NJ Natural Heritage Program, NJDEP Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, 22 S. Clinton Ave, Plaza Bldg 4, Fl. 4, PO Box 404 Trenton, NJ, 08625-0404
From Rt. 70, take Rattler Rd. 0.65 miles south. Merge onto unnamed sand road and continue 0.1 miles to intersection. Park, follow sand road east for 1300' then head directly south into fen.
Overall Taxon Cover Values are Automatically Calculated?
no
Plot Quality Fields:
Plot Validation Level
(1) occurrence plot: sufficient for determining type occurrence
Overall Plot Vegetation Fields:
Dominant Stratum
Herb
Growthform1 Type
Herbs
Misc Fields:
Observation Narrative
Community Type: Pine Barrens savanna
General Description: Large open fen surrounded on all sides by thick deep Chamaecyparis forest. Appears to be a seepage wetland; no evidence of moving water. Several open channels wind throughout with water lilies lying on the soft mud. Most of the area is hummocky and supports several spp. of shrubs and forbs with a luch growth of Sphagnum everywhere. Most of the shrubs are browsed Chamaecyparis - which is probably what prevents this wetland from closing in. Beneath the Sphagnum end, much appears to be firm sand in most spots, although sometimes up to 18" below the surface. Only evident disturbance is deer browsing.
Community Description: Very soft and mucky section of fen with ~25% bare mud/algae. Adjacent is the edge of the Chamaecyparis forest, which is hummocky. Lophiola aurea and Eriocaulon aquaticum are the most frequent species in the muck - Carex exilis and Sarracenia purpurea are the most frequent forbs on the Sphagnous hummocks. No disturbance except for browsing. Much of this plot was probably underwater earlier in the season.
