On May 14, 2026, Friends of Pastorius Park (FoPP) welcomed more than 125 neighbors, supporters, elected officials, partner organizations, and volunteers to Pastorius Park to launch the Paul W. Meyer Northeast Woods Restoration Project — a major ecological restoration initiative dedicated to the memory and legacy of renowned horticulturist and community steward Paul Meyer.
The event celebrated both the beginning of implementation work in the approximately two-acre Northeast Woods and the remarkable community support that brought the project fully within reach.
Among those in attendance were State Senator Art Haywood, State Representative Tarik Khan, Debbie Rodgers—wife of Paul Meyer and longtime partner in community stewardship efforts—and representatives from numerous partner and supporting organizations including the Chestnut Hill Community Association, Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America, Rotary Club of Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill Community Fund, Chestnut Hill Conservancy, and Chestnut Hill Business District.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of a large ceremonial check representing the $170,042 grant awarded in January to FoPP by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The grant was one of only two projects in Philadelphia selected for funding through the highly competitive “Growing Greener” program and helped close the final funding gap.
Tracy Gardner, President of Friends of Pastorius Park, opened the event by reflecting on the park’s long history and the generations of stewardship that shaped it.
“From the park’s inception and gifting by George Woodward, to the founding by Quita Woodward Horan of the Friends of Pastorius Park, to this important moment of ecological restoration, the Woodward family has played an extraordinary role in shaping and sustaining this treasured park,” Gardner said.
Gardner also recognized the many community partners, volunteers, and donors who made the project possible, including the generous challenge grant support provided by the Wyncote Foundation and Chestnut Hill neighbor Norm Silver.
The event also reflected on the long path that led to the launch of the project and on Paul Meyer’s central role in shaping the vision for restoring the Northeast Woods. For many years, restoring the woods felt just beyond reach. But through Meyer’s vision — and the community that gathered around it — the project evolved from aspiration into reality.
With full project funding secured earlier this year, the vision that Meyer championed has now entered its implementation phase, with arborist work to begin in June, ongoing invasives removal to continue during the summer, major planting installation in the fall and interpretive signage later in the year.
As the project’s landscape designer Bob Gray explained in his remarks:
“The goal is to convert the woodlands into a biodiverse oasis — to reduce the spread of invasive species and regenerate native pollinator, bird, and plant populations.”
When complete, the project is expected to add:
- More than 150 native trees
- Nearly 700 shrubs
- Approximately 1,800 ferns
- Nearly 11,000 sedges and grasses
- Tens of thousands of native herbaceous plants
The restoration effort builds upon broader stewardship initiatives undertaken in recent years to preserve the park’s illustrious history while preparing it for its next 100 years.
Long recognized for its classic naturalistic design by renowned landscape architect Frederick Peck, Pastorius Park continues to evolve through active stewardship and restoration efforts.
The park is now recognized as a Level 1 Arboretum by ArbNet. A comprehensive inventory and health assessment of more than 950 trees, completed by the Morris Arboretum & Gardens Urban Forestry program, will help guide FoPP’s tree stewardship efforts moving forward.
Alison Thornton, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, spoke movingly about Paul Meyer’s decades-long commitment to horticulture, public gardens, and community stewardship.
“Paul stood on the shoulders of giants — but he also became one,” Thornton said. “This project — the Paul W. Meyer Northeast Woods Restoration — is not just an investment in the future of this park and its ecological health. It is also an expression of care, of remembrance, and of continuity.”
Thornton reflected on Meyer’s work building connections between Morris Arboretum and the Pastorius Park community following his retirement as the F. Otto Haas Executive Director of Morris Arboretum in 2019.
The evening concluded with the ceremonial planting of the first canopy tree of the project — an American hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana). Gardner and Fabrizio Franco, FoPP Treasurer and the event emcee, invited Sen. Haywood, Rep. Khan, and tree donors to the project to join them.
The planting symbolized both the formal launch of the Northeast Woods restoration and the collective stewardship that will continue shaping Pastorius Park for generations to come.
In Paul’s words: “Make a difference, plant a tree.”