| March 15, 2023 Newsletter Home Perspectives Calendar Shop Spring is Around the Corner! Spring is just around the corner and the Friends of Brightwood Park have planned a number of projects and events for Spring which we hope will highlight the natural beauty of Brightwood Park today and our ongoing effort to protect its future. Please click here for our calendar for more details, and please volunteer your time to work on our upcoming projects and events. We have had some organizational changes to start the New Year. We welcome new Board Member Paul Heroux, a long time Westfield resident and regular visitor to Brightwood Park. Paul donated a significant amount of volunteer time last year in resurfacing the Pond Trail and we look forward to working with him. In February, Rob Lombard was elected Board President, and Jim Lewis and Trudy Burke were elected Vice Presidents. We are grateful too that Judy Milloy and Suzanne Pinto agreed to continue in their respective roles as Treasurer and Secretary to our organization. Finally, the Board Members would like to express their profound gratitude to our departing President Denise Ricci. For the past two and half years, Denise has been the leader and the voice of our organization, guiding us through the birth of this non-profit organization, building consensus, providing vision, and keeping tabs on all the “to-dos”. She donated a great deal of her time, her knowledge, talent, and energy in leading our group. While we have all worked to realize what has been accomplished to date, it is fair to state that it would not have happened without her guidance. So thank you Denise; we look forward to your continued advice and help as a member of the Board. Now let’s get going and enjoying Brightwood Park! Rob Lombard President Brightwood Park Day May 6 Photo by Chuan-Chu Chou Come and explore Westfield's nature park and celebrate all that Brightwood Park offers! FOBP is offering a day-long series of activities including birding, photography, children's nature classes and story time, history tours, forest bathing, nature walks, and a fairy house scavenger hunt. A co-sponsor of Brightwood Park Day, the Green Team will also present opportunities to learn about a Westfield initiative for a pollinator pathway, how to make lantern fly traps, Westfield Memorial Library's native seed project, and much more. Registration will soon be offered through the Westfield Recreation Department for various events of the day. Keep checking https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/westfield-nj/catalog . Click here . FOBP is also partnering with Westfield Green Team to support the Great Swamp Watershed Association Native Plant Sale. Pick up your orders locally at Brightwood Park at the event! Great Swamp Watershed Association Native Plant Sale The Great Swamp Watershed Association’s 3rd annual, online Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale will once again provide a full selection of attractively priced native perennials and simple guidance for planting delightfully alive pollinator gardens that will thrive with minimal care. The Native Plant Sale is operated with the promotional support and volunteers from our Community Plant Sale Partners that include 16 local towns and 8 non-governmental organizations. Our joint goal is to foster broad adoption of native plant gardens across our area to create necessary habitat for the pollinator insects and bird communities that are foundation elements of our local ecosystem – pooling our private yards to create what the popular lecturer and entomologist Doug Tallamy describes as a Homegrown National Park ™. To purchase plants, go to the GSWA plant sale website here . FOBP and the Westfield Green Team are Community Plant Sale Partners offering pick up of your order locally at Brightwood Park on May 6! History The History section of the Friends of Brightwood website has been expanded with new photographs and more stories of the families that used to live at the future site of Brightwood Park. History walks start on Saturday, March 25. Reservations are required through the Westfield Recreation Commission website : https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/westfield-nj/catalog . FOBP Seeding Project FOBP has embarked on an exciting Johnny and Joann Appleseed project. In areas that once were monocultures of invasive plants, we are now able to restore native plants in a seeding project. With the approval of the Westfield Recreation Commission, we have seeded various areas in the park. If you walk through the park, you will see some terraced areas where the seeds have been sown. In keeping with natural process of northeastern plants that drop seeds in the fall, the seeding was done in February to allow necessary cold stratification. We anticipate that it will take two years for plants to fully mature. However, we are looking for a summer of black-eyed Susans and Partridge Peas! Look for some lively yellow in the park this summer! We are also working on an expansion of the pollinator garden in the parking lot this year. We will be mixing in some native plants with the annual mix of Cosmos, Zinnia, and Partridge Pea this year. Scout and Student Conservation Efforts Have you noticed changes in the park? Conservation minded students and scouts have taken on projects in the park this winter. Cameron Linenberg applied mesh wrap around saplings to protect against deer rub. He also built a new table at a prior picnic area. A Scotch Plains/Fanwood High School club built bat boxes that the Westfield Department of Public Works has installed in the park. Advocacy Photo courtesy of Kevin Redden FOBP's mission focuses on education and restoration of the natural balance in the park. We have rolled up our sleeves to achieve this and have advocated for action by the town when needed. FOBP is concerned about the accelerated erosion of a steep slope in the park as pictured. Roots that were once buried under soil are now completely exposed. Soil erosion in this area has accelerated in the last few years. FOBP has advocated for action to restore that area. We are proud and hopeful that a local Eagle Scout candidate, Gavin Dokko, has taken on this project under the tutelage of Greg O'Neil, Director