Dismal Swamp a valuable resource

As a student at Rutgers University, I frequently visit the Dismal Swamp Conservation Area. Most students do not know it exists and to most a "natural" landscape is Rutgers Gardens or the shaded areas surrounding the Cook Campus Passion Puddle. They do not realize that only a short distance away lays the Dismal Swamp, the last natural oasis in a concrete jungle.

The Dismal Swamp Conservation Area, deemed the Everglades of New Jersey, is a biologically diverse area, home to more than 175 species of birds, 25 species of mammals and nearly two dozen species of reptiles and amphibians. It has also become the site of hope as the American beaver returns and a dozen birds try to make their way off the endangered species list.

The Dismal Swamp Conservation Area houses the Triple C Ranch and Nature Center. It is the last working farm in Edison and an ecological center, operated by the Edison Wetlands Association, providing eco-tours and field trips for neighboring schools, boy-scout and girl-scout troops as well as the communities? youth, much like the Rutgers Ecological Preserve on Livingston Campus. It educates people of all ages on the importance of this pristine area and background on the swamp and its inhabitants. The Dismal Swamp also provides areas for birders and trails for hikers and those looking for a peaceful stroll away from the constant traffic.

I feel it is imperative that activism continue in the pursuit to fully protect the Dismal Swamp Conservation Area and its future. It holds keys to the past as well as to the future of the community and its youth. I encourage everyone to visit the Dismal Swamp, you will not be disappointed.
Alyssa Procaccino
Rutgers University Class of 2009
Cranford