“SNOWY DRIVEWAY”: Cindy Wang’s photo was the third place winner of last year’s Friends of Princeton Open Space Give Thanks to Nature Photo Contest.

On Friday, November 27, Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), a nonprofit devoted to preservation and stewardship of land in Princeton, invites the community to take walks and hikes enjoying fresh air and the beauty of nature in the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve and other areas preserved by Friends of Princeton Open Space.

Due to the current limitations for public gatherings, FOPOS is unable to host their annual OptOutside event at the Mountain Lakes House on Friday. Instead, they are encouraging the community to continue the tradition by opting to spend time outdoors. For trail maps and a family-friendly art activity, visit fopos.org.

November 27 also kicks off the FOPOS annual Give Thanks to Nature Photo Contest. Professional and amateur photographers are encouraged to take their best shot of all that the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve has to offer. Submit a favorite photo for a chance to win prizes provided by photo contest sponsor, REI. New this year: student photographers, age 16 and under, are invited to submit photos for prizes from local businesses such as jaZams, the bent spoon, and LiLLiPiES.

Photographs must be taken in the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve between November 27 and January 31, 2021. For more information and submission details, visit fopos.org.