Plastics Industry Association and Cyclyx International Team Up for Woodland Park Clean-Up 🌍🌱

In October 2024, while in Houston for the National Plastics Conference, members of the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) joined forces with Cyclyx International, Keep Houston Beautiful and Friends of Woodland Park, for a major clean-up event at Woodland Park. This initiative marked a meaningful start to the conference, demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship and giving back to the local community.

Despite the unseasonably warm weather, the cleanup event drew 47 dedicated volunteers who set out to clear trails, green spaces, and the banks of the bayou. Collecting 51 bags of litter—including significant amounts of plastic waste—volunteers wore t-shirts emblazoned with the message, "We love plastic. We hate plastic waste," a powerful statement reflecting the complex relationship between plastics, humanity, and sustainability.

Heather Neilan, Manager of Sustainability and Materials at PLASTICS, expressed her gratitude to the volunteers and partners, saying, “We received many great responses from all who participated, commenting on the efficiency of the day and appreciation to work with so many local community groups! It is always important to give back to the communities we visit, and cleaning up litter serves as a good reminder of what we are all working toward—a clean and sustainable environment.”

A significant portion of the collected waste was directed towards recycling through Cyclyx International, a US-based company pioneering innovations in plastic recycling. Cyclyx’s 10to90 initiative focuses on creating landfill diversion opportunities for plastic waste, aiming to increase plastic recycling rates from 10% to 90% by redesigning how materials are processed and repurposed.

The event was facilitated by Keep Houston Beautiful as part of the Fall Sweep, a city-wide clean-up initiative running from September 11th to November 23rd. Alan Steinberg, Board Member of Keep Houston Beautiful and Chair of the Houston Clean City Commission, praised the collaborative effort, saying, It’s wonderful to see PLASTICS leading a cleanup at Woodland Park as part of the Fall Sweep. Community cleanups like this foster pride in our environment and make our green spaces healthier and more enjoyable for all.

This clean-up event illustrates the power of collaboration between industry, community organizations, and environmental advocates.

Thank you to everyone involved for your hard work and commitment. This event may be one step, but it reflects the potential impact when industry and communities work together toward a cleaner, greener future. 🌿🌎

🌟 Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts: Transforming Woodland Park this Fall! 🌟

🌿 Emerald Oaks Girl Scouts Lead the Way: November 2nd Woodland Park Clean-Up! 🌟🧹

Woodland Park was buzzing with activity this month as both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts made major contributions to restore and enhance the park! Here’s a huge thank you to the Emerald Oaks Girl Scoutsand their families, who turned out in full force to clean up the bayou. Over 60 volunteers—including a brand new Travis Elementary Daisy Scout Kindergarten troop—brought their creativity and determination, hauling out some HUGE items with grit and teamwork. Their impressive efforts resulted in removing nearly 1,000 pounds of trash, making a tremendous difference in our shared green space!

Special Thanks to Pablo Holguin of Troop 30 for his Eagle Project 🌱

We also want to extend our gratitude to Pablo Holguin for completing his Scouts BSA Eagle Project on October 19th at Woodland Park’s Firefly Field.

In Scouts BSA, an Eagle Project is a significant undertaking where a Scout leads and executes a service project that benefits the community. Requiring months of planning, leadership, and often fundraising, an Eagle Project not only benefits a local community but also demonstrates the Scout’s commitment to service, leadership, and perseverance.

For his Eagle Project, Pablo led the replanting and irrigation installation at Firefly Field, a beautiful area near the park entrance that welcomes visitors with its unique sculptures. He worked diligently to prepare the site, using eco-friendly methods to clear weeds. Pablo also organized his Troop 30 crew and raised funds to complete the project, with in-kind support from Houston Parks (HPARD) and Friends of Woodland Park, who donated plants. His dedication is already transforming Firefly Field into a thriving green space, with new plants and irrigation that will help it flourish for years to come.

We’re beyond grateful to all the scouts, leaders, and families who contributed to these efforts. Thanks to you, Woodland Park is cleaner, more vibrant, and better prepared to welcome nature lovers and families alike. Let’s celebrate the amazing work of our Scouts!

