Lexi Smith

URI Internship Year:

2019

Graduation Year:

2019

Degree:

MESc

Lexi is an alumna of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, where she earned her masters degree in Environmental Science from 2017 to 2019. She is a passionate environmentalist and applied ecologist with a wide range of interests. However, her main focus has been ecological conservation/restoration in conjunction with natural resource management and climate change mitigation/adaptation. She grew up and earned her bachelors degree (in Environmental Science) in Chico, California, which nurtured her love for nature in an increasingly urban environment with a community clinging to its rural roots and beloved Bidwell Park. During her time in New Haven, Connecticut as a graduate student and Greenspace Community Forester at Urban Resources Initiative (URI), she has developed a deeper appreciation for bigger cities and more urbanized spaces. Working with URI has demonstrated to her the enormous importance of community involvement in environmental stewardship and restoration at all scales, from streetscape gardens to large city parks. She feels incredibly fortunate to have been part of this ongoing process, and hopes that her efforts help New Haven be a better place for her having been here.

Group

Arch Street

Yow Street Plant Brigade (Formerly: Young Street Plant Brigade)

Greenspace Log

Date	Category	Photos	Group	Summary
08/08/2019	Planting	Bradley Street	Bradley/Wooster	The group continued spreading pine bark mulch across weeded areas, and planted three more maiden grasses where there was space for them.
08/07/2019	Maintenance	Shrubs Storm Brewing	Mill River Trail	We watered trees and shrubs before the big thunderstorm started!
08/03/2019	Maintenance	Watering Hose	Arch Street	We continued maintenance/stewardship work at the Arch Street Greenspace, including spreading grass seed with compost and watering!
08/02/2019	Maintenance	Spreading Mulch	Blockwatch 303	We finished spreading mulch around the remaining tree pits and garden areas at Beecher Park!
08/01/2019	Planting	Planting Perennials	Peat Meadow Gardens	We planted eight more perennials around the crabapple and magnolia trees, in addition to watering!
07/31/2019	Maintenance	Point Garden (07/31/2019)	Monitor Square Park	We continued adding pine bark mulch to the point garden which had been weeded in previous weeks. We also watered the circle garden with a sprinkler that Robin brought from home.
07/31/2019	Planting	Eastern Red Cedar	Mill River Trail	We persevered through the pouring rain and thunderstorm to plant one more tree and five more shrubs this Greenspace season! Huge thanks to the Common Ground High School crew, David Okeke and Gaston Neville (New Haven Promise Fellows), and Stephen Krewson and Kevin McCarthy (group leaders) for making this happen! Great work this summer!
07/30/2019	Planting	Mulch	Bradley/Wooster	We started spreading pine bark mulch around the garden area along the highway side of Bradley Street today. We also planted one of four maiden grasses to start filling in the weeded space.
07/27/2019	Planting	Monitor Square Group Leaders	Monitor Square Park	We planted daylilies in tree pits to fill in empty spaces. We also watered tree pits and the circle garden.
07/27/2019	Maintenance	Leaves Cleanup	Arch Street	Evelyn, Cindy, and I (Lexi) met to plan for the future of Arch Street! After that, Cindy and I continued onto maintenance/stewardship activities. Josefina joined us for one hour to help with leaf cleanup! Before our meeting officially started, a family of five who live on Arch Street were at the Greenspace raking leaves and enjoying it! :)
07/26/2019	Maintenance	Volunteers	Blockwatch 303	We continued mulching and pruning at Beecher Park and Mitchell Library today, with help from a nice group of volunteers who joined us for about an hour!
07/26/2019	Maintenance	Woodchips	Peat Meadow Gardens	Jody and her son (John Carlos) spread woodchips and cleaned up trash on Peat Meadow Road today.
07/24/2019	Planting	Blackgum Tree Blackgum Tree	Mill River Trail	We successfully planted another blackgum tree and five more shrubs (three bayberry, two sweetgale) in the Urban Oasis with big help from the Common Ground High School crew (led by New Haven Promise Fellows David Okeke and Gaston Neville).
07/23/2019	Maintenance	Weeding	Bradley/Wooster	We continued weeding work on Bradley Street today, in addition to putting up a beautiful sandwich board for community outreach and engagement.
