[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 49 (Friday, April 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE GREAT SWAMP OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 12, 2013

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Great Swamp 
Outdoor Education Center, located in the Township of Chatham, Morris 
County, New Jersey, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary.
  The Great Swamp was created approximately 15,000 years ago, when the 
melting waters of the retreating Wisconsin Glacier poured into the 
natural basin known as the Passaic Valley. The area of the Great Swamp 
is not entirely swampland, but a unique mixture of marshes, meadows, 
dry woods, and brush colored swamps. The intermingling of these four 
habitats is what gives the Great Swamp its distinctive character, and 
allows it to support a wide variety of plant and animal life. In 1959, 
plans were being formed to pave over large amounts of the area to 
create an international airport. Area residents objected to these 
ideas, and formed the Great Swamp Committee to save the ecosystem. As a 
part of this effort, the Morris County Park Commission purchased 
approximately 44 acres on the eastern end of the swamp in 1963, and 
allowed the staff from the New Jersey Audubon Society to give tours, 
and raise awareness to better protect the area. The Great Swamp Outdoor 
Education Center is located adjacent to the Great Swamp National 
Wildlife Refuge, on 44 of the 7,600 acres it spans.
  The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center offers a variety of 
activities for people of all ages. There are two classrooms for formal 
learning, a large auditorium, a natural history library, natural 
history displays, and nearly two miles of natural trails for hiking. 
The center offers programs for families, classes of all grades, scouts, 
or any other groups interested in learning about the environment of the 
swamp. Visitors can partake in such programs as Lenape Day, the Maple 
Sugar Festival, Baby & Me Hikes, summer camp programs, bird watching, 
and much more. They have four different short trails for hiking, as 
well as an observation blind and a pond observation deck for visitors 
to enjoy the diverse wildlife. The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center 
is dedicated to the preservation of the Great Swamp, as well as fun, 
informative, and accessible education on the habitat and its wildlife.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in 
congratulating the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, the 
professional staff of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, and 
their many dedicated organizations and volunteers as they celebrate 
their 50th Anniversary.

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