Two events at Stockton University this weekend will give you a new appreciation for the beauty of the Pinelands National Reserve.
The 36th annual Pinelands Short Course, a daylong event co-sponsored by the university and the Pinelands Commission, will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 8.
The event features 37 presentations, including 24 new programs, that will explore the region’s unique history, ecology, culture and music.
“From mosses to moths and birding to the Batona, this year’s Pinelands Short Course boasts an extraordinary variety of programs,” said Susan R. Grogan, the commission’s executive director. “These programs will go a long way toward heightening awareness and appreciation of the Pinelands and why the region is so special and worthy of protection.”
Some of the new presentations include Pine Needle basketry for beginners, which is a hands-on workshop with materials supplied for making baskets from local flora; Drawing the Pinelands; and Indigenous Survival in the Pinelands.
“Stockton University is excited to host the 36th annual Pinelands Short Course, which showcases many of the amazing aspects of our home within the Pinelands National Reserve,” said Michael Palladino, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Stockton. “Stockton faculty and staff will also share their expertise in several workshops, including Indigenous Survival in the Pinelands, Preserving the Pinelands’ History and Birding in the Pinelands, where attendees will examine the university’s ornithological specimens and then walk around Lake Fred to observe species in their natural habitat.”
Click here to register for the Pinelands Short Course. The registration deadline has been extended to Wednesday, March 5. This is a rain or shine event. The participant cost is $60, which entitles you to attend one class during each of four educational sessions offered throughout the day.
The “Weekend in the Pines” will continue on Sunday, March 9 for the 20th annual Lines on the Pines event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stockton’s Campus Center. More than 80 Pine Barrens authors, artists and artisans will have their work on display. There will be live music all day from the Groggy Pine Boys, the Acoustic Musicians Guild and the Daniel Keiser Band. There will also be a Lines on the Pines for Kids area with special hands-on displays, crafts and activities.
Lines on the Pines is free and open to the public. For more information, go to linesonthepines.org.
Photos Credit: Paul Leakan, Pinelands Commission
