Conservancy Projects
The Brookdale Park Conservancy focuses on park improvement projects intended to restore and enhance Brookdale Park's Olmsted Brothers' Master Plan while keeping our modern-day park community’s needs and long term sustainability in mind.
Professionally trained and highly skilled Conservancy volunteers lend their landscape, construction and project management expertise to help develop an ambitious yet feasible roadmap for park improvements each year.
Current Projects
Canopy Tree Replenishment
The conservancy replenishes the canopy tree population in the park each year. We added 36 trees in 2022 and as of 4/22/23 another 20 with more on the way in late 2023. Our newest additions can be found along West Circuit Drive near the upper parking lot and the playground area. The trees were graciously donated to the park by NJ Tree Foundation and planted by a battalion of volunteers - thank you! Learn more about some of the new trees that call Brookdale Park home.
NATIVE PLANT GARDENS - PLAYGROUND ENTRANCE & NEARBY CIRCLE BED
Thanks to our hard working volunteers, these gardens were cleared of overgrowth and planted with a beautiful array of native plant species. Native plants are critical to a healthy ecosystem - read more about their importance here as well as details on several of the plants you will see in these areas. Look for native pollinator loving plants at the main playground entrance and in the nearby circle garden. For more native flora, take a short walk from the playground over to the Pollinator Garden & Monarch Waystation and Overlook Spring & Streambed areas (mentioned below).
photo credit: Yuliya Bellinger
HEALTHY GARDENS START WITH HEALTHY SOIL
Next to the sun, soil health is the most essential ingredient for gardening success but more importantly for human survival. Healthy soil is home to a thriving ecosystem, brimming with microscopic organisms that transform decaying matter into nourishment for plants. The Conservancy is taking steps to improve the soil in the park in areas designated for future plantings. You can improve your soil as well by following our steps.
Rose Garden
The historic Brookdale Park Rose Garden is cared for by Master Gardeners and community volunteers, led by Master Gardener and current Brookdale Park Conservancy Chair Don McLoughlin. The Conservancy provides financial support for this beautiful Garden. Click here to learn more about the Rose Garden, including a list of the roses planted there.
Pollinator Garden & Monarch waystation
A pollinator garden and registered waystation (#3132) for Monarch butterflies was established in the heart of Brookdale Park in 2017 as part of a Rutgers Environmental Stewards program project under the leadership of Jean Greeley. It continues to expand in scope and beauty each year under Jean’s leadership with assistance from Master Gardeners and community volunteers. This project is monitored by the Conservancy and is partially funded with generous donations from our supporters.
Overlook Spring & Streambed Restoration and pollinator project
This hidden gem from Brookdale Park’s Olmsted Brothers 1930s master plan is currently being restored under the leadership of David Wasmuth, Jose German, and Suzanne Trimel as part of another Rutgers Environmental Stewards program project. This project is monitored by the Conservancy and is partially funded with generous donations from our supporters.
Playground Area Plantings
Working with community volunteers, the Conservancy cleared brush and overgrown and invasive plants outside of the playground area along the stone wall by the upper parking lot. During our 2023 season, we planted new native plantings, creating our third native plant garden by the playground.
Upland Woods Management & Restoration
Invasive plant species management practices are being tested and developed by Conservancy volunteers throughout the park with a focus in the densely wooded southwest corner, also known as the Upland Woods. Covering approximately ten acres, the once natural and diverse forest is becoming increasingly overrun with aggressive, invasive plant species including Norway Maple, Oriental Bittersweet and Japanese Angelica Tree. This program is led by Conservancy volunteers working in partnership with local horticultural experts to address both immediate and long term plans with gradual replanting of the area to be done as conditions and funding permit. Read more about our approach to invasive plant species management in Brookdale Park.
Recently completed Landscape Projects
Mount Vernon Road Park Entrance Plantings
The first project in our new Neighbors Campaign series, the Conservancy created a planting plan to improve the Mount Vernon Road entrance to the park and then recruited residents of Mount Vernon Road to clear brush and weeds, install the plants, and add stones and mulch. It came out great and the Conservancy hopes to have more Neighbors projects like this going forward.
Crabapple Grove
The restoration of this flowering tree grove from Brookdale Park's original Olmsted planting plan offers casual and active park goers four seasons of interest with white, soft pink and deep pink flowers budding out in the spring, summer fruit that persists into winter and golden fall leaf color.
Redbud Hill
This new native understory grove will introduce the beautiful and hearty ornamental Redbud species to Brookdale Park and bring with it a stunning, colorful flower display early each spring. Multi-stemmed trees nestle into an existing shade tree canopy of Beech trees on the west side of East Circuit Drive with “cast off” trees complimenting the main grove from east side of the street.
The Cherry Lawn
A breathtaking feature of Brookdale Park’s Olmsted Brothers designed master plan, the lawn area south of the modern day dog park was once edged with nearly two dozen flowering cherry trees. The few remaining cherry trees, far past their prime, were joined by a dozen new sizable cherry trees planted in an arrangement reminiscent of the original planting plan.