City making improvements to Community Center & HOUSTON AVE

🚸 Crosswalks & Safety Improvements Coming to Houston Avenue! 🎉

Sometimes, progress shows up when we least expect it—and this week, we have reason to celebrate! FWP is thrilled to share that the long-awaited Houston Avenue crosswalks and regulation pedestrian signage are finally on the way. CM Castillo communicated that the timeline for these improvements, which had been deferred indefinitely, has moved up, meaning we should see **two new crosswalks**—one at Parkview and another at North Street—installed this month, and at least by the end of the year! This is a big win for park and pedestrian safety, and it’s definitely worth celebrating. Thank you to the literally DOZENS of people who advocated for this over the last 10 years.

Community Center Makeover: A Freshening Up 🎨✨

But the good news doesn’t stop there! The Woodland Community Center has received some much-needed TLC, with beautifully refinished gym floors and a newly tiled entryway, as well as improved lighting over the stage and replaced ceiling tiles. No more plywood subfloor! It’s amazing what a difference a refreshed space can make for everyone who uses it, from recreation to kids’ after-school care and community events. See the attached renderings and photos of the new space—check them out and share in the excitement! The CoH HVAC team continues to work on a leaking system in the ceiling and we hope that once that is resolved, that all of the damaged ceiling tiles will be replaced. Thank you Center Manager Rob Messa for keeping on top of all of the maintenance needs of a lovely but aging building, and again to CM Castillo for advocating for us.

Nature’s Resilience and Ongoing Efforts 🌧️🐰

Meanwhile, heavy rains on election day sent the bayou surging over 20 feet, bringing new debris downstream—a stark reminder of the challenges we face in preserving this space. We spotted plenty of bunny rabbits hopping up to higher ground to escape the floodwaters. While we’ve got our next clean-up lined up, we are working to develop partnerships to implement some sort of trash capture system. We would love a project manager to spearhead this. . . anyone? Bueller?

Let’s take a deep breath, pat ourselves on the back for the wins, and keep going. Each step, each improvement, and each small effort truly adds up. Here’s to making Woodland Park a safer, cleaner, and more welcoming place—one step at a time!

Annual Members' Open House!

Join us for one of our special events just for members! Mingle with the board and invited VIPs for a casual evening of drinks and light bites from 6:30-8:30 pm on Monday, November 18th.

Not a member? Join today! Didn’t get your invitation? Email us!

PLUS - Need a Garden Flag? Simply join or already be a member (or upgrade!) to at least the Bayou-Believer ($100) level as a subscribing member, or as a Lifetime Member ($500)! Come get your flag at the Happy Hour!

Monday, November 18, 2024 6:30 PM 8:30 PM


BATS! at White Oak Bayou Association Annual Meeting

White Oak Bayou Association is a major partner of Friends of Woodland Park, and we highly recommend their annual meeting for networking and learning about our bayou watershed,

The White Oak Bayou Association (WOBA) invites the community to join them for their 2024 Annual Meeting which will be held at the Historic Height Fire Station, 107 West 12th St., Houston, TX 77008 on November 12, 2014 from 6 pm to 8:30 pm.


The evening starts with a short social period where individuals can network and visit with local environmental groups that will be participating with table top displays.  The meeting will begin at 7 pm.

Guest speaker will be discussing our local bat population!

Pizza and other refreshments will be served.

November Bird Survey - Peak Migration??

The group will meet by the parking lot of the community center (212 Parkview). No experience is required!!! Please bring binoculars if you have them, and wear shoes and long pants that might get muddy.

Our fearless leader is Mary Goldsby, exceptional birder and long-time supporter and friend of Woodland Park! Thanks to Houston Audubon for being such a great supporter of Woodland Park.

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Add to your calendar now: ICS Google

  • 7:30 AM 9:00 AM

  • Woodland Park - 212 Parkview Street Houston, TX, 77009

Last 2024 Woodland Park Projects Day!

FWP will be in the park working with the students of Duchesne Academy on improving park landscaping, trails, and helping to clean-up trash following the recent heavy election-day rains, where water rose over 20 feet in just about an hour!

