently to learn new facts about the...
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