Show your love for the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve on Valentine’s Day by joining the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) for a volunteer stewardship session on Saturday, February 14. Volunteers will work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship staff to perform ecosystem restoration and invasive species removal in the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve.

There are two volunteer sessions: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 to 3 p.m. Volunteers are also welcome to attend both sessions. The meet-up location is Mountain Lakes house parking lot, 57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton. More specific directions to the parking lot are here. An event waiver needs to be completed once per calendar year at fopos.org/waiver.

Volunteers will perform important riparian restoration work, which may include removing invasive species and freeing trees from vines. The dense cover formed by invasive plants prevents young tree saplings from growing into future canopy trees and degrades habitat quality for wildlife. Volunteers will learn how to identify target invasive species and tool safety. The stewardship skills learned at these sessions can easily be applied to restoring habitat elsewhere. FOPOS’ stewardship staff will be on hand to share this knowledge and much more.

Long sleeves, long pants, and work boots are recommended; also gloves if you have them. Bringing tools is encouraged as well.

Founded in 1969, FOPOS has been working to preserve and protect natural spaces in the greater Princeton area for more than 50 years. For more information, visit fopos.org.