

OUR PURPOSE
Advocate for the conservation and enhancement of Bates Woods
Want to get involved? Here's the schedule of our upcoming workdays to remove invasive plants and vines from trees.
For each date we will meet at Bates Woods Park, Pavilion 3, near Animal Control.
Everyone is welcome, and you don't need to stay for the entire duration of the time specified.
Need more info? Contact us at batesfriendsforever@gmail.com
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July 12 9am-noon: Cut vines. Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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July 19 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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July 26 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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August 2 9am-noon: Cut knotweed, ensure prevention of seed formation.
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August 9 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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August 16 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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August 23 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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August 30 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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September 6 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed. This is also our day for our quarterly litter pick-up
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September 13 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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September 20 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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September 27 9am-noon:Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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October 4 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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November 1 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose
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December 6 9am-noon: Cut Vines and pull multiflora rose. This is also our day for our quarterly litter pick-up
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January 3 2026 9am-noon: Cut vines
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February 7 2026 9am-noon: Cut vines
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March 7: 2026 9am-noon Cut emerging invasives.
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April 4 2026 9am-noon: Cut emerging invasives.
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May 2 2026 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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May 16 2026 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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May 30 2026 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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June 6 2026 9am-noon: Cut and bag Japanese Knotweed
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June 20 2026 9am-noon: Community meeting to review the work completed


OUR WORK
Bates Friends Forever is a group of neighbors advocating for the stewardship of Bates Woods, an awesome park and open space in New London, Connecticut.
Bates Woods has rich educational, recreational and scientific history and unlimited potential.
Our first clean-up day on August 17th, 2024, was a HUGE success! Intrepid volunteers picked up the following:
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65 enormous bags of trash
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13 tires
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4 mattresses
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2 pallets
If you'd like to learn more feel free to contact us at batesfriendsforever@gmail.com