One of the state’s newest science classrooms is uniquely suited for water testing and studying plankton under a microscope. But you’ll need a life vest!
This spring, the “Study Hull,” a 40-foot pontoon boat outfitted with a laboratory, was launched by the nonprofit Lake Hopatcong Foundation after years of planning. The custom-made floating classroom cruises up and down Lake Hopatcong, providing field trips for schoolchildren and summer ecological cruises for all ages.
“The response from the public has been great,” said Donna McCalle-Holly, grants and program coordinator for the Lake Hopatcong Foundation. “We’re really pleased with how things have gone during our first season, and interest is already picking up for next year.”
The Foundation has been working for years to protect the lake’s environment. “But the best thing we can do for the future of Lake Hopatcong is educate the next generation and the public about how to take care of it,” noted Foundation president Jessica K. Murphy. “And what better way to conduct those lessons than on the lake itself?”
So far, the Study Hull has hosted field trips for about 700 students and ecology cruises for another 200 people. It’s staffed largely by volunteers, mostly retired teachers and high school students from Morris County’s Academy for Environmental Science.
The Study Hull isn’t the only floating classroom in New Jersey. In a state bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Hudson River, Delaware River and Delaware Bay, there’s a long history of encouraging an interest in ecology and protecting the environment by getting people on the water.
Here are some of New Jersey’s other floating classrooms:
For an on-deck experience learning about the ecology of New Jersey’s rivers, lakes, bays and ocean, try a trip in a floating classroom. The fresh air and sunshine are relaxing - and the lessons are unforgettable.
To learn about the new Lake Hopatcong floating classroom, go to https://lakehopatcongfoundation.org/what-we-do/education/floating-classroom/.
For information about the Delaware River Steamship floating classroom, visit www.steamboatclassroom.org/. To learn about Hackensack Riverkeeper eco-cruises, go to www.hackensackriverkeeper.org/activities-and-events/eco-cruises/. For the A.J. Meerwald, go to https://bayshorecenter.org/. For the Clearwater, go to https://www.clearwater.org/. And for the Great Egg Harbor cruises, go to http://www.dukeofluke.com/nature-tours.html.
And to learn about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.
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