
One of our mini-grant winners, Friends of Brook Park, held a wonderful event to celebrate the environment. Friends of Brook Park is an organization in South Bronx, New York City whose focus is engaging youths from the community in a gardening project featuring everything from garden maintenance to food cultivation. Through a partnership with the Bronx Children’s Museum, Sewer in a Suitcase, and Celebrate Urban Birds, the participants learned how to be better stewards of their communities.
After the presentations, the students and participants were given small notebooks and field guides to encourage future birding experiences. They were also provided with kits from Celebrate Urban Birds so they could record their data and learn about 16 focal species in their area. They spread out throughout around the park to find spots to comfortably view birds, inspiring a heightened awareness of the surrounding nature. After the activity, some participants shared excitement that they had seen a Blue Jay and a Northern Cardinal at the same time.
Later, the participants planted various flowers that are beneficial to birds. Some did annual plants, including sunflowers and zinnias, while others planted berry- and seed-producing native perennials. Meanwhile, Friends of Brook Park shared information with the participants about the immediate effects of each specific plant on the ecosystem, and especially on local birds. Students even assisted in building a trellis to hold natural vines, and decorated a hanging sign dedicated to celebrating urban birds.
Members of Friends of Brook Park are heavily involved in their community and hosted this amazing event to promote the importance of both science and nature. We thank them for inspiring appreciation for birds and encouraging habitat stewardship, protection, and creation. Organizations like this one prove that together, we can have a positive impact on the world.