Put the Garden to Bed

It’s time to prepare the garden for the winter season! Pull the last plants, fill the compost bins, and pack things away for winter. There might even be some garlic to plant or seeds to harvest! Remember to dress in clothes you don't mind getting dirty or dusty and wear layers, gardening is hard work...

Tree Planting Tuesday

Help plant over 500 trees in the Croton Woods of Van Cortlandt Park with NYC Parks and VCPA! Roll up your sleeves and join us for a satisfying morning of tree planting in the Croton Woods, enhancing the park’s ecology, one tree at a time. VCPA will provide gloves and tools. Volunteers should bring water...

Event Series Forest Restoration Fridays

Forest Restoration Fridays

Help preserve the beautiful 640 acres of urban woodland in Van Cortlandt Park through our Forest Fridays initiative! For December's Forest Fridays we will be working in the Northeast Woods for two sessions on 12/8 and 12/15. We will meet in front of the Woodlawn Playground. Working with the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance, community members...

DIY Wreath Making Workshop

Enjoy a Full Harvest-to-Wreath Experience! Saturday, December 16 • 11 am to 2 pm Rain Date: Sunday, December 17 • 11 am to 2 pm Get Your Ticket(s) Now! Let your creativity run wild while helping your favorite park! After a short hike in the park to pull and collect invasive vines, learn how to...

Canine Court Volunteer Clean Up Day

NEW DATE! Sunday, December 17! Canine Court needs some TLC! Help keep this doggie happy by volunteering to clean up Canine Court! NYC Parks staff does not perform daily maintenance inside dog runs. Daily maintenance is up to volunteers- like YOU! Join us for a morning of weeding and cleaning to spruce up Canine Court....

Hatsuhinode (初日の出): New Year’s Day Sunrise Hike and Meditation

Welcome the New Year with a serene sunrise hike in VCP on January 1st. Embrace 2024 with hope and nature’s beauty. Join us for a serene and reflective start to the New Year with the traditional Japanese Hatsuhinode, watching the first sunrise of the year. Led by Yoshiko Mori and Noel Hefele, this special event embraces the...

Event Series Trail Work Wednesdays

Trail Work Wednesdays

Please Note! Starting in January, we will meet at 10am for Trail Work Wednesdays. Be a part of the community effort to maintain the trails in Van Cortlandt Park. Whether you're an experienced trailblazer or new to trail maintenance, your help will make a significant impact! Meeting Details: Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Garden and Education Compost...

Event Series Mulchfest 2024

Mulchfest 2024

Chip It! Chip It Good! Recycle your holiday tree by bringing it to Van Cortlandt Park, where the VCP Forest Restoration Crew will chip it into mulch!  This event will take place on Saturday, January 6 and Sunday, January 7 from 10am to 2pm in the “free lot” near the Van Cortlandt Golf Course; as...

Aralia Alata Removal in Woodlawn

Join us for an impactful day of ecological restoration in the beautiful Van Cortlandt Park! Our focus will be on tackling the invasive species Aralia Alata, commonly known as "Devil's Walking Stick," which has increasingly dominated sections of the Northeast Forest of the park. Come be a part of this vital effort to preserve and...

Event Series Floodplain Fridays

Floodplain Fridays

Join us for Floodplain Fridays - Phragmites Removal Initiative, where we'll gather to push back against this persistent non-native species in Tibbetts Wetland. We're tackling the invasive Phragmites to make way for a more diverse ecosystem. By cutting back these reeds before the spring nesting season, we help push back against the monoculture of the...

Cozy Winter Craft-ernoon

Come lean into the Winter season with Van Cortlandt Park Alliance!  Create a snowy tree creation made of real tree branches and a fancy snowman wreath! Or just color and...

Skip to content