The Friends of Edgewood Park work year-round to steward an incredible 123 acres of parklands that provide wonderful recreational spaces for residents and vital habitat for wildlife. Rain, snow, and a heatwave can’t slow this group down and they will be at the Ranger Station each Tuesday morning ready to go. We started our summer focusing on the Urban Oasis garden by the Midbridge planting a mountain laurel and three new winterberries. The group as a whole worked throughout the park planting by the Sundial, continuing diligent work at the Gazebo garden, and always working to fight off invasive plants down by the river. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better team of volunteers to take care of the beautiful Edgewood Park!
Despite the heat creeping into us, the volunteers excitedly gathered under the shade of a tree at the start of the road leading to the ranger station, eager to give some love to the park. We all split up to work on different parts of the park. Some tackled the overgrowth near the fence area by the stairs from Chapel Street near the Duck Pond. At the Mid Bridge area, Clara, Jonathan, and I weeded and put mulch rings around all the young trees, trimmed a hanging branch from a black walnut tree, and pruned the pecan tree to prevent further mower damage, which had removed its protective wire cage and stake, scraping the bark and branches. Rebecca discovered that the elderberry she planted several years ago is thriving. Additionally, with the help of other volunteers, Stephanie and Muffy removed cut brush from near the bridge and cut down a box elder tree competing with a summersweet shrub in the Mid Bridge Garden. Jonathan and I transplanted a butterfly bush in the Eagle Scout garden. Frank and a group of volunteers also completed clearing the berm trail (Frank’s Trail) from Mid Bridge to Park Road, cleared the trail from Mid Bridge to Archery Field, and cleared the berm trail from Mid Bridge to the Skate Park. Finally, Margaret took on the challenge of watering ten small, young button bushes and dogwoods on Park Road. Thank you to Stephanie for recording the work of our volunteers each week. Join us next Tuesday morning at 9 am for some tree planting at the park with workers from Common Ground!
MaintenanceSandy, the mighty workers, and the beautiful garden!
07/02/2024
Although I was away this week, the Friends of Edgewood Park were still hard at work! Coordinated by another URI intern, Jasmine, the dedicated Common Ground student workers joined forces to plant shrubs at the Sprinkler Garden and complete the mulching. They used wood chips to define two-thirds of the paths around the MidBridge garden beds, trimmed overhanging willows and river birch, cut down knotweed near the garden beds, and re-strung the garden fencing while trimming the grass in front of it. Their incredible dedication and teamwork ensured the park continued to thrive and remain vibrant!
PlantingPlanting shrubs by the West River!
06/25/2024
Compared to last week, it was a much cooler morning. Meeting at the Ranger Station, our volunteers were ecstatic to get to work on their projects. Stephanie, the sisters, and Natalie planted and watered small native shrubs along the park road riverbank to prevent erosion—buttonbush, gray dogwood, silky dogwood, and one ninebark. Sandy, Clara, and I (Yvonne) continued weeding the sundial garden, planted two coral bells, and began mulching that garden bed. Margaret took charge of watering plants as usual, while Frank and the high school volunteers, including Jonathan and Natalie, pulled Japanese knotweed out of MidBridge Garden and began making wood chip mulch rings around trees along park road. Lots of tasks ahead, but so much love has already been given to the park! Join us next Tuesday at 9 am at the Ranger Station!
