Guelph’s Park Stewards
Parks Stewards participants are groups of neighbours who “adopt” and help care for natural or “wild” areas in parks city-wide. Participating in the program is a great way to meet your neighbours and build community, while learning about and gaining experience in caring for natural wild spaces. You’ll learn about native trees, shrubs, plants, invasive species and more.
Get involved
View the list below to find out groups that currently exist in your neighbourhood. Contact them by email today to join their next community work session!
Don’t see a group in your neighbourhood? Consider starting your own group in your local park today. Visit our Park Stewards Program webpage for details.
| Group name | Park | Project description | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfond Park Stewards | Joseph Wolfond Park East | Naturalized forest along river and next to trail. They host work day(s) as needed and every spring to care for the forest, including a variety of activities such as planting native trees and wildflowers, and removing invasive plants to enhance ecological health. Reach out by email or find updates on OPRIG Guelph’s social media. | [email protected] |
| Burns Drive Park Stewards | Burns Drive Park | Naturalized forest area at north of park. Community members host work day(s) as needed and every spring to care for the forest, this includes a variety of activities such as planting native trees and wildflowers, removing invasive species and mulching plants and an informal trail. Reach out by email or find them on Facebook via June Ave Neighbourhood Group. | [email protected] |
| Rickson Park Stewards | Rickson Park | A group of neighbours caring for a naturalized wooded space that is actually a “hidden in plain view” historic hedgerow adjacent to the Royal City Trail and Jean Little public school. Group members care for the space by planting native species and removing invasive species a few times per year. They also undertake other activities such as educational events and pick-up litter and trash daily. Reach out by email for more information. | [email protected] |
| Goldie Park Stewards | Goldie Park | A naturalized wooded buffer area is being established along the rear (south) fence-line of the park. Community members host work day(s) as needed and every spring to care for the forest space as it establishes including planting more native trees and wildflowers, removing invasive species and mulching and watering plants. Reach out by email or find them on Facebook via Junction Neighbourhood Group. | [email protected] |
| Hillcrest Orchard and Natural Area Stewards | Hillcrest Park | Neighbours care for this naturalized slope which includes the hillcrest community orchard project as well as adjacent naturalized space, activities include mulching and weeding as well as removing invasive plants and replacing them with native ones at least several times per year. Reach out by email or find them on Instagram via Hillcrest Community Orchard. | [email protected] |
| Eastview Pollinator Habitat | Eastview Park | Pollination Guelph volunteers are leading a long-term, multi-stage project to seed native pollinator friendly plants on the decommissioned Eastview Landfill site. The goal is to create a large expanse of grassland habitat for a variety of pollinators and birds. Events are held to care for and enhance the space annually. For more information see pollinationguelph.ca/gardens. | [email protected] |
| Howitt Park Stewards | Howitt Park | Neighbours are working together to care for new tree plantings in the naturalized area of the park. Planned activities may include park clean-ups and hosting community plantings to add new trees and plants. They are also active in watering and mulching the existing plants. Follow them on facebook at Howitt Park Stewards or contact by email. Reach out by email or find them on Facebook via Howitt Park Stewards. | [email protected] |
| Springdale Park Stewards | Springdale Park | Neighbours are working together to care for and enhance areas in naturalized areas of the park. The group is currently working to remove invasive plants from the newly planted area near the playground and will also be planting new native plants and trees. Please reach out by email for more information. Reach out by email or find them on Facebook and request to join their group via Springdale Stewards & Gateway Gardens. | [email protected] |
| Hadati Creek /Schroder Crescent Natural Area Stewards | Trail Entrance off of Schroder Crescent (59 Schroder Crescent) | Neighbours are working together to develop a plan to care for natural areas along the trail that are adjacent to Hadati Creek, connected ponds and the adjacent wooded and meadow areas. They are starting by removing invasive plants, and planting native species to replace them. For more information please reach out by email. Reach out by email or find updates on OPRIG Guelph’s social media. | [email protected] |
| Norm Jary Park Stewards | Norm Jary Park | Neighbours are working together to care for new tree plantings in the naturalized area of the park. Planned activities may include park clean-ups and hosting community plantings to add new trees and plants. They are also active in watering and mulching the existing plants. Reach out by email for more information. | [email protected] |
| Exhibition Park Stewards | Exhibition Park | Neighbours are working together to care for new native trees and shrubs in the naturalized area of the park. Planned activities may include park clean-ups and hosting community planting to add new native trees and plants. Neighbours are also working in collaboration with local partners to foster community engagement, increase knowledge sharing, and food security. Reach out by email or find them on Facebook via Exhibition Park Neighbourhood Group. | [email protected] |