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Upcoming Events: Nature Class for Kids: Dirt + Water = Mud! Thursday June 18
More information below. |
Field Notes
Welcome to Summer!
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What's Going On?
In Association with the Westfield Recreation Department
PLEIN AIR ART - Class for Kids
Calling All Budding Artists!
Create your very own masterpiece with inspiration from the great outdoors! Certified art teachers guide you through the creative process of drawing with Brightwood Park as the backdrop.
Brightwood Day was Saturday May 16th
We had Fairy Houses, Birding (spotted a green heron!), History Tours and met so many people who were also enthusiastic about preserving and restoring our park.
Thank you to all who came and especially all our new members!
Thank you to all who came and especially all our new members!
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Special thanks to Cara Jacobs Nathanson, who posted this review on Facebook:
Just want to give a huge shoutout to the Friends of Brightwood Park yesterday for organizing such a special day for the town. My girls could not get enough of the Fairy Trail and scavenger hunt around the park, and it was so evident how much love, time, and effort was put into the event.
Watching my 4 year old run around in nature with her fairy wings and wand made me so happy - it's these wholesome moments that childhood is all about. I learned yesterday that a resident of Westfield for 77 years hadn't ever heard of Brightwood Park - it's a gem and a true sanctuary in town. If you haven't been, please make the time to walk the trail and enjoy the beautiful views. I call it Narnia because you really don't know it's there and then… wow! (Especially in fall!) Mayor Jeremy Berman please keep this special place top of mind for preservation efforts! It's a one of the reasons I love living here so much. |
Invasive Species The invasive species swat team meets in the Prospect Street parking lot at 9 A.M. and work for a few hours on most Wednesdays, weather permitting.
Lately we have 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 later. Phil will provide guidance on identifying garlic mustard and other targeted species. most Wednesdays
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Brightwood Kids & Families
Summer Nature Classes for Kids
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Thursday, June 18
Dirt + Water = Mud
It is Hot! Let’s get wet! We are in the woods. Let’s play in the dirt or MAYBE we should make MUD! Join us in our mud kitchen. Join us on our mud raceway. Join us making mud nests. Let’s make mud potions. We are going to get wet and dirty so wear your grungy clothes.
Nature Classes 10:00-10:45a.m. 2-4 years old with an adult 3:45- 4:45p.m. 4–8-year-olds |
🔍 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. |
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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