Showing posts with label Community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Community. Show all posts

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Princeton Takes Ownership of Herrontown Woods


It's been a good week for Herrontown Woods. Princeton council voted on Monday, July 16, to approve acquisition of the 140 acre preserve from Mercer County, a nice article about our work appeared in the Town Topics, and early on the morning of Friday, July 13, a monarch butterfly was seen visiting the new native garden next to the parking lot. It was the first witnessed there, sipping nectar from a purple coneflower just planted this spring.

Mercer County has owned the preserve since the original gift of 82 acres by the Veblens in 1957. That unprecedented gift may well have prompted the county to form its parks commission, which at first used Herrontown Woods for educational programming, but has since focused its resources elsewhere in the county. The transfer to Princeton brings Herrontown Woods home to local ownership, where it is much more likely to be given the attention it deserves.


That first documented visit by a monarch fits well with the native garden's concept, which has evolved over the past year. Planted this spring, more than 80 native species now call the garden home, gathering solar energy that will then travel up the foodchain to insects and birds.

As if he had read the minutes from our board meetings in which we discussed how to get kids to use their cellphones to learn about nature, this boy led his mother from the parking lot to a flower graced by a butterfly, and showed her a photo he had taken of it.

The butterfly was an eastern tiger swallowtail, which lingered on this bottlebrush buckeye for more than an hour. Another premise of the garden is that pollinators like this butterfly are not currently well served by Princeton open space. Thick woods, though it serves some species well, provides few flowers in the summer, and this garden can be home to the many summer-blooming native flowers that thrive in sunny places.

Another appealing visitor was a clear-winged moth that hovers expertly like a miniature hummingbird.

That day we also witnessed a fledgling robin making perhaps its first, shaky flight, from one tree to another.

The garden, growing amidst the ruins of a white pine grove felled by storms in recent years, would not have been possible without a lot of removal of invasive brush over the winter, clearing the way for planting. It can be said that the acquisition of Herrontown Woods by the town also clears the way, for more good things to happen at Herrontown Woods.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Supporters of Veblen House Initiative Turn Out for Public Hearing

Strong support for the transfer of Herrontown Woods to Princeton municipality was expressed at the public hearing Nov. 29th in council chambers at town hall. About fifteen supporters of the Friends of Herrontown Woods were on hand, several of whom spoke in support of the transfer and FOHW's initiative to repair and utilize the Veblen buildings for public benefit. In the photo, Mia Sacks tells of the connection she developed to Herrontown Woods and the Veblen buildings, walking there as a kid growing up in Princeton. Mercer County planning director, Leslie Floyd (in red), conducted the public hearing, with Princeton town manager, Marc Dashield, there to assist in answering questions.

One question came up was about the access road for the main parking lot off of Snowden. Turns out the road is on private land, with a publicly owned easement.

FOHW is working with the town on an agreement that would allow FOHW to begin making initial repairs to the Veblen buildings even before the 4-6 month transfer process is complete. According to Green Acres rules, official transfer of the preserve cannot take place until three months after the public hearing.


Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Public Hearing on Transfer of Herrontown Woods to Princeton, Nov. 29


A public hearing will be held this Wednesday, Nov. 29, 7pm, in council chambers, on transfer of Herrontown Woods to Princeton. The Friends of Herrontown Woods (FOHW) has been restoring and maintaining trails and habitat in the preserve since 2013.

We are encouraging members of the public to attend and speak in support of the transfer and FOHW's efforts to repair the Veblen buildings, and to thank town council for the support they are showing for FOHW's efforts. Written comments can also be sent to the address given in the public notice, below.

Mercer County is transferring ownership of Herrontown Woods to Princeton municipality, 60 years after receiving the first 82 acres as a gift from Oswald and Elizabeth Veblen. Swayed by supporters of the Friends of Herrontown Woods (FOHW), the town decided to accept transfer of the Veblen buildings along with the land. Though the county is including $85,000 in case any of the buildings need to be demolished in the future, FOHW is negotiating with the town to lease and repair the historic structures.

FOHW sees this transfer as a homecoming for what in 1957 was Princeton's first nature preserve. Though Herrontown Woods may well have been the first preserve donated to Mercer County, predating and possibly inspiring the creation of their Parks Commission, it is located at the far north end of the county, and in time the county shifted its interest and resources as it acquired other parkland more centrally located.

Below is a quote from an article on the transfer:
“Princeton gave our group permission to restore the trails and habitats over the past four years, and we have long wanted to apply that restorative energy to the buildings as well,” Hiltner said. “The Veblens loved nature, and loved bringing people together. It’s fitting that they left behind a house and cottage that can serve as a gathering place along the magnificent corridor of preserved open space in eastern Princeton. We’re thankful to all those in the community who expressed their support, and to the mayor and town council for giving this initiative the chance it deserves. We look forward to working with the town to make Herrontown Woods and its cultural legacy a great asset for Princeton.”
Below is the online public notice with additional information.

TAKE NOTICE that the County of Mercer has filed a request with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, proposing to transfer ownership of certain parkland owned by the County of Mercer to Princeton.