07/20/2019	Planting	Circle/Monument Garden (07/20/2019)	Monitor Square Park	We planted six dianthus in the circle/monument garden, and made sure to add compost during this process. We also watered the circle/monument garden and trees. Last, we added pine bark mulch to tree pits and the point garden that had been weeded previously.
07/20/2019	Planning	Dead Tree	Arch Street	It was a very hot and humid day, but Cindy came out to the Greenspace anyway! The dead tree we had been trying to get removed was dropping a lot of branches this week, so we decided it was not safe for children to be around -- especially combined with intense heat. It was also too hot to be very physically active, so we did not do any maintenance or cleanup work. Instead, we planned for the coming week and I (Lexi, the intern) talked with Arthur Natalino (LCI neighborhood specialist) about removing the dead tree again.
07/18/2019	Maintenance	Brush Clearing	Peat Meadow Gardens	We cleared brush and put it on the road for Public Works to pickup. We also did some community outreach with a couple residents who live near Peat Meadow Road.
07/17/2019	Planting	Planting Perennials	Mill River Trail	We put up a sandwich board for community outreach on Grand Avenue, watered shrubs and trees, planted an American Linden and perennials around the Urban Oasis sign, and spread mulch around the American Linden after planting!
07/16/2019	Maintenance	Spreading Mulch	Blockwatch 303	We spread mulch at the Memorial Garden across from Beecher Park, as well as Beecher Park itself.
07/13/2019	Maintenance	Volunteers	Monitor Square Park	We spent the group meeting weeding, edging, and mulching the point garden and tree pits all around Monitor Square. We also watered!
07/13/2019	Maintenance	Success at Arch Street!	Arch Street	We had our first big success of the year at Arch Street today! Cindy, Roberto, and Erica were already working at the Greenspace when I arrived. They were cleaning up trash and mowing the grass. Cindy knocked on doors and invited people (especially children) to enjoy the Greenspace with us. Soon enough, there were six children there ready to help and play! Cindy brought snacks and drinks for everyone. We cleaned up trash and plant debris, in addition to pruning suckers off trees. We also decorated the sandwich board for community outreach, which the kids had a lot of fun with.
07/13/2019	Maintenance	Watering Planting Beds	Yow Street Plant Brigade (Formerly: Young Street Plant Brigade)	Chris and Susan spent their last meeting of the summer watering planting beds, moving some perennials around from previous years, and spreading mulch around the remaining tree pits on Osborne Avenue.
07/12/2019	Maintenance	Unloading Mulch	Blockwatch 303	This was my (Lexi's) first workday with the Blockwatch 303 group, and we had a good time spreading mulch around Mitchell Library.
07/12/2019	Planning	Peat Meadow Road (08/01/2019)	Peat Meadow Gardens	We met with Chris Ozyck from Urban Resources Initiative (URI), Jeff Pescosolido from New Haven Public Works, Carlos Eyzaguirre from New Haven Economic Development, and New Haven Parks staff to discuss continuing issues and possible resolutions on Peat Meadow Road.
07/11/2019	Planting	Crabapple Tree	Peat Meadow Gardens	We planted our third tree on Peat Meadow Road today, as well as eight perennials to go along with it!
07/10/2019	Planting	Red Maple	Mill River Trail	We successfully planted three bayberry shrubs, two buttonbush shrubs, and one red maple tree to help expand the Urban Oasis! The Common Ground High School students were a huge help! So were the volunteers (Stephen and Allen) and New Haven Promise interns (David and Gaston)!
07/03/2019	Maintenance	Unloading Supplies	Mill River Trail	J.R. and Kathryn prepared to host our New Haven Promise intern (David Okeke) and summer crew of Common Ground High School students, who worked from 5:30 to 8:00pm. The group watered Urban Oasis plants and weeded along the Radiall fence side of the trail.
07/03/2019	Maintenance	Watering Perennials	Monitor Square Park	Robin met a SiteOne employee for a bulk delivery of pine bark mulch at Monitor Square, and she watered plants while she was there.
06/29/2019	Planting	Spreading Compost	Peat Meadow Gardens	Wanda, Annemarie, and I (Lexi) planted more perennials around the group's new trees on Peat Meadow Road. After that was completed, Annemarie and I met with Chris Ozyck from Urban Resources Initiative (URI) to discuss continuing issues and plans moving forward.
