The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park are thrilled to announce that we will be receiving a National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program grant for the second year in a row.
The Friends of Van Cortlandt Park are one of the 58 recipients of this funding which will fund their new Wetland Internship for a Healthier Bronx project. This funding will allow FVCP to hire 14 high school students to work with us during the school year to complete various projects to improve and monitor Tibbetts Brook and its wetlands in Van Cortlandt Park. This project will be a continuation of our successful Wetland Stewardship for a Healthier Bronx which was launched in September 2015 with funding from NFWF last year. Look for more information on this internship and other wetland projects this September. Pictured below is a group of student from Cornell Academy using waders to get into the lake and collect aquatic invertebrates as part of a Freshwater Biodiversity study for our Wetland Stewardship for a Healthier Bronx program.
We have lots of great events planned for the summer. Check out the list below and visit our website for a full listing of upcoming events.
Hope to see you in the Park!
Christina and all of your Friends at the Friends of VCP
SAVE THE DATE
Hike-toberfest 2016
Saturday October 1st from 2pm to 7pm
Hike, Eat, Drink & Celebrate with Friends during our new fun fundraiser for the hiking trails of Van Cortlandt Park. Come see why VCP is Where NYC Hikes. Hikes start at 2pm and the Oktoberfest is from 4-7pm. For more information and to purchase tickets to one or both of the activities visitwww.vancortlandt.org. Tickets sold in advance will be discounted. Hikes will start at and Oktoberfest will be held on the grounds of the Van Cortlandt House Museum- enter the Park at Broadway and W. 246th Street.
AUGUST EVENTS
Wetland Restoration Project
August 13th, meeting at 10am
Did you know there are only 98 acres of freshwater wetlands left in the Bronx and 56 of them are in Van Cortlandt Park? Join us for this event and give back to a natural area in need. Volunteers will help with trash clean-up and removal of non-native invasive plants to make way for native plants to increase the biodiversity of Tibbetts Wetland. Meet inside the park near the last stop of the 1 train at Broadway and W. 242nd Street.
Garden Crew
Tuesdays until August 23rd from 10am-1pm
Help care for our vegetable beds (where all of our produce will be donated to local food pantries ), and compost bins. Bring water and sunscreen. Held at Friends’ Compost & Garden Site. Enter the Park at Broadway & Mosholu Ave.
Food Scrap Drop Offs
Tuesdays from 4pm-6pm
We want to use your food scraps to make compost and grow veggies. This location is operated by the NYC Compost Project hosted by The New York Botanical Garden. For more information about NYC food scrap drop-off site guidelines, e-mailcompost@nybg.org. Held at Friends’ Compost & Garden Site. Enter the Park at Broadway & Mosholu Ave.
Amalgamated & Norwood Youthmarkets
Amalgamated- Wednesdays from 2-7pm until October 26that the Train Park at Orloff Ave. and Gale Place
Norwood- Thursdays from 12-7pm until November 17th on the Corner of E. Gun Hill Road & DeKalb Ave.
Wednesdays will include healthy cooking demonstrations and hands-on activities for the community including kickboxing lessons from Shape Up NY at 6pm each week. Thursday’smarket is being held in partnership with GrowNYC. Both markets will accept Cash, EBT/Credit/Debit, Healthbucks, FreshConnect Bucks, WIC and FMNP checks. Special Thank You to Our Supporters: Councilman Andrew Cohen, Clif Bar Family Foundation and Bon Secours Healthy Community Initiative.
