At a ribbon cutting attended by Commissioners and staff,
the Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center (EEC)
officially opened “The Great Swamp Experience” earlier today.
Located downstairs at the EEC, 190 Lord Stirling Road in
Basking Ridge, New Jersey, “The Great Swamp Experience” features interactive displays, vignettes,
taxidermy, and archeological artifacts highlighting the history and ecology of
the Great Swamp.
Open to the public 7 days a week
from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., visiting children can crawl into a beaver lodge, feel animal fur, or
explore the toddler area. For adults, habitat vignettes share educational
content of the flora and fauna found in the swamp’s river, meadows, ponds,
marshes, and forests. Historical exhibits include information about the
Wisconsin Glacier, mastodon bones, Paleo-Indians, and Lord Stirling.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about hydrology,
sustainability, and the park’s geographic location. Admission is free.
The EEC is nestled within the western portion of the Great
Swamp and borders the 7,768-acre Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge,
established to conserve natural resources while protecting threatened and
endangered species for future generations. The wide variety of habitats
includes: floodplains, swamps, rivers, intermittent streams, marshes, meadows,
fields, forests, and natural and man-made ponds. These habitats provide homes for diverse
plant and animal populations in this environmentally sensitive park.
The multi-faceted EEC building is
located at the western portion of the Great Swamp on 500+ acres of Lord
Stirling Park. The facility features 8.5 miles of trails and boardwalks, a
year-round schedule of programs and exhibits for children and adults, an
environmentally-based library, and gift shop. The
Environmental Education Center is open seven days each week. Call
908-766-2489 for schedule updates.
For more information, visit www.somersetcountyparks.org. or
call 908-766-2489.
