|  | Earth Day is on April 22th, butFSP is celebrating all month long! |  | Join us this Wednesday evening for a fun free virtual presentation with Brandon Hoak, Native Plant Specialist and Outreach Communicator for the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway!
This virtual Pollinator Pathway presentation is Wednesday, April 17 at 7pm. Register below to get a zoom link for the presentation.
Brandon will introduce the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway Project which connects local gardens, parks, trails and landscapes to improve habitat corridors for pollinators in the county. He’ll talk about Stewart Park and Waterfront Trail gardens and how they contribute to the local pathway and also share tips on how to find the right native plants; create a successful pollinator garden; and join the local pathway map. Like and share the event on Facebook.
Brandon is the founder of Busy Bee Ecological Designs, which is dedicated to providing native gardening and sustainable landscape design to individuals. He is also the co-founder of Marshy Garden, a small-scale ecological restoration project connected with The Soil Factory, and a proud participant in the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway.
Can’t make the event? We’ll put the presentation on YouTube within a week. Registrants will be notified as soon as the link goes up. | | |  | | FSP has hosted three separate volunteer events in the last two weeks. Our annual waterfront cleanup was chilly but very well attended, with around 40 volunteers. Along with litter pickup, volunteers also helped trim back the invasive False Indigo Bush and cleaned up the sand play area on the playground.
Next up, the IHS Boys Lacrosse teams — Modified, JV and Varsity — tackled more of the False Indigo Bush along the water’s edge. This bush grows tall and fast, inhibiting lake views. It’s difficult to trim with machinery, so big groups of volunteers like this are vital to preserving beautiful lake views.
Finally, the Cornell Social Enterprise group brought around 30 volunteers to tackle more lakefront edge invasive shrub trimming. We are beyond grateful to all these volunteers for their hard work! THANK YOU!
If you would like join in the fun and are a fan of the Cass Park Trail loop, we will be working with the Ithaca Dragon Boat Club in Cass Park this Saturday! Meet us at the Dragon boat docks at 10 am and bring loppers, hand pruners and hedge trimmers. | | |  | The new playground bathroom is progressing quickly, and now old splash pad has been demolished! Thanks to Edger Enterprises, Inc. and their subcontractors for their incredible work.
The playground bathroom will feature three bathrooms: one male, one female, and one all gender/family with an adult changing table. The new splash pad will be more dynamic, with fun water features and push-button operation. The project is still on schedule to be completed and opened by the end of June and the July 4th holiday weekend (Stewart Park’s 103rd anniversary). | |  | FSP invites you to join Meena Haribal for a guided spring bird walk in Stewart Park! Dress for the weather, bring your binoculars, and meet at the Cascadilla Boathouse at 8:30 am. Rain Date Sunday May 5. Click her for more Info. Like and share the event on Facebook. | |  | Join FSP Saturday, May 4, from 10AM-noon for I Love My Park Day!
We'll prepare the park for summer by cleaning up garden beds, planting new landscaping, raking the playground, mulching, trimming lakeside vegetation and more. Dress for the weather and bring your gloves, rakes, clippers and other gardening tools.
Registration is not required, but it’s really appreciated, as it helps Parks & Trails NY track participation and get funding! More info and registration | |  | Frank Muller, FSP Landscape Gardener and avid photographer/naturalist, will be leading our first BioBlitz event on the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, Saturday, June 8.
To get started, you can download the iNaturalist App from the iPhone App Store or the Google Play Store on Android devices.
iNaturalist is an online social network of people sharing biodiveristy information to help each other learn about nature. The free iNaturalist App helps you identify the plants and animals around you while generating data for science and conservation. By recording and sharing your observations, you’ll create research-quality data for local scientists working to better understand and protect nature in your region.
A BioBlitz is a communal citizen-science effort to record as many species within a designated location and time-period. They are a way for naturalists, scientists, and curious members of the public to meet in person in the great outdoors and, are a lot of fun! There are several tutorials to get you started with iNaturalist at https://www.inaturalist.org.
Stay tuned for more details! | |  | Love the spring color along the waterfront? Support Daff-A-Dazzle by mailing a check to the Ithaca Garden Club, P.O. Box 4962, Ithaca, NY 14852 or make an online donation at www.ithacagardenclub.org/daff-a-dazzle.html. In October 2020, the Ithaca Garden Club made an extraordinary gift to the City of Ithaca, with the planting of 12,000 narcissus bulbs and over 5,000 Grape Hyacinth and crocus bulbs. In 2022, the Garden Club celebrated their 100th year with a focus on continuing the mass planting of daffodils. Located along Taughannock Boulevard, just north of the Ithaca Children’s Garden, this daffodil planting creates a beautiful naturalizing splash of color for all to enjoy for many springs to come. 40,000 more bulbs were planted on October 4, 2023 brings the grand total to an impressive 130,000 daffodil bulbs now on full display along the Cass Park Trail!
Friends of Stewart Park sends a big thank you to the Ithaca Garden Club and Dr. Bill Miller, Cornell University Professor of Horticulture and Research Director of Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, who guided this daffodil project using a unique planting machine given to Cornell’s College of Agriculture by the Dutch bulb company A. Geerlings. City Forester Jeanne Grace and her Parks and Forestry crews have also assisted in this impactful beautification effort. | | | MORE PARK AND TRAIL NEWS | | | SPONSOR THE CAROUSEL Did you know you can provide thousands of free Carousel rides while supporting Friends of Stewart Park with a tax-deductible gift?
As a Carousel Sponsor, your organization or business will be recognized with:
*Your name and/or logo featured on a prominent sign at the Carousel.
*Acknowledgements through social media such as Facebook, Instagram and the FSP newsletter.
*As many as 2,500 smiles daily from children who appreciate your gift!
Click here to learn more! |
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| | | LYME DISEASE SURVEY
The Tompkins County Lyme Disease Prevention Social Media Team is seeking community feedback related to the current level of Lyme disease awareness within our community. Please consider taking their 5-6 minute survey.
Find the Survey at https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1XGCY1xlYZqhtB4 |
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| | | ITHACA REGGAE FEST
The 6th Annual Ithaca Reggae Fest returns to historic Stewart Park June 21-22, 2024! A conscious celebration to protect and celebrate Cayuga Lake and Ithaca's legendary reggae history, join us for a beautiful weekend on filled with reggae music, yoga, water, skateboarding, art, dance, delicious food & beverages and so much more. LEARN MORE |
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| | | SAVE THE DATES
WATERMUSIC Planned for Sunday, August 4 beginning at 5 PM.
PARTY FOR THE PARK Planned for Saturday, September 21 at 6PM.
STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS! |
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