Beech Tree Nature Walk and Exhibition with Eco-Artist Susan Hoenig

Join Friends of Princeton Open Space as we bring together art, ecology, and stewardship

Join the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) and eco-artist Susan Hoenig for a guided nature walk and exhibition that brings together art, ecology, and conservation. Learn how we can all play a role in protecting American beech trees and the forest ecosystems that depend on them.

The program begins inside the Mountain Lakes House with a curated viewing of American beech tree artwork by eco-artist Susan Hoenig. Her work explores the intricate relationships between trees, forest habitats, and biodiversity. Susan will share the inspiration behind her work and her focus on the American beech as both subject and symbol. Then, we’ll head out on a guided nature walk to a grove of beech trees in John Witherspoon Woods with the FOPOS stewardship team.

American beech trees are a keystone species in our forests, providing food and shelter for wildlife, supporting soil health, and sustaining diverse plant and animal communities. Today, however, they face a growing threat from Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), a rapidly spreading condition impacting trees across the region and threatening the long-term survival of beech populations. After viewing the exhibition, participants will take a guided nature walk to a grove of beech trees in John Witherspoon Woods. There, we will discuss current conservation efforts and share FOPOS’s beech tree management plan, offering insight into how the organization is responding to BLD.

This program offers a unique opportunity to connect art with environmental action while gaining a deeper understanding of a vital native tree and what it will take to protect its future.

Provisional Schedule:

12:30 - 1:15: Viewing of the exhibition inside Mountain Lakes House

1:15 - 2:30: Guided nature walk to John Witherspoon Woods

Event waiver: Please complete this event waiver - fopos.org/waiver. This needs to be completed once per calendar year by volunteers and event participants.

Trail Conditions: Wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is uneven with frequent rock outcrops along the natural surface path.

Location: Mountain Lakes House, enter through the dark green front door

Directions & Parking: We will meet at the Mountain Lake House, located within the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve. Here is a link to the parking lot location on Google Maps & Apple Maps. The address of the Preserve is 57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton, NJ 08540; this will bring you to the entrance of the Preserve, not our meet-up location. To get to the Mountain Lakes House parking lot, look for the white gate along Mountain Avenue, marked by a series of black mailboxes along the road. Drive slowly down the long paved driveway. The gravel parking lot will be on your left, approximately 1/2 mile down the driveway.

About FOPOS: Since 1969, FOPOS has been working to preserve and protect natural spaces in the greater Princeton area and provide environmental education for the community. As a part of our work, we rely on volunteers to help make progress when it comes to restoration work, such as our current forest and riparian restoration projects in the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve.

About Susan Hoenig:

Susan Hoenig connects Earth and Art to make visible the relationship between habitat, plant and animal life. She studies the evolutionary impact of the forest understory. In 2022, she received the Indigenuity Contest Honoring the Lessons of Our Mother Earth from the Museum of the Native American History in Bentonville, Arkansas. In 2022, Susan had an exhibition: "Uprooted Trees, Magicicadas and Climate Change" at the Princeton Public Library, sponsored by a grant from the Puffin Foundation. In 2020, Susan was artist-in-residence at Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve in Princeton, NJ where she collaborated with Friends of Princeton Open Space to draw attention to the value and beauty of native trees. One of Susan's leaf sculptures, the American chestnut, is situated alongside newly planted American chestnut saplings with 100% native seeds. A documentary was made of this restoration project. Recently, in 2024, Susan had an exhibition, "Rhythms of the Land" at the Hutchins Galleries, NJ.

Can't make this walk? Consider making a donation to show your love for our local environment! All donations support our year-round stewardship work.