Conservation Connections: Restoring Nature in Hopewell Borough
Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) has been awarded funds through the American Water Charitable Foundation’s 2026 Water and Environment Grant, part of the Keep Communities Flowing Program. This program supports initiatives that advance water protection, environmental education, and community resilience across New Jersey.
Our funded project, Conservation Connections: Restoring Nature in Hopewell Borough, will improve Hopewell Borough Park through habitat restoration, community engagement and education. Building on existing native planting efforts at Hopewell Elementary School and along Bedens Brook, the project will replace unused lawn spaces with native wildflower meadows and feature streamside plantings that improve biodiversity and help absorb stormwater within the Raritan River watershed. Bat nesting boxes will be installed adjacent to Beden's Brook to support local wildlife. As part of this project, FoHVOS will provide the HVRSD EcoPTO with 500 wildflower plugs for their planting project at Hopewell Elementary School.
Grant funded activities in the park are scheduled to begin the last week of August, and will start with site preparation for the Park’s new wildflower meadow. In order to provide space and resources for the meadow seeds to germinate next spring, the lawn and weeds in the meadow’s footprint will be treated. Expect to see a dead lawn patch in the southern section of the park, near the Phragmites patch. These improvements are designed to create a healthier ecosystem while maintaining a welcoming community space.
A restoration project walking tour will be hosted for the public interested in the effort on the evening of Thursday, August 27 from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Park. FoHVOS staff will provide a site tour of the restoration program, sharing project steps and expectations. Feel free to come with questions!
Through hands-on conservation efforts involving residents, volunteers, and students, FoHVOS aims to inspire local action and demonstrate how small, community-driven projects can make a meaningful difference. At a time when pollinators, birds, and bats face significant challenges, this initiative will help to grow Hopewell Borough Park into a habitat for wildlife and a beloved gathering place for generations to come.
Follow Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space on social media to learn more about upcoming project events: native plantings, bat walks, and bird outings. We’d love to see you in the Park!
Conservation Connections: Restoring Nature in Hopewell Borough
Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) has been awarded funds through the American Water Charitable Foundation’s 2026 Water and Environment Grant, part of the Keep Communities Flowing Program. This program supports initiatives that advance water protection, environmental education, and community resilience across New Jersey.
Our funded project, Conservation Connections: Restoring Nature in Hopewell Borough, will improve Hopewell Borough Park through habitat restoration, community engagement and education. Building on existing native planting efforts at Hopewell Elementary School and along Bedens Brook, the project will replace unused lawn spaces with native wildflower meadows and feature streamside plantings that improve biodiversity and help absorb stormwater within the Raritan River watershed. Bat nesting boxes will be installed adjacent to Beden's Brook to support local wildlife. As part of this project, FoHVOS will provide the HVRSD EcoPTO with 500 wildflower plugs for their planting project at Hopewell Elementary School.
Grant funded activities in the park are scheduled to begin the last week of August, and will start with site preparation for the Park’s new wildflower meadow. In order to provide space and resources for the meadow seeds to germinate next spring, the lawn and weeds in the meadow’s footprint will be treated. Expect to see a dead lawn patch in the southern section of the park, near the Phragmites patch. These improvements are designed to create a healthier ecosystem while maintaining a welcoming community space.
A restoration project walking tour will be hosted for the public interested in the effort on the evening of Thursday, August 27 from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Park. FoHVOS staff will provide a site tour of the restoration program, sharing project steps and expectations. Feel free to come with questions!
Through hands-on conservation efforts involving residents, volunteers, and students, FoHVOS aims to inspire local action and demonstrate how small, community-driven projects can make a meaningful difference. At a time when pollinators, birds, and bats face significant challenges, this initiative will help to grow Hopewell Borough Park into a habitat for wildlife and a beloved gathering place for generations to come.
Follow Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space on social media to learn more about upcoming project events: native plantings, bat walks, and bird outings. We’d love to see you in the Park!