This Week at Ballard Park: Earth Day Results and the Search for Feathered Friends

Sunshine and clear skies were a perfect combination for this past Saturday's Earth Day Clean-Up at Ballard Park. More than forty people volunteered to beautify Newport's Only Nature Preserve.

Volunteers included Brownie Troop 1070, Girl Scout Troop 706, Cub Scout Pack 77, Salve Regina University students, students from the U.S. Green Building Council at Roger Williams University and members of the community. Salve Regina students picked up trash and removed graffiti from the thirty foot rock wall in the quarry meadow. Roger Williams students fenced in the grove of Quaking Aspen to protect them from deer who like to rub their antlers along the tree trunks which weakens them. The fencing will also protect new sapling growth which Friends of Ballard Park hopes to encourage as most of the Aspen grove was lost in Winter Storm Nemo.

Twenty two bags of trash were collected during the two hour clean-up. Volunteers found a variety of old glass bottles and a car tire among the trash. Friends of Ballard Park would like to thank Panera Bread and the Howley Bread Group for providing an assortment of pastries and bagels for our volunteers.

The Earth Day Clean-Up helped get Ballard Park into tiptop shape for Sunday, May 5th's Bird Walk from 8 to 9am. Expert birder Lauren Parmelee will guide attendees on a hunt for feathered park inhabitants and migratory species. If you plan to attend, please wear sturdy shoes as the trails are uneven. Binoculars are also recommended. Event goers should meet at the park entrance directly across from the Rogers High School parking lot on Wickham Road. There is a suggested $5 donation for this event.

In other Ballard Park news, the Alsheimer Family is holding a yard sale this Saturday, May 4th from 8am to 1pm at 158 Prospect Avenue in Middletown. The family will donate 20% of the proceeds to Friends of Ballard Park. The sale will include household, yard and kids items, collectibles, electronics, prints and jewelry. Credit cards are accepted. We greatly appreciate their support of Friends of Ballard Park and hope you'll stop by.

For a complete list of events happening at Ballard Park, please visit http://ballardpark.org/12_EVENTS.html .