1

Improving Island Beach State Park’s Self-Guided Bayside Trail System

Kyle Smith

ENVL-4900: Island Beach State Park Senior Internship

Supervisors: Resource Interpretive Specialist 3 Kelly Scott and Assistant Park Superintendent

Charlie Welch

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Emma Witt

September 5th, 2022

 2

List of Tables and Figures

Introduction to Island Beach State Park’s Self-Guided Bayside Trail System ....................... 3

Figure 1: Park Trail Map ............................................................................................................. 4

Reed’s Road Trail ......................................................................................................................... 5

Figure 2a: Wayside Exhibit Themes (Visitor Use) ..................................................................... 5

Table 1: Replaced Panel Images ................................................................................................. 6

Figure 2b: Wayside Exhibit Assessment (Administrative Use).................................................. 7

Tidal Pond Trail ............................................................................................................................ 8

Figure 3a: Wayside Exhibit Themes (Visitor Use) ..................................................................... 8

Table 2: Installed Panel Images (Bird Observation Blind Project) ............................................. 9

Figure 3b: Wayside Exhibit Assessment (Administrative Use)................................................ 10

Johnny Allen’s Cove Trail .......................................................................................................... 11

Figure 4a: Wayside Exhibit Themes (Visitor Use) ................................................................... 11

Table 3: Replaced Panel Images ............................................................................................... 12

Figure 4b: Wayside Exhibit Assessment (Administrative Use)................................................ 13

Spizzle Creek Trail...................................................................................................................... 14

Figure 5a: Wayside Exhibit Themes (Visitor Use) ................................................................... 14

Table 4a: Replaced Panel Images ............................................................................................. 15

Table 4b: Removed Panel Images ............................................................................................. 19

Table 4c: Installed Panel Images (Bird Observation Blind Project) ......................................... 21

Figure 5b: Wayside Exhibit Assessment (Administrative Use)................................................ 22

References .................................................................................................................................... 23
 3

Introduction to Island Beach State Park’s Self-Guided Bayside Trail System

Island Beach State Park in Berkely, New Jersey is home to four self-guided walking

trails that lead from NJ-35 S to Barnegat Bay: Reed’s Road, the Tidal Pond Trail, Johnny

Allen’s Cove, and Spizzle Creek (Figure 1). When evaluating the maintenance status of the

park’s trail system, these trails were prioritized for improvement due to their popularity with

visitors and the fact that they collectively contain about 1/3 of the park’s low-profile wayside

exhibits. Low-profile wayside exhibits are framed panels with a title, educational text, and

graphics that offer site-specific interpretation of landscape features that visitors can observe

firsthand as they walk along the park’s trails (NPS, 2009). IBSP uses 9”X12” panels to help

visitors identify species of flora and fauna they may encounter in the park, as well as 36”X24”

panels to convey stories about coastal habitat types, species interactions, and local history.

These panels have a lifespan of 2-25 years before replacement is necessary (NPS, 2009). Since

IBSP’s wayside exhibits had not been replaced in 20+ years, severe sun-damage made them

illegible. It was important to replace as many of the panels along the bayside trails as inventory

allowed because visitors may avoid this interpretive medium entirely if they are unable to easily

read them (Tables 1-4). The improvements I made to these wayside exhibits should provide for

a more enriching experience that boosts visitor use and expectations of this interpretive medium

(NPS, 2009). To further improve visitor experience with IBSP’s wayside exhibits, I created a set

of bayside trail maps that show exhibit locations and themes (Figures 2-5a). I created an

additional set of bayside trail maps depicting exhibit locations and maintenance status to help

park managers and staff visualize which panels are still in need of replacement (Figures 2-5b).

In doing a combination of fieldwork and GIS mapping for IBSP’s interpretive program, my final

project seeks to enhance visitor experience in the short-term and guide wayside exhibit

maintenance in the long-term.

