By Katie Wagner, Staff Writer
The second draft of the Princeton Environmental Resource Inventory is now available for public view and comment, the Princeton Environmental Commission announced this week.
Copies can be viewed on the second floor of the Princeton Public Library and the township and borough clerks’ offices. The draft is also available on the Princeton Township Web site at http://www.princetontwp.org/environmain.html.
Comments can be sent to the Princeton Environmental Commission at 609-921-1359 or [email protected] until the end of August.
The inventory describes and maps the area’s natural resources, land use, topography, geology, soils, climate, surface waters, vegetation, wildlife and historical buildings, districts and features. It additionally takes into account the township and borough’s history, describing infrastructure, including drinking water and sewage facilities; demographics and urbanization and environmental issues.
Chris Linn, a senior environmental planner for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission — which was paid to conduct the inventory — said the inventory draws on existing published resources more than field research.
The Friends of Princeton Open Space, however, is leading an effort to compile biological inventories of Princeton parks and preserves for the inventory through nature walks during the remainder of the summer. These additions to the inventory will represent a snapshot of what species are being sustained by local habitats.
Plant inventories are being conducted every Sunday at 2 p.m., led by FOPOS naturalist and Environmental Commission member Steve Hiltner, with help from summer intern Sarah Chambliss.
Initial inventories have already been done for Woodfield Reservation, Autumn Hill Reservation, Princeton Battlefield State Park, Tusculum, and the Institute Woods. Upcoming inventory walks include Herrontown Woods on Sunday and the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park on Aug. 10.
”I’m surprised that more inventories haven’t yet come to light, but we’re hoping more will be found once word gets out about the Environmental Resource Inventory project,” Mr. Hiltner said. “Princeton’s cultural heritage has been well-documented, and we’d like to see the same done for its natural heritage as well.”
Members of the public are invited to participate to offer additional information or to become more familiar with Princeton’s open spaces. Details can be found at www.princetonnaturenotes.blogspot.com.
The FOPOS encourages anyone aware of previous inventories of plants or wildlife to contact the FOPOS office at 609-921-2772 or [email protected].
The creation of the inventory is being funded by a $12,000 Smart Growth matching grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, with the borough and the township each contributing $2,125 to the municipal match. A $2,000 subsidy was also received from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, which is a quasi-governmental planning agency created by federal legislation.
