These are a sampling of the open spaces right in Princeton for which FOPOS has played an active role in acquisition or stewardship (or both) in recent years (see the township website for a full list of Princeton parks).
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D&R Canal (in Princeton) - 11 acres (state park)
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Since 2002, FOPOS has organized or supported a spring canal cleanup, sometimes jointly with other organizations. | |
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John Witherspoon Woods - 40 acres (municipal park)
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The John Witherspoon Woods was given to the township by the Pardee
family which formerly resided at Tusculum. Located on Cherry Hill Road,
Tusculum was the country home of John Witherspoon, a signer of the
Declaration of Independence and early president of Princeton University.
The woods touches the portion of Tusculum that was acquired through a
project initiated by FOPOS and funded by Mercer County.
The woods has streams and large diabase rocks; its flora include mature beech trees and wildflowers
such as the spring-blooming Trout Lily, commonly known as Dogtooth Violet.
In 2002, the John Witherspoon
Woods Trail was opened due to joint work by FOPOS and the Garden Club of Princeton (among
other things, the Garden Club donated markers for the trail). The trail
begins at Mountain Lakes Park.
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Institute Woods
- 300 acres (private)
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In 1996, FOPOS was able to contribute $25,000 to the
Institute Lands fundraising costs. In 1997, FOPOS was able to
contribute $565,000 for the conservation easement on the Institute Woods
lands. |
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Mountain Lakes
Nature Preserve - 75 acres (municipal park)
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Since 1987, FOPOS has maintained and operated the Mountain Lakes House
via a separate nonprofit corporation, Mountain Lakes Holding
Corporation. The house is located in the heart of this park, and
both are owned by
Princeton Township. Revenues from
renting the house for weddings and other events provide for house
maintenance, with any surplus funds going to support open-space
purchases. FOPOS was able to contribute about $100,000 to the
preservation of Mountain Lakes Park. |
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| Rosedale Road Woods |
In 2002, Friends of Princeton Open Space worked jointly with
Delaware & Raritan Greenway to preserve 14 wooded acres on Rosedale Road
opposite Greenway Meadows and adjacent to Johnson Park School. This land
completed the block of preserved open space on either side of Rosedale
Road and enabled the school to enlarge the area used for nature trails
and environmental education. With widespread support from the
community, the groups were able to pay $850,000 for the parcel, which
was appraised at a much higher value.
The Friends of Princeton Open Space hopes to link more Princeton parks and open spaces through additional trails and land acquisitions. These woods, for example, connect the new 55-acre Greenway Meadows Park with existing township land along Stony Brook, the Johnson Park School property, the former trolley line that is now a bike path that extends to Elm Road, and up The Great Road to Coventry Farm and Mountain Lakes Park. |
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Turning Basin Park - 9.8 acres (municipal park)
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In 1990, FOPOS donated around $13,000 to help preserve
this park. Since 2002, FOPOS has cleaned up this park annually in the
springtime as part of the D&R canal cleanup (sometimes sponsored
jointly with other organizations).
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Woodfield Reservation
- 107 acres (municipal park)
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From 1964 to 1966, Mr. and Mrs. Pennypacker,
Mrs. John P. Poe,
and Princeton University made about 101 acres available to Princeton
Township for
public open space--this became the core of reservation.
In 1974, Mrs. Poe
donated the parking lot on the Great Road, and in 1980, Mr. and Mrs. Kerr
gave 2 acres in the northeast corner and an easement to Drakes Corner Road.
In 1993, Lanwin Development added a 2- and 8-acre parcel in the northwest
area.
In January 1994, when Mrs. Poe passed away, the lower fifty acres reverted to her estate and so became available for sale. Neighboring Tenacre Foundation and other organizations and individuals donated funds and time to enable the Township to re-acquire this half of the park. FOPOS was able to contribute $35,000 for the enlargement, and in 1998, the Demenil Trust added an 8-acre lot that included Tent Rock. Along with employees of the Tenacre Foundation, FOPOS members have been active in caring for this park by, for example, clearing a metal parts dump in 2002, organizing rebuilding of bridges and trails, and creating the Friends of Woodfield Reservation website with extensive photos and information in addition to the information provided by the township. |
In 2002, FOPOS contributed $300,000 for Greenway Meadows Park, the former R.W. Johnson Estate on Rosedale Road, and $100,000 for the Coventry Farm project on The Great Road.
Contributions to open space are often more than financial. For example, FOPOS members originated a proposal for a pedestrian suspension bridge linking other township lands on either side of the Stony Brook, for which the township received a $500,000 grant in 2002. FOPOS has also periodically helped secure funding from the state Green Acres agency and has provided non-financial support for other projects such as Barbara Smoyer Park and the Gulick Farm acquisition.
In 2006, FOPOS hired a part-time natural resources manager who is involved in educational outreach and volunteer coordination for native plant preservation and habitat restoration in Princeton's open spaces.