D&R Canal Milepost

From: Vicki C. @ D & R Canal State Park

After a long winter, spring is finally in the air! The D&R Canal State Park has many opportunities available from March through May for you to get out, stretch those legs and enjoy the change of season here at the park.

Interpretive Staff
D & R Canal State Park
145 Mapleton Road
Princeton, NJ 08540

PHONE: (609) 924-5705
FAX: (609) 924-6507

MARCH EVENTS March 5 & 6 (Sat./Sun.) Kingston Photo Night: Come to the Kingston Fire House (located on Heathcote Brook Road, just east of Route 27/ Main Street in Kingston) to view photographs from the Kingston Historical Society archive. This program will give attendees the opportunity to see historic views of the area and allow for community participation; it is hoped that the old photos will inspire informal discussions about Kingston. Former and current residents will be encouraged to share their knowledge of the town with each other and the Historical Society members. All are encouraged to bring in old photographs relating to Kingston - its buildings and, especially, its people. Photos can be copied at the event and returned immediately to their owners. Join us either on Saturday, March 5th from 4 - 8 pm or Sunday, March 6th from noon - 3 pm. Registration is NOT required & admission is FREE! March 11 (Friday) Evening Woodcock Watch at Kingston: Join NJ Audubon volunteer (and Kingston resident) Arlene Oley and Park naturalist, Stephanie Fox, as they lead a dusk walk into the Mapleton Preserve in Kingston to search out the sites and sounds of the Woodcock. This unique looking bird provides a fanciful flight and sound display that will delight all that attend. Depending on the weather, the group should also hear the chirps and peeps of frogs and toads from the surrounding area. The program will begin at 5:30 pm. Participants are asked to meet at the D & R Canal Kingston Office located at 145 Mapleton Road (.2 miles from Rt. 27/Main Street). Participants are asked to bring a flashlight for the walk back to the cars. Pre-registration IS REQUIRED. INCLEMENT WEATHER CANCELS. Register for this program March 12: (Saturday) The Blackwells Mills Canal House Hosts “A Spring Music Fest”: Come to the historic bridge tender's house located on the corner of Blackwells Mills and Canal Road in Franklin Township for an afternoon of music. Bob Denson, local musician, will entertain as a solo acoustic performer, playing audience requests, Irish ballads, and music from the American songbook. His grandmother, Doris Denson will be acknowledged for being a member and volunteer at this organization for 25 years! The house will be open from 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Come by, stay a while and enjoy music by the canal. Registration is NOT required and admission is FREE! What the D&R Canal State Park Has To Offer The Delaware and Raritan Canal was built in the 1830s to transport goods to industrial areas. Today it is used as a water supply system and a corridor for people as well as wildlife. As you walk on the towpath you will see 19th century mills and locktender houses, along with hand-built spillways and stone-arched culverts. The D&R Canal State Park offers a variety of habitats within its 70 mile long corridor. The canal is adjacent to many rivers making it an ideal place to study the diversity and adaptions of organisms found in a freshwater flood plain and riverine habitats. The park also contains areas representing upland forests and fields in varying stages of succession. No matter what area of the D&R Canal State Park you visit, your students will leave with a better understanding of nature and their place in it. All the programs listed below are FREE! Nature Programs Forestry | Water Quality | Orienteering | Insect Investigation NJ Animals | In Class Presentations | Weekend Family Programs Call and speak with our Naturalist for more information or to schedule a program for your class. D&R Canal State Park Naturalist: Stephanie Fox Phone: (609) 397-2949 E-Mail: dnrnaturalist@verizon.net Nature Program Topics Include: Forestry Students will learn... to identify New Jersey trees using a dichotomous key; to infer a tree's life history by looking at tree cookies; how different parts of a tree function together to make a tree grow. Water Quality Students will learn... to identify macroinvertebrates that help determine water quality; how point and non-point pollution effects water quality; to perform water testing for certain parameters. Orienteering: Students will learn... to identify topography symbols; how to determine distance from a topographical map; how to use a magnetic compass and complete a small obstacle course. Insect Investigation: Students will learn... how to find and identify insects; the diverse lifestyles and adaptations insects possess; the characteristics that make-up an insect. NJ Animals: Students will learn... the different classifications of animals found in New Jersey; about the four habitat requirements: food, shelter, water and a place to raise their young. In-Class Presentations If you can't come to us, we will come to you! Our naturalist can present informative, hands-on programs to our students on a variety of environmental subjects. Topics can include: Water Quality, Forestry, Diversity and Adaptions, Introduction to NJ Animals, and Orienteering. Other programs may be available on request. All programs will be geared for your grade level and are in correlation with the NJ Core Curriculum standards. The presentations last approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Please call (609) 924-5705 and speak with our naturalist for more information. Canal History Programs Weekend Biking or Walking Tours Arrangements for historic biking or walking tours at the park can be made by appointment. If you have any questions please call and speak with our Historian for more information. D&R Canal State Park Historian: Vicki Chirco Phone: (609) 924-5705 E-Mail: dnrhistorian@verizon.net Programs for Scouts The Naturalist and Historian at the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park also offer several programs designed to help scouts work toward a variety of badge requirements. In some cases, one scheduled program is all that is needed to complete a badge and add to your list of scouting achievements. AND IT'S FREE!! Programs include: GIRL SCOUTS Brownies Animals Birds Try-It Eco-Explorer/Outdoor Adventurer Creepy Crawlers Trees for Our Future NJ Heritage Patch Juniors Earth Connections Finding Your Way Wildlife Trees for Our Future NJ Naturalist NJ Heritage Patch Seniors/Cadettes Wildlife Eco-Action Orienteering Trees for Our Future NJ Naturalist NJ Heritage Patch BOY SCOUTS Webelos Naturalist and Forester Bears Sharing Your World With Wildlife Other programs such as Orienteering and The Story of the D&R Canal can also be scheduled. If you are a scout leader and interested in scheduling one of these programs for your troop, then contact either Vicki (Historian) at dnrhistorian@verizon.net or Stephanie (Naturalist) at dnrnaturalist@verizon.net to discuss availability. Both can also be reached at (609) 924-5705. REMEMBER ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE!