Friends of Washington Grove

Refer to these resources for more information about Washington Grove and additional ways to connect with the the broader Rochester community.

Our updated park map with trails, park entrances, and surrounding points of interest.

In 2016, a consultant evaluated the number and condition of trails in the Grove. Their study made recommendations for future improvements to trails and entry points, with the aim of reducing the impacts of heavy use on the forest ecology of the Grove and of allowing access to the trails for a greater diversity of users.

The Friends have developed, and are updating, lists of priority native plants (including trees, shrubs, and groundcover) that we are working to restore to the Grove with the help of the City. Additionally, we have identified invasive plant species that we are working to remove. Invasive plants are species that are not native to a given ecosystem and whose introduction are likely to cause environmental harm. By removing these plants, we ensure that native plant species have a better chance to thrive in the Grove.

The city of Rochester is in the middle of updating its Urban Forest Master Plan. Find more information on its website.

This pamphlet, written in the 1930s, offers early pictures of the Grove as well as accounts of planting sugar maples there.

This article from City Lab explains the environmental benefits of old-growth forests and contemporary efforts to protect them from growing urbanization.

This 2021 article from WXXI News explains the Grove’s induction into the Old-Growth Forest Network.

This 2022 article from the Democrat and Chronicle discusses the Grove and the current effort to make it more equitably accessible.