northwoodgreenlife

Are you living the GREENlife?

Northwood GREENlife is a grass roots environmental action organization currently serving West Palm Beach's North End communities located between 59th Street on the north, Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard on the south, the Intracoastal on the east and the lakes along Australian Avenue on the west.

Our mission is to promote environmental responsibility in the Northwood District and adjacent communities of West Palm Beach. To acheve this, Northwood GREENlife seeks partnerships with like-minded organizations and reaches out to inspire residents, business owners and governments to develop measurable solutions using established standards for neighborhood sustainability. These include aesthetically pleasing and artistic approaches to water conservation, fostering the use of renewable energy and moving the community toward zero waste.

Our ultimate goal is to make West Palm Beach's Northwood District a showcase and thriving sustainable community that is saving water, saving energy, saving money and saving the Earth. Our means for achieving this goal currently include community engagement, education, youth and children's activities, community gardens, urban meadows and tree canopy projects.

Have you heard what is sprouting in Northwood Village?

The Village Greens is a community garden project, one of two approved by the City of West Palm Beach for a recently established pilot program. Located in the 400 block of 25th Street in Northwood Village, The Village Greens will offer local gardeners the opportunity to learn chemical-free gardening practices and the benefits of eating food that is local, seasonal and sustainably grown. Health benefits to gardeners will include the physical exercise of gardening, as well as the introduction of healthier foods to their tables. And the camaraderie of gardening as a community has long been recognized as a healthful activity.

An Urban Forest may be coming to your neighborhood soon!

What is an Urban Forest? It is a dynamic ecosystem that provides environmental services such as clean air and water. Trees cool cities and save energy; improve social connections; complement smart growth; and create walkable communities. West Palm Beach has held the distinction of "City of Trees" for ten years, yet the City's tree canopy is currently 14%, significantly less than the recommended 45% coverage needed to adequately sequester carbon emissions.

The Northwood GREENlife Urban Forest pilot project is partnering with the Florida Native Plant Society, Palm Beach County Chapter, to develop a mini Urban Forest in the swales and traffic calming circles along Spruce Avenue from 13th Street to 58th Street. Utilizing a variety of native canopy trees and native undercanopy vegetation suited for swale locations, the Urban Forest project will create native South Florida hammocks along Spruce Avenue and become a model that will hopefully move the City toward the goal of a minimum 45% canopy coverage.