Sign the waiver, wear long pants and closed-toe shoes, and come volunteer for the last organized clean-up of the year.

Saturday, November 16, 2024, 8:30 AM 11:30 AM

Add to your calendar now: ICS Google

Woodland Park212 Parkview StreetHouston, TX, 77009

See below for some of the impacts of those rains:

Hollywood (Little White Oak Bayou) Trail Public Kickoff

Bayou and parks lovers from up and down the length of Little White Oak Bayou (also known as Hollywood Bayou) have come together in support of connecting the green spaces up and down this bayou.

Join us for an open meeting to discuss the project and give your input! We've brought on over 80 signatories from communities up and down the bayou (see https://hollywoodtrail.org/ ) and we're excited to bring this support and ideas to organizations like the City, the County, the Houston Parks Board + more.

​Come to share what you and your community want most!

​The meeting is 6-7:30 on the banks of the bayou (thanks to Re:HAB and its owner Grace, who is herself a bayou supporter). Come and share your ideas and support, and meet fellow bayou-loving neighbors!

Location: RE:HAB Bar on the Bayou 1658 Enid St, Houston, TX 77009

October Bird Survey: Winter Birds Begin to Arrive

Our October 19th bird survey took place on a lovely morning with mild temperatures, perfect for spotting some of our feathered friends. It was a treat to see some of our winter residents moving in, a reminder of the seasonal transitions happening around us. With just two birders this month, we recorded an impressive 27 species, each offering its unique charm and beauty to the morning.

Join Us for the Next Survey

As we approach peak migration, we’re sure to see even more winter arrivals in the coming months. Our next survey is scheduled for November 16, 2024, at 7:30 am. All birding enthusiasts, beginners and experts alike, are welcome to join us as we explore the seasonal changes unfolding at the park. And don’t forget, we have a wonderful birding resource on our website! Plus, you can use apps like Merlin and eBird to help identify and track what is being seen in the park.

Highlights of the October Survey

It’s always exciting to welcome back birds that signal the changing seasons. This survey marked the "first of season" (FOS) sightings for a few winter favorites:

Eastern Phoebe: This small flycatcher was observed three times, another indicator that fall migration is in full swing.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: Always a pleasure to see, this early migrant makes its appearance in winter. One was spotted, settling in for the colder months.

Lincoln’s Sparrow: A single Lincoln’s Sparrow made its FOS appearance, a delight for both experienced and novice birders alike.

MOre HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Doves and Herons: White-winged Doves (15) and Mourning Doves (3) were among the more numerous birds spotted. Our waders included two Snowy Egrets and two Great Egrets, plus a solitary Great Blue Heron standing stately by the water.

  • Raptors: A Cooper’s Hawk and a Red-shouldered Hawk added a bit of excitement, gliding gracefully as they scanned for prey.

  • Woodpeckers Galore: A highlight was seeing a pair of Northern Flickers together, along with Red-bellied and Downy Woodpeckers adding their distinctive rhythms to the morning soundscape.

  • Wrens and Warblers: The woodland calls of Carolina Wrens (6) and the cheerful House Wrens (2) made the morning lively. We also spotted a Common Yellowthroat and a Wilson’s Warbler, adding a flash of color to the foliage.

A big thank you to our birders, who continue to make these surveys possible and to everyone who supports the preservation of our feathered friends and their habitats. We hope to see you in November for another exciting morning of birdwatching!

