Middle School students ventured out on their second annual Sourland Mountain Field Trip, hosted by our partners, the Sourland Conservancy The Sourland Mountain, 90 square miles of almost contiguous forest stretching from Lambertville to Hillsborough, is a wonderful, beautiful resource right on our doorstep.
Students learned a little about Sourland Mountain and then planted trees and undertook stream monitoring in Hopewell Borough Park. They loved getting into the stream in waders and looking for bugs and whatever else they could find. Salamanders, crayfish, and spottail shiner fish were among the species they found and identified. One of our hosts from the Sourland Conservancy, Robert Aluck, Stewardship Director, was delighted with what the students discovered, indicating that Bedens Brook was in good health. 
After a picnic lunch, the group drove to Cedar Ridge Preserve, on Sourland Mountain. Owned and managed by the D&R Greenway Land Trust, this is a beautiful preserve, with a mix of fields and new and mature forest, with lovely trails. They were led on a hike by Laurie Cleveland, ED of the Sourland Conservancy, whose passion for, and knowledge of, the Sourlands made her an ideal guide for our students.
Students learned how to age trees, made friends with a couple of Box Turtles, and had a close encounter of the snake kind, with what was probably a garter snake! It was a beautiful hike despite a bit of mud and water after the weekend rain. Above all, our students were exposed to a beautiful and valuable natural resource, right in our backyard. They are becoming increasingly comfortable in nature, and understand how important it is to have a healthy planet. We hope this will continue outside of school and long into the future. 
Thanks to the Sourland Conservancy, especially Laurie, Robert, and Sharon, for their time, patience and expertise. We recommend that you seriously consider taking a hike in the Sourlands, and supporting our partner, the Sourland Conservancy, whose mission is to protect and preserve the wonderful Sourland Mountain for future generations.
