Dear Friend:
2025 has been a stellar year for FOPOS’s impact on the health of our ecosystem and for our volunteer conservation work. We’ve expanded our educational offerings with new programs, completed and adopted a new strategic plan, moved forward our major restoration projects, and made our Program Coordinator a full-time employee. It’s been a busy year!
PRESERVATION OF 90 ACRES ON HERRONTOWN ROAD
We look forward to a closing on another critical large tract on the Princeton Ridge – 90 acres on the north side of Herrontown Road, adjacent to Herrontown Woods Preserve. Friends of Princeton Open Space is contributing $390,000 of State Green Acres grant funding plus a private gift of $1 million towards the acquisition of this land, which was subject to intense development pressure before a preservation agreement was reached with the Municipality, FOPOS, and other non-profit partners. State grants to the consortium, County grants to the Municipality, our local open space tax and other private funds are all helping secure this important link in the forested tracts on Princeton’s perimeter, which provide important environmental services such as slowing stormwater runoff and habitat for threatened species.
Read on for more programming and event highlights…
FOPOS seeks a part-time program coordinator to work directly with FOPOS’s Director of Natural Resources and Stewardship to manage the organization’s year-round volunteer stewardship program and community events series. The selected candidate should be detail-oriented and able to manage emails, databases, program messaging and schedules as well as improve upon existing systems and workflow. Ideally, the program coordinator will be an enthusiastic person supportive of and tapped into land stewardship and preservation within the greater Princeton area. Web design skills, and experience in fundraising or marketing and promoting a business are a plus. This is an administrative job that offers flexibility in location, with the ideal candidate available to participate in regular in-person meetings and work sessions, as well as be present for key events located at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve in Princeton, NJ.
This is an ongoing position that has the potential to grow with the right candidate, and is suitable for professionals as well as recent graduates with applicable skill sets.
Over the past twelve months, Friends of Princeton Open Space has focused on ecological restoration projects and on educating the next generation of conservationists, including those from communities of color. We are happy to report that, with your support, we have chalked up major successes.
FOPOS provides Internships for young people actively pursuing a degree or career in ecology, natural resource management, environmental education, or related fields. Each summer, FOPOS welcomes a roster of budding naturalists to work with our Stewardship Team and interface with volunteer groups and our community. Read more about FOPOS's Internship program. FOPOS is also proud to offer Internships to high school students in partnership with the Outdoor Equity Alliance. Thank you to FOPOS's partners and friends for helping to make these Internships possible.
Please meet the 2023 Land Steward Interns…
See what’s in bloom at the beautiful Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve! You can download trail maps here.
FOPOS provides Internships for young people actively pursuing a degree or career in ecology, natural resource management, environmental education, or related fields. Each summer, FOPOS welcomes a roster of budding naturalists to work with our Stewardship Team and interface with volunteer groups and our community. Read more about FOPOS's Internship program. FOPOS is also proud to offer Internships to high school students in partnership with the Outdoor Equity Alliance. Thank you to FOPOS's partners and friends for helping to make these Internships possible.
Please meet the 2023 Land Steward Interns…
PURPOSE: Friends of Princeton Open Space (“FOPOS”) is seeking funding through the State of NJ Green Acres Program for improvements at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, located at 57 Mountain Avenue in Princeton. The nearest intersection is Mountain Avenue and Route 206 (State Road).
PROJECT SCOPE: Friends of Princeton Open Space proposes improvements at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. The improvements consist of ecological restoration of riparian areas, involving the removal of invasive species and the planting of over 6,500 native trees, shrubs and perennials. A concept plan showing the proposed changes and a preliminary cost estimate can be found at https://www.fopos.org/riparian-restoration-project.
PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT: A copy of the application will be on file at the offices of Friends of Princeton Open Space, 57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton, NJ, as well as at the Green Acres office, and is available for review and comment. (Note: the office is not always staffed, please schedule via info@fopos.org.) Written comments on the proposed application may be directed to Wendy Mager, President, wendyonphipps@gmail.com, 459 Cherry Hill Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.