Full List of Birds Observed:

  • White-winged Dove - 15

  • Mourning Dove - 3

  • Snowy Egret - 2

  • Great Egret - 2

  • Great Blue Heron - 1

  • Cooper's Hawk - 1

  • Red-shouldered Hawk - 1

  • Belted Kingfisher - 1

  • Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1 (FOS)

  • Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2

  • Downy Woodpecker - 2

  • Northern Flicker - 2 (seen together)

  • Eastern Phoebe - 3 (FOS)

  • Blue Jay - 6

  • Carolina Chickadee - 3

  • Red-vented Bulbul - 1

  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 3

  • House Wren - 2

  • Carolina Wren - 6

  • Gray Catbird - 1

  • Northern Mockingbird - 2

  • House Finch - 3

  • Lincoln's Sparrow - 1 (FOS)

  • Great-tailed Grackle - 13

  • Common Yellowthroat - 1

  • Wilson's Warbler - 1

Cheers,
Mary Goldsby, FWP Birding Director and Texas Audubon Liaison

Celebrating a Year of Dedication: FWP Annual Meeting

On a bright October 10th evening, FWP members and community supporters of Woodland Park gathered in the Community Center for the Friends of Woodland Park annual meeting, a time to reflect on the past year’s achievements, honor our community of volunteers, and look ahead to the future. This year’s event was especially memorable, featuring a wonderful and informative keynote speech by HPARD Ranger Superintendent Keaton Woodard.

A Year in Review: Video Recap

After a welcome by FWP President Kelli Fereday and Board introductions, the evening kicked off with a moving video recap of the past year’s highlights. From tree planting to large-scale cleanup efforts following multiple severe storms, the video showcased the transformative power of collective action. Scenes of volunteers from all walks of life working together illustrated the impact that Friends of Woodland Park has had on restoring and beautifying the park. The video was a fitting tribute to everyone who contributed their time and energy over the past year.

Best Friend of Woodland Park Award

At each Annual Meeting, FWP presents the “Best Friend of Woodland Park Award”, a recognition of exceptional dedication and service to the park. This year, the award went to Jacob Prochaska, who attends St. Thomas High School and Andrea Garza, a Senior at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, who have both demonstrated tireless commitment and an unwavering love for the park. You can read more about their contributions and the award history here.

Keynote Address by Ranger Superintendent Keaton Woodard

The highlight of the evening was the keynote address by HPARD Ranger Superintendent Keaton Woodard.

With a career dedicated to public service, Superintendent Woodard inspired the audience with his passion for working with the public to insure enjoyment and protection of Houston’s parks.

He explained that unlike state or national park rangers, who often focus on wildlife management and conservation, urban park rangers concentrate on ensuring public safety, education, and enforcement within city parks. However, Superintendent Woodard emphasized that their work is about more than just enforcing rules. HPARD Rangers are crucial in educating the public, monitoring trails, pavilions, and facilities, guiding visitors, and ensuring safety. They serve as the guardians of our parks, tirelessly working to keep Houston’s green spaces enjoyable and safe for all.

With a city as large as Houston, their efforts are essential in maintaining the balance between urban life and nature. He expressed gratitude to organizations like Friends of Woodland Park, whose volunteer work supports the rangers’ efforts in ways that impact everyone who visits.

Looking Ahead

As we wrapped up the evening, it was clear that the Friends of Woodland Park and HPARD share a common goal: to nurture a green space that enriches lives, preserves biodiversity, and builds community. Superintendent Woodard’s keynote, the year-in-review video, and the Best Friends award all served as reminders of the impact that dedicated individuals and collective action can have on preserving Houston’s natural heritage.

The meeting was not just a celebration but a call to action. As we head into another year, we encourage everyone to join us in protecting and cherishing Woodland Park. Whether through volunteer work, membership or donations, or simply spreading the word in person or on Facebook or Instagram, there are countless ways to be part of this meaningful journey.

Here’s to another successful year ahead, working together to keep Woodland Park thriving for generations to come!

Fall Concert a "Spooktacular" Succces

Friends of Woodland Park with the support of HPARD and the incredible talents of “Jo Bird - The Fiddle Witch of Galveston” hosted a standing-room only crowd for an incredibly fun concert on October 17th. Jo plays an electric viola and filled the room with music both eerie and fun!

Friends enjoyed Halloween-themed popcorn and drinks, and every child in costume got a special treat! Costume winners were announced and the kids enjoyed dancing and coloring. Thanks to the community for coming out, and thanks especially to our FWP Music Director - Loreta Kovacic, Community Center Manager - Rob Messa, and of course, Jo Bird! Show your gratitude and follow her on Instagram at @jobirdviolamusic.

