The Drew Forest is comprised of 53 intact acres with mature trees and glacial ponds on Drew University’s 168-acre campus in Madison, NJ. It provides regional environmental and public benefits that would be lost if cleared for development. Among these benefits: 22 acres of public trails, critical aquifer recharge, impossible-to-replicate carbon sequestration, and unique regional opportunities for education.
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Don’t miss the high-pitched chorus of male American Toads emanating from the two ponds in the Drew Forest. The sound is extraordinary—the Forest’s toad population is one of the largest in the region. Naturalist, environmental consultant and photographer Blaine Rothauser knew what the trilling portended, so late one May night, he brought his camera equipment, ventured into the dark forest and sat beside Long Pond. We are so glad he did! He captured Forest’s mating toads, including the pair shown here.
It’s World Water Day! Have you wondered where YOUR drinking water comes from?
The answer may be —from under your feet— if you live in Madison or one of the 30 other towns that drink water from wells drilled into the Buried Valley Aquifer. These wells produce high-quality inexpensive water from porous glacial sediments that were deposited in valleys that extend like tentacles across parts of Morris, Essex, Somerset, and Union Counties.
With all these towns pumping water out of this aquifer, why hasn’t it been used up?
The Drew Forest provides vital habitat to many water bird species in its two large freshwater ponds, but one of the most recognizable is the heron. Herons are large, majestic wading birds that can be found in various habitats throughout New Jersey, but mainly stick close to bodies of freshwater with areas for wading. Four of the more common and recognizable heron species in the state are the Great Blue Heron, the Great Egret, the Green Heron, and the Tricolored Heron, each of which find perfect hunting ground in the Drew Forest.
January and February are mating months for the abundant red foxes in the Drew Forest. The flourishing ecosystem of Drew Forest provides an excellent habitat for red foxes and our environment benefits in a variety of ways from having them there.
Virtually all of the leaves are now off the trees and blanketing the ground. This is called “leaf litter” but it isn’t trash, it’s valuable!
“Think about this. You can plant loads of new trees but if trees in intact forests are removed, their uptake of Carbon dioxide cannot be replaced by those new trees. Not in our lifetimes, not in our children’s lifetimes, and possibly not ever.”
