Summer Sizzle

Wow. I mean WOW. Summer is So Much!!!!

First of all, we are not even halfway through our Circle Forest project implementation, and our programming has already been bringing lots of people to the little magical forest where our amazing volunteers have cleared out garbage, English Ivy and Garlic Mustard, spread wood chips for paths, created benches, and planted native trees and understory plants.

Here are a few pictures of some of the workshops and events we’ve had so far.

Check out the upcoming events on our Events page. Below are just the kid’s programs - share them with the children in your life!

This week is one of the busiest, with a Family Music workshop on Friday, and a Pollinator Walk and Music Jam on Saturday.

In July we received the AARP Livable Communities Grant, that funds the installation of an ADA accessible board walk connecting the path from Elmwood to the little forest in the center of Circle Forest.

Construction of the board walk will begin this month, and construction of the ADA accessible paths and plazas on the West side of Circle Forest is beginning in September. We are looking forward to being able to invite everyone from the Mission Point care facility next door to come and visit Circle Forest. There is a plan for a history/music event with songwriter Audra Kubat specifically for the elderly of Mission Point for the fall or the spring, and a birdwatching lesson for the spring, with more ideas brewing.

Lots of trees will be planted this fall! We’ll be looking for volunteers to help. We are also planning Sister Tree plantings with a couple of teachers in local schools. If you know anyone who would like to plant trees with their students, please connect them to us!

For now we are continuing to mulch the trees so the soil retains more moisture on top of their roots, and watering like mad to make sure everyone is staying alive in this heat. If you need a couple hours of quiet time spent nourishing trees with life giving water, give us a shout, we can find the time for you to do that.

Woman crouching under a big tree, smiling and firming the soil with her hand around a native sedge plant — Our volunteer Michelle Serreyn planting Plantain-leaved Sedge she donated to the Circle Forest project this Spring. Wherever we removed English Ivy, we are planting Native seedlings. Thank you Michelle!

We have hired our first Park Maintenance / Volunteer Engagement Assistant. We are so happy to work with Robyn, who lives in the neighborhood, loves trees (favorite: Weeping Willow), and has a friendly, open and curious personality. She leads Volunteer days with Birch, waters the trees, weeds around them, and is psyching up to learn to use the riding mower :)