06/29/2019	Planting	Planting Perennials	Monitor Square Park	We planted 26 perennials in the circle/monument garden, as well as 1 perennial in a tree pit that had some space for it.
06/26/2019	Planting	Planting Shrubs	Mill River Trail	We planted one large bayberry and two smaller buttonbush shrubs along the trail to continue filling in the Urban Oasis landscape. We watered them, as well as the three shrubs we planted last week. We planned for the coming weeks, which included marking some spots for future plantings and deciding to put up a sandwich board this week!
06/22/2019	Planting	Planting Bed	Yow Street Plant Brigade (Formerly: Young Street Plant Brigade)	Chris, Susan, and Erica continued adding pine bark mulch to planting beds and tree pits along Osborne Avenue. They also planted some perennials and one shrub that I (Lexi) left with the group the last time I met with them.
06/22/2019	Maintenance	Water Access!	Monitor Square Park	A Regional Water Authority employee came by Monitor Square to put in a meter and turn on the water! The group was very happy to have water access, and John made sure to water trees before leaving. They also weeded the circle/monument garden, in addition to weeding and mulching three tree pits.
06/19/2019	Planting	Urban Oasis Sign	Mill River Trail	This was our first planting day of the season! We planted three bayberry shrubs (one large, two small), and watered them too! We also installed our Urban Oasis sign with help from David Okeke (New Haven Promise fellow working with URI this summer). The group was happy about these accomplishments!
06/15/2019	Planting	Weeding and Planting	Yow Street Plant Brigade (Formerly: Young Street Plant Brigade)	We spent our group meeting weeding, adding some perennials and ninebark shrubs to, and spreading pine bark mulch around the raised beds close to the intersection of Osborne Avenue and Blake Street.
06/15/2019	Maintenance	Point Garden (06/15/2019)	Monitor Square Park	Robin worked on weeding the point garden while I (Lexi) unloaded compost and mulch from the truck.
06/12/2019	Maintenance	Urban Oasis Signpost	Mill River Trail	We installed the Urban Oasis signpost with help from Chris Ozyck and David Okeke. Eliza Valk provided guidance/input on maintenance of benches, as well as planting design for coming weeks.
06/12/2019	Planning	Beecher Park Tree	Blockwatch 303	This was my (Lexi's) first meeting with the group leaders for Blockwatch 303, so Kate and Susan gave me a tour of Beecher Park and the Memorial Garden across from Beecher Park. We also discussed goals/plans for the Greenspace work this summer.
06/08/2019	Maintenance	Circle/Monument Garden (06/08/2019)	Monitor Square Park	We finished weeding and mulching the circle/monument garden, which made it look great!
06/05/2019	Maintenance	Pulling Japanese Knotweed	Mill River Trail	We removed Japanese knotweed from the riverbank and tagged Urban Oasis trees.
06/01/2019	Maintenance	Maintenance/Stewardship	Yow Street Plant Brigade (Formerly: Young Street Plant Brigade)	Today was our first workday of the season, and we got a good turnout of volunteers to help with maintenance/stewardship activities on Osborne Avenue.
06/01/2019	Maintenance	Unloading Mulch	Monitor Square Park	Robin continued weeding the circle/monument garden while John, Ryan, and I dealt with unloading mulch/compost from the truck.
05/30/2019	Planning	Urban Oasis	Mill River Trail	This was our first group meeting of 2019, and we had a lot to discuss! We did a walkthrough along the trail. Stephen and J.R. had plenty of ideas of what we could improve this year. Some big goals were invasive plant removal, riverbank restoration, and Urban Oasis sign installation.
05/30/2019	Planning	Circle/Monument Garden (05/30/2019)	Monitor Square Park	Robin and I (Lexi) met at Monitor Square to work on weeding the circle/monument garden and discuss goals for this Greenspace season.
05/29/2019	Planning	YOW Group Leaders	Yow Street Plant Brigade (Formerly: Young Street Plant Brigade)	We discussed goals and plans for this year's Greenspace season at Chris McDaniel's house on Osborne Avenue.
05/24/2019	Planning	Peat Meadow Road (05/24/2019)	Peat Meadow Gardens	First group meeting for Peat Meadow Gardens, which at that point was called Annex Gardeners or Gardens. We met with Chris Ozyck from Urban Resources Initiative (URI) and Carlos Eyzaguirre from New Haven Economic Development. We discussed issues and opportunities for improvement on Peat Meadow Road going forward!

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