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Rutgers Ecological Preserve, Page 5 |
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| The Kilmer Woods (parts of which are now the Rutgers Ecological Preserve) were once the back portion of the US Army's Camp Kilmer, largely left in fields and woods while the rest filled with barracks, mess halls, and a prisoner of war camp. While troops and materiel moved out for World War II, wooded portions were left intact as a buffer for the great ammunition bunkers. Today, the snow-covered "hill" of this December 2002 photo is really one of the high earthen mounds, or berms, that provided blast barriers between bunkers should one ever explode. When the adjacent land became Livingston College of Rutgers in 1969, bunkers were still standing (empty), but were soon removed, leaving only the berms, to soften their contours with erosion and new tree growth till now most visitors to the Ecological Preserve must think them simply odd little natural hills. But they're not. The berms, by the way, are a good landmark: they stand just within the Edison portion of the Preserve. Behind them (as viewed in this west-facing photo), begins Highland Park's portion: Edison to the east toward the college, Highland Park to the west toward River Road. |
Photo: Arnold Henderson |
More on Rutgers Ecological Preserve
Rutgers Ecological Preserve Map
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