Meditational Woods

History of First Friends Meditational Woods

First Friends Meeting is blessed to have had the foresight of our elders to purchase a large tract of land when the Meeting moved from the beloved 13th & Alabama location to our current location at 3030 Kessler Blvd., E. Drive in 1955.  How to use that valuable resources had been a question for the Meeting. In the 1990’s, First Friends was asked to sell the acre of land east of the main building to build a nursing home facility.

Stan Banker served as pastor of First Friends for over 20 years and would watch the acre of grass being mowed each week from his office window. Inspired by the beauty and quiet of the pine wood walk established in New Harmony, Indiana, Stan shared his vision for an urban retreat on the property.  A committee was formed under the leadership of Mary Blackburn, with Joe Lowe, Kay Harvey and Rick Idler to explore a process for creating a quiet place for reflection on our urban acre.  A local landscape architect, Tim Shaw, developed a plan for a meandering path with a gathering place for worship and reflection, emphasizing Indiana trees and shrubs. The plan was brought before the Monthly Meeting for Business and after much discussion, was approved by the Meeting.

Over 250 trees and plants were installed in the open field, the majority of which were native to Indiana and the Midwest.  Members donated trees, benches and different plants to honor and memorialize loved ones.  Large stones were engraved with scripture to remind people to “Be still and know that I am God.”  The First Friends Meditational Woods was dedicated by the Meeting in June 2002.

We are grateful for all the key donors, whose significant gifts made the Woods the vibrant place it is today, as well as those who have donated time, money and or plants to continue to enhance the well being of the Woods.  Our teen members have made wonderful contributions through their Eagle Scout projects.  Tyler Rodino installed the first crushed gravel path to the Meditational Circle when the previous path was washed away in multiple storms. Joyce Overman Bowman had requested for a peace pole to be installed. Scott Small supervised the financing and construction of a dedicated Peace reflection area with stone benches, a granite peace pole and native plantings. Krishan Coffman catalogued the tree inventory and installed a tree identification map as an educational feature.  In 2018, the Woods Committee heard the need to make the path to the meditational circle more accessible to all, so the installation of an exposure aggregate pathway was funded by a generous donation by the Hadley family.  Through the bequest of Marjorie Wright, an endowment for the Woods maintenance was established.

As urbanization around Indianapolis increased, the Woods Committee realized the importance of improving the native habitat for our wildlife. Without food material and shelter, our native insects and birds cannot thrive and will continue to decline. Each year, the volunteer team assesses the condition of the woods and prioritizes projects for the year.  These projects have included weed wrangling, which means removing the invasive species that create a dense network that keep native wildflowers from thriving such as Amur honeysuckle, winter creeper and periwinkle. The weed wrench has pulled many large honeysuckle shrubs over the years. Tree condition is evaluated and pruning or removal is done as needed. Fallen limbs are collected in the north east corner of the woods to provide protection from predators.  We have been privileged to see red shouldered hawks hunt prey that has sheltered underneath the shelter of the brush pile. Additionally, there was a sighting of a red fox as she trotted through the Woods.

The Meditational Woods hosts around 100 species of birds each year. It is island of trees in an urban area that provides a source of food for many migrants, who pass through in spring on their way to nest farther north, and then pass through again in the fall, going the other way. A select group finds our woods a safe place to nest, while other residents nest nearby, and visit the woods to find food to carry away to their nestlings.

Well known residents include: American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Chickadee, Carolina Wren, Blue Jay, and Downy Woodpecker. Some others are Red-bellied Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Gray Catbird, House Wren, and Chimney Swift. Among the more unusual visitors are Merlin, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and many warbler species (Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and American Redstart, for example).

Although the total number of species would be significantly higher if we had a stream or pond in the woods, the attraction of our woods for birds is the variety and mature age of trees present. In improving our Meditational Woods, the committee tries to factor in the effect on the birdlife.