Joining Forest Park Forever or renewing your membership benefits the Park season after season. Member support goes into the soil and water that bolsters new trees taking root. It helps our nonprofit conservancy improve pathways, waterways and prairies that the Park's human and wildlife visitors use to travel around.  Year after year, Forest Park Forever members sustain our nonprofit's ability to care for all 1,300 acres of urban habitat. We talked to some Members at the 2023 Annual Member Appreciation Event about what the Park means to them and why they give back year after year. We ..read more

Invasive Removal & Forest Restoration Project Day  On November 4, for the 24th year, volunteers will work together to enhance Forest Park habitats. This year’s effort will be in John F. Kennedy Memorial Forest, located on the southwest side of the Park. Initiated by the Kennedy Woods Advisory Group (KWAG), this annual event once focused exclusively on removing invasive bush honeysuckle in Kennedy Forest, and the effort has since grown to include a comprehensive strategy for species removal that builds on KWAG's mission of improving habitat quality for native plants and animals.&nb ..read more

It's that time of year when chilly mornings warm into beautiful afternoons and many anticipate seasonal changes in Forest Park.  Aerial of Pagoda Circle in the fall. Fall is Not Only About Colorful Foliage. One of the pleasures of Forest Park is the opportunity to observe the natural world in an urban habitat, and Forest Park Forever is committed to sustaining this essential ecological balance in our region.  Pollinators on purple aster flowers.  Odonata — insects like dragonflies that only live one year — are in their final stage and actively mating. Dragonflies are easy to s ..read more

Aerial view of the Dwight Davis Tennis Center The National Public Parks Tennis Championship returns to St. Louis this month, 100 years after it was launched by National Public Parks Tennis Association founder and former St. Louis City Parks Commissioner Dwight Davis.  Davis, a decorated tennis player among many accomplishments during his career, helped introduce active recreation to Forest Park as the Commissioner. The National Public Parks Tennis Association holds its annual championships at different locations around the U.S. each year. In 2023, the tournament invites players from arou ..read more

The Great Forest Park Balloon Race returns to Emerson Central Fields Friday and Saturday, September 15 and 16. This is a guide to help you navigate the largest event in the Park so you don’t miss out on all the fun! Event Schedule: Balloon Glow: September 15 Festivities begin at 5:00 p.m.; the Balloon Glow starts at dusk. Balloon Race: September 16 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. visit the great forest park ballon race website for a Detailed Schedule Top Navigation Tips: Bike to Forest Park. There will be several bike racks along the route. Find your way using ForestParkMap.org. T ..read more

Leaders and donors mark the East Waterways phase 2 groundbreaking at Bowl Lake (left to right): Rich Bradley, Board of Public Services; Greg Hayes, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry; Jessica Willingham, Spire; Al Mitchell, Bayer; Kelly Harris, Forest Park Advisory Board; Alderman Michael Browning (Ward 9); Lesley Hoffarth, Forest Park Forever; Rhae Yancey, Dana Brown Charitable Trust; Ann Liberman and Mike Milne, Estate of Rudolph L. Wise & Mary Frances Wise; and Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard (Ward 10). Visitors to the eastern side of Forest Park this summer will notice sig ..read more

July is Park and Recreation Month. It is a time we dedicate to celebrating and highlighting the work our Park Oerations professionals put into our beloved Forest Park.  The Forest Park Forever team is packed with passionate individuals who love this special place and bring valuable expertise across various areas, from horticulture and ecology to project management and mechanics. The knowledge and work our Park Operations team puts into Forest Park, in partnership with the St. Louis City Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry, restores and sustains this heart of St. Louis as the&nbs ..read more

Participants in the City Parks Alliance’s St. Louis Study Tour gather in Forest Park on the shore of Post-Dispatch Lake, during a reception at The Boathouse, with Government Hill and World's Fair Pavilion in the background. Forest Park Forever joined the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Great Rivers Greenway and Tower Grove Park in co-hosting a national conference of urban park and civic leaders that showcased the vibrant progress of St. Louis parks in early June. The three-day, sold-out event was part of the City Parks Alliance’s Park Study Tour series, which shines a spotlight on innovative pa ..read more

Can Restoring and Maintaining Forest Park Improve Lives? Active Ingredients Found in Nature slide from Dr. Charlie Hall’s presentation at the 2022 America in Bloom Symposium and Awards Celebration. Dr. Charlie Hall, from Texas A&M University, recently presented at the 2022 America in Bloom Symposium and Awards Celebration, confirming that the physical environment affects health, well-being and a person's entire healing process.  Proactive Management is More Successful Than Waiting. Though it has changed much over time, Forest Park is a living part of our urban habitat, with ..read more

On Wednesday, December 7, Forest Park Forever is thrilled to again partner with KMOV (Channel 4) to present A Day 4 Forest Park, a special telethon in support of our nonprofit conservancy’s year-end fundraising and membership drive, “Be the Heart of the Park.” If you’re not currently a Forest Par Forever member, joining us today makes twice the impact! Our friends at the Enterprise Holdings Foundation have pledged $30,000 to match new memberships dollar for dollar up to $1,000. Become a member and make twice the impact! See membership levels and additional perks here. Giving throughout the da ..read more