There’s more to come in Spring 2025 in the Woodland Community Center Concert Series! Rumor has it we might be travelling to Cajun country! Contact FWP Music Director - Loreta Kovacic if you would like to perform or help out.

2024 Best Friends of Woodland Park Award

At each FWP Annual Meeting, we present the Best Friend of Woodland Park Award, to someone in our community who generously dedicates their time and labor for the Woodland Park.  The Best Friend of Woodland Park Award, is given by the board to an individual or group to show our appreciation for contributions that greatly advance our mission:

“. . .Preserving the park's natural habitat along with its unique historical significance to the City of Houston, and to providing for the enjoyment and education of all who visit.”

For 2024 we chose two high school Seniors as our recipients.  Jacob Prochaska, who attends St. Thomas High School and Andrea Garza, a Senior at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart.

 Jacob Prochaska is a lifelong resident of Woodland Heights and was “volun-told” to help out with park cleanups when he was in middle school.  He continued to attend our cleanups and was asked to lead groups of younger students who hadn’t visited the park.  He now helped with all of the jobs we have at the cleanups including set up, check in and break down, which is a huge help to our volunteers.  He also volunteers annually at our Happy Trails and Hot Dogs event, again doing anything we ask of him. He never says no and executes it all with a smile and a tremendous work ethic.

Andrea Garza is a Senior at Duchesne and reached out to FWP in the Summer of 2023 as she started an Environmental Club at her school.  She arrived with a plan and a maturity level not seen in many adults and we took advantage of the manpower and willingness she brought to us.  She formed a coalition with the president of other environmental clubs at local schools and organized cleanups and trail maintenance projects about every other month since then, and also helped out with any other events we needed assistance with.  She has helped us to reach a whole new group of volunteers by coordinating with Strake, St. Pius, St. Agnes, Regis, Hogg and other area schools.   She creates social media content to advertise these events and many of the students who have come, continue to return to help clean the bayou, and bring their friends.

Two years ago, both Jacob and Andrea volunteered to work at our Happy Trails and Hot Dogs event, which was cut short by a violent

rainstorm.  Unlike many others, they stayed in the terrible weather and helped load all of the tents and equipment until every piece was cleaned up.

Dedication under adverse conditions is when you see true character!

Earlier this fall, they both organized and executed a cleanup at the park with about 50 attendees.  This group of students and parents removed approximately 1600 pound of trash in 3 hours, including 18 tires and 4 shopping carts.  The power of the next generation is evident in their leadership and we are so grateful for the legacy they will leave when they graduate next Spring. 

Thank you, Andrea and Jacob, for all of your hard work and sharing your gifts, and for connecting us to the next generation of Friends of Woodland Park

In 2022, our first year of awarding this, we chose Mary Goldsby who is still leading monthly birding hikes to share the beauty of our park with other birdwatchers and anyone else interested in joining in.  Last year we celebrated the work of Christina DeHaven, a local videographer who has helped us show the beauty of the park in videos which have been viewed thousands of times.  She recently filmed more footage of the devastation of the Bayou since Beryl to show how impacted the landscape was. We shared this footage at our Annual Meeting and she also joined Lauren Lindsay in presenting the 2024 awards. 

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Bird Survey Spots Bird Migrations Starting

Happy Birding from our Birding Director, Mary Goldsby! Here is her report from the September Bird Survey - as a reminder, all sightings are captured in eBird which is a great resource for aspiring twitchers and pros alike.

“ It was a warm and humid morning, but we did manage to see a few migrating birds.

