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

Friends of Princeton Open Space(FOPOS), founded in 1969, is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization devoted to acquiring open space in Princeton for preservation, protecting natural resources, maintaining accessibility to trails, and providing environmental education. Throughout the Princeton region, FOPOS works with groups to support efforts to preserve and protect open space and the environment.Since its founding, FOPOS has helped to establish over 1,800 acres of parkland and a network of trails that nearly encircles Princeton.  Through grants and the contributions of hundreds of people in the community, FOPOS has helped raise nearly $10 million for the purchase of land and acquisition of easements on properties that might have been bulldozed for development.  In addition to land preservation, FOPOS also leads in stewardship, from creating and maintaining hiking trails, boardwalks and footbridges, to the removal of invasive species and the replanting of native varieties.FOPOS also sponsors community programs and activities, such as nature walks and educational workshops, and advocates for governmental actions that protect our water, land, animals and plant communities. If you have an interest in spending time outdoors, enjoying nature and making a difference in the community, please contact us at info@fopos.org to get involved in trail-building and ecological restoration.

Friends of Princeton Open Space

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

Mountain Lakes House

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:11:00 - 11:45: Viewing of the exhibition inside Mountain Lakes House11:45 - 1:00: Guided nature walk to John Witherspoon WoodsEvent waiver: Please complete this event waiver - <a href="http://fopos.org/waiver" title="http://fopos.org/waiver" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">fopos.org/waiver</a>. 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 doorDirections &amp; 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 <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Parking+lot,+Princeton,+NJ+08540/@40.3633252,-74.678648,717m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c3e69a822d366f:0x7d2312827f4d8ea3!8m2!3d40.3627034!4d-74.6754476!16s%2Fg%2F11cpn4ll96?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYyMy4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D" title="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Parking+lot,+Princeton,+NJ+08540/@40.3633252,-74.678648,717m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x89c3e69a822d366f:0x7d2312827f4d8ea3!8m2!3d40.3627034!4d-74.6754476!16s%2Fg%2F11cpn4ll96?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDYyMy4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Google Maps</a> &amp; <a href="https://maps.apple.com/place?map=explore&amp;place-id=I8FD7F90A0B23B18F&amp;address=57+Mountain+Ave%2C+Princeton%2C+NJ++08540%2C+United+States&amp;coordinate=40.3633412%2C-74.6760686&amp;name=The+Mountain+Lakes+House&amp;_provider=9902" title="https://maps.apple.com/place?map=explore&amp;place-id=I8FD7F90A0B23B18F&amp;address=57+Mountain+Ave%2C+Princeton%2C+NJ++08540%2C+United+States&amp;coordinate=40.3633412%2C-74.6760686&amp;name=The+Mountain+Lakes+House&amp;_provider=9902" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Apple Maps</a>. 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? <a href="https://www.fopos.org/donate" title="https://www.fopos.org/donate" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Consider making a donation</a> to show your love for our local environment! All donations support our year-round stewardship work.

FOPOS Land Stewardship Volunteer Day // Saturday, May 30th

FOPOS Spring Bird Walk with Winnie Hughes Spar // Saturday, June 6th

FOPOS Foraging Invasives as Stewardship: Mugwort // Sunday, June 7th

FOPOS Nature Journaling Meetup  // Monday, June 8th

FOPOS Land Stewardship Volunteer Day // Saturday, June 13th

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

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

More events from Friends of Princeton Open Space

Discover more events from Friends of Princeton Open Space, from Travel & Outdoor to other experiences you might love.

FOPOS Land Stewardship Volunteer Day // Saturday, May 30th

FOPOS Spring Bird Walk with Winnie Hughes Spar // Saturday, June 6th

FOPOS Foraging Invasives as Stewardship: Mugwort // Sunday, June 7th

FOPOS Nature Journaling Meetup // Monday, June 8th

FOPOS Land Stewardship Volunteer Day // Saturday, June 13th

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