History of FOWWOS
For millennia, our area was meadows, forests, and creeks. However, by the 1690s, colonial settlers - the successors to the area's Indigenous Lenape - began settling the area and establishing immense farms. This agricultural landscape prevailed until the late 1900s when the town's population skyrocketed (from ~6,400 residents in 1970 to ~30,000 in 2022) and many more suburban neighborhoods were built. Amid this era, some local conservation efforts, like the "Green Belt," began.
In 1993, West Windsor approved its first "Open Space Tax." The next year, the township approved a proposal to acquire 91 properties across town (this list later grew). In 1995, the first acquisition was the 93-acre Grover Farm (348 Village Road East) for $3.44 million parcel. The year following, Friends of West Windsor Open Space (FOWWOS) formed to help acquire more properties and fulfill other community conservation goals.
In large part due to FOWWOS' efforts, West Windsor residents enjoy farmland, parks, and nature preserves - which collectively constitute over 50% of West Windsor's land area. Although by today, most large parcels have been acquired, not all have, and there is still much to do. See the images below (from our Jan. 2021 newsletter) for some FOWWOS history, and please join us to help preserve more of our beloved township!
In 1993, West Windsor approved its first "Open Space Tax." The next year, the township approved a proposal to acquire 91 properties across town (this list later grew). In 1995, the first acquisition was the 93-acre Grover Farm (348 Village Road East) for $3.44 million parcel. The year following, Friends of West Windsor Open Space (FOWWOS) formed to help acquire more properties and fulfill other community conservation goals.
In large part due to FOWWOS' efforts, West Windsor residents enjoy farmland, parks, and nature preserves - which collectively constitute over 50% of West Windsor's land area. Although by today, most large parcels have been acquired, not all have, and there is still much to do. See the images below (from our Jan. 2021 newsletter) for some FOWWOS history, and please join us to help preserve more of our beloved township!