 4

Atlantic Ocean

Barnegat Bay

Figure 1. Shows the location of Island Beach State Park’s four self-guided bayside trails, along
which 44 low-profile wayside exhibits and two bird observation blinds are currently located.
Data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS,
2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1 by esri™.
 5

Reed’s Road Trail

Barnegat
Bay

Figure 2a. Shows the themes of the 11 wayside exhibits along Reed’s Road Trail. Exhibits
focused on plants shown in green, animals in red, coastal habitat types in orange, and local
history in purple. Title labels correspond to the side of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which
the exhibit appears when walking west along the trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken
with personal Garmin Oregon 450t handheld GPS unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje,
2014; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap
10.8.1 by esri™.
 6

Table 1. Shows the sun-damaged wayside exhibit panels (left) along Reed’s Road Trail versus
the new ones I replaced them with (right). Only 2 of the 11 wayside exhibit panels in need of
replacement along this trail have been replaced thus far due to inventory limitations.
Date Before After
Replaced
8-9-2022

8-9-2022
 7

Barnegat
Bay

Figure 2b. Shows the maintenance status of the 11 wayside exhibits along Reed’s Road Trail.
Circles represent smaller exhibits and squares symbolize larger exhibits. Red symbols represent
sun-damaged exhibits and green symbols indicate the exhibit has been improved. Title labels
correspond to the side of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which the exhibit appears when
walking west along the trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken with personal Garmin
Oregon 450t handheld GPS unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014; NJDEP Bureau
of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1 by esri™.
 8

Tidal Pond Trail

Swimming
Barnegat Osprey Area 1
Bay Extension
Marsh Elder Parking Lot

Red-winged Blackbird
Birds for All
Seasons

Swimming
Area 1 Main
Eastern Box
Parking Lot
Turtle

Figure 3a. Shows the themes of the five wayside exhibits and single bird observation blind
along the Tidal Pond Trail. The single exhibit focused on plants is shown by a green square and
those on animals are shown by red squares, with the bird observation blind depicted as a red
star. Title labels correspond to the side of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which the exhibit
appears when walking north along the trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken with
personal Garmin Oregon 450t handheld GPS unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014;
NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1
by esri™.
 9

Table 2. Shows the two 48”X12” bird identification panels that I worked in collaboration with
Nick DiGiacomo of Maintenance to install at the Tidal Pond Trail bird observation blind. Panel
frame carpentry and installation expertise is credited to Nick D. Adding these panels should
make it easier for visitors to quickly identify birds they view from the blind.
Date Zoomed-in Zoomed-out
Installed
9-2-2022

9-2-2022
 10

Bird Observation Blind

Swimming
Osprey Area 1
Barnegat Extension
Bay Marsh Elder Parking Lot

Red-winged Blackbird
Birds for All
Seasons

Swimming
Eastern Box Area 1 Main
Turtle Parking Lot

Figure 3b. Shows the maintenance status of the five wayside exhibits and bird observation blind
project at the Tidal Pond Trail. Circles represent smaller exhibits, squares symbolize larger
exhibits, and the bird observation blind is shown by a star (contains four larger panels). Red
symbols represent sun-damaged exhibits and green symbols indicate the exhibit has been
improved. Title labels correspond to the side of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which the
exhibit appears when walking north along the trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken with
personal Garmin Oregon 450t handheld GPS unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014;
NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1
by esri™.
 11

Johnny Allen’s Cove Trail

Barnegat
Bay

Nature
Center

Figure 4a. Shows the themes of the seven wayside exhibits along Johnny Allen’s Cove Trail.
Exhibits focused on plants shown in green and those on coastal habitat types in orange. Title
labels correspond to the side of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which the exhibit appears when
walking northwest along the trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken with personal Garmin
Oregon 450t handheld GPS unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014; NJDEP Bureau
of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1 by esri™.
 12

Table 3. Shows the sun-damaged wayside exhibit panels (left) along Johnny Allen’s Cove Trail
versus the new ones I replaced them with (right). Only 2 of the 6 wayside exhibit panels in need
of replacement along this trail have been replaced thus far due to inventory limitations.
Date Before After
Replaced
8-9-2022

