Friends Of Edgewood Park

2026 Greenspace Report

Edgewood Park is a large, public park spanning New Haven’s Edgewood and Westville neighborhoods. The park sits on over 120 acres along the tidal West River, surrounded by high bluffs. Its diverse terrain from manicured lawns and gardens to natural forests and wetlands provides numerous opportunities for recreation. Its tremendous ecology supports numerous acres of forested walking trails by ponds and wetlands and a wetland viewing area. The Park also contains a pavilion, skate park, dog park, tennis courts, multi-use running and biking paths, and hosts numerous outdoor events and festivals, including the seasonal City Seed Farmer’s Market. The area has been largely stewarded by the Friends of Edgewood Park for over 30 years, and has been a Greenspace for 17 of those. Rain or shine, cold or warm, humid or dry, the Friends of Edgewood Park can be found at the Ranger Station every Tuesday morning ready for any restoration, maintenance, pruning, or litter clean-up the Park needs throughout the year. This past summer, the group kept all of its plants alive through consistent watering and weeding, cleared overgrowth, weeds, and vines around young trees, pruned back overgrowth crowding out the walking trails, planted one mountain laurel at the Mid Bridge, and planted ten shrubs and forty-three perennial plants around the gazebo garden at the intersection of Whalley and West Rock. The gazebo garden is part of a multi-year process towards plant diversification and beautification. Other long-term restoration projects include invasive species removal and starting and maintaining oak and willow trees.

2026 Accomplishments

• 10 shrubs planted (Juniper, Boxwood, Azalea, St. John’s Wort, Spirea)
• 44 perennials planted ( Montauk Daisy, 8 Liatris, 12 Russian Sage, 6 Agastache, 3 Tiarella, 9 Penstemon, 3 Dwarf Inkberry, 1 Mountain Laurel)
• 2.0 yards mulch spread
• 9 events
• 41 volunteers
• 179 volunteer hours