,
About Metuchenrs
Dismal Swamp
What is DismalSwamp?
Designatedby the US. Fish and Wildlife
Serviceand the US. EnvironmentalProtection
Agency as a priority wetlandsarea,it is:
. o n e o f M e tuchen's inost unique
n a t ur a l r e so u r ces
. a unique habitat for flora and fauna
an unusual and regionally rare wetlandsarea
an areaimportant to water systems
a flood storagefacility
How large is it?
Dismal Swamp coversnearly 650 acres.A
l2-acre portion of its wetland and upland area
is locatedin Metuchen.
What is its history?
Relics found in the swamp and upland
section,including stoneaxes,spearheads,and
arrow points show evidencethat man used this
areasinceprehistorictimes.
Maps have given cluesto the wetland'spast
use.During the 1700s,a vineyard existedin the
swamp'ssouthernportion, and viniculture was
an important local farming endeavorduring the
late 18thand l9th centuries.By the early 1900s
a Russianexile settlementhad beenestablished
Natural Resources In
where the swamp borders Metuchen.Today,
only streetnamesbearwitnessto this settlement.
How did the name originate?
Historiansbelievethenamewasderivedfrom
Dismal Brook, a narrow stream that flowed
throushthe area.
What is Dismal Swamp's
geological makeup?
The PassaicFormationfound in the swamp
consistsof sedimentaryrock composedof red-
brown shale developedover millions of years
from smiill, wanderingwater courses.
Why is Dismal Swamp unique?
It representsone of the last remaining
wetland ecosystemslocated in a highly
urbanizedenvironment
Its wetlandsprovide natural flood control
It is prime wildlife habitat
It is useful for our economy:
It influences a downstreamfishery of the
RaritanRiver Basinvia the Bound and Green
Brooks
By filtering pollutants, it maintains water
quality
It appealsto naturelovers
Dismal Swamp
Plant Communities:
The upland area,a deciduous forest with
mature trees over 50 years old, includes the
northern red oak; American beech; shagbark
hickory; grey birch; andflowering dogwood.
The openareascontainnumerousherbaceous
species,includingasters,goldenrod milkweed,
bulrushes, cinnamon fern, club moss,
jewelweed,mayapple,lady's slipper,sensitive
fern, skunkcabbage,starflower,trout lily, spring
beauty,and wood anemone.
' The wetlandsareacontainsplant speciessuch
as the red maple, sweet guffi, high bush
blueberry,swamp'azalea,and arrow root.
Wildlife:
Metuchen's Disrnal Swamp supports a
diverseandextensivenumberofwildlife species
An estimated165 speciesof birds are found
here,aswell as a varietyof arnphibians,reptiles,
and mammals.Dismal Swarnpis alsohome to
eight reptile species.Of particular importance
is the presenceof the loggerheadshrike,which
is on the Federalthreatenedand endangered
specieslist. Mammals include tle eastern
chipmunk, easterncottontail rabbit, gray
squirrel,muskrat,raccoon,red fox, white-tailed
deerand woodchuck.
PersonalCh*klist of Wildlife
found in Metuchen's DismalSuamp
J TurkeyVulture
J Hairy Woodpecker
C] Barred Owl
O PileatedWoodpecker
J Red-BreastedNuthatch
j Brown Creeper
J HermitThrush
J Red-ShoulderedHawk
J Great Blue Heron
J Glossy lbis
J EasternChipmunk
J Cottontail rabbit
tt Gray squirrel
J Muskrat
J Red fox
o White-tailed deer
o Raccoon
o Woodchuck
a Wood duck
.tl Woodcock
o Wilsonssnipe
CI Coopers hawk
D Mockingbird
a Bluejay
tl Americangoldfinch
D Canada goose
tr Blackduck
ct Killdeer
o Robin
J 321-8744
C'
J
J $rEPA
o Envronm€ntal P.orectioi
Directionsto Metuchen's
M E T U C H E N 'S D I S M A L
DismalSwamp
S WA M P
Follow Route 27 to Route 501 in
Metuchen.Proceedonto CentralAvenue,
and at tiberty Street,tum left, continue to
the end. There is a sign marking the trail
entrance.
(
Local Attractions
Only 2.9 square miles in size,
Metuchen offers a variety of cultural
activities and special events year-round,
including an annualMernorialDay Parade,
Spring Farr,Fall CountyFair, JazzFestival,
Winter ParadeandAntiqueAuto Show The
town, nicknamed the "brainy borough,"
also has a Senior Citizen Center, a large A NATURALRESOURCEGUIDE
shopping district and a wealth of
restaurants. This brochurewas madepossiblein cooperation
with the Borough of Metuchen and by a grant
awardedunder the WatchableWildlife project,
S/r'deProgram Available whichis managedby theNJ DivisionofFis[ Game
andWildlife's Endangeredand NongameSpecies
A 25-minute slideshow describing
Program.Funding for the gnnt was provided by
t h e wild lif e a n d p la n t s o f Dis ma l
the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US
Swamp is available at no charge for
Environmental ProtectionAgency, and proceeds
g ro u p s . T o s c h e d u le t h e s h o w -
from the saleof ConserveWildlife licenseplates.
p re s e n t e d b y t h e Me t u c h e n Hig h Formore information. call ffi9-292-94D.
School Community Service Class in
c o o p e ra t io n wit h t h e Me t u c h e n Researchedand Written By:
EnvironmentalCommission- call 7 32-
Arline Zatz
Unitd Slales