Get ready to plan your garden - MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR APRIL 1 (1:30 PM) TO APRIL 19 (5 PM)

  🌸  Planning Your Garden with Native Plants

A great series of Webinars began, which began on January 18th, are still available for viewing.  Sponsored by the folks that bring us the Great Swamp Plant Sale in April - The Great Swamp Watershed Association.
April 1, @12noon
Plants for Pollinators: Plant Sale Overview and Kick off with Hazel England GSWA
To launch Day 1 of our 4th Annual Plants for our Pollinators sale, GSWAs’ Director of Education and Stewardship and resident pollinator expert will provide an in-depth look at each of the Thirty-Seven 2024 selections being offered as individual species and within six kits suitable for a range of garden conditions. They will review why native plants are important, cover the new species in this year’s sale, and delve into the pollinator species these native plants will particularly attract.  Learn more about how to start, add, or amend your growing native pollinator garden.  You’ll leave energized knowing the amazing benefits these 37 different native species can bring to your yard and you'll be ready to shop the sale
Register at:
https://www.greatswamp.org/event/plants-for-pollinators-webinar-series/

SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2023
from 7 am to mid-afternoon

Prospect Street
Westfield, NJ
7 AM to 3 PM
Stop by Brightwood Park on May 6th for a day full of explorations and discovery.  
Events and tours will be going from 7AM to mid-afternoon.

Including:
  • Birding walks (7AM!) 
  • Bring your camera for a walk with our Nature Photographers
  • Escape the helter-skelter for a bit by joining a Forest Bathing walk
  • Learn about the Forest Health & Invasive Species on a walk with our experts
  • Bring Native Plants into Your Garden: demonstrations and talks
  • Tour the Park with an eye for  it’s History - it was a neighborhood before it became a park
  • Bring your young children and friends for Nature Classes and Stories
  • and even a FAIRY HOUSE scavenger hunt!  MORE ABOUT THE FAIRY HOUSE HUNT!
pack a picnic!

FULL SCHEDULE

7:00 AM       BIRDING WALK     -registration needed-

8:00 AM      PHOTOGRAPHY WALK    -registration needed-

9:00 AM      FOREST BATHING    -registration needed-
9:30 AM      NATURE CLASS/STORY TIME FOR KIDS   -registration needed-
9:30 AM      GARDENING WITH NATIVE PLANTS - Tour    -registration needed-
​
10:00 AM    HISTORY TOUR    -registration needed-
​
 -------
10:00 AM
to NOON    NATIVE PLANT SALE PICK UP  
--------

11:00 AM     NATURE HIKE/PARK RESTORATION    -registration needed-
11:00 AM     PHOTOGRAPHY WALK    -registration needed-

12:00 AM     POLLINATOR GARDEN - Tour    -registration needed-

1:00 PM       FAIRY HOUSE SCAVENGER HUNT    -registration needed-
1:00 PM       FAIRY HOUSE MAKING 

2:00 PM      NATURE HIKE/PARK RESTORATION    -registration needed- 

THERE ARE 22 FAIRY HOUSES TO BE DISCOVERED!

​CAN YOU FIND THEM??

​(HERE ARE SOME HINTS)

VOLUNTEER?

We are looking for volunteers to help with this event.  If you could contribute a part of your day to help with activities, please sign up below.

BRIGHTWOOD GEAR


Look Great and Support the Park!
​

Download the Poster!
Vertical Divider
🌱
​
NATIVE PLANT SALE PICK UP
10 to Noon

Activities and Informative Booths
​10 AM to 2 PM

NATURE CLASS/STORY TIME FOR KIDS
Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar provides the children with a beautiful and fun introduction to the life cycle of the butterfly. Using the story and pictures of butterflies, the children will learn about the life of a butterfly, the importance of supporting our pollinators with plants and how to plant a feeding source for butterflies. We will walk through the park and find places where we are working hard to nourish the plants that nourish the pollinators.  
LESLIE LEWIS/FRIENDS OF BRIGHTWOOD PARK
FOREST BATHING & MEDITATION
What is forest bathing?  This Japanese practice is a process of relaxation; know in Japan as Shinrin Yoko.  The simple method of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you whilst breathing deeply can help both adults and children de-stress and boost health and wellbeing in a natural way. Suzanne invites you to join her as she guides you through the forest, providing more insight into how trees communicate and more.   This is mostly a silent walk where we embrace the stillness of the trees, the beauty of the flowers, along with the sounds of resident animals.  This walk will culminate with a brief meditation.  
SUZANNE PINTO/FRIENDS OF BRIGHTWOOD PARK
FRIENDS OF BRIGHTWOOD PARK
In only 3 years, the newly formed Friends of Brightwood Park have worked to transform the park from an invasive-choked distressed forest to a natural area that is becoming much more healthy.  Learn about our trails project, the classes and and programs that we have worked on and meet the naturalists, botanists, birders and photographers that have help document and inspire the transformation.
FRIENDS OF BRIGHTWOOD PARK
PICK UP A FREE TREE!
The Town of Westfield is providing 500 tree saplings to be distributed to people interested in planting new trees to help our towns become more beautiful and more shaded.  

Please stop by!
WESTFIELD TREE PRESERVATION COMMISSION AND WESTFIELD GREEN TEAM
UNION COUNTY BUREAU OF RECYCLING AND PLANNING
Learn about the programs in Union County to keep our parks and streams clean and healthy.  Also information about recycling programs and Second Chance Toys.
WESTFIELD GREEN TEAM- STUDENT AUXILIARY
MAKE A PAPER POT & PLANT IT! 
 Children can learn how to make their own paper pot using a press or origami and plant native seeds. Also learn about making a Bird House from a gourd (including the seeds to grow your own gourds).
WESTFIELD GREEN TEAM- STUDENT AUXILIARY
POLLINATOR PATHWAY
Learn about how creating a pollinator garden is so important for our native bees and butterflies.  Start a garden plan HERE and "pin" your garden on a Westfield map.
WESTFIELD GREEN TEAM
Invasives:  Plant THIS; not THAT!
What is the problem with non-native species? Learn about how to identify common invasive plants in your garden, and also at Brightwood and why we have created a strike force to remove them.   Two years into this program, what are we seeing?
WESTFIELD GREEN TEAM
WATERSHED AMBASSADOR ENVIRONSCAPE 
Tour the Environscape Map to learn about the sources of pollution and other challenges to keep our waters clean and healthy.
WATERSHED AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
The LIBRARY SEED PROJECT
 Children can learn how to make their own paper pot using a press or origami and plant native seeds. Also learn about making a Bird House from a gourd (including the seeds to grow your own gourds).
WESTFIELD GREEN TEAM- STUDENT AUXILIARY
POLLINATOR GARDEN PROJECT BY THE GIRL SCOUTS
Learn about the garden project of by  Girl Scout Troops.
WESTFIELD EDISON SCHOOL  GIRL SCOUTS
RAIDERS ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
Information on the club activities, including spotted lantern fly traps and bat houses.
RAIDERS ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
...  ALSO  ...
MEET THE FRIENDS OF BRIGHTWOOD PARK
DOG WALKING
HIKING
​FISHING