Birders: 7

Species: 27

Next survey: October 19, 2024 7:30am 

Also, I want to congratulate the Girl Scout troops on their pollinator planting bed at the community center, (including replanting after the summer storms). It looks really nice with a variety of native plants and it's doing a great job with attracting pollinators. We saw 2 Ruby-throated hummingbirds (up close) on the pink Turks cap that morning along with several other pollinators including a bumble bee and honey bees. Thank you! “

 

Septembers birds:

White-winged Dove  10
Mourning Dove  5
Chimney Swift  1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
hummingbird sp.  2
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Neotropic Cormorant  1
Yellow-crowned Night Heron  4
Snowy Egret  1
Great Blue Heron  1
White-faced Ibis  43     2 separate flyover groups (25 in first group and 18 in second group)
Red-shouldered Hawk  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  3
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Blue Jay  13
Carolina Chickadee  2
Red-vented Bulbul  6
Carolina Wren  7
Scaly-breasted Munia  18
House Finch  1
Baltimore Oriole  3
Great-tailed Grackle  2
Nashville Warbler  1
Blackburnian Warbler  1
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
new world warbler sp.  1
Northern Cardinal  5

October Events are a Fun-Fest not a Fright-Fest!

Just click away to add these not-so-spooky spectacles to your calendar! And, did you miss the summer Membership Drive? Join now to get in on the end-of-year fun for members only!

  • October 8th: Board Meeting: Contact the board if there is anything you would like for the board to consider adding to the agenda. This month will cover bylaws, vision, and events thru the rest of 2024.

  • Oct 10th: FWP Annual Meeting! Did you know that Woodland Park has a Park Ranger? Come by the Community Center to meet Ranger Supt Keaton Woodard and other representatives from HPARD and FWP! Hear about FWP’s vision for the future and vote for your favorites! Mingle at 6pm for a 6:30pm program start. Click here to download to YOUR calendar: Google Calendar or ICS

  • Oct 14th: Private Clean-up - Plastics Industry Association. FWP is excited and honored to host PIA as part of their annual conference and engage in conversation about how to meet consumer needs while protecting our natural areas.

  • Oct 17th! Spooktacular Fall Concert: FWP Music Director Loreta Kovacic has lined up an amazing performance for all, featuring a special Halloween Show with Jo Bird - The Fiddle Witch from Galveston. FWP promises this to be a spooktacular evening of music and fun! Click here to download to YOUR calendar: Google Calendar or ICS.

  • Oct 19th: Monthly Bird Survey! No experience required other than the ability to get up early on Saturday and meet at the Woodland Comminity Center at 7:30am! Click here to download to YOUR calendar: Google Calendar or ICS.

Spooktacular Fall Concert! Thursday Oct 17th!

The Woodland Community Center Concert Series continues with its Fall Concert , featuring a special Halloween Show with Jo Bird - The Fiddle Witch from Galveston. FWP promises this to be a spooktacular evening of music and fun! On October 17th, join us for a night of hauntingly good musical performances, all set against the backdrop of our charming community center. Click here to add to your calender for google calendar or ICS files.

Did you know that the Woodland Community Center was a hub of weekend concerts and dances through the years, including performances by Kenny Rogers and his first band, The Scholars, who attended Northside High School! In 2022, FWP worked with HPARD to launch the Woodland Community Center Concert Series to “bring music back to the park” with a concert by our very own - now FWP Music Director - Loreta Kovacic!

JPMC and HPARD Blaze a New Trail!

The triangle adjoining Little White Oak Bayou between Wrightwood and White Oak streets - between “Woodland” and “Freed” Parks - has suffered longtime neglect, in part because no one was sure who it belonged to (hence its nickname, "no man's land").  But earlier this year, Houston Parks and Recreation (HPARD) clarified that that "no man's land" and Freed Park were now, in fact, part of Woodland Park. FWP sprung into action to clean it up and upgrade the existing "goat trail" running through it, connecting Freed Park and the main section of Woodland Park north of Wrightwood.  

More than four dozen energetic volunteers from JP Morgan Chase, HPARD, and local community volunteers came out on a warm September 28th Saturday morning to pick up trash, remove hurricane debris, clear vegetation, line a new trail between Woodland Park and Freed Park, then move and smooth over eight cubic yards of mulch. All in less than three hours! By lunchtime, “No Man's Land” was transformed, with a broad, smooth and welcoming path connecting the two parks.  Thank you JPMC!

