My time with Baltimore Green Space has fueled my passion for urban sustainability and
given me insight into how neighborhoods work to be greener from the soil up. I learned
the ins‐and‐outs of Baltimore’s policies on community greening and vacant lot usage
and worked to understand how these could improve to create a healthier city. Through
their hard work and love of the environment, my supervisors showed me the vital role
that land trusts such as Baltimore Green Space play in ensuring that community‐run
forests and parks remain preserved and able to be enjoyed by residents in every
neighborhood. I visited countless pocket parks and community gardens, ranging from a
100 square feet to an acre, but all bringing beauty, a sense of community, and relief
from the density of the city to every location. One such space is the Duncan Street
Miracle Garden, in which I gardened once a week with a dedicated farmer who has
worked for almost 30 years to bring healthy, organic produce to one of Baltimore’s
most severe food deserts. Throughout the eight weeks of my internship, the most
common theme has been that dedicated and passionate community members such as
these can truly increase the sustainability of this city. Whether it’s local farmers,
neighborhood association members that still find time to maintain a flower garden for
local children to enjoy, or my supervisors that have worked long hours to help, protect,
and preserve every green space possible in the city, these people have shown how
every single person can play a role in making Baltimore more environmentally friendly.
This experience has motivated me to continue studying and working for policies that
expand opportunities for urban greening and helped me understand how impactful
grassroots action can be in creating sustainable, healthy urban environments. Hannah
Community Partner: Baltimore Green Space
Peer Mentor: Hannah Farkas
Site Supervisor: Katie Lautar
What is Baltimore Green Space?
Baltimore Green Space is a land trust that partners with
communities to preserve and support community gardens,
pocket parks, and other community managed open spaces.
Tasks:
• Visiting and collecting data on green spaces throughout the city
so that my organization can keep track of where they are
located and how to best protect them
• Speaking with community members that care for these spaces,
collecting their stories of how these spaces came to be, and
discussing how to sustain them
• Analyzing Baltimore City's record of adopted vacant lots to
connect with community members who have adopted lots for
the purpose of community greening
• Gardening every Friday at the Duncan Street Miracle Garden, a
community garden protected by Baltimore Green Space 10