Updated August 27, 2026: FoHVOS has canceled the walking tour due to the weather forecast.
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, which supports water protection, environmental education, and community resilience across New Jersey.
The 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 add streamside plantings that improve biodiversity and help absorb stormwater within the Raritan River watershed. Bat nesting boxes will be installed adjacent to Bedens Brook to support local wildlife, and FoHVOS will provide the HVRSD EcoPTO with 500 wildflower plugs for their planting project at Hopewell Elementary School.
Grant-funded work in the park is scheduled to begin the last week of August, starting with site preparation for the new wildflower meadow. To give the meadow seeds space and resources to germinate next spring, the lawn and weeds within the meadow’s footprint will be treated. Residents should 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 public walking tour of the restoration project will be held on the evening of Thursday, August 27 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Park. FoHVOS staff will lead a site tour, sharing the project’s steps and what residents can expect. Come with questions. Registration is available at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/hikesandtalks/event/walkingtour/.
Through hands-on conservation efforts involving residents, volunteers, and students, FoHVOS aims to inspire local action and show 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 grow Hopewell Borough Park into both a habitat for wildlife and a beloved gathering place for generations to come.
To learn more about upcoming project events—native plantings, bat walks, and bird outings—follow Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space on social media.