8-9-2022
 13

Barnegat
Bay

Nature
Center

Figure 4b. Shows the maintenance status of the seven wayside exhibits along Johnny Allen’s
Cove Trail. Circles represent smaller exhibits and squares symbolize larger exhibits. Red
symbols represent sun-damaged exhibits and green symbols indicate the exhibit has been
improved or was already in good condition upon assessment. Title labels correspond to the side
of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which the exhibit appears when walking northwest along the
trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken with personal Garmin Oregon 450t handheld GPS
unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau
of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1 by esri™.
 14

Spizzle Creek Trail

Figure 5a. Shows the themes of the 21 wayside exhibits and single bird observation blind along
Spizzle Creek Trail. Exhibits focused on plants shown by green squares and those on coastal
habitat types by orange squares. Exhibits focused on animals shown by red squares, with the
bird observation blind depicted as a red star. Title labels correspond to the side of the trail (right-
or left- hand) on which the exhibit appears when walking west along any section of the trail. All
wayside exhibit location data taken with personal Garmin Oregon 450t handheld GPS unit. All
other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021; NJDEP Bureau of GIS,
2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1 by esri™.
 15

Table 4a. Shows the sun-damaged wayside exhibit panels (left) along Spizzle Creek Trail versus
the new ones I replaced them with (right). Only 8 of the 20 wayside exhibit panels in need of
replacement along this trail have been replaced thus far due to inventory limitations.
Date Before After
Replaced
8-8-2022

8-9-2022
 16

8-9-2022

8-9-2022
 17

8-9-2022

8-9-2022
 18

8-9-2022

8-9-2022
 19

Table 4b. Shows the five sun-damaged wayside exhibit panels along the southwest leg of
Spizzle Creek Trail that I removed (left) and the temporary “New Wayside Exhibits Coming
Soon!” signs I affixed (right) while new panels are being created.
Date Before After
Removed
8-10-2022

8-10-2022

8-10-2022

8-10-2022
 20

8-10-2022
 21

Table 4c. Shows the two 48”X12” bird identification panels that I worked in collaboration with
Nick DiGiacomo of Maintenance to install at the Spizzle Creek Trail bird observation blind.
Panel frame carpentry and installation expertise is credited to Nick D. Adding these panels
should make it easier for visitors to quickly identify birds they view from the blind.
Date Zoomed-in Zoomed-out
Installed
9-2-2022

9-2-2022
 22

Figure 5b. Shows the maintenance status of the 21 wayside exhibits and bird observation blind
project at Spizzle Creek Trail. Circles represent smaller exhibits, squares symbolize larger
exhibits, and the bird observation blind is shown by a star (contains four larger panels). Green
symbols indicate the exhibit has been improved or was already in good condition upon
assessment and red symbols represent sun-damaged or empty exhibits. A status of “Removed”
indicates the exhibit frame is currently empty (see Table 4b). Title labels correspond to the side
of the trail (right- or left- hand) on which the exhibit appears when walking west along any
section of the trail. All wayside exhibit location data taken with personal Garmin Oregon 450t
handheld GPS unit. All other data obtained from (Chirenje, 2014; NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2021;
NJDEP Bureau of GIS, 2022). Map created using ArcMap 10.8.1 by esri™.
 23

References

Chirenje, T. (2014). Roads 2008 [Data set]. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from Faculty Course

Files (T:), NAMS, ChirenjT, ENVL4305, roads_2008.shp.

National Park Service. (2009). Wayside exhibits: A guide to developing outdoor interpretive

exhibits (1st ed.). U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 22, 2022, from

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/hfc/upload/Wayside-Guide-First-Edition.pdf.

NJDEP Bureau of GIS. (2021). Parks and Forests Trail System for New Jersey State Park

Service [Data set]. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://gisdata-

njdep.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/parks-and-forests-trail-system-for-new-jersey-state-

park-service/explore?location=40.129130%2C-74.806400%2C8.57.

NJDEP Bureau of GIS. (2022). State, Local and Nonprofit Open Space of New Jersey

[Data set]. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://gisdata-

njdep.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/state-local-and-nonprofit-open-space-of-new-

jersey/explore.