Did you know that listening to the sounds of nature is one of the top requests people have when we ask them about healing from impacts of violence?
As part of the broader healing garden initiative Eli’s Garden of Healing is excited to begin work to create a bird habitat which will become a source of food and housing for a diverse array of birds.
Where: The Leeder Hill side of Denicola Park has a suspected glacial kettle which is too steep for trails for the public once the healing garden is completed. The photo below shows just how steep the kettle is! We intend to transform the glacial kettle into a bird habitat with seating within the healing garden for the public to enjoy listening to the sounds of nature. Currently a team of Boy Scouts are working on an Eagle Scout project adjacent to the glacial kettle. They are building access trails, benches, and signage for the bird habitat project.
Did you know Denicola Park lines extend all the way to Leeder Hill? Most people think it ends after the jogging track! The reason is the machine gun test firing range which divides the property!
The part of Denicola Park on the other side of the firing range (the Leeder Hill side) has been victim to chronic dumping of household waste, especially within the glacial kettle. Beautifying the space and adding signage about the new use of the park land will help reduce future blight and dumping.
To-date EGH has held three clean ups at the site of the future healing garden and the suspected glacial kettle continues to be the number one spot in Denicola Park for illegal dumping.
What will the volunteer project be doing? Broken up over multiple work days/weeks, the project will include prepping the site, planting, and then maintenance. Volunteers can decide how many work days they would like to help with.
Site Prep Days: From Leeder Hill down into the glacial kettle there are a range of aggressive shrubs and invasive plants which will be thinned down to make room for new healthy plants.
*Projects for volunteers on site prep days could include weeding, raking, digging, and garbage clean up.
Planting Days: Thanks to generous support from Audubon Connecticut and US Fish and Wildlife, we will be planting 145 new native trees, shrubs, and perennial plants and flowers which were intentionally selected to provide food and habitat to birds native to our region.
*Projects for volunteers on planting days could include lifting and carrying plants, digging holes, planting, and watering.
Maintenance Days: Once planted the bird habitat will have ongoing volunteer days to water and care for the new plants.
*Projects for volunteers on maintenance days can include filling water storage bladders, watering plants, pruning plants when appropriate, and monitoring the site for new incidents of illegal dumping of garbage.
Please note for all volunteer days: as with any park there are hazards present. This is a woodland park. Participants should be cautious of ticks and check for ticks on their clothing after each volunteer day. Poison ivy is on the property. For anyone unfamiliar with poison ivy please view this page to learn how to id it . In addition, this project involves working on uneven, steep ground. Participants should wear appropriate clothing and shoes for a workday in a woodland setting.
Interested in joining a volunteer list and being contacted when workdays are scheduled? Please fill out the form below and let us know if you have any relevant tools or expertise to support creating a bird habitat at our future healing garden:
**Please note that all volunteers will be required to sign a waiver to participate in the volunteer days prior to participation.