2025 Pinelands Preservation Alliance Life Science Field Training Program

The Pinelands Preservation Alliance developed the Life Science Field Training Institute's Special Teacher Training Program, a four-day immersive experience designed for educators interested in fostering community science. This program reflects the Alliance’s mission to preserve the Pine Barrens ecosystem, raise public awareness about its importance, and support the permanent protection of its land through responsible development. The Pine Barrens, the largest surviving forest on the East Coast, is a vital habitat for 43 species that are threatened or endangered. While the region’s conservation has faced a complex history of political challenges and public resistance, significant progress has been made with 483,000 acres permanently protected under the landmark 1979 Pinelands Protection Act.

Two members of the SPE staff, John DesRoches, Environmental Science Lead & Operations Coordinator, and Jade Michalowski, Environmental Engineer & Sustainability Intern, had the opportunity to complete over 30 professional development hours through this training. The course introduced core ecological principles of the NJ Pinelands, emphasizing the importance of field experience in education. Participants practiced field methods such as quadrat sampling to study plant species richness and diversity across different habitats, analyzing the results for patterns and significance. Additional activities explored ecological communities, bird populations, and the effects of climate change. Fieldwork included plant identification, discussions on habitat changes, and hands-on experiences like canoeing and trap sampling. The program also focused on forest ecology, conservation, and the broader environmental impacts of climate change.