East Rock Park

2026 Greenspace Report

This summer, the Friends of East Rock Park (FERP) experienced their first leadership change in over a decade. The four new leaders, Brandon, Kyle, Jackie and Courtney, organized a great last workday to send off the legendary David Schimchick–the group kept this momentum going throughout the summer. FERP remained focused on the area along Orange Street and continued to transform a desolate slope into a truly remarkable space. After planting thirteen inkberry shrubs along the goatpath, the group was inspired to start making a huge new bed. A few weeks of careful planning and planting means that the new bed looks great and matches the woodland feel that David curated farther down the block. By the end of the summer the “friends” had grown with new volunteers every workday and the space looks incredible!

2026 Accomplishments

• 1 trees planted (Bur Oak)
• 28 shrubs planted (13x inkberry, 5x summersweet, 3x chokecherry, 4x creeping juniper, 3x meadowsweet)
• 68 perennials planted (13x phlox, 18x assorted ferns, 10x assorted asters, 12x Pennsylvania sedge, 3x goldenrod, 6x bee balm, 3x coreopsis, 3x St. John’s Wort)
• 3.0 yards compost spread
• 0.5 yards mulch spread
• 8 events
• 47 volunteers
• 229 volunteer hours