MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATIONISTS
Each summer, Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) provides internships for young people actively pursuing a degree or career in ecology, natural resource management, environmental education, or related fields. FOPOS’s 2023 Land Steward Interns – Nick Cento, Tina Kulick, and Esteban Mendez – are college students and recent graduates from across the mid-Atlantic region. Working with Anna Corichi, FOPOS’s Director of Natural Resources and Stewardship, they are helping to restore our local forests and native habitats here at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. The interns have also led engaging nature walks and volunteer stewardship events for the public. Learn more about our intern program online: fopos.org/landsteward-intern.
FOPOS is also proud to offer internships to high school students in partnership with the Outdoor Equity Alliance. We welcome interns Ras Lion Tafari and Sarah Rodriguez, and thank our partners and friends for making these meaningful internships possible.
FOPOS supports Princeton YMCA’s summer camp for elementary school-aged children by providing an intern-led Leave No Trace presentation coupled with a nature hike at the Preserve. This year, campers discovered the diversity of waterbugs, or aquatic macroinvertebrates, present in our local streams. Salamanders, crayfish, water pennies, damselflies, and turtles were among the many species discovered on our July walk.
THE RIPARIAN RESTORATION PROJECT IS GAINING STEAM
Restoring the shore of Mountain Lake and the banks of streams at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve has inspired our volunteers to come out in force – 90 showed up on the Martin Luther King Day of Service, and more than 125 on Earth Day alone. Our latest summer event, Popsicles + Plants, offered dozens of volunteers a fun way to cool off after performing invasive species removal in the July heat.
In addition to removing tons of invasive species, we’ve so far planted nearly 400 native trees and shrubs in the areas on the northern and eastern banks of Mountain Lake. Volunteers have also helped to plant hundreds of herbaceous perennials including swamp milkweed, cardinal flower, and Christmas ferns. Ultimately, there will be over 6,500 native trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials installed along riparian areas of Mountain Lakes, including such beauties as swamp white oak, willow, summersweet, and highbush blueberry. Volunteers are installing caging around many of these plants to protect them from deer browse and beaver chew as they establish. The addition of native plantings will help to protect and improve water quality by filtering out sediment and pollutants, and provide a better habitat for species that thrive in the riparian zone.
We are grateful for our donors’ and Green Acres’ financial support for this project. Learn more: fopos.org/riparian-restoration-project.
Enthusiastic volunteers pause for a photo with Princeton Mayor Mark Freda on Earth Day 2023. Join FOPOS for our next volunteer session.
BRIDGING THE GAPS
FOPOS and the municipality of Princeton are approaching the construction stage for the historic arched stone bridge on the Red Trail as well as the two wooden-decked footbridges located at the southern end of the Preserve.
The project will include restoring the eroded banks of the Mountain Brook branch that flows under the historic bridge. This bridge was used in the days of the Princeton Ice Company by horse-drawn ice wagons going out into the community to make deliveries. We helped the municipality win a capital grant of nearly $400,000 from the New Jersey State Office of Historic Preservation for the repair work. The footbridges, severely damaged in storms, posed design challenges. Now that the Engineering Department has decided on the final design, the work will start in the fall or spring.
ENLARGING THE FOOTPRINT
Between forest restoration and riparian restoration, FOPOS will have restored 45 invasive-infested acres of the Preserve to ecological health. Yet, the Preserve is surrounded by other municipal-owned open spaces and those areas also have issues with invasives, deer browse, and the Emerald ash borer, to name a few. Realizing that lot lines are artificial boundaries, FOPOS urged the municipality to apply for one of the new Natural Climate Solutions grants from NJDEP to restore 40 acres of Community Park North, which is immediately to the east of the Preserve. We assisted with the application and committed to partnership with the town on the project, and a grant of over $550,000 was awarded.
Over the coming months, work will start on clearing areas to be planted with native trees and shrubs, and on constructing a deer exclosure fence around the largest of the areas. FOPOS board members and volunteers will also provide continuing monitoring and assist with any necessary repairs of the deer exclosures. Once the project is complete, there will be 85 acres of contiguous restored habitat! Read more: fopos.org/forest-restoration-project.
SUMMER EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
In addition to weekend volunteer sessions, FOPOS is hosting a series of nature walks led by our 2023 Land Steward Interns, a fall birding series with expert and FOPOS Board member Winnie Hughes Spar, and more.
FOPOS also hosted an Eastern Screech Owl evening walk with South Jersey Wildlife Tours. Together, we headed into the John Witherspoon Woods at dusk. During the walk, participants were fortunate to hear the shrill calls of the owl. Some folks even spotted a glimpse of an Eastern Screech Owl! For more information about upcoming events, visit: fopos.org/events-programs.
WHAT’S IN BLOOM
Here’s a snapshot of what’s in bloom right now at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. Thank you to Board Member and friend Jess Atkins for these photos of native hibiscus (rose mallow) and buttonbush (see below).
DONATE A TREE
One unique and timely way to support restoration efforts in Princeton is to donate a tree or shrub to the Preserve. FOPOS’s website offers a menu of options for folks wishing to donate a tree or shrub; donors can currently choose from the following species: Black Willow (Salix nigra), Heartsa-Burstin’ (Euonymus americanus), and/or Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana).
Photos L to R: materials for protecting tree saplings; beautiful Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana).
FALL FEST - SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1st
Please join us at our annual FOPOS Fall Fest on Sunday, October 1st from 3:00-5:00pm. There will be live music, local craft beers & ciders, non-alcoholic refreshments, kid-friendly activities with our stewardship team, and more! All proceeds benefit FOPOS and our Land Steward internship program. Click HERE for tickets and details.
