I'm a graduate student at Yale Divinity School studying the History of Christianity with a focus on environmental history. Prior to my graduate studies, I guided outdoor and environmental education trips for Farm & Wilderness Camps in Vermont and taught high school history at Strake Jesuit College Preparatory.
As an educator, I am passionate about finding dynamic, interdisciplinary solutions to social and environmental problems. I look forward to learning from my colleagues at the Urban Resources Initiative and from the community members with whom we'll be working!
The Common Ground interns planted two Amelanchier on the Front St side of the Oasis. Several yards of topsoil and mulch were put down on the Middletown Ave side.
Today, one of the interns from SCSU's Oasis came down to BPP to take a look at the project. The Common Ground interns took the lead, planting on the berm between the Bow and the Spruceland.
NHLT came with their Youth Corps to help with work this week. We put down 1yd mulch in the Oasis, pulled invasives, and continued CG’s previous work on the 100 trees. We have successfully removed invasives from within the 100 trees.
Big planting day! Edgewood Park's Youth@Work came to help out the Common Ground interns and FOEP in the Oasis. Blueberry patches were planted, along with Witch Hazel and Bee Balm.
Removed invasives with the FOEP and CG. Cleared out the area around last year’s planings and cut vines, invasives out from around the spring. Made a plan with Chris for next week's plantings.
Common Ground and the Community continued culling invasives inside the Oasis, and at the corner of Front St. and Middletown Ave. They also provided water to last year's plantings.
Watered in the 100 Trees with the Common Ground kids, starting from the Sound School side. Despite drought stress, most appear to have weathered the difficult conditions fairly well.
The Common Ground kids helped repair the deer fence and provided water to the plants inside the oasis. With help from Nan and Bill, we also established a small nursery plot within the deer fence.
Removed invasives with the FOEP and CG. Cleared out the area around last year’s plantings and cut vines, as well as removed invasives out from around the spring. Parks came by to install the new Oasis sign as well!
Today was the first day of work for the Common Ground interns at Dover Beach! Went out with the CG kids and the community to pull invasives from the Oasis. We removed invasives around last year’s plantings first, before moving to the space behind the butterfly garden.
Planted flowers and mulched around the hawthorn at 30 White St and mulched around an existing tree at 25 White St. Tommy Joe, Kadejah, and Jeremy came out to work.
Planted flowers and mulched around the hawthorn at 30 White St and mulched around an existing tree at 25 White St. Tommy Joe, Kadejah, and Jeremy came out to work.
The CG kids and I walked the length of the LWNP and picked up trash along the beach, in addition to clearing out invasives around the Oasis plantings from last year.
Today was the first day for the Common Ground Interns at Beaver Ponds Park! Invasives removal and fence repair with CG. Planted Atlantic Azalea, Andromeda, and Mountain Laurel along the embankment outside the deer fence.
Today was the first day of involvement for the kids from Common Ground High School! Removed invasives with the FOEP and CG. Cleared out the area around last year’s plantings and clarified the trail leading back to the Spring.
Inaugural tree planting on White Street! Planted a hawthorn tree in front of Thomas Chapel at 30 White Street. Tommy Joe, Kadejah, Terry, and Pastor Lynes came to do the work.
FOEP met in conjunction with a local book club to plant a cherry tree in memory of one of its members. The planting was well attended, and the work went quickly. After the tree was in the ground, words were said. This was a moving and meaningful experience.
This week, Tommy Joe, Kadeja, and I went out into the neighborhood to pass out flyers and tell the community about our work. Indefatigable as always, Tommy Joe enthusiastically sold the project to as many people as would answer their door at 10am on a Saturday.
FOEP assembled a great team on Wed to clear invasives and plant 3 Arrowwood Viburnum and 4 Penstamon in the triangular area where two trails come together at the bridge over the West River.
This group had its first formal meeting this week! It was small; just Tommy Joe, Pastor Lynes, Jeremy, and Kadiedra. But we were able to nail down a concrete set of interests within the Thomas Chapel community present there. Additionally, Pastor Lynes signed a permission form to begin lead testing in the front yard of Thomas Chapel. I’ll take the samples this coming week and get the samples off to the lab as soon as possible.
Met to do a walkthrough of the Oasis and discuss plans for this year's plantings and maintenance, as well as Audubon's designation of West River Memorial Park as an Important Bird Area on 11 June.