Princeton U. adds land to Mapleton Preserve

SOUTH BRUNSWICK — It has been a long time in the making.

Princeton University dedicated 134 acres of open space to the township on Friday, bringing an end to several years of negotiations, and leaving the town with a total of 214 acres of open space for the new Mapleton Preserve.

A $75,000 Smart Future Planning Grant from the state Department of Community Affairs was also awarded to the township by DCA Commissioner Susan Bass Levin.

“Preserving land is a gift we give to our children,” Levin said at a dedication ceremony held at the Mapleton Preserve, formerly the Princeton Nursery.

The acquisition of the new land, Levin said, did not happen overnight, but involved years of commitment from the township.

“Today is just the beginning,” Levin said.

The grant, according to Levin, is part of the vision of open space to create better communities and preserve the beauty and grandeur of the area for residents to enjoy.

Congressman Rush Holt said the preservation of the 214 acres was important not only for the land, but for the people who will enjoy it. The acquired property, according to Holt, will not just be of scenic value but will help contribute to clean air and water.

And the 214 acres, from both the Flemer property and Princeton University, were ones that Holt said he feared would never be preserved, as did many members of the Township Council and Princeton University.

The township has been in negotiations with Princeton University since 2000 to prevent further development of lands near the areas of Princeton Nurseries and the village of Kingston, according to Ron Schmalz, public information officer.

Discussions evolved into preservation plans which included New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres Program, and Wm. Flemer’s Son Inc., the owner of Princeton Nurseries.

According to Schmalz, the majority of the 214 acres was donated by Princeton University and the remainder was bought through Green Acres funds.

The dedication of the new Mapleton preserve is significant, Schmalz said, because it links together the Heathcote region, county open space tracts such as the Cook Preserve, municipal open space and the D&R Canal.

The preserve, Schmalz said, benefits much of the central New Jersey region.

The new preserve, according to Schmalz, will be owned and maintained by both South Brunswick and the state.

Deputy Mayor Carol Barrett said residents of South Brunswick and central New Jersey are all winners from this acquisition. The vision for open space, Barrett said, was acquiring property like the Mapleton Preserve.

The 214 acres, Barrett said, was a vision that some thought would never come true. She thanked township manager Matthew Watkins for his tenacity during the negotiations.

The land will serve to protect the historic village of Kingston as well as provide beautiful trails for passive open space, Barrett said.

“It’s probably the most beautiful land I’ve ever seen,” Barrett said of the preserve.”

“It’s a day we have waited for for four years,” Barrett said.

Princeton University Vice President and Secretary Robert K. Durkee said the 134 acres donated to South Brunswick reflect the goals of the Princeton Forrestal Center and its commitment to “smart growth.”

Durkee said the 10 acres officially dedicated Friday, part of 134 total acres contributed by Princeton University, also reflects the university’s commitment to development that enhances the economic vitality and quality of life in the region.

According to Durkee, 650 acres of open space in South Brunswick as well as Plainsboro will have been preserved by the end of this open space initiative.

Portions of the $75,000 from the Smart Growth Grant, Schmalz said, will be used for restoration of buildings at the preserve to create an agricultural museum and horticultural center, and to complete the Rails to Trails program — walking paths along old railway track beds.

According to a press release from the DCA, portions of the grant will also be used to develop a transit-oriented development plan in the area of a proposed rail station in South Brunswick.

The Mapleton Preserve will also serve as a new state headquarters for the Division of Parks and Forestry.

BY MELISSA CIFELLI

Staff Writer