Friends of Brightwood Park | |
March 15, 2024 Newsletter | |
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In January, our President, Rob Lombard, highlighted our recent achievements and future plans for restoring the park, promoting the benefits of nature and best practices to our community, and providing educational and recreational opportunities for people of all ages.
In 2023, we worked to improve trail conditions and to restore native flora in the park with the guidance and support of the Westfield DPW. Through our partnership with the Recreation Department, many more families have discovered Westfield's nature preserve as a recreational destination.
We are fortunate to have a fun, passionate group dedicated to making this small corner of the world better.
If you like to be in nature, learn about plants, work with children, or just share time with other energetic and intellectually stimulating people, tell your friends! We'd love to have them join us!
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We have Ambitious Plans
for 2024!
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- March is trail work month!
- Pollinator garden planting and expansion this Spring.
- Rare native plants identified by a Rutgers Extension Tree expert will be protected with fencing.
- Continued Fall reforestation efforts on the east side of the pond.
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To provide educational and recreational opportunities:
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- Read Across America
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Classes for children (2-8 years old)
- 2nd Brightwood Park Day
- 4th annual Halloween Trunk or Treat
- History Tours
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Plein Air Painting in the Park
- Native plant gardening
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What could be better to read in a nature park than The Lorax by Dr. Seuss? On Sunday, March 3, FOBP offered families a fun storybook walk in the park complete with Cat in the Hat hats and a take home activity.
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Pollinators in Peril; Native Plants to the Rescue!
Native Gardening 101
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March 21, 2024 7 p.m.
Westfield Memorial Library
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Learn how to make your garden pollinator friendly with native plants and help restore biodiversity at a program for beginning gardeners. The program is presented in collaboration with the Garden Club of Westfield, FOBP, and the Westfield Green Team.
Native Plant Giveaway - Attendees can enter a drawing to win a native plant kit to be picked up on May 4th at Brightwood Day, the family festival sponsored by the Westfield Recreation Department and run by Friends of Brightwood Park in collaboration with the Green Team. The Giveaway thanks to a grant from the National Garden Club.
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Native Plant Sale
Great Swamp Watershed Ass'n
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Come experience all that Brightwood Park has to offer and learn about green initiatives! For the second year, the Westfield Recreation Department is offering an event in the park by FOPB in collaboration with the Green Team.
We invite you to enjoy guided birding, forest bathing, and nature photography. There will be children's classes, native plant gardening discussions, history tours, and (for one day only) fairy house scavenger hunt.
Don't miss this fun event with something for everyone!
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The Westfield Green Team will be offering activities and information on the preservation of natural resources and biodiversity in partnership with the Westfield Memorial Library native seed library, AmeriCorps Watershed Ambassadors, and the Boy/Girl Scouts, among others.
And, you can pick up your orders from the Great Swamp Watershed Association's native plant sale!
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The French Impressionists loved to create art outdoors. Their work inspired us to offer plein air in Brightwood Park! In collaboration with the Westfield Recreation Department and the Westfield Art Association, FOBP is inviting painters to take up their brushes in our 4th annual plein air event. As the date approaches, sign up through the Westfield Art Association website. | |
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Need an excuse to walk in the park? | |
 Photo by Chuan-Chu Chou |
National Take a Walk in the Park Day is March 30, 2024!
National Go Birding Day is April 27, 2024... Come early to see who is in the park.
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It is not so important to know as to feel when introducing a young child to the natural world. Rachel Carson | |
Offered through the Westfield Recreation Department, FOBP brings nature detectives to the park to explore, learn, have fun, and, sometimes, get in the mud.
Children's classes for 2 to 8 years old:
March 21 - Spring into Brightwood Park
April 18 - Pollinator Gardens
May 16 - Our Five Senses in the Park
June 13 - Woodland Obstacle Course
July Date TBA - Dirt + Water = Mud
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Sad news to report: Some vandal axed a number of young trees and girdled another. If you have any information, please notify the town. | |
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This is particularly distressing given that there is an insufficient number of saplings to repopulate the forest into the future. FOBP has begun a reforestation project planting saplings. | |
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Many of you know that Brightwood Park has resident coyote(s). If you are walking dogs in the park, you may see a coyote "escorting" you and your furry friend. This is coyote mating season, and late April is when to expect pups to be born. Particularly when pups are newborn, parents can exhibit “escorting” behavior where they will follow people perceived to be too close to the den. Please be aware, keep your dog on a leash, and leave the area calmly. Experts advise: no running; no “hazing.” | |
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2024 FOBP Directors Elected | |
At the January sustaining members meeting, returning directors Trudy Burke, Jim and Leslie Lewis, and Manette Scheininger and two new directors, Lisa and Bobby Seela, were elected to 3 year terms. We are gratified to have such amazing directors lead FOBP's efforts in the park!
We thank retiring director, Kate Browne, for her dedication to Brightwood Park over these past three years!
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Brightwood Kids Nature Detectives | |
A first sign of Spring is an American robin sighting! With Spring around the corner, it is always exciting to see robins pecking around for their morning worms! But did you know that robins actually live in New Jersey all year round? You just don't see them much in colder weather as they tend to spend their time up in the trees. Read more interesting facts about robins here. | |
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