Fair Haven Winter Tree Walk Teaches Locals About Buds and Bark

About 15 people learned about the buds and bark of the many different trees in during Fair Haven’s first Winter Tree Walk on Thursday.

 “We can always identify trees with the 3 B’s: Buds, bark and branch formation," said Jeff Dement, the walk leader.

Since 2007, Dement has been a teaching naturalist at the American Littoral Society. He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in ecology and professional natural resource management. Dement is an informative leader and truly has a passion for nature.

Dement led the group of nature enthusiasts through the chilly trails of the Natural Area. Along the way, he demonstrated how to identify tree silhouettes and how these trees can show signs of spring.

Both a sign of spring and another way to identify a tree is by the fruit it produces. “The presence of fruit clues us into what type of tree it is,” Dement told the group. He pointed to a tree with little buds on the end and said it was an apple tree.

Dement also pointed out the most prominent and oldest trees in the area. In some common areas, there are a lot of sweet gum trees and the black cherry trees. Buried in the Natural Area is a timeless treasure, The Grandfather Tree. This tree is said to be the oldest in Fair Haven.

On the walk through the natural area, Dement made sure to include the younger members of the group. After pointing out a variety of trees, he posed a question to the children. "If I were American Holly, why would I want spikes at the end of my leaves?" he said. One of the children in the group raised their hand and shouted, "So animals can't eat you!"

Barbara Bennett, member of the Fair Haven Fields Advisory Committee, was on the winter walk and said that she loves spending time in the Natural Area. "This area is special to me because my late husband and I spent a lot of time here. The pond is named after him," she said.

The pond in the Natural Area is called "Dery’s Pond". Bennett’s husband was the executive director of the American Littoral Society from 1968 to 2003. He fought for environmental rights and loved nature and children.

The 40-acre Natural Area of Fair Haven Fields is mostly wooded with 1.6 miles of trails and a 2-acre pond. Located on the East side, the natural area has been set aside for educational and recreational purposes.

“The advisory department decided we would use this area for education purposes,” said Bennett. “We are hoping for more of these kinds of walks, like insects and flowers.”

On Wednesday, June 1 at 6:00 p.m., Dement will be leading a Spring Tree Walk in the Natural Area of Fair Haven Fields. To sign up, call the Fair Haven recreation department at 732-747-0241.