It was a day of joy for Princeton officials as they joined with open space advocates to snip a green ribbon to open the 153-Acre Wood preserve on Nov. 15.
The 153-acre parcel, bordered by Province Line Road and Cherry Valley Road, adds to the town’s “emerald necklace” linkage of preserved open spaces. The entrance to the 153-Acre Wood is off Province Line Road.
The Princeton Council approved a bond ordinance for $8.8 million to buy the land in the northwest corner of the town in 2021. It was the largest remaining tract of undeveloped land in Princeton.
The land had been slated for a 19-lot subdivision by Lanwin Development LLC. It would have meant cutting down about 4,000 trees in an old-growth forest, officials said.
Funding for the acquisition came from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres grant program, and from Mercer County and Princeton’s respective open space funds. The remaining $3 million came from private funding, including a leadership gift from the George H. and Estelle M. Sands Foundation.
The town made several attempts to buy the land over the years, but without success, Administrator Bernard Hvozdovic said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Hvozdovic credited the town’s success in reaching the deal to buy the land with meetings between himself and Bryce Thompson, who was a principal in Lanwin Development LLC. The initial meeting had been arranged by financial adviser and open space advocate Wade Martin, who knew both men.
Princeton Councilwoman Eve Niedergang praised Hvozdovic for his efforts. The purchase is the result of many years of hard work by the public/private partnership that raised money for it.
“This marks a pivotal moment in our ‘Emerald Necklace’ initiative as we work to ensure access for all. Our shared vision is to create connections that allow every Princetonian to enjoy these woods and experience their benefits for both physical and mental well-being,” Niedergang said.
Princeton Council President Mia Sacks thanked Mercer County officials and Mercer County Executive Dan Benson, who was on hand for the ribbon-cutting.
Sacks also mentioned former Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes. The first efforts to preserve the land were made under his administration. He was the Mercer County executive when town officials approached the county for help.
“This is really a celebration of community,” Sacks said. “People who cared about open space came together. It was really complicated. I have to blink. I can’t believe it happened.”
Benson said there is a cap of about $1.6 million to $1.9 million for contributions from Mercer County’s open space fund. A decision was made to exceed the cap, and $2.5 million was contributed toward the purchase.
Wendy Mager, president of the Friends of Princeton Open Space, said it was “great to be with all my people. I thank everyone who had their finger on this. I really feel proud.”
Christ Barr of the Ridgeview Conservancy said it was really wonderful to be here at the 153-Acre Wood. It is a critical part of the town’s Emerald Necklace.
“Three years ago, this forest was approved for 19 homes,” Barr said. “It was the largest unprotected forest in Princeton. The consortium came together (to help make the purchase).”
Now, visitors can walk along the paths in the woods. There are several points of interest in the 153-acre parcel.
Visitors can stop to admire the beech trees in the Beech Hollow. A 1931 aerial map shows the forest, which means it has not been logged for more than a century. Beech trees can live between 300 and 500 years.
The meandering trail also takes visitors to ghost cedars, which are vestiges of cedar trees that grew up after the farm fields were abandoned. They have been replaced by oak, tulip, hickory and beech trees.
They can also observe the old stone wall. Farmers built stone walls in the early- to mid-1800s when the forests were cut down to make way for livestock, fields and orchards.
