A nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that Waveny continues to thrive launched a conspicuous woodlands restoration project in recent weeks.
In planning for the past 18 months, the Waveny Park Conservancy’s project has seen an understory of undesirable invasive plants and shrubs cleared from a wide swath of woodlands located near the southeastern corner of the beloved park, between the Merritt Parkway and Jeniam Meadow.
Those include “privet, barberry, multiflora rose, bittersweet vine and others which prevent native shrubs from thriving in our understory,” according to the Conservancy’s executive director, Michelle Crookenden.
Woodlands restoration work at Waveny Park, just south of the Jeniam Meadow. Feb. 4, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
“Left untended, invasive shrubs quickly overwhelm any of the desirable native species that should typically be present in a healthy Connecticut woodland, which provide food, nesting grounds, and cover for native birds and animals,” Crookenden told NewCanaanite.com in an email. “The Waveny Park Conservancy is supporting this work with a major grant from the Jeniam Foundation.”
Work that’s expected to unfold over a number of years, the restoration project received approval from public bodies including the Town Council and Inland Wetlands Commission in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Thus far, Crookenden said, the Conservancy has had a very positive response though “there will be some limited short term disruption over the affected acres.”
“Our naturalist advisors feel confident that the long-term impact on habitat and the natural beauty of the woodland trails will be overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “We are having the clearing done during winter to minimize the disruption to nesting animals and birds and to minimize soil disturbances. Some trail use was modified during the period of mechanical work for public safety, but the clearing work is approaching completion and full trail access should resume by the end of this week if not earlier.”
Woodlands restoration work at Waveny Park, just south of the Jeniam Meadow. Feb. 4, 2025. Credit: Michael Dinan
Formed 10 years ago and funded primarily by private donations, the Waveny Park Conservancy is responsible for several widely praised improvements to the cherished park, including the renewal of Anderson Pond, re-surfaced and maintained walking trails, stone wall repair, Eberle Fountain restoration, plantings around the main house and “Art in the Park,” including new sculpted wood benches.
The Conservancy regularly partners with the town, and its work has improved Waveny for the public without tapping New Canaan taxpayers.
The woodlands restoration now underway currently has no town funds allocated for it. The project has several phases, Crookenden said. After this initial clearing, “the areas undergoing restoration will have selective spot treatment to further weaken undesired plants and following that we will begin to restore the area by planting native desired species which provide food and cover to birds, small mammals and some pollinators,” she said.
Crookenden continued, “This project will unfold over several years as we monitor and evaluate the understory’s needs.”
The organization’s partner in the project is Pennington Grey, a native habitat specialist landscape firm who helped design and create Jeniam Meadow and other noted pollinator and bird life landscapes primarily in Connecticut and New York, on regional public and private lands, she said.
Public Works Director Tiger Mann underscored that no trees are being removed in the understory work, “only invasives and undergrowth.”
Mann added that he has received reports in recent weeks of perceived “nighttime work” in Waveny.
“I reached out to the state and they do not have anyone working,” he said. “Our tree warden has no open contracts in Waveny. And this work is only from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.”