On August 31st 2015, I attended the Lake Fred Nature Tour at 1:00 PM. It was conducted by Stockton staff member Susan Allen and started at the gazebo on the northern side of the campus. We started along the white path, on Lake Fred’s northern banks, where Allen discussed the different types of flora present along the lake’s banks. Several types of plants included many types of grasses, such as Phragmites. Of the species, some were indigenous, some were invasive. The history of Lake Fred was also discussed, and Allen discussed how the lake, which is man-made, was dug in the 19th century for a local iron smelting plant.
On the western side of Lake Fred, Allen discussed the different types of trees growing on campus, including red cedar, black cherry and numerous species of oaks and pines. The western banks of the lake are home to numerous amphibian species, including the Northern Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and the New Jersey chorus frog (Pseudacris triseriata kalmi), who use the banks of the lake as a breeding and spawning ground. Further along the banks, Ms. Allen discussed the bird sightings and and biodiversity around the Oasis, which has been occasionally frequented by ospreys and warblers. Great egrets were also known to reside around the western banks of the lake.
On the southern end of Lake Fred, Mrs. Allen explained the different species of algae and turtles that live in and around Lake Fred. Further towards the southeast portion of the lake, Mrs. Allen discussed and vividly explained the birdhouses constructed by several Environmental Science classes on the southeast banks. This birdhouses, she explained provide a refuge for many different species. The tour ended on the dark path with detailed discussions of the different types of reeds found in the southern end of Lake Fred, which is substantially marshier than than the northern end. This tour was of special interest to me, as I have more or less grown up on the Stockton campus and have been interested in the biodiversity of the campus all my life. The tour presented me the opportunity to learn more and to set my sights on future research opportunities I can conduct around campus.