None of this would have happened without a great deal of preplanning and skillful execution by the tireless Cindy and Serin from #BreakADifference, HPARD’s Oneika Peters, and FWP’s Pat Rutledge, Amanda Brown, and Taylor Chapman. The HPARD effort was part of the city-wide Park Recovery and Restoration project, and the city even worked throughout the week prior to insure that the park trails were cleared and safe for the workday to take place.

Maggie Holsten, Sr Manager at BreakADifference, said “It was such a pleasure working with each of you, and I'm thrilled to hear you are pleased with the results of the volunteers' efforts. It's a privilege to be able to partner with orgs like FWP that work year-round to support the communities you live in.”

Taylor Chapman, FWP Bayou Director, noted the very next day. “I drove past the trail this morning and saw someone walking his dog on the new trail that your volunteers built less than a week ago!  It's already attracting new foot traffic, which should make a positive impact in the neighborhood.”

So, check out the new trail! We are excited to have this new area and Freed Park officially recognized as extensions to Woodland Park.

So Many September Events!

FWP has kicked off the new school year with our own exciting late summer and fall activities! Click the calendar below for more details!

  • CEC Happy Hour (Sept 12)

  • FWP Membership Drive (Through Sept 20)

  • September Bird Survey (Sept 21)

  • Community Clean-up (Sept 22)

  • HPARD Park Recovery Event (Sept 28)

PLUS - Save the date for our Annual General Meeting on October 10th with 3 very special guests AND our Spooktacular Fall Concert on October 17th!

Girl Scout Silver Award BringS Recycling to Clean-ups

Nora Egan and Grace Lindsay are now 8th graders at Hogg Middle School working on their Girl Scout Silver Award, the second highest achievement in Girl Scouting. The Silver Award requires the identification a problem in the community, partnering with a community agency and creating a sustainable solution.  Each Girl Scout must put a minimum of 50 hours towards their chosen project.

At Hogg, Nora and Grace were horrified by the amount of paper, including textbooks, which were thrown away and not recycled so they vowed to find a solution. Additionally, they were concerned about the lack of recycling at Woodland Park Clean-up Events.

To address these issues, they have created a Recycling Club at Hogg and meet weekly during the Friday afternoon advocacy period, creating recycling boxes for the classrooms they identified as producing the most paper waste.

They have also participated in clean-ups in Woodland Park and have separated materials which they have then brought home for recycling. The young woman had a wonderful table at the FWP Happy Trails and Hot Dogs event which explained the problem and their work to-date

Soon, they will submit their project for approval by the San Jacinto Girl Scout Council with the idea that the Recycling Club will continue and expand going forward.

Nora and Grace are very grateful for all of the neighborhood support they have received.       

Tree Removals Near Community Center.

Have you wondered what is going on with the disturbed area on the near the community center?

Several months ago, after a lightning strike fatally damaged two pine trees near the Woodland Community Center, the FWP board requested that HPARD remove those trees and also consider allowing FWP to commission a chainsaw artist to create a sculpture from the lower trunk. The tree sculpture idea gained support from HPARD and the Forestry Department was engaged to remove the trees with a special request to preserve the lower 14 feet of the tree upon removal. As we awaited the scheduling of the tree removal, preliminary steps were taken to pre-qualify the artist with HPARD. The tree removal commenced on Thursday, April 11th, and an FWP board member briefed the contractors on-site about the 14-foot stump preservation and the need to avoid damaging the surrounding pollinator garden.

The initial, smaller tree was swiftly cut down, segmented, and prepared for removal. Subsequently, the lead chainsaw operator began pruning the larger tree's side branches from his elevated platform. Intermittently, he captured photos and made calls engaging FWP and HPARD. Soon after, a ground supervisor showed a board member from the FWP the decayed core of the downed tree, voicing concerns about the second tree's similar condition and its unsuitability for use as a sculpture. FWP soon received a message from the forestry manager stating the remaining tree's trunk was extensively damaged, posing a risk to the crew, necessitating its felling at the base—a course of action that was ultimately executed.

Unfortunately, the butterfly garden was significantly impacted. FWP is monitoring completion of the work in the area and will then seek to restore the jewel of a garden back to beauty! If you or your group would like to help, please contact louise@friendsofwoodlandpark.org.