The Friends of East Rock Park (FERP) has worked alongside the New Haven Department of Parks and Recreation and the Urban Resource Initiative (URI) for years to help keep the park clean, maintain trails, and remove invasive species.
Invasive Species Removal ("De-Vining"): there are many invasive vines, shrubs, and trees that grow throughout East Rock Park. Plants like Greenbriar, bittersweet, Rosa multiflora, Privet, Winged Euonymus, Tree of Heaven, Japanese Knotweed, and Garlic mustard have grown and spread throughout Connecticut and many states. Especially problematic are the Oriental Bittersweet vines (Celastrus orbiculatus) that grow up around trees and strangle them until they die. Many native tree species are threatened by encroaching vines.
Trash pickup: If you want to pick up trash, we'll provide supplies.
We will have supplies such as gloves, trash pickers/grabbers, buckets, garbage bags, We also provide small, foldable hand-saws, and pruning shears, Feel free to bring supplies of your own, if you have them.
Meeting Point: Yellow gate - we'll meet, introduce ourselves and then hand out supplies and instructions before heading into the park.
Public washrooms: available inside the Trowbridge Environmental Center, and there are two Porto-Potties located just outside of the center
Family Friendly: for those who want to bring small children or may want to join but aren't physically able to participate, the Trowbridge Environmental Center will be open and has a children's play area, educational resources, and offer coffee and snacks.
High School Community Service hours: HS students may bring their Community Service form for signing.