Metro Blooms

METRO BLOOMS PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES TO CREATE RESILIENT LANDSCAPES AND FOSTER CLEAN WATERSHEDS, EMBRACING THE VALUES OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO SOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS IN 2021 INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: - REDESIGNING LANDSCAPES WITH RENTAL COMMUNITIES: WORKED WITH 6 RENTAL COMMUNITIES TO CREATE OUTDOOR SPACES THAT HEAL OUR EARTH WHILE MEETING COMMUNITY NEEDS. RESIDENTS WERE ACTIVE DECISION-MAKERS, AND COMMUNITY PRIORITIES SHAPED EACH DESIGN. WE HIRED RESIDENTS AS PROJECT STEWARDS. RESIDENTS "DUG IN" DURING PAID COMMUNITY PLANTING EVENTS. SITES FOR THIS PROGRAMMING INCLUDED AUTUMN RIDGE APARTMENTS IN BROOKLYN PARK, BROOK GARDENS AND BROOKS LANDING IN BROOKLYN PARK. 148 RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES, 8 RAIN GARDENS WERE INSTALLED, 40 TREES WERE PLANTED AND 843,000 GALLONS OF RUNOFF WERE CAPTURED ANNUALLY. - NEIGHBORHOOD DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS IN NORTHSIDE MINNEAPOLIS AND THE PHILLIPS AND CORCORAN NEIGHBORHOODS IN MINNEAPOLIS INCLUDED 15 RESIDENTS INSTALLING POLLINATOR PLANTINGS AS PART OF COMMUNITY FOCUSED INITIATIVES WITH RESIDENTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES. - COMMERCIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PROJECTS: WE HELPED SMALL BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS PLAN, ACCESS FUNDING FOR AND INSTALL RAIN GARDENS AND OTHER GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE PRACTICES MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE FOR STORMWATER CREDITS ON TAX BILLS. WE ENGAGED SMALL BUSINESSES ALONG THE 38TH ST. CORRIDOR IN MINNEAPOLIS ON PROJECTS FEATURING NATIVE PLANTINGS AND POLLINATOR-THEMED ARTWORK (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHICAGO AVENUE FINE ARTS CENTER). THIS WAS FUNDED LARGELY BY THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS GREAT STREETS PROGRAM. METRO BLOOMS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A COMMUNITY PLANTING DAY AT ALL NATIONS CHURCH IN MINNEAPOLIS.

METRO BLOOMS AND BLUE THUMB WORKSHOPS TAUGHT PEOPLE EARTH FRIENDLIER WAYS TO MAKE THEIR YARDS MORE RESILIENT TO THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. WE OFFERED THREE WORKSHOP THEMES: RESILIENT YARDS, BEE LAWNS, AND PLANTING FOR POLLINATORS. MORE THAN HALF OF PARTICIPANTS SURVEYED LATER PLANNED ON INSTALLING A RAIN GARDEN. METRO BLOOMS CONTINUED TO MANAGE THE BLUE THUMB EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH IS A PARTNERSHIP OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LANDSCAPE CONTRACTORS, NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES AND OTHERS COMMITTED TO THE PROMOTION OF NATIVE PLANTINGS, RAIN GARDENS, AND SHORELINE PLANTINGS. BOARD OF WATER AND SOIL RESOURCES LAUNCHED THE LAWNS TO LEGUMES PROGRAM IN 2019 WITH FUNDING FROM THE MN LEGISLATURE. IT IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAM TO REPLACE RESIDENTIAL TURF WITH POLLINATOR HABITAT. METRO BLOOMS MANAGED AN INDIVIDUAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATE RESIDENTS TO PLANT POLLINATOR HABITAT AS PART OF LAWNS TO LEGUMES. LAWNS TO LEGUMES RECEIVED A 2021 ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE AWARD FOR LARGE-SCALE SUSTAINABILITY IMPACTS. WE ALSO OFFERED TRAININGS FOR VOLUNTEER COACHES AND PROFESSIONAL PARTNERS AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE. SUSTAINABLE LANDCARE TRAININGS LED BY METRO BLOOMS STAFF ARE GROWING A GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE AND CREATING JOB AND EDUCATION PATHWAYS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT LACK QUALITY TRAINING PROGRAMS. AFTER A PANDEMIC HIATUS IN 2020, WE REVAMPED OUR TRAINING TO ADD AN ONLINE LEARNING ELEMENT. WE PROVIDED TRAINING TO 101 YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS. FINALLY, OUR VOLUNTEERS HAD HUNDREDS OF CONVERSATIONS WITH ATTENDEES AT THE MN STATE FAIR ABOUT THE ONGOING LAWNS TO LEGUMES PROGRAM.