Membership Drive
Check out the FOHP online options for renewing your membership HERE.
Dear Friend,
Thanks to your generous support, Friends of Hudson Parks (FOHP) made a meaningful impact in our community in 2025. Through expanded programming we reached more children, adults, and families than ever before. Your membership also helped FOHP protect and enhance the natural environment of Hudson’s many beautiful parks.
Below is a recap of FOHP’s accomplishments your generosity helped make possible. Thank you!
We are delighted to announce that Jonathan Shaw, a kindergarten teacher at McDowell School is now leading the FOHP Education Committee. Jonathan created the Forest Friday program at McDowell and has been very instrumental in enhancing the Reinhart Arboretum.
Jonathan developed and taught FOHP’S new Wild Hudson children’s educational programs this summer. The curriculum included hands-on classes on Salamanders, Trees, Ohio Animals, Monarchs, and Owls.
Jonathan also delivered the classes to The Nest Preschool, which provided a generous donation to our education program.
Response from Jonathan’s students and their families has been outstanding!
Additional educational programs included:
- “Creature Feature,” Under the Water program sponsored by Summit Metro Parks
- Women’s Fly-Fishing Workshop in cooperation with FFI Women Connect and Ohio Women on the Fly
- Bat Monitoring Program, in cooperation with Tinkers Creek Watershed
- Moth and Butterfly lecture presented by naturalist Judy Semroc, in partnership with the Hudson library
Our events and programs are a fun tradition!
- Race for the Parks (sponsored by Western Reserve Racing), Playground Palooza (sponsored by Acme), KSU Kayak and Paddleboard classes, Pack the Pond (supported by many local merchants), Geocaching Adventure, Hike Hudson and Story Walks in partnership with HCER
- Guided hikes including a Duck Walk, Migratory Bird Hike, History& Wildflower Walks, and Mindful Hikes
In 2025, FOHP continued our ecological restoration work in Hudson’s parks.
- FOHP was awarded Hudson Garden Club grants to restore native plants in the Janet Cheeseman Garden, marsh and forest areas of Hudson Springs Park. Educational signs were installed in all three areas.
- FOHP volunteers planted native black tupelo and red maple trees at Hudson Springs Park (HSP). The trees were provided through an Arbor Day grant from Erie Insurance.
- Volunteers planted 60 hybrid American chestnut trees from an American Chestnut Foundation grant.
- FOHP worked with Hudson Parks on the first prescribed burn of Darrow Road Meadow to help maintain biodiversity, decrease invasive plants and encourage native grasses and wildflowers.
- FOHP monitored the Tinker’s Creek Darrow Road Park stream restoration project.
- Work continued in HSP on the new meadow (additional planting in 2026) and the Butterfly Garden.
Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning (to benefit the Hudson Food Pantry) and a Fall Scavenger Hunt
FOHP is powered by volunteers like you. Whether you’re passionate about nature, education, or community, there’s a place for you here.
- Join the FOHP board or a committee to help shape conservation and programming efforts
- Renew or upgrade your membership for 2026
- Sponsor a program or event
- Join, like, and share FOHP on social media: Facebook: friendsofhudsonparks Instagram: hudson_oh_parks
To renew your membership or let us know you’d like to get involved
Visit www.friendsofhudsonparks.org
Thank you for your support in 2025. We look forward to 2026!
FOHP Board of Directors Rick Beam, Sara Briechle, Marcia Carsten, Ed Dell, Karen Heater, Scott Matolka, Jack McCabe, Phil Mikita, Becky Mooney, Sue Ramlo and Jonathan Shaw
PHOTO CREDITS: Maria Carsten and Jonathan Shaw