I Love My Park Day in Central Irvington 2024

May 15, 2024 | FOCAAdmin

I Love My Park Day is organized and sponsored by Parks & Trails NY.

The Irvington Green Policy Task Force (GPTF) together with its partners the Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct, NYS Parks, Garden Club of Irvington, Irvington Recreation Department, O’Hara Nature Center, Greater Irvington Land Trust, Pollinator Pathways, and the Irvington Department of Public Works organized a special clean up on the Old Croton Aqueduct in Irvington on a sunny Saturday.

Enthusiastic volunteers of all ages gathered to remove a large amount of non-native invasive plants from the OCA in the central part of the Village of Irvington. Following the removal, the group planted over 20 different species of native plants in the OCA community pollinator garden thanks to financial support from The Greater Irvington Land Trust and donations from Bedford2030 and the GPTF members.

The crew was rewarded with a delicious vegan pesto made of garlic mustard and hummus, and fresh veggies.

There was a wonderful cheerful atmosphere filled with camaraderie. It was excellent teamwork. Everyone was happy to contribute to an important cause.

Preservation

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct are committed to preserving the historic structures atop and underneath the trail. The Friends took part in the reopening of the High Bridge and undertook the complete renovation and reopening of the Keeper’s House in Dobbs Ferry.

Advocacy

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct advocate for the Old Croton Aqueduct and Tunnel, fighting to preserve the integrity of the park and to protect it from encroachments by private landowners. Please find below examples of our work.

Stewardship

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct work to maintain the beauty of the undeveloped trail and the integrity of the entire length of the tunnel from Croton into New York City. We are always looking for volunteers interested in getting involved with adopting a part of the trail for invasive management and native plant restoration. We also have an annual cleanup of the trail in Yonkers.TENDING THE TRAIL: INVASIVE PLANT MANAGEMENT & RESTORING WITH NATIVE PLANTS HISTORIC WALL RESTORATION

Education

The Friends of the Old Croton Aqueduct educate the public about the history or the tunnel and trail. SCHOOL TOURS LECTURES, WALKS AND TOURS NEWSLETTERS Please find below some of our educational content.