Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum (FOLA) has launched a special project to help create a beautiful outdoor patio at the new Knippenberg Center for Education at Laurelwood Arboretum, 725 Pines Lake Drive in Wayne. The covered patio will be located in the area between the Knippenberg Center’s main building and a soon-to-be constructed Educational Greenhouse.

Donations of engraved paving stones can commemorate an occasion, celebrate a special person, honor a family, business or organization, or simply show support for Laurelwood Arboretum. Paving stones are available in four sizes: 9” x 4”; 9” x 9”; 9” x 13” and 19” x 19” and will be engraved with wording chosen by the donor.

Click here to download an order form. For questions about the Patio Paver Project, please call 973-202-9579 or send an email to info@laurelwoodarboretum.org.

The long-awaited Knippenberg Center for Education is almost complete. A handsome building now stands in a clearing near the entrance to the arboretum shaded by trees and shrubs. The next step is installation of the road work to ensure safe access to the site.

When completed, the Knippenberg Center will provide space for educational programs and community activities. FOLA volunteer “greeters” will welcome visitors and offer maps, brochures, and other information. The center will also have handicapped-accessible restrooms and a library. Displays will include photographs and memorabilia relating to the Knippenberg legacy and Pines Lake history. A 6,000-square-foot Native Plant Teaching Garden will serve as the landscaping surrounding the Knippenberg Center complex. The garden will provide opportunities for guided tours and a variety of educational programs.

Construction of the center was funded by grants from the Passaic County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Fund, the Wayne Township Open Space Fund and FOLA. A generous local resident has contributed a complete set of high-end furniture for the interior. There are naming opportunities for those interested in making donations to fund things that are needed for the center.

The next phase of the project is construction of an educational greenhouse connected to the Knippenberg Center. The educational greenhouse will provide space for educational programs and hands-on horticultural activities.