By Anne Levin

On Friday, November 15 at 2:30 p.m., municipal and environmental officials will cut the ribbon on Princeton’s newest open space preserve. The 153-acre expanse formerly known as the Lanwin tract has frontage on Province Line and Cherry Valley roads and is located in the northwest corner of Princeton.

The parcel was at one time targeted for a housing development, which would have resulted in the loss of some 4,000 trees that form part of an old-growth forest. But through an agreement struck in October 2021 between the municipality, Bryce Thompson, and Lanwin Development, the tract was acquired for $8.775 million and set aside for conservation and passive recreational use.

The purchase was part of the “Princeton’s Emerald Necklace” initiative, which aims to connect open spaces throughout the town and provide greater access to a more diverse group of community members. Among the organizations involved in the agreement were Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) and the Ridgeview Conservancy.

“Going back to the 1960s, people who later founded Friends of Princeton Open Space, and others, recognized what an incredible environmental asset the forests of the Princeton Ridge are,” said FOPOS President Wendy Mager, in an email. “Language about protecting the Ridge was incorporated in the Master Plan, but the large-lot zoning that was put on the Ridge was inadequate to preserve its value, because of the huge negative impacts of forest fragmentation on habitat and ecosystem services. FOPOS is so excited about our role in preserving these 153 contiguous acres on the Ridge because in a sense we are helping to fulfill a promise that was made some 60 years ago. The benefits of this refuge for the health and well-being of ‘all creatures great and small’ are incalculable.”

Ridgeview Conservancy Board Member Patricia Shanley expressed similar sentiments.

“Until recently, this was the largest, oldest, unprotected forest in Princeton, facing development of 19 luxury homes,” she wrote in an email. “Preservation of this precious, century-old woodland exemplifies the best in our community — transformational collaboration among thoughtful citizens, conservation organizations, and municipal, county, and state agencies for the common good. An essential lesson from the 153-acre Wood is to stand up for forests, and for the generations to come.”

Shanley referred to the Emerald Necklace project as an aim “to create a ring of forest parks in and around Princeton to protect and connect our community, and to make green areas accessible to all. Given the astounding ecosystem services and human health benefits of forests, it is critical we preserve the few remaining green spaces left,” she said.

According to a release announcing the project in October 2021, financing came from $3 million in private donations, including a leadership gift from the George H. and Estelle M. Sands Foundation, grants to the municipality, nonprofit partners from the State Green Acres and Mercer County’s Open Space programs, and the municipal open space tax trust fund.

The groundbreaking on Friday is open to all and will be followed by a guided tour through the preserve, led by the Ridgeview Conservancy. Visit princetonnj.gov for more information.