of the Westfield DPW. FOBP had presented a proposal that the Recreation Commission did not approve. We are hopeful that the town's plan to address this problem will be successful. We will continue to advocate for restoration of this area and will be available if the town requests our help in the future. Nature Detective Classes Our children's programs kicked off with Read Across America story-book walk in the park on March 6 with Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. Nature Detective classes for children ages 2 through 8 will be offered throughout the year. This spring classes will focus on seasonal changes coming to the park in the pond, on the trees, and in animal homes. Children will listen to stories, walk bathed in nature, and have hands-on activities. Calendar of Events FOBP has activities for all ages. Click here for the calendar of classes and events in 2023. BRIGHTWOOD KIDS NATURE DETECTIVES March Newsletter This photo has Mallard and Ring-Necked Ducks. Can you tell which is which? All Photos courtesy of Chuan-Chu Chou Ring-Necked Ducks Brightwood Park has some special visitors this winter. Three ring-necked ducks dropped in on the mallard and Canadian geese on the ponds. They left and then returned with friends. Though they are known to visit small ponds and hang out with other waterfowl in the winter, they have not often been spotted in Brightwood. These ducks seem to have a curious name since they do not sport a readily apparent ring around their neck. However, some 19 th century biologists named them for chestnut colored feathers that ring the black ones of their head, back and chest. Even their scientific name, collaris (translated to “of the neck”), takes off on this not so distinctive feature. To read more about ring-necked ducks, click here. American Bullfrogs All photos courtesy of Chuan-Chu Chou Brightwood Park is home to many bullfrogs. If you are quiet and lucky, in warm weather you might see them sitting in the water just along the pond edge. In the spring and summer, you can hear their distinctive "'jug-o-rum" calls in the park. But what happens to bullfrogs in the winter? Like turtles, bullfrogs are cold-blooded. Their temperature fluctuates with their environment. When the temperature turns freezing, they take up residence on the bottom of the ponds where the water temperature remains above freezing. They take in oxygen as the water moves over their skin. They don’t burrow in the mud but may slowly swim around or rest on the bottom. Bullfrogs’ bodies are designed to produce more glucose while they hibernate to increase blood sugar levels that act like an anti-freeze. To read more about bullfrogs, click here. To read more about nature found in the park, visit our Nature Detectives pages here! FOBP Store Our popular bird cap, totes, are available on our website: Shop FOBP! |
March 15, 2023 Newsletter | |
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Spring is Around the Corner! | |
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Spring is just around the corner and the Friends of Brightwood Park have planned a number of projects and events for Spring which we hope will highlight the natural beauty of Brightwood Park today and our ongoing effort to protect its future. Please click here for our calendar for more details, and please volunteer your time to work on our upcoming projects and events.
We have had some organizational changes to start the New Year. We welcome new Board Member Paul Heroux, a long time Westfield resident and regular visitor to Brightwood Park. Paul donated a significant amount of volunteer time last year in resurfacing the Pond Trail and we look forward to working with him.
In February, Rob Lombard was elected Board President, and Jim Lewis and Trudy Burke were elected Vice Presidents. We are grateful too that Judy Milloy and Suzanne Pinto agreed to continue in their respective roles as Treasurer and Secretary to our organization.
Finally, the Board Members would like to express their profound gratitude to our departing President Denise Ricci. For the past two and half years, Denise has been the leader and the voice of our organization, guiding us through the birth of this non-profit organization, building consensus, providing vision, and keeping tabs on all the “to-dos”. She donated a great deal of her time, her knowledge, talent, and energy in leading our group. While we have all worked to realize what has been accomplished to date, it is fair to state that it would not have happened without her guidance. So thank you Denise; we look forward to your continued advice and help as a member of the Board.
Now let’s get going and enjoying Brightwood Park!
Rob Lombard
President
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Brightwood Park Day May 6
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 Photo by Chuan-Chu Chou |
Come and explore Westfield's nature park and celebrate all that Brightwood Park offers! FOBP is offering a day-long series of activities including birding, photography, children's nature classes and story time, history tours, forest bathing, nature walks, and a fairy house scavenger hunt.
A co-sponsor of Brightwood Park Day, the Green Team will also present opportunities to learn about a Westfield initiative for a pollinator pathway, how to make lantern fly traps, Westfield Memorial Library's native seed project, and much more.
Registration will soon be offered through the Westfield Recreation Department for various events of the day. Keep checking https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/westfield-nj/catalog. Click here.
FOBP is also partnering with Westfield Green Team to support the Great Swamp Watershed Association Native Plant Sale. Pick up your orders locally at Brightwood Park at the event!
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|
|
Great Swamp Watershed Association Native Plant Sale
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 |
The Great Swamp Watershed Association’s 3rd annual, online Plant for Pollinators Native Plant Sale will once again provide a full selection of attractively priced native perennials and simple guidance for planting delightfully alive pollinator gardens that will thrive with minimal care.
