|
|
|
|
The Village Greens
For more information, contact:
Jeanne Stefansic
Garden Coordinator
|
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.
A unique characteristic to this garden is that it will utilize and demonstrate green technologies. Underground cisterns will collect and utilize rooftop runoff water for irrigation. Power for pumping and evening lighting will be imaginatively designed solar and wind elements, and off the grid.
The Village Greens will further serve the community as an educational venue for energy and water conservation, healthy food production, agronomy education, and reclamation of the urban surface. Programs related to these and other topics will help families, children, property and business owners to learn about and benefit from the principles of sustainability which the garden is designed to encourage and promote. |
|
Urban Forests
For more information, contact:
Jeanne Taylor
Project Team Leader
|
Momentum is building for the Spruce Avenue Urban Forest Project! The Florida Native Plant Society, Palm Beach County Branch is partnering with Northwood GREENlife on the pilot project, which will cross six Northwood GREENlife neighborhoods in the North End, creating a mini urban forest in the swales and traffic calming circles along Spruce Avenue from 13th to 58th Streets.
The project provides that a variety of native canopy trees, and native undercanopy vegetation particularly well suited for swale location be planted, in effect reproducing the range of canopy trees found in South Florida's hammocks.
What is an Urban Forest? Urban forests are trees for people! They are dynamic ecosystems that provide environmental services such as clean air and water. Trees cool cities and save energy; improve air quality; strengthen quality of place and local economies; reduce storm water runoff; improve social connections; complement smart growth; and create walkable communities.
Why do we need tree canopy? A study conducted by American Forests for Palm Beach County in 2006 notes that West Palm Beach's tree canopy is currently at about 14% coverage. American Forests says a minimum of 45% coverage is needed to adequately sequester carbon.
This is not only an exciting project for our Northwood GREENlife district but a vital one, too for the entire city community! |
|
Urban Meadows
For more information, contact:
|
The Urban Meadows project involves identifying blighted and abandoned properties throughout the Northwood GREENlife district and beautifying the properties by scattering seed balls. The seed balls contain native plant seeds that are drought tolerant and suitable for our local climate. The team has successfully seeded one property, and has also raised funds for their project by selling seed balls at neighborhood functions.
Native wildflowers, which occur in most of Florida’s natural ecosystems, now are being cultivated for use along roadsides and in meadows and landscapes. A variety of species are offered by native plant nurseries across Florida. Native ecotype seed is readily available, too. When used in an urban landscape, native wildflowers add color, texture and excitement to any garden palette. On roadsides, they help control erosion, decrease mowing and add beauty to the drive. | |
|
|
|
|
|
Northwood GREENlife is a 501 (c) (3) non profit organization
520 39th Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 |
© 2011 Northwood GREENlife
|
|
|
|