The parkland to be transferred, known as Herrontown Woods Block 2901 Lots 1&2, and Block 3001 Lot 7 & 8 consists of 143.5 acres and is subject to Green Acres restrictions.. Block 3001 Lot 11 containing 2.6 acres is currently under contract for county purchase. This lot will also be transferred to Princeton once acquired. The Green Acres restrictions on the parkland will be transferred with the parkland and will run with the property in perpetuity. Following the transfer, the property will continue to provide passive public access as a Princeton park.

Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:36-25.5(a)3, a hearing to obtain public comment on this request will be held at:

Princeton Municipal Building
400 Witherspoon Street Princeton NJ 08540
Main Meeting Room, Council Chambers
Wednesday November 29, 2017 7:00 pm

All information submitted by the County of Mercer and Princeton to the Green Acres Program in support of these requested parkland transfers are available for public inspection at 1) the Mercer County Planning Office 640 S. Broad St., Trenton NJ 08650 and on the Mercer County website www.mercercounty.org and 2) Administrator’s office Princeton Municipal Building 400 Witherspoon Street Princeton, NJ 08540 website www.princetonnj.gov .

Any interested party is invited to appear at the hearing and provide public comment in accordance with the rules of the County of Mercer and Princeton. Written comments on the parkland transfer request may be directed to Mark Dashield Princeton Administrator at 609-924-5176 and Leslie Floyd, Planning Director, Mercer County at 609-989-6545. Please send a copy of any comments submitted on this request to the NJDEP Green Acres Program, and Bureau of Legal Services and Stewardship, Mail Code 501-01, P.O. Box 420 Trenton, NJ 08625-0420.

Public comment on these parkland transfer requests will be accepted during the public hearing or until December 14, 2017. On or after February 27, 2018 the County of Mercer and the Princeton may each take formal action to approve the proposed transfer of parkland, subject to approval of the transfer documents by the Green Acres Program.

Press coverage:
https://planetprinceton.com/2017/08/08/mercer-county-will-give-veblen-house-herrontown-woods-arboretum-to-princeton/
http://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2017/08/09/town-to-take-over-herrontown-from-county/
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2017/08/herrontown_woods_now_belongs_to_princeton.html


Tuesday, August 8, 2017

At Long Last, a Chance to Repair Veblen House!

It's official! Mercer County and Princeton have come to an agreement to transfer ownership of Herrontown Woods to the town. Princeton has agreed to include the buildings in the transfer, and work out an agreement to allow the Friends of Herrontown Woods (FOHW) the opportunity to repair and utilize them for a public purpose.

After years of opposing plans to demolish the Veblen House, farm cottage, barn and corncrib at Herrontown Woods, FOHW is thrilled that we will now be allowed to take the next step, and begin realizing the Veblens' vision for the buildings. Princeton gave our group permission to restore the trails and habitats over the past four years, and we have long wanted to apply that restorative energy to the buildings as well. The Veblens loved nature, and loved bringing people together. They donated the house and cottage to serve as a gathering place along what has become a magnificent corridor of preserved open space in eastern Princeton.

We're thankful to all those in the community who have expressed their support, and to the mayor and town council for giving this initiative the chance it deserves. We look forward to working with the town to make Herrontown Woods and its cultural legacy a great asset for Princeton. FOHW has received sufficient donations and pledges to fund Phase I of the renovations. Additional tax-deductible donations and pledges will be needed to make the house a place for public gatherings. Please consider supporting our initiative online or by mail.

Filling a gap in stewardship in our community, we like to think of ourselves as The Little Nonprofit That Could.


Here's some of the latest news about our doings, beginning with an upbeat article in the Town Topics three weeks ago.


The following Sunday, we led a nature walk along the newly reconfigured Blue and Red trails in Herrontown Woods. Portions of these trails were chronically wet during winter and spring, but board member Kurt Tazelaar found drier and more scenic routes for them, and led workdays to do the rerouting. We stopped at an old "swimming pool" dug in the 1960s, which now serves as excellent habitat for amphibians.


A frog sits well-disguised, in what looks more like abstract art than mud.

Here's a closer look.


Another project that's coming along well is the native meadow at Smoyer Park, across Snowden Lane from Herrontown Woods. In response to a suggestion by FOHW, the large detention basin that receives runoff from the parking lot was planted last year with native grasses and wildflowers by the federal agency, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, with permission from the town. The Friends of Herrontown Woods has done the followup work, removing invasive species before they can get established, and adding additional wildflower species.



Herrontown Woods, which in 1957 became Princeton's first nature preserve, is full of natural and cultural history, of which the buildings are a vital part. Along with all the hands-on work to care for the nature preserve and its buildings, FOHW is also researching the fascinating lives of those who lived at Veblen House. The Veblen House was built by a patrician family from Manhattan in the 1930s, the Whiton-Stuarts. The cottage, more frequently seen because it's located along the main trail at Herrontown Woods, was built by subsistence farmers in 1875. Together, they offer a portrait that stretches across economic classes and centuries. Some of the remarkable history, with connections to the great scientists, politicians and philanthropists of the 20th century, can be found at VeblenHouse.org.