The Native Plant Sale is operated with the promotional support and volunteers from our Community Plant Sale Partners that include 16 local towns and 8 non-governmental organizations.
Our joint goal is to foster broad adoption of native plant gardens across our area to create necessary habitat for the pollinator insects and bird communities that are foundation elements of our local ecosystem – pooling our private yards to create what the popular lecturer and entomologist Doug Tallamy describes as a Homegrown National Park™.
To purchase plants, go to the GSWA plant sale website here. FOBP and the Westfield Green Team are Community Plant Sale Partners offering pick up of your order locally at Brightwood Park on May 6!
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The History section of the Friends of Brightwood website has been expanded with new photographs and more stories of the families that used to live at the future site of Brightwood Park.
History walks start on Saturday, March 25. Reservations are required through the Westfield Recreation Commission website: https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/westfield-nj/catalog.
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|
|
FOBP has embarked on an exciting Johnny and Joann Appleseed project. In areas that once were monocultures of invasive plants, we are now able to restore native plants in a seeding project. With the approval of the Westfield Recreation Commission, we have seeded various areas in the park. If you walk through the park, you will see some terraced areas where the seeds have been sown.
In keeping with natural process of northeastern plants that drop seeds in the fall, the seeding was done in February to allow necessary cold stratification. We anticipate that it will take two years for plants to fully mature. However, we are looking for a summer of black-eyed Susans and Partridge Peas! Look for some lively yellow in the park this summer!
We are also working on an expansion of the pollinator garden in the parking lot this year. We will be mixing in some native plants with the annual mix of Cosmos, Zinnia, and Partridge Pea this year.
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|
|
Scout and Student Conservation Efforts | |
Have you noticed changes in the park? Conservation minded students and scouts have taken on projects in the park this winter.
Cameron Linenberg applied mesh wrap around saplings to protect against deer rub. He also built a new table at a prior picnic area.
A Scotch Plains/Fanwood High School club built bat boxes that the Westfield Department of Public Works has installed in the park.
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|
|
 Photo courtesy of Kevin Redden |
FOBP's mission focuses on education and restoration of the natural balance in the park. We have rolled up our sleeves to achieve this and have advocated for action by the town when needed.
FOBP is concerned about the accelerated erosion of a steep slope in the park as pictured. Roots that were once buried under soil are now completely exposed. Soil erosion in this area has accelerated in the last few years. FOBP has advocated for action to restore that area.
We are proud and hopeful that a local Eagle Scout candidate, Gavin Dokko, has taken on this project under the tutelage of Greg O'Neil, Director of the Westfield DPW.
FOBP had presented a proposal that the Recreation Commission did not approve. We are hopeful that the town's plan to address this problem will be successful. We will continue to advocate for restoration of this area and will be available if the town requests our help in the future.
| |
|
|
Our children's programs kicked off with Read Across America story-book walk in the park on March 6 with Dr. Seuss' The Lorax.
Nature Detective classes for children ages 2 through 8 will be offered throughout the year. This spring classes will focus on seasonal changes coming to the park in the pond, on the trees, and in animal homes. Children will listen to stories, walk bathed in nature, and have hands-on activities.
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BRIGHTWOOD KIDS NATURE DETECTIVES
March Newsletter
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This photo has Mallard and Ring-Necked Ducks. Can you tell which is which? All Photos courtesy of Chuan-Chu Chou | | |
Brightwood Park has some special visitors this winter. Three ring-necked ducks dropped in on the mallard and Canadian geese on the ponds. They left and then returned with friends. Though they are known to visit small ponds and hang out with other waterfowl in the winter, they have not often been spotted in Brightwood.
These ducks seem to have a curious name since they do not sport a readily apparent ring around their neck. However, some 19th century biologists named them for chestnut colored feathers that ring the black ones of their head, back and chest. Even their scientific name, collaris (translated to “of the neck”), takes off on this not so distinctive feature.
To read more about ring-necked ducks, click here.
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All photos courtesy of Chuan-Chu Chou | | |
Brightwood Park is home to many bullfrogs. If you are quiet and lucky, in warm weather you might see them sitting in the water just along the pond edge. In the spring and summer, you can hear their distinctive "'jug-o-rum" calls in the park. But what happens to bullfrogs in the winter?
Like turtles, bullfrogs are cold-blooded. Their temperature fluctuates with their environment. When the temperature turns freezing, they take up residence on the bottom of the ponds where the water temperature remains above freezing. They take in oxygen as the water moves over their skin. They don’t burrow in the mud but may slowly swim around or rest on the bottom. Bullfrogs’ bodies are designed to produce more glucose while they hibernate to increase blood sugar levels that act like an anti-freeze.
To read more about bullfrogs, click here.
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Our popular bird cap, totes, are available on our website: Shop FOBP!
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