By Dennise Mulvihill Schafer

May 19, 2021: Bacon Woods Park, known as "the Rock Pile" to its neighbors, is a hidden gem tucked between Sagamore and Kensington Roads. It boasts an open field, winding woodland paths, and rocky outcroppings. The park was once part of a property owned by Bronxville's first village president (now known as mayor) Francis Bacon, whose 1870s-built home, Dogwood Cottage, still stands adjacent to the park.

In April, the Boulder Ledge Garden Club and students and parents from the Middle School Character and Community Committee (MSCC) held a spring clean-up of the park. At that event, some volunteers noticed that the park was overrun with invasive species and contacted the Bronxville Green Committee. Since then, the Green Committee, MSCC, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts have joined forces to remove invasive plants and replace some of them with pollinator-friendly native plants that they hope will become part of a "pollinator pathway" supporting birds and insects in the local food web.

Volunteers focused on pulling several invasive plant species, including Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, and Norway maple saplings. "Since I learned about garlic mustard and knotweed, I've started seeing it everywhere," commented 6th-grade volunteer Teddy Schafer.

The new plants will include a Redbud tree, five Mountain laurel, two inkberry shrubs, a Pepperbush, ferns, violets, Wood aster, Columbine, and Solomon seal.

Lisa Kahraman, chair of the Bronxville Pollinator Pathways, said, "Unlike lawn and ornamental plants, which were imported from far-flung places and have not evolved with our local wildlife, native plants provide nectar and pollen for pollinators while also supporting their full lifecycle of egg, larvae, and caterpillar stages. By adding native plants, we also hope to show how beautiful they are. Perhaps more people will be inspired to plant natives in their yards and on their patios. By linking one native plant garden to the next, we can create pathways for pollinators to follow in their search for food and shelter. Adding more native food sources across town will help rebuild populations of birds and insects, which are essential for a healthy ecosystem."

One more work session is planned for this coming Saturday, 5/22! Please sign up. We are hopeful our community groups can work together in the months ahead to continue the enormous job of restoring full ecological health to Bacon Woods Park.

To learn more:
-Contact Dennise Mulvihill Schafer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the Middle School Character and Community Committee (MSCC)
-Visit the Bronxville Green Committee for information about our local Pollinator Pathways group, invasive species, and other healthy yard tips!
-Visit the Bronxville Boulder Ledge Garden Club to learn about their important work!

Pictured: Mayor Mary Marvin and County Legislator Ruth Walter joined the volunteers at their first work session in light rain on May 8th.

Photo courtesy D. Mulvihill Schafer

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