Hi, I'm Sahishnu Y, I am doing this project on behalf of Troop 89 in Hillsborough, New Jersey to get to my Eagle Scout rank and I'm writing to ask for your help with an environmental restoration project that I've initiated at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve to restore a damaged riparian region along with habitat and improve the health of the lake and its surrounding ecology. The project will be a 50-foot by 50-foot plot inside a larger 25-acre riparian restoration zone encompassing the Mountain Lakes Preserve and its tributary streams. The land is part of an ongoing restoration effort by the FOPOS (Friends of Princeton Open Space), and this project is being carried out under their Adopt-A-Plot program.

Why This Project Matters

Riparian areas are where land meets water and they play a vital role in protecting water quality and wildlife habitat. Healthy riparian zones help prevent erosion, slow stormwater runoff, filter pollutants, and provide essential habitat for birds, insects, and aquatic species. Unfortunately, invasive plant species have overtaken this section of the preserve, and they’ve crowded out native species and have been degrading the ecosystem.

This project is a means to counteract that negative effect and reinstate the native plants' healthy environment.

Project Plan

My project plan was to work with the FOPOS Director of Natural Resources and Stewardship to plot out that 50 by 50-foot area and use volunteer and my troop to remove invasive species like Japanese honeysuckle, privet, multiflora rose, oriental bittersweet, porcelain berry, wineberry, etc. Volunteers will be trained in tool safety and plant identification, and all the tools will be provided by FOPOS. Once the invasive plants are removed, we will plant native trees, shrubs, and ground cover following FOPOS’s planting protocols to ensure long-term plant life and biodiversity. Some of the native plants that we will be installing are white oak, American persimmon, smooth hydrangea, viburnums, native roses, highbush blueberries, and more.

How Donations Will be Used

The funds raised will go directly toward purchasing native plants needed to restore this area. Your support will help improve water quality, strengthen wildlife habitat, and ensure the longevity of the health of the Mountain Lakes Preserve. Thank you for supporting this restoration project and helping protect this important natural space for future generations and for helping me to become an EAGLE scout.

Join me in making a lasting impact in our community. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to a greener, more sustainable Princeton. Thank you for your support!