Field Notes
Signs of Spring
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Trail Report
Conditions can be muddy after a rain but dry out quickly
- reliable sources |
What's Going On
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Westfield Green Team is sponsoring:
Parks Clean UpSunday, May 3,
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Spend the morning helping to beautify Westfield’s parks. Families, teens, Girl/Boy Scout troops, and others are welcome. Please bring your gardening gloves.
Meet:
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Read Across AmericaOur first Family outing was Read Across America Day. The book was "Around the Pond: Who's Been Here?"
A fun day in April! Invasive SpeciesAfter a long winter, we are restarting our invasive plant management project.
We meet in the Prospect Street parking lot at 9 A.M. and work for a few hours on most Wednesdays, weather permitting. On our first week back, and we focused on pulling garlic mustard. This aggressive invasive plant produces thousands of seeds; by pulling the small rosettes now, we prevent much larger seed-producing plants from developing in May and June. Phil will provide guidance on identifying garlic mustard and other targeted species. most Wednesdays
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Brightwood Kids & Families
Spring Classes
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new this year!
Summer Programs! (tentative based on availability of volunteers) July 21 and 23, 2026 -9:30-11:00a.m.- 2nd-4h Graders July 28, 29, 30, 2026- 9:30-11:00 – 5-8th Graders |
Plein Air for Children
on May 30) 
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🔍 Brightwood Kids - Nature Detectives!!
sketch by Joan Miller
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Vernal PoolsIn mid March, at the east side of Brightwood Park where it meets Prospect Street, there's what looks like a big puddle. That puddle, and others like it in the Park, can be critical to the life cycle of local amphibians.
One of our Senior Nature Detectives, JPL, explores the real importance of these short-lived pools in Brightwood Park. |
Forest & Park Health
Invasive Species Irradication
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After a long winter, we are restarting our invasive plant management activities in Brightwood Park.
We meet in the Prospect Street parking lot at 9 A.M. and work for a few hours on most Wednesdays, weather permitting. April 1, was our first day back, and we focused on pulling garlic mustard. This aggressive invasive plant produces thousands of seeds; by pulling the small rosettes now, we prevent much larger seed-producing plants from developing in May and June. Phil will provide guidance on identifying garlic mustard and other targeted species. If you would like to volunteer, please email Phil to confirm meeting details. |
Native Plant Sale Preview & Podcasts
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The plant sale opens at noon, April 1. What should you plant where–and what pollinators will your plants attract? Join GSWA’s Director of Education and Stewardship for an in-depth look at the 43 native perennials on this year’s list, including bulk and specialty groundcovers. Hazel will talk through five carefully curated kits suitable for all types of yard conditions. She’ll focus on site preparation and help you shop with the “right plant right place mindset.”
This event is free; a $10 donation is greatly appreciated to help offset the fees we pay to bring you expert speakers through our Plant for Pollinators program series. |
Sustainable Gardening Information for the Curious
Hickory Planting Project
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We are partnering with Rutgers for a germination study of Mockernut Hickory. Initiated and led by Jean Epiphan, Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent at Rutgers, it is designed to counter the regeneration debt of our forests.
The idea is simple: we will plant them like squirrels do - burying nuts in lots of places - and then test the germination rates to see what works better. The idea is to get Mockernut Hickories growing in Brightwood Park. Last December, volunteers planted nuts along the trail parallel to Prospect Park. We concentrated on planting them under existing beech trees to try to remediate the anticipated canopy loss from to beech leaf disease. In early May, we will begin tracking the germination. Until then, we are monitoring that the flags and signs remain in place and if there is any form of digging for the nuts. -Bianca Wright
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Planting Pines and Hollies - How are We Doing?
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Since 2023 we have planted 128 American Hollies (Ilex opaca) and Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida). They are great evergreen trees providing berries for birds in the winter as well as year-round hiding spots for them. Even better: deer do not like to nibble on them so they do not need any wire cages for protection.
This spring we would like to see how they have been faring. Anyone who wants to track through the 4 reforestation areas in the park is welcome to help! photos by Bianca Wright
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Some Great News on Fighting Invasive Species
On his last day in office, Governor Murphy signed the bill that makes the propagation, sale, distribution, import, and export of certain listed invasive plant species illegal, establishes a NJ Invasive Species Council, and gives NJ DEP the authority to enforce the regulations. It is effective immediately.
For now, there are 30 prohibited plants, among them are these 12 that the volunteers of Brightwood Invasive Plant Removal Strike Team have been removing from the park since 2020:
The propagation and importation will be prohibited after 13 months of enactment. The sale, distribution, and export 49 months after enactment. If you are interested in reading the law in its entirety to find out more details, you can find it here .
New Jersey was one of 5 States remaining that didn't have any regulation. With this, gardens and parks will finally not be the source from which these species can naturalize any more.
However, the list is not covering all plants that are eco-system disruptors such as ones that have been naturalized for a long time. Among those are Japanese Knotweed, Mugwort, Japanese Stiltgrass, Pachysandra, Mile-A-Minute and Oriental Bittersweet - all found in Brightwood Park and in the process of being removed.
If you would like to help or find out more, please email [email protected].
For now, there are 30 prohibited plants, among them are these 12 that the volunteers of Brightwood Invasive Plant Removal Strike Team have been removing from the park since 2020:
- Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
- Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
- Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata)
- Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
- Winged burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
- English ivy (Hedera helix)
- European privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
- Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
- Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
- Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)
- Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
- Running bamboo (Phyllostachys spp.)
The propagation and importation will be prohibited after 13 months of enactment. The sale, distribution, and export 49 months after enactment. If you are interested in reading the law in its entirety to find out more details, you can find it here .
New Jersey was one of 5 States remaining that didn't have any regulation. With this, gardens and parks will finally not be the source from which these species can naturalize any more.
However, the list is not covering all plants that are eco-system disruptors such as ones that have been naturalized for a long time. Among those are Japanese Knotweed, Mugwort, Japanese Stiltgrass, Pachysandra, Mile-A-Minute and Oriental Bittersweet - all found in Brightwood Park and in the process of being removed.
If you would like to help or find out more, please email [email protected].
membership
Volunteer Spotlight: Chuan-Chu Chou
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Have you seen Chuan-Chu in the park? He is there every morning and the birds know it.
Yes, Friends of Brightwood Park have their very own Bird Whisperer! He can recognize and even call the birds. They are waiting for him. We are so lucky to have Chuan-Chu serving on our Board of Directors who just so happens to be a volunteer ranger and resident photographer for the park. Most of the beautiful pictures on our website reflect his work. Check them out and you will be amazed. Chuan-Chu came to this country from Taiwan in 1980 and received a PhD in molecular biology.He helped to develop two very important drugs in the market today (Cinqair for asthma and Carvykti for multiple myeloma).
However, his interest in biology went beyond the laboratory and into the community. He has an avid interest in exploring nature and researches and records plants, animals, insects, fungi, and lichens which bring him much fulfillment. Brightwood Park has provided a laboratory for him to observe and explore nature. He is a man of faith who deeply appreciates our nature preserve. “As a God-believer, soaking myself in the wonderful park makes me feel like living in the Garden of Eden.” Thank you, Chuan-Chu, for sharing your photography with all of us and letting us in on the wonders of nature that you so closely observe! -Lisa |
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Volunteers Needed! |
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The Friends of Brightwood Park are working to:
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