Without The Open Space Committee, Montgomery wouldn’t be the flourishing and agriculturally vibrant place that it is today. Open Space Committee is behind things you see each day, from a common sidewalk, to where Montgomery’s community centers are specifically placed. One would assume Open Space Committee is in charge of only choosing what lands are best for preservation, but that isn’t entirely true. Open Space Committee is much more than that, it is what keeps Montgomery’s parks, homes, school grounds, and local businesses in an organized area of Montgomery for the welfare of the biosphere, and so much more. 

     Open Space Committee’s duty to Montgomery is to preserve, protect, and develop the lands of Montgomery that make it the community that it is. Open Space Committee was established in 1989 by the Township Committee in order to give input to the governing body on the dedication of open space, to seek opportunities for acquisition of open space and farm preservation, and to help in any open space-related issues. Since then, over 8,000 acres of land in Montgomery have been preserved for the improvement and enhancing of Montgomery’s lands.  Open Space committee aims to make natural areas more accessible, so that Montgomery’s residents can take advantage of local preservations and greenery. 

     But Open Space Committee is not all about the preserved lands. The township often actively participates in land preservation projects in partnerships with outside organizations, both non-profits and governmental. Such as the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the State Agricultural Committee, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Division, Delaware & Raritan Greenway, Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Somerset County, Borough of Rocky Hill, Girl scouts/Eagle scouts, and even your local residents. With partnerships and grants made with other township committees, Open Space Committee has been able to sustain the green infrastructure provided in Montgomery. 

     Ultimately, the Open Space Committee has been able to achieve many great things, in partnerships with really great people. But still, Montgomery’s agriculture and greenery are threatened by local and nation-wide causes. As Montgomery has an abundance of lively vegetation and ecosystem, trees such as the White Ash trees that we see on our local sidewalks are dying at an exponential rate. I hadn’t been aware of the decimation of the White Ash Trees was due to a ruthlessly-harmful invasive beetle called the emerald ash Borer. More than 1 million White ash trees have been killed in our nearby Sourland parks and preservations. Due to this, the Open Space committee intends on raising awareness of this issue by partnering with local artists such as Susan Hoenig to incorporate art into engaging the local eye and raising awareness in this issue by creating her leaf sculptures. 

     Due to these unprecedented times, the Open Space Committee is still in need of local volunteers to help with Open Space Committee’s mission to preserve and protect lands and raising awareness of vastly unknown issues happening in our local and nationwide areas. In the volunteer gathering this past month, with the help of 70 local volunteers, up to 700 trees were plated to help restore White Ash Tree numbers. But especially now, the Open Space Committee is always looking for more volunteers to help get the job done, and there will always be volunteer opportunities on their website. 
     Even now, there has been a lack of youth and community involvement and representation within local committees. It is a critical priority for the youth and general public of Montgomery to be actively engaging in the events, opportunities, and more that are happening within the Open Space Committee. I believe that if there were more public input and participation in Open Space committee events, the Open Space Committee’s goals would be met at a much faster and convenient rate. Social media has been one of the most prominent sources of communication, especially when physical contact is limited. Studies have shown that using social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and more will help increase leads, provides feedback, and creates bonds between businesses and people. If there were a social media account representing Montgomery Open Space Committee, I believe more people would access volunteer forms, provide donations, and increase awareness towards what the Open Space committee does for the people of Montgomery. 

     With the Open Space Committee, I have become more aware of what happens within Montgomery on a government level. From the ecological issues, to where our trees are specifically planted, and all the different parts and communities involved with the open space committee. I can conclude that my experience with the Open Space Committee has been very educative, eye-opening, and has made me see parts of Montgomery’s greenery, parks, farms, and trails in a different way. Open Space Committee’s purpose is to protect, preserve, and develop the land that we all live on today.