This is a joint program of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and Pinelands Alliance. Special Pinelands Plants Course Fundamentals. This course is taught by Russell Juelg, New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s land steward and Pine Barrens educator.
The classroom lessons will take place at the Pinelands Alliance HQ, 17 Pemberton Rd, Southampton, NJ 08088.
The Fundamentals Course 2026
Each year, we focus on the natural relationships and modern classification of plants, using the Pine Barrens of New Jersey as our outdoor classroom. We focus on plant families, using some of the most obvious physical characteristics that can be used to identify them. This helps to reinforce our understanding of plant morphology, which will greatly enhance our field botany skills.
This course is geared for beginners, though seasoned field botanists also enjoy the review of field botany fundamentals, tour of plant families, and the careful study of the intriguing variety of flower morphology.
We’ll study live and pressed specimens during the ten evening workshops, and make ten weekend field trips. Of course, we’ll also pay close attention to plants and plant communities that are of conservation priority.
The class will meet every Thursday evening from 7-9pm, in the barn at the Pinelands Alliance headquarters, 17 Pemberton Road, Southampton, April 23 to June 25 with field trips taking place on weekends from 9am-noon, mostly at Franklin Parker Preserve in Woodland Township. Registration is $150 per person. High school and college students with a valid ID may register for a 50% discount at $75 per person.
Two texts are required for this course:
The Illustrated Book of Wildflowers and Shrubs, William Carey Grimm, 1993, Stackpole.
Guide to Flowering Plant Families, Wendy B. Zomlefer, 1994, Chapel Hill.
You will also need (1) a 10X lens (pocket loupe). Economical models are available for around $10 (see Forestry Suppliers, for example), and (2) a 15 cm ruler with millimeter markings.
The field trip schedule is:
April 25
May 3, 9, 17, 23, 31
June 6, 14, 20, 28
For more information contact Bill Lynch at blynch@njconservation.org or 908-997-0725.
