Community Members Invited to Become Kentwood Park Stewards

Kentwood Park Stewards Program to Engage Community in Preservation of Parks, Trails and Public Spaces
Volunteers Help With Invasive Species Control, Native Habitat Restoration and Park Beautification


Park Stewards cut invasive vines at Northeast Park

The City of Kentwood invites community members to become Kentwood Park Stewards, a new environmentally focused program to help preserve and maintain neighborhood parks, trails and public spaces.

The new program engages residents in monthly activities involving invasive species control, native habitat restoration and park beautification.

As Kentwood Park Stewards, community volunteers participate in hands-on workdays, educational workshops and other activities, such as cutting invasive vines, pulling invasive garlic mustard and planting native plants. The program also encourages neighbor-led cleanups, adopt-a-park projects and other park maintenance efforts.

“The Kentwood Park Stewards program strengthens the relationship between residents and their neighborhood parks while creating lasting benefits to the environment,” Recreation Program Coordinator Kristina Colby said. “Opportunities for residents to get involved and care for their neighborhood parks helps foster a greater sense of community pride in our park system. The contributions of our Kentwood Park Stewards will support the natural beauty and appeal of our parks today and for future generations.”

Park Stewards look at the camera for a photo during a park clean-up project

The new program expands on several invasive species control trainings and workdays the City began offering last fall through a partnership with the Kent Conservation District Invasive Species Strike Team. Since launching Kentwood Park Stewards earlier this year, Kentwood has joined the West Michigan Conservation Network and collaborated with the Kent County Parks, Rotary Club, Plaster Creek Stewards and gardening clubs, among others.

Those who are interested in signing up to join Kentwood Parks Stewards may complete a volunteer form online or contact the Parks and Recreation Department at eRecreation@kentwood.us or 616.656.5270. More information about the program is available at kentwood.us/ParkStewards.