Debunking the Social Media Science: Planting Male Only Trees and Spring Allergies
No, you’re not sneezing because of botanical sexism. If you spend any amount of time on social media, there’s a chance you’ve seen the videos about cities planting only male trees (called “botanical sexism”) that increase the pollen count in the spring, resulting in worse allergies for residents. We’ve seen these videos make the rounds […]
A Conversation with Liz Visser
Liz Visser is the Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator at Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. Liz is a passionate renaissance woman, ray of sunshine, and queen of thinking ahead. If you’ve volunteered in a Grand Rapids park recently, Liz has had a hand in making it possible. She brings a deeply thoughtful and integrated perspective […]
Reforesting Marywood with the Dominican Sisters
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks, in collaboration with Arbor Day Foundation, planted 20 trees on the Dominican Sisters’ Marywood Campus in early June. This planting was part of an ongoing, collaborative urban reforestation project to turn their expansive lawn into a native oak savanna forest. Oak savannas were historically found throughout Michigan, but have become […]
A Conversation with Liam McCarthy
Liam McCarthy is a Community Forester at Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. He’s passionate about helping people feel engaged and empowered in their community and planting lots of trees. We caught up with him about his background, how he discovered urban forestry, and how community shapes his role at Friends. Friends of Grand Rapids Parks: […]
Bidding on a Project in Grand Rapids? Work with Friends of Grand Rapids Parks and Receive 1% Bid Discount
Do you represent a business bidding on construction or goods and services projects with the City of Grand Rapids? You can receive a 1% bid discount and support Friends of Grand Rapids Parks by participating in select Friends programs! Bid discounts allow your original bid amount to be discounted by a certain percentage for the […]
3 Cool Facts About Oak Trees
Oak trees are some of our favorite trees here at Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. They contribute to local ecosystems, have really incredible and unique biology, and are beautiful, too. And how cute are their tiny, new spring leaves? Here are three quick facts about oak trees that will (hopefully) help you love them even […]
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks Plants 232 Trees, Secures $215,000 from Consumers Energy During ArborFest 2026
330 volunteers and dozens of community partners planted 232 trees in the Garfield Park neighborhood during Friends of Grand Rapids Parks’ (Friends) 11th Annual ArborFest, presented by Consumers Energy. During the event, Consumers Energy announced a $215,000 commitment over 2 years to support Friends’ initiative to restore the creek beds and habitat along the length […]
Where to Find (and How to Help) Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers in Grand Rapids Parks
Spring ephemeral wildflowers are the first to bloom after winter. They’re here for a short period of time and then go dormant for the rest of the season. These little beauties only grow in specific ecosystems and conditions, such as floodplains, which makes seeing them even more rare and special! For example, natural virginia bluebell […]
Announcing Friends of Grand Rapids Parks’ 2026 Community Event Lineup
Friends of Grand Rapids Parks is excited to announce our free, community event series lineup for 2026. Each event promotes a park activity in partnership with local leaders and experts who will provide instruction and insight for participants. Our hope is that participants will have a fun, rich experience and come away from each event […]
A Conversation with Forestry Director Becky Pobst
Becky Pobst is the Director of Forestry at Friends of Grand Rapids Parks. She’s passionate about teaching people how to engage with their trees, tree research, and building community. We caught up with her about how she got into urban forestry, what goes into making a street tree happy and healthy, and her dreams for […]