Jack-o-Lantern Trail - a spooky walk in the woods
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75 Pumpkins
20 Clues LOTS of Candy! It was wonderful to see so many families in the park on a beautiful day! And THANK YOU to all the volunteers and to the Westfield Recreation Department! 
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FALL Updates
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Friends of Brightwood Park has started an ambitious reforestation project. We are aiming to plant 270 new seedlings and protect them from deer. Can you help? If you can spare some time, we are now trying to keep all our new trees watered.
Checkout the RE-FORESTATION pages for more information about this project and the remarkable effort and volunteers working on it. If you could help, it would be gratefully appreciated!
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Childrens Classes start September 19th!
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Fall '24 at Brightwood ParkA Mushroom Treasure Hunt |
Photos by Chuan-Chu Chou
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Nature Detectives - Classes for Kids - 2024 Classes
A Nature Detective at Work
Our educational monthly classes are each a different theme and encourage children to explore the natural setting at Brightwood Park
For more information and sign ups, see
Westfield Recreation Page |
4 Session - 11:00, 11:30 AM and 3:00, 3:30 PM
Limit 10 families per session 2-4 Year Olds with Adult 10:00 to 10:45 am
5-8 Year Olds 3:45 to 4:45 pm Fall Class Schedule
September 19- Animals in Brightwood Park
October 17- Birds Are Special October 26- Jack O Lantern Trail, Rain date, Oct. 27 November 21- Is It a Bird, a Plane? No, It’s a Cloud! December (date TBA) - Wild Art in the Park |
Newsflash!
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Beautiful Olive Green Sweatshirts for Adults Now with Embroidered Green Heron LogoOur new dark olive green sweatshirt is made with Champion Powerblend fabric, offering the best of warmth and durability without the extra weight.
Unlike the previous sweatshirts with a printed logo, the logo in this one is embroidered. New Sweatshirts, Tees & Hats for kidsOur new forest green children’s sweatshirt features our logo printed front and center on a soft, comfortable poly/cotton blend
Brightwood Hats Now Available Downtown at the Town Bookstore!If you need a cute, colorful gift, or pick-me-up for yourself, pop into the Town Bookstore in downtown Westfield to see the full color assortment of our signature hats. The price is the same as on our website, but of course no shipping and no waiting.
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Native Planting ProjectThe Pollinator Garden in the parking lot is bigger and better this year. Thanks to hard work by volunteer Bianca Wright and many others, this garden has been extended along the length of the parking lot and many new plants have been added.
The goal is to introduce native plants to increase the biodiversity of the flora in Brightwood, and by extension, the biodiversity of the bugs, butterflies and fauna that are characteristic of a healthy ecosystem. Look for these demonstration gardens and plantings when you visit Brightwood Park. Photos by Denise Ricci and Chuan-Chu Chou |
The Brightwood Park Bird Hats are Everywhere!
Bird spotting in the City!
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Bird Hats in Beloit, Wisconsin!!
Upal, Tracy, Joy and Jordy
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The Bird Hat has been spotted in Germany!
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Oliver, sporting his Orange Bird Hat.
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Thanks for your support!! And send us your pictures!
Friends of Brightwood Park GearHats in many colors!
Hats for Kids! New Toddler & Youth Tees! New Adult long-sleeve Tees! |
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History Tours of Brightwood
2024 Dates
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Samuel Jarvis, 76, of Fanwood Ave (now part of Brightwood Park).
The Brightwood area was once a center of African American society in NJ. The Friends of Brightwood, in an effort led by Rob Lombard, has begun to explore and document this history.
The latest addition to the set of stories...
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS
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Read Across AmericaCome experience Dr. Seuss along our trails.
March 2nd 2025
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Brightwood Day 2025Enjoy our fairy house hunt, yoga, forest bathing, birding, photography and much more!
May 3rd 2025
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Plein Air ArtCreate your own masterspiece and be guided by a professional artist.
Date is still TBD
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of recent interest....
Rescue of a young Green Heron
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Friday, a Friend of Brightwood Park Trustee, Chuan-Chu, and a friend visited the park around 7:30 in the morning.
While they were walking in the park and passing the bridge and the dam, they heard a noise in the pond and saw an object struggling underneath a tree. After a close examination, it turned out to be a young green heron trapped in fish lines and two fish hooks. The bird looked exhausted and was extremely nervous. They tried to untangle the lines to release the poor bird. After being bitten by the bird a few times and stung by the fish hook once, we were able to set the heron free. They were glad to see that the bird had flown up to a tree and was standing up on a branch recovering. |
If you fish in Brightwood Park....Please don't leave behind fish lines or hooks, which can create hazards for both people and animals.
Volunteer Spotlight: Bianca Wright
Bianca Wright, Landscape Architect
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Friends of Brightwood Park is a grass roots volunteer organization on a mission to restore the park and to educate about the environmental benefits of biodiversity. The work we do would not be possible but for the generous contributions of time and talents by our many volunteers. In appreciation, we offer a spotlight on volunteers in the park. This edition: Bianca Wright.
Bianca Wright has volunteered her time and talents to restore Brightwood Park for the past 4 years. A landscape architect, she has shared her expertise and knowledge on a variety of issues in the park. She has guided FOBP on the repopulation of native plants in the park, planned and executed our pollinator gardens, researched erosion solutions, and worked with Rutgers extension on protection of saplings and other high value plants. She has tirelessly weeded, seeded, and watered. Significantly, she has led environmental tours and taught native plant gardening to promote a healthy environment both in and outside of the park's borders. With heartfelt thanks, we salute Bianca's dedication to Westfield's nature preserve and beyond. |
viewpoints
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Friends of Brightwood Park are working to:
- preserve & restore the park as a nature sanctuary
- remove invasive species that threaten native plants & trees
- promote hiking, walking, fishing, birdwatching and activities in harmony with the habitat
- offer nature and art programs for all ages
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Volunteers Needed!
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2023 - Review & 